Instagram Unveils Web Profiles |  |
- Instagram Unveils Web Profiles
- Small Business Financing Options For Those With Not So Great Credit
- Countdown To Launch Your Business
- 7 Steps to Writing A Great Blog Post
- Instagram Introduces Profiles, Gets More Like Facebook
| Instagram Unveils Web Profiles Posted: 06 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Photo sharing service Instagram just released web-based profiles for users, a long awaited feature of the once mobile-only platform.
The web profiles will allow people to browse Instagram users and photos without an iOS or Android mobile device. Users can leave comments, edit their profile information, and follow new users directly from their web browser. Some of these features have been rolling out to users already, but never have full Web profiles been made available without the use of third party sites like Followgram. Profiles display users' biographical information, profile photo, a selection of recent photos, and a steady stream of mobile photos as they add new photos. The profiles look similar to Timelines on Facebook, which currently owns Instagram. For businesses that use Instagram as part of their social media promotions, this change simply makes the media readily available for more users, particularly those without iOS or Android devices. It can also make it easier for those who already have Instagram accounts to find and follow more users on the Web. Profiles will be viewable as Instagram.com/[username]. The Web profiles are already available to some users, and will roll out to everyone throughout the week. Those who have private Instagram profiles will still be given Web profiles, but photos will only be viewable by those who are logged into Instagram and given permission to follow those users. Public profiles will be viewable by anyone, even those who don't have Instagram accounts. One feature that is still not available, however, is the ability to upload photos directly from the Web. Instagram remains focused on the production of photos from mobile devices, so this move might not actually draw in many new users to the photo sharing service. Instagram currently has more than 10 million users on its mobile platform. The first Instagram app was launched in October 2010, and the company was purchased by Facebook in April, 2012. The post Instagram Unveils Web Profiles appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Small Business Financing Options For Those With Not So Great Credit Posted: 06 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner who does not have good personal credit but you need a small business loan of some kind to start, build, or grow your business then there’s good and bad news for you. We’re really not here to talk about the bad news because you already know the bad news. It’s tough – some would say impossible – to get financing when your personal credit is “not so great.” After all, it’s been tough enough since The Great Recession for people with “good” credit to get financing.
Just to clarify, we’re talking about debt financing and not equity financing. This post will not cover equity financing options such as venture capital, private equity, angel investors, or the three F’s (friends/family/fools). Before we get started, let’s review a couple important truths:
Now, let’s dive into the best small business financing options for people with “not so great” credit: ROB’s (Rollover as Business Startups) This works for both new and established businesses. If you have an IRA, 401k, or other qualified retirement vehicle then you may be able to roll some or all of those funds into your new business entity. You’ll need a C-corp and this strategy should only be executed by a qualified and experienced company or attorney. There are no monthly payment requirements but be sure you have good people who properly set this up for you so you don’t run into IRS compliance issues. Equipment Financing This works for both new and established businesses. You’re looking for a non-bank equipment finance company here. There are many of them out there who will lend you the funds you need to buy construction equipment, medical equipment, tractor trailers, aircraft, printing equipment, etc. The list goes on. They look for clients with damaged credit and what you’ll need in return is very simple. You either need a larger down payment or collateral or both. These lenders like to lend based on the “auction value” of the equipment you’re buying and/or the auction value of some equipment you already own. Although it goes without saying, you should expect to pay a higher cost for these loans. Factoring This works for established businesses only. It’s simple here too. If you have an aging report or book of receivables then there are lenders out there who will buy your receivables at a discount (some or all of your receivables). Qualifying for factoring is all about the company who owes you the money. If the lender believes they will pay, then you’ll probably get your financing. However, if it’s Uncle Louie from Louie, Inc. who owes you $100,000 you probably won’t be able to finance that one. I’m sure you get the idea. The lender will check things like business credit reports on the company who owes your invoice(s), make verification phone calls, etc. but it’s a quick solution and there are thousands of businesses all over the country who do this very successfully. Merchant Cash Advances Also known as MCA’s, works for established businesses only. This is probably one of my least-favorite forms of financing because it’s so expensive but there is a time and a place for it. We’re talking about the Wild West of financing here though. If you’re working with a trusted small business loan professional then you’re probably okay but these loans are a dangerous combination of two things – they are costly to the business owner and lucrative to the brokers who sell them. They are tough on cash flow no matter how you slice it but if you can absorb the high-cost and the short repayment term and advance your organization then this is an option. To give you some perspective, our company takes in around 5,000 requests for financing per year and in the last 2 years, you can count the number of MCA’s we’ve done in the single digits. For each of those clients it was a means to an end to achieve a larger goal. They’re an option, but use them wisely. Purchase Order Financing Also known as PO Financing, works for established businesses only. Of these five lending solutions this one is done with the least frequency. However, it’s a great option when you have a large order you need to fulfill from a large customer. For example, if Target gives you an order for 500,000 of your widgets to go in all their stores on the east coast, then you’ll need to manufacture and ship those widgets to them before they ever pay you. You will also need to pay all your people or the manufacturer for the production. That can get expensive and many business owners have had their growth halted simply because they couldn’t afford to fulfill a big order. With PO Financing, as long as you have a credit-worthy buyer, you can finance that entire order and ensure that your business grows and that you can develop the relationship with the buyer for future orders. And there you have it. These are not the “only” ways to obtain financing if you are a small business owner with damaged personal credit, but these are likely your best options – or they are at least the most commonly used financing vehicles for people with “not so great” credit. The list could certainly be longer. So how have you creatively financed your business growth? Credit Problems Photo via Shutterstock The post Small Business Financing Options For Those With Not So Great Credit appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Countdown To Launch Your Business Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Once you’ve decided on a business structure and a location for your new business, it’s time to get ready to launch your business. This is an exciting time because it’s where you start putting your business into action and making your ideas a reality. Starting a business is a big undertaking that requires attention to detail, investment of resources, and the coordination of multiple contributions coming from all directions – just like the launch of a Space Shuttle.
Every Space Shuttle launch started with a "countdown" on the launching pad to help the engineers and support staff ensure that all the equipment was working properly and all of the processes were in place for a successful flight. In the same way, as you get ready to launch your business, it's important to be thorough in completing all of the necessary steps and "checking the boxes" along the way. If you complete all the steps on this countdown to launch, you'll be better positioned for success as your business takes flight: Countdown To Launch Your BusinessWrite a Business Plan and Set Your Prices There's an old saying:
So before you do anything else, you should go through the exercise of writing a business plan. Even if you have a clear idea of what kind of business you want to start, even if you think that your business plan is "simple" or "easy," committing to putting it in writing by creating a formal, written business plan will almost certainly be time well spent. By writing a business plan, you are taking time to understand and analyze the market demand for your product or service. Your business plan should show how you can tailor your offerings to meet the needs of customers, how you will compare with competitors, and how you will grow over time. An important part of your business plan is deciding what prices to charge for your products or services. Spend some time researching and analyzing the typical prices charged by your competitors. Find out how you can add extra value to command a higher price. Find out the bare minimum price that you can afford to charge to break even, and then build in enough of a profit margin that you can have some additional "cushion." Do you expect that your business will have certain "busy seasons" and quiet periods throughout the year? If so, plan for the cash flow needs of your business. Try to anticipate when your business will be bringing in revenue and when you will need to dip into your cash reserves. Writing a business plan will help you avoid surprises that are costly or even fatal for your business down the road. Lots of people have "can't miss" business ideas that fall short of their potential (or never get off the ground) because these would-be entrepreneurs don't do the research and take time to write a business plan. Don't let this happen to you. Write a Marketing Plan So you've got a business idea and you've written a business plan. Now you need to figure out who's going to buy from you, why they should buy from you, and how you're going to reach them to build relationships with your future customers. As part of the overall business plan, you also need to create a specific "Marketing Plan" that identifies your target markets and outlines ways to reach them. Creating a marketing plan – a blueprint for how to find and engage with your customers – is one of the most exciting parts of running your own business (and one of the most critical for your success). Name Your Business Just like new parents give their baby a name, new business owners need to choose a name for the business. Choosing a business name can be fun, creative and exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking – how do you choose the right name to concisely and credibly serve as your business's first impression to the world? Another consideration in naming a business is to choose a business name that is not already being used by someone else. Making sure you have a unique business name will help you avoid trademark and copyright problems or potential disputes with other business owners. Before you invest too much in a great new name, you should do a business name search to make sure it is not already in use in a way that could create a conflict with another business. CorpNet™ offers a free business name search that can help you check to verify whether the business name of your choice is available. If you are forming a corporation or Limited Liability Company (LLC) as part of starting your business, your company's legal entity name will often be the same as the business name. If it is a different name, or if you are a sole proprietor and using a fictitious name for your business (that is, a name other than your own), you will need to register a Doing Business As (DBA) name with the state or county in which you intend to operate. CorpNet™ can also help prepare and file your DBA application. Once you choose a name for your business, it is also a good time to buy a URL for your business website. Ideally, your business website URL will include your business name (or something close, so that customers can easily find you online). You should also take steps to protect your business name, including possibly filing for trademark protection. If you’d like to learn more about "what's in a name" when it comes to your business, contact CorpNet for a free business consultation. Once you have decided on a business name (and made sure it is available for you to use), you should next determine the best form of legal entity for your business. Form a Legal Entity for your Business As we discussed in our previous articles on incorporating a business and choosing a business structure, there are many choices, including incorporating your business by forming a C Corporation or S Corporation, forming a partnership or limited liability company (LLC), or operating as a sole proprietorship. Different legal entities have different advantages, complications and drawbacks. You will need to decide which type of business structure is right for you. CorpNet™ offers easy-to-use online guides and tools to help entrepreneurs make the best choice of business structure to fit their needs. Once you decide if you want an LLC, S Corporation or other business structure, CorpNet can help you form your business's legal entity. We manage the business filings for you, making it fast and cost-effective for you to make your business "official" as a legal entity. If you have a complex or unusual business, you should consider hiring a good attorney and tax accountant from the beginning of your business operations. Now that the countdown to launch your business is complete, it’s time to get ready for the daily work of running your business. In the next article in our series, we’ll talk about the nitty gritty details of how to outfit and equip your business, how to learn the rules of running your business with the proper licensing, how to protect your business with liability insurance, and how to get ready to market your business and start making sales. Countdown Clock Photo via Shutterstock The post Countdown To Launch Your Business appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 7 Steps to Writing A Great Blog Post Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Writing great content isn't easy. Anyone who has ever tried knows this. Thankfully, however, there are techniques designed to make writing a great blog post easier. One of those this is to create a process for how you'll do it.
As a writer in the search marketing space, much of my time is spent crafting content designed to educate and (sometimes) entertain my audience. As the VP of Strategy at Overit, I'm also responsible for helping our team to write content to be published on various platforms. As such, I've had to develop a clear and effective process to keep myself and my team on task with the content we have to write. In doing that it's not only helped us to get content out in a timely manner, but to create content people actually want to read and share with their communities. Turns out, the more you enjoy sharing your words, the better those words tend to be. My process for content writing looks like this: 1. Decide On Your Topic Start by creating a list of everything you're passionate about or that you feel like you can write on authoritatively. As a freelancer or small business owner, your list will undoubtedly be a mix of not only your subject-matter excellence, but also topics related to business, productively tools, work/life balance, and how you manage your day. Also think about the questions that you're constantly answering. What are the common problems/concerns your customers come to you about? What information are you often seeking? If you can pinpoint areas related to your business where many face difficulties, you can create a great benefit to your reader by solving their problems. Start keeping a list of potential topics to write about. My team uses Google Docs to suggest blog topic ideas, both for themselves and for other departments. 2. Outline The Post There are two great ways to work out an outline for your blog post. The first way is that traditional outline our teachers taught us in grade school. It involves breaking out the main points of our post and creating a list of everything you want to include, in the order you will address it. By creating a traditional outline, it helps you work out the flow of your post and organizes thoughts in a logical manner so you're better prepared when you start writing. The second way to outline your post is verbally. Grab a friend or a voice recorder and talk out your post and main points instead of trying to write them. Talk about your topic like you're explaining it to a friend or a customer. For many, talking through your post is a lot more effective than trying to write about it from a blank slate. Once you record yourself, you can take the transcript and use it to build an outline. 3. Fill In The Blanks With a workable outline for your post created, start filling in the blanks. Add supporting evidence, show research, cite sources, give examples, tell stories, and just write. Don't worry yet about how it sounds, just get the words out and work on building your story. Focus on the ideas you want to convey, not your ability to say them intelligently. Because writing and editing are very different skills, trying to do both at the same time will hinder your process and cause you to get "stuck" rewriting and editing the same three lines. In step 3, just focus on getting your ideas out and saying what it is you want to say. 4. Edit With a first draft down, read your post out loud to help you spot any writing awkwardness, typos, wrong words, sentence fragments, and anything else that may be hindering the flow of your post. If you have a difficult time being able to read it, that's a good indication a reader will have a hard time getting through it, as well. If you're not currently in the process of reading your writing out loud, I'd encourage you to start. You'll spot a lot more typos and awkward writing that way. 5. Work On Your Title Writing effective blog titles is hard. You need to not only describe your post and set your reader up for what you're about to show them, but you need to engage them and be descriptive for the search engines as you do it. To become better at writing blog titles (and writing, in general) I'd recommend following blogs like Copyblogger, which truly make crafting blog titles an art. 6. Add Images Adding compelling images to your content will help tell your story and affect how users perceive it. If you're going to use stock photography, you may want to re-read our post on things to avoid when using stock photography to help you focus in on the photos that will add the most to your content. Concentrate on images that will set the tone for your post and draw people in. Images of people or that use warm colors often work best. If you don't already have a preferred site for purchasing images, TJ McCue's post on 50 places to find images can help you get started. 7. Share Your Post! Now that you've done the work, make sure to share your post via all of your social media networks, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and wherever else you participate. While you don't want to overload or spam people, sharing your post multiple times can help account for different time zones or preferred reading times. Above is my process for writing blog posts that people want to read. What do you find works best for you? How have you handled the content writing process? The post 7 Steps to Writing A Great Blog Post appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Instagram Introduces Profiles, Gets More Like Facebook Posted: 06 Nov 2012 02:30 AM PST Instagram introduced profiles this week, becoming more like its big brother Facebook, some say. In today’s roundup, we have a look at the photo sharing super site and how new photo sharing tools are becoming useful in the online business community. You should think about the possibilities photo sharing social tools can offer your business. Add a new visual dimension to your brand, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the results. Improving Your ImageIn profile. This week, the photo sharing social site unveiled what some fans think is its crowning achievement so far. The company’s blog introduced the new feature as something demanded by members—Web profiles. You can share your profile with others you want to see your photos. Web profiles also provide a handy way to follow other users, comment, and like photos. Instagram Blog Forward facing. If all this sounds familiar, yes, it reminds everybody a little bit of Facebook, the social network that acquired Instagram earlier this year. But the evolution may be more than just a family resemblance. It’s a natural next step for an application that is pushing photo sharing on the social Web to the next level. What do you think? All Things Digital Framing the ConversationInstagram errors. Clearly, you don’t need to spell out to business owners already using social media to power their marketing the value of adding Instagram to the mix. Still, blogger James T. Noble insists there are least three big mistakes businesses make when deciding to use Instagram for marketing purposes. Growth University Social media myths. If anything, the rise of Instagram has only encouraged more complaints by those who just don’t get it. They ask who wants to see all these photos you’re sharing…or read about what you just ate, or know where you just checked in. A lot of people do, says small business owner Liz King, and if you don’t understand why, your business could be left behind. Liz King Events The one list Instagram didn’t make. Interestingly, the one list of big photo sites online Instagram doesn’t make is the list of free photo sites bloggers and other content creators use to add images to their posts and articles. Blogger Leah Singer doesn’t even mention the biggest photo sharing site on the web in her post, but commenter Martin Lindeskog points out the social site will likely soon introduce a similar feature. Merchantos Instagram IntelligenceAn infographic education. If you want to get a better understanding of the social sharing culture that now includes users of apps like Instagram, you’ll want to check out this post and the infographic that comes with it. Editor and Community Manager Kelly Ferrier explains how sharing photos of the food she eats is a way of sharing her passion for vegetarianism and cooking. Learn more about why your audience shares. Communicatto An inspiration for others. Instagram is much more than just a marketing tool for small businesses. A startup eventually purchased by mega social network Facebook for $1 billion, it now serves as an inspiration for many small businesses of what can be possible with a simple, well executed idea. Startup blogger Caimin Jones discusses why Instagram has become a startup superstar. Genius Startup The post Instagram Introduces Profiles, Gets More Like Facebook appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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