Traditional Marketing Techniques are Still Effective Today

Figuring out where to spend the money to boost sales is never easy. With millennials using their electronic devices to find anything from tonight’s dinner to a brand new car, many business owners are now wondering what the best approach to advertising is.

While social media does reach more people at once, the tried and trusted traditional methods still work. Here are some of them.

Cardboard displays in stores

Eye-catching displays have always caught the eye of a shopper in retail stores and supermarkets. Mainly because they pay careful attention to create a display that catches the eye from the moment you enter the aisle.…

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Getting Inspired – and Staying Inspired Every Day

Though quite a bit of attention is paid to small businesses and startups in tech, it’s impossible to deny that most profits and power still belong to tech’s big names: Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc. Thus, tech entrepreneurs and tech small-business leaders must be more driven and inspired than entrepreneurs and small-business leaders in other fields – and most go above and beyond in this respect. In fact, most create paragons of diligence and determinedness, and few ever seem to back down once they’ve made up their minds.

Get inspired

However, seeming isn’t necessarily being. Most small tech leaders, even those who appear undaunted, require motivation every day, and not all their inspiration comes from within.…

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Small Business Accessibility 101

Did you know that 50 million Americans have a disability of some sort? This is 18% of the population. Many of these disabled persons are your very customers – or potential customers. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) took effect in March 2011 and sets standards for disabled accessibility.

The ADA requires “reasonable accommodations” by law in both the private and public sector.

Many small businesses don’t know the actual definition of an employer under the ADA. The ADA defines an employer as someone who:

  • Employs 15 or more full-time employees every business day
  • Employs the above for 20 or more weeks per year
  • Engages in a commerce industry

If your business doesn’t meet this criterion, you won’t need to follow Title I of the law.…

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How We Started a Second Business to Fund Our First

There often comes a plateau for a start-up that’s been growing pleasingly. One of the most enticing elements of starting your own business is the fact that, technically speaking, the sky is the limit and, no matter how far you come, growth is always possible.

Tom Cridland shopfront

That said, scaling in almost all cases requires investment, which, if you’re young and inexperienced, is extremely hard to come by without sacrificing an exorbitant amount of equity.

Tom Cridland, the startup

I run a sustainable fashion brand with my girlfriend of almost eight years, Deborah Marx. I started it in January 2014 with a £6,000 government start-up loan and decided to call it, Tom Cridland (my name), because tomcridland.com…

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Creative Small Business Ideas For 2017

Entrepreneurs decide to set out on their own in the world for many different reasons. Some people are seeking out a supplemental income to go along with their normal 9-to-5 job, so they can afford to do that DIY project at home. Some people are seeking to get out from under “the man,” and blaze their own trails in life.

Creative business idea

You may be slathered in ambition, but ambition alone will not build a successful small business. There has to be an excellent idea to build upon. The good news is that you are in luck. Here is a quick look into a few stellar small business ideas for 2017.…

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Best Meeting Schedulers for Your Next Meeting

Every day, we use lots of tools to enhance our productiveness, plan duties, speed up work, and review our data. It’s all about improving as many areas of our workflow as possible, getting more done in a short time period.

Appointment scheduler app

Organizing a meeting time shouldn’t be tough. Luckily, there are lots of online meeting scheduler tools available—each with benefits and drawbacks— and even though some work with a variety of calendar applications, others are barely targeted to just one or two.

Below are the best on the go meeting scheduler tools for professionals and businesses.

Agendize

Agendize app

Agendize provides an integrated suite of apps that help businesses generate higher quality leads, improve business efficiency, and maximize customer engagement.…

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Watch Out for These Three Most Dangerous Scams in Mexico

Did you know that Mexico is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world? Just last year, Mexico was a host to 11.44 million international tourists according to the Mexican Tourism Board. Out of these tourists, 7.86 million were US citizens.

Scams in Mexico - beware!

This is not at all surprising, given that Mexico is home to the most UNESCO World Heritage sites in both South and North America. Mexico also offers a vast number of beautiful beaches, ancient ruins and incredible cuisine.

But one thing that constantly threatens to spoil your business trip to Mexico is a high crime rate and a number of crimes and scams aimed at visitors.…

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Are Bitcoins a Good Idea?

Bitcoins have certainly caused enough interest that even highly successful and traditional companies have started including them in their portfolios as well. There is new news constantly coming out about changes in the macroeconomic opinion of the cryptocurrency market, some good and some bad.

Bitcoins - good investment?

But still, how good of an idea is it to invest in Bitcoin or any other crytpo project? Is it stable? Can you trust it to keep your money safe? Well, the short answer is that it depends on who you ask. There are several things you need to consider before you invest and decide where you stand on these questions.…

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How Much Does It Cost to Build an App?

If you run an online business, you probably know you need a mobile app. As Prof. Scott Shane wrote in Entrepreneur last year, “having a web presence alone is no longer sufficient.” People rely on their smartphones more every day, doing everything from ordering their coffee to paying their bills from their mobile devices. As our lives converge in the palms of our hands, consumers expect the brands with which they interact to offer seamless, easy-to-use mobile experiences.

App development

But business owners can get skittish around the idea of building an app. They’re not sure where to begin or how much it will cost, so they end up delaying this important decision.…

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Top 5 Scams in New York and How to Avoid Them

Are you planning for your business trip to New York in the near future? If so, you may want to be careful. It’s a tourist destination and there are scams to be aware of. Read on to discover five of the most popular type of scams.

New York is full of opportunity and as the song (and state slogan) goes: “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. It’s up to you, New York, New York”. While many are working hard to make their dreams come true, there are some who prefer to scam people out of their hard-earned cash.…

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