Archive for Small Business
Tough Times no excuse to not stay up-to-date on marketing and business information
Around here, we try to read a book a week between the two of us. Since the first of the year, I've read three real books (as opposed to e-books) – two of them business related. (I do also read a huge volume of articles and blogs daily – and yes a few e-books, too.) [...]
Low Cost Web Site Tools for Small Business
A critical question came through on the National Main Street listserv today. I don't respond very often – when I do, it's a topic I feel passionately about. When the responses started rolling in to refer GoDaddy and Yahoo SiteBuilder as viable alternatives that will actually GROW a business… I am saddened that we don't [...]
Tweet. Tweet. Follow Team HALO on Twitter @resultsrev
So, I succumbed to the Twitter phenomenon, and I have to tell you – I think there's something to it. But more on that later. If you're a small business feeling the need to learn in this last phase of the early adoption of Twitter (similar to those who got on Facebook over a year [...]
Yes, it really can be a happy (new) year.
Ok, I know. It's January 16. Aren't I a bit late to this "new year's" party?
Well, I suppose that's up to you to decide. However, I will tell you that sometimes its better to not say anything at all than to say the WRONG thing. And that's what's been simmering in my head lately. Many [...]
Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday…
I hope that you all were able to celebrate, relax and enjoy family and food this Thanksgiving holiday. Giving thanks is something we should all pause to do more often than once a year…yes, even in times like these we are a blessed group of folks here in America.
Which leads me to Black Friday… [...]
Media Spin… and Retail Reality.
I went shopping this weekend.
Gasp.
Seriously, I set out Saturday about 2 p.m. for a little time alone. Me, my trusty bag, and some retail therapy. We're moving soon, so I thought I'd go in search of inspiration and possibly make a few preliminary selections for the new living room/dining room/playroom combo that will [...]
Marketing Main Street: Find a Niche. Or a new niche.
Here's the deal, fair small business owners of the world…niche businesses are the most successful right now. But what happens if someone steals your niche – or moves into your niche with you? Or turns your niche into a commodity (making it, uhm, totally no longer a niche?). Well, as usual, Jackie makes a fine [...]
Marketing – Obama style is winning style.
For at least a week now, I've been watching the bloggers formulate their thoughts on the campaign strategies and marketing techniques and what won (and lost) campaigns this political season. Hindsight had started long before I even got my "I voted" sticker.
Today, my friend Joe Borgstrom beat me to the punch (stop doing that [...]
Get Back to the Basics: Measure It. Or Don’t Do It.
In today's economy, everyone is looking for ways to get ahead. And that includes marketing firms, ad agencies, web companies (yes, we own one of those, too) and the sort.
You want those tools that work – the magic pill that will help you survive – maybe even thrive. Right? What's working? And gimme a [...]
Get Back to Basics: Secrets to Success in our New (Uncertain) Economy
There are lots of wonderful articles and advice floating around the blogosphere from some of my favorite bloggers lately giving advice. The bottom line is what we, at HALO Business Advisors, have been teaching in our seminar "Thrive! Don't Just Survive" since July of this year: TAKE CARE OF THE BASICS.
Many of us in [...]
