Social Media Managers: Track Network Activity with Viralheat |  |
- Social Media Managers: Track Network Activity with Viralheat
- Be Creative for a Chance to Win a $500 Prize Suite
- Pinterest Infographic For Small Business
- 3 Lead Generating LinkedIn Features to Capitalize On
- Chris Goward: Affiliate Programs and Conversion Optimization #AMDays
- 14 Accounting Software Tools To Make Finances Easy
| Social Media Managers: Track Network Activity with Viralheat Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:00 PM PST Social media management service, Viralheat, just launched a redesigned dashboard with improved analytics and a new user interface to help users manage multiple accounts and gain valuable insights into their social networks. The new layout includes a "Smart Stream" which Viralheat says is an all-in-one stream for social media monitoring, meaning that social media managers can track social media activity and view their various social networks, mentions and other interactions all from the same dashboard.
The Smart Stream allows for some customization for each user. For example, you could perform a general search of your company name across all platforms, but you could choose to narrow that search by just using a specific product keyword and only look for those mentioning that product on Twitter. You can also choose to save specific streams to go back and check regularly. The photo above shows some of the filtering options that are available on Viralheat. You can use these options to see the mentions your company receives on particular sites or platforms, whether people are saying positive or negative things about your company, and even filter those mentions that suggest purchase intent. Though there are no shortage of services available to help businesses manage their social media efforts, Viralheat's new stream options do offer some useful tools by allowing businesses to save custom filtered searches so that they can easily monitor mentions of specific products or aspects of their business without having to go through the filtering process over and over again. In addition, the platform can allow social media managers to schedule and send messages, access all accounts, perform searches, view charts and analytics, and other basic social media management functions. Plans range from $9.99 per month for social media managing, publishing and analytics, to completely custom-built plans for larger companies starting at $499 per month. Free accounts are also offered for personal users. Viralheat, which was first founded in 2009, has more than 12,000 clients in 72 countries. The company is based in San Mateo, California. The post Social Media Managers: Track Network Activity with Viralheat appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Be Creative for a Chance to Win a $500 Prize Suite Posted: 12 Feb 2013 01:00 PM PST
And there’s an even better reason to get involved. Brother, a manufacturer of printers and related business products, has built a powerful Web tool that let’s you design eye-popping, mind-blowing, attention-grabbing business cards and other printed marketing materials. You don’t need graphic design experience. Nor do you need to purchase expensive design software. In fact, all you need is a few clicks of your mouse to create unforgettable designs that will define your brand and make your customers remember your name. Once you’ve created and saved your design, you can print your final creation right at your desktop, on your printer. Sound interesting? There’s more. “Back to Business” Creativity ContestThe people at Brother, who have sponsored this contest, are so amped to get you to try their new CreativeCenter for designing and printing your brand new personalized business cards and other marketing materials, they’re providing a nice incentive for you to get started. Just for entering the “Back to Business” creativity contest at BizSugar, you’ll have the chance to win a $500 printer prize package provided courtesy of Brother. Here’s how it works:
But hurry. There’s only a limited time to participate. Here are the details: Who: Must be a U.S. resident 18 or older to enter (sorry, no kiddies allowed). What: Brother CreativeCenter "Back to Business" Contest. Check out what other small business owners have already created. Example: Flyer by Mike Adams of Java Medic Coffee, pictured above right. When: Now through March 4, 2013. Where: Find the official contest details here. Winners of the contest will be announced in mid-March. Now it’s your turn. Get creative today with the Brother “Back to Business” contest. The post Be Creative for a Chance to Win a $500 Prize Suite appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Pinterest Infographic For Small Business Posted: 12 Feb 2013 11:00 AM PST If you have not heard of Pinterest yet, I’d have to ask you, “where have you been?” Pinterest is the fastest growing social network in history and as such, has businesses everywhere exploring how they might utilize this virtual pinboard to their advantage. One of the main reasons for Pinterest’s popularity is its ease of use. It essentially allows users to bookmark, organize and share visual ideas found on the Web. For businesses, Pinterest can also be used as a valuable marketing and sales tool and it's easy to get started. You probably already have electronic images, brochures and other collateral on hand. So why not pin it? This Pinterest infographic published by Wasp Barcode will show you how to get started.
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| 3 Lead Generating LinkedIn Features to Capitalize On Posted: 12 Feb 2013 09:00 AM PST
The social network boasts a visitor-to-lead conversion rate that is 277% more effective than Facebook and Twitter. Capitalize on this high quality traffic by utilizing the following LinkedIn features: 1. LinkedIn Profiles Make sure your company page is 100% complete. If a prospect is already spending their time on LinkedIn, a completed company page will allow them to find the information they’re looking for, without having to leave to go to your website. You can approach your LinkedIn company page as an extension of your website. It can be branded with your logo, colors, and messaging. This is your opportunity to highlight your best products and services with video, peer recommendations, and supporting content. An incomplete company page is a missed opportunity to showcase your value proposition. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring the LinkedIn audience; fill out every part of your page. In addition to your company page, employee profiles are a powerful resource to garner greater visibility in the social sphere. While you can’t control all employee activity on LinkedIn, you can have guidelines for how your company name and description are represented. Ensure your company description contains your high performing keywords. When a user performs a keyword search in LinkedIn, you’ll benefit from having your company and employees in the top results. 2. LinkedIn Groups LinkedIn Groups give you access to highly targeted communities. You have the ability to reach the people that most perfectly match your target market. Sponsoring an event? Published a new article? Find the group that is best aligned with your activity and share. It’s important, however, not to use LinkedIn Groups as a fully self-promotional tool. You can join groups to learn and add value. Monitor posts and questions to see where you can contribute in a helpful way. You shouldn’t only post information about your own business. You can share networking events, interesting articles, and other tools that you’ve found to be useful. Once you have established your reputation within various LinkedIn groups as a quality member, you can intermittently include posts that promote your own business or product, when applicable. Self-promotional posts out of nowhere are never welcome. But, if someone needs help and your business offers a solution, this is an excellent forum to share that information. In addition to building brand awareness, your helpful participation in LinkedIn groups will set your business apart from the competition. 3. Status Updates Status updates are a powerful way to attract more viewers and build brand visibility. While this is not the case with LinkedIn Groups, it is perfectly acceptable to use LinkedIn status updates for self-promotion. As a professional network, this medium is designed for you to share the latest news, events, and press about your business. In addition to posting from your company page, you can also ask your employees to share your company’s updates to expand your reach. If you’re lacking in original content, you can contribute interesting articles, interviews, and industry related content. Use LinkedIn as a knowledge sharing platform. Like with most social networks, you get what you put in. Sharing relevant and interesting news will get you noticed. Don’t forget to comment and like posts from people in your network, as well, in order to show your support. When you are active on LinkedIn, you’re building a stronger online presence for your business. A filled out company profile and uniform employee profiles will increase your visibility in search results. LinkedIn Groups not only help you to stay on top of industry trends, but also keep you in front of a highly targeted audience. And lastly, status updates ensure you stay visible. Make it easy for potential buyers to find you by utilizing LinkedIn to its full potential. LinkedIn Photo via HubSpot The post 3 Lead Generating LinkedIn Features to Capitalize On appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Chris Goward: Affiliate Programs and Conversion Optimization #AMDays Posted: 12 Feb 2013 07:00 AM PST Welcome to the series of pre-conference interviews with select speakers from the upcoming Affiliate Management Days San Francisco 2013 (Apr 16-17, 2013). In this interview, my guest is Chris Goward, CEO of WiderFunnel, famous conversion optimization expert, entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker. At the #AMDays conference, Chris will cover conversion optimization techniques and tactics and how they may be used to help improve performance of affiliate programs. * * * * *
Chris: Affiliate managers are still under-emphasizing conversion optimization. A recent study of online retailers revealed that, for every $92 spent driving traffic, still only $1 spent on conversion. With under-investment like this, there's no wonder why affiliate websites and landing pages are still under performing. But, many are coming to their senses. The same study showed that the top challenge for retailers this year is improving conversions. They're taking the first step; at least they admit they have a problem. The rationale for conversion optimization is well known. It is much easier to boost your profit by improving your web conversion rates than it is to drive more affiliate traffic. What if you could get 10%, 20% or 50% more conversions from the same traffic? Would that be worth your time? Question: What do you see as the main areas of opportunity for online (and especially affiliate) marketers in 2013 and 2014? Chris: Social media is still in its growth stage but its activity will have to pay off directly this year, especially for affiliate managers. Affiliates are well positioned to take advantage of their action oriented approach to the web by looking for opportunities that arise from Twitter's launch of Vine and the inevitable scramble that platforms are going to make to secure a place in social video. Content marketing is still growing, but business leaders are starting to hold it with a shorter leash. They're realizing that content without conversion is just free publishing. The effort has to pay off more directly. Your social campaigns need to be optimized for conversions. Question: Last month your first book, You Should Test That, came out. How is this book different from other tomes on conversion rate optimization out there? Chris: I take a very different approach than previous books. I'm less concerned with showing technical details of how to use analytics tools or in promoting untested theories. I want to show how to get real results. And these are not the same old tips you can find in a Google blog search. The book takes a balanced approach with proven strategic frameworks for elevating the discussion above tips and tactics as well as hands-on advice and tested discoveries. It also includes 15 full case studies from real companies, showing exactly how they got results. I think Neil Patel, co-founder of KISSmetrics, and Crazy Egg, said it best when he said:
I support his recommendation. Question: I know it isn’t going to be easy to fit it into a paragraph or two, but can you give people a few quick tips on how they can improve the performance/conversion of their online landing pages today? The most important finding from the thousands of test results we've studied is this: principles and frameworks are more effective than tips and tactics. Marketers who are still looking for "silver bullet" ideas on the latest blog post are missing out on much bigger wins. If, instead, you start with a proven scientific process that includes strong conversion analysis frameworks, you'll develop a consistent stream of ideas and improvements. That's what we've been developing since 2007 – reliable conversion optimization frameworks. A great place to start is the LIFT landing page analysis framework, which you can use to identify and categorize conversion problems. Our strategists still use it every day with WiderFunnel's clients. Using a framework like the LIFT Model will focus your attention on meeting the prospect's needs rather than just trying random tactics. Question: At AM Days SF 2013, you’ll be speaking on proven conversion optimization techniques for affiliate programs. As a sneak peak, can you let us know which words always lift conversion rates when used in a copy or on a banner? Chris: I'll tell you exactly which words will work best. They're the words that:
The specific words that meet those criteria will depend on each context, target audience, incoming media source and product. In my session at AM Days, I show specific case study examples. You see how companies with successful affiliate programs have boosted their conversion rates by finding the words, images, designs and value proposition that works best. * * * * * The Affiliate Management Days conference takes place April 16-17, 2013. Follow @AMDays or #AMDays on Twitter. Early bird registration runs until February 22, 2013. When registering, make sure to use the code SBTAM250 to receive an additional $250.00 off your two-day (or combo) pass. The rest of the interview series from #AMDays may be found here. The post Chris Goward: Affiliate Programs and Conversion Optimization #AMDays appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 14 Accounting Software Tools To Make Finances Easy Posted: 12 Feb 2013 05:00 AM PST At this time of year, no one wants to think about taxes, but the clock is already ticking. If by some chance you don’t have an accounting package and are in need of accounting software tools, you’ll want to take a run through a previous post where I compiled 17 accounting tools. Today, I’m providing 14 more. This is focused on accounting, but if you have a more specific need around online invoicing, then check out our list of 50 Online Invoicing Apps for Small Business. Many freelancers and solopreneurs have reported these work very well for their needs. 14 Web-based (Mostly) Accounting Software Tools:NolaPro has an online solution, in addition to its Windows and Linux desktop versions. Web-based plans start at $9.99/month, but the desktop version is free. You can add a payroll module for $35. CNET shows it has over 100,000 downloads and is rated #6 in accounting and billing software. However, the CNET list where they are #6 has a bunch of other types of software on it, so they may be #1 in accounting.
Connected Core Accounting appears to be Mac-centric, but PC-capable. The website explains that you can have a Mac based business on the front end (let’s say you run a design firm) but cross-platform capabilities so you can talk to your customer service or accounting departments where PC’s rule. Your PC users, including an outside accountant, can use Connected on a Windows computer at the same time as your Mac users, with identical features and information shared. Software starts at $399 and you can download a free trial. Sage 50: Most business owners have heard of Intuit’s QuickBooks, but Peachtree is equally well known. It is now called Sage 50. This is the package that many businesses choose when they know they are going to scale up and need a full enterprise resource planning solution (ERP). It does accounting, but the core of it revolves around integration of other software, over time usually. The base package starts at $269 for one user. 30-day free trial download. NOTE: Let me briefly translate that ERP offers the ability to integrate applications across your entire business. That includes all facets of an operation, including: product planning, material purchasing, inventory control, distribution, accounting, marketing, finance and HR, to name some of the major functions. Sage One is the cloud offering of Sage 50 (more or less) and at $29/mo (after the 30-day free trial), you are running a full featured business management program, including accounting, project management, and collaboration functions. When you consider that the Sage 50 Complete package (1-5 users) is $369, this may be a viable option.
AccountEdge is accounting for Windows, Mac, and mobile. The basic Mac package is only $99, but the full Mac and Windows versions are $299. The iOS mobile version is free and synchronizes, via DropBox, with the desktop version. They offer free trial versions of each. Wave Accounting is free. Lots of Web-based accounting providers offer a free trial or a light free version, but Wave is totally free. No limits. They do this with an ad-supported model they call Business Savings. Inside Wave, you’ll see “savings offers” from companies like Amex, Staples, Dell, Moo and others. These companies are paying Wave a sponsor fee, or an advertisement that is akin to a coupon, but this is how Wave maintains a free and powerful accounting app for your small business. Kashoo has an award-winning iPad app that caught my attention. Their Web-based version gets high marks, too. I had heard about the company, but thought they were focused on invoicing only. I was wrong. They are a full-fledged accounting software package, in the cloud. They have a free version that is limited to 20 transactions per month, but that works well for many microbusiness owners. Paid plans start at $16/month.
Zoho is a popular cloud-based office solution and they have an accounting software tool called Zoho Books. It starts at $24/mo for two users. It recently added a feature so you can pull in your bank and credit card statements automatically. And I like that they have an Aging summary high in the dashboard so you can see the age of your invoices and which ones are overdue. Don’t forget Microsoft Excel is great at number crunching. You can find loads of accounting templates via the Microsoft site and if you start doing advanced stuff with formulas and macros, then a visit to MrExcel.com might be worth a visit. Last, but certainly not least, are open source accounting software tools. These packages have tens of thousands of users, so don’t discount them because they are open source. You can be running Mac OS X or Linux (Ubuntu) or Windows for some of these. The open source accounting software tools sometimes take a bit more “tech chops” to install and keep running, but just as often, you can click install and you’re set. Open Source Accounting Edoceo Imperium does accounting, but bills itself as business management software, so you’ll see additional functions in it. Linux-based only. GnuCash is free accounting software tool with installs for the major operating systems (OS). Gnu allows you to import QIF files, too. TurboCash is based in South Africa, but it works anywhere, of course. Like many open source players, the software itself is free, but support is not. They have over 80,000 users. LedgerSMB is an open source accounting and ERP program which offers businesses accounting, plus the ability to manage their operations, track money, inventory, and more. Let us know in the comments what service or software you are using to keep your accounting accurate. If your pricing is not transparent, then that's part of why you might not have been included in this list. Transparent means you list pricing clearly on your website without the need to call a sales rep. Be sure to view the original list of 17 Accounting Tools for Small Business. The post 14 Accounting Software Tools To Make Finances Easy appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
Nothing catches a customer’s eye like an attractive business card, calendar, poster, brochure or mailer with a great design. The Brother “Back to Business” Contest at BizSugar (our sister site) gives you a chance to exercise your creativity designing stylish printed materials for your company — FREE.
LinkedIn can help get your business in front of potential buyers. LinkedIn gives you the online real estate to promote your products, services, press, and user reviews in front of a highly targeted audience.
Question: If you were to emphasize one important area/issue that every affiliate manager should be paying more attention to, what would it be and why?
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