Thursday, July 29, 2010

Is Paypal Enough?

This question will generate many different responses. Some business owners claim that their customers are happy to pay with Paypal, but others find that their customers hate using Paypal.

In my opinion, it's good to accept Paypal payments - but it's definitely not enough.

Here's why:

1) Some people have had bad experiences with Paypal, and refuse to use it again. If this is the only method of payment that your web site allows, you could be unknowingly losing potential customers. Many will just leave your web site without saying anything.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

What Does Google, Kleenex, and Xerox Have In Common?

These three companies have something very unique in common. Not only are they internationally recognized brands, but many people use their brands as if they are words in the dictionary. They have literally transcended these brands into actual verbs and nouns.

For instance, people will say "I Googled you" - even if they searched for you on Yahoo. They will ask "Can you Xerox this for me?" - even if the copy machine is not made by Xerox. And they'll refer to any type of tissue as "Kleenex", whether it's really made by Kleenex or not.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Why Do Ducks Cross The Street When They Can Fly?

If you live in the suburbs, you may have noticed that ducks and geese generally prefer to cross the street instead of just flying over to the other side. Not only is it more challenging and dangerous for them to do this, but it really doesn't make any sense.

Of course, our brains are much bigger and filled with much more intellect - but yet many entrepreneurs will similarly choose the hard or challenging way instead of the easy and simple way when conducting business.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Do You Need Business Insurance?

Many think that business insurance is only for major corporations with thousands of employees, but this is not true. Even a small company with no employees should consider buying a policy.

Business insurance can be very affordable, and can protect you if your company's assets (equipment, property, etc) are ever damaged or stolen or if your company itself is ever sued. It can also come in handy if you ever need to defend yourself from trademark infringements or copyright violations.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Should You Have A Facebook Fan Page?

Facebook, the largest social network on the planet, allows you to create a fan page. Different from a typical profile page, a fan page is more customizable and is specifically designed to allow users to interact with your brand.

It's perfect for authors, speakers, actors, musicians, organizations, and companies, because by simply clicking "like", any Facebook user can easily and automatically join your fan club and become subscribed to your feed or wall updates.

Monday, July 19, 2010

How To Be On The Tom Joyner Morning Show

The Tom Joyner Morning Show, like most Black radio shows, will feature guests that have something relevant and unique to say. Although many of their guests are celebrities, they do feature entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, etc who can bring excitement to the show.

In addition to the Tom Joyner Morning Show, there are hundreds of other Black radio shows.

Here are some tips on how to be a guest:

Monday, July 12, 2010

Why Gift Cards Work

In 2009, American consumers spent $24.9 billion on gift cards.

Gift cards are a great way to expand your business, but they won't work for every type of business. It really depends on what you're selling and how you're selling it. However, they can work for both online and offline businesses.

If you can figure out how to effectively implement it into your marketing strategy, it definitely will help you generate more revenue for the following reasons:

Thursday, July 8, 2010

2010 MillerCoors Business Plan Competition For Minority Entrepreneurs

The MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series (MUES) and Business Plan Competition is giving minority entrepreneurs another opportunity to compete for one (1) $100,000 business grant and four (4) $25,000 business grants.

The competition is open to all current and aspiring entrepreneurs until the deadline at noon on October 1, 2010. Submissions are only accepted online.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Why 90% of the People I Market to Buy What I'm Selling

Over the past 10 years, I've been able to figure out how to get 90% of the people I market to - to buy into my BlackPR.com service. That's right, my conversions are 90% - and I'm not exaggerating. In all actuality, it does require some trial and error, but it's not that difficult to do.

Here's how you can do it too:

1) Keep It Simple
Your web site, your promotional material, your approach, and your service/product should all be simple. Complicate these things, and your results will also be complicated.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Sam's Club Now Offering Small Business Loans

There are over 600 Sam's Club locations in the United States, and all of them are now lending centers for small business owners. The chain, owned by Wal-Mart, has teamed up with Superior Financial Group to offer loans of up to $25,000 to its small business members.

And guess what? The program will focus entirely on businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans - underserved borrowers.

The program is one of several moves the retail giant has made to offer bank-like financial services to it's extensive base of customers. It also comes as the retailer tries to improve profitability at its warehouse-club chain.