<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Small Biz Bee &#187; Marketing</title>
	<atom:link href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/category/marketing/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index</link>
	<description>We're Making a Big Deal Out of Small Business</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:01:47 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3</generator>
		<item>
		<title>5 Ways Social Media Can Make your Business Look Bigger</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/30/5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/30/5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:51:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business promotion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[network management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online business presence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO ranking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8574</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Big businesses have always had an advantage when it comes to reaching customers. This was because of their big marketing budgets and their ability to utilise large long-term contracts. Whilst these advantages have not disappeared, they do not matter as much anymore and there is a simple reason for this: Social Media. Social Media has [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F30%252F5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%225%20Ways%20Social%20Media%20Can%20Make%20your%20Business%20Look%20Bigger%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="B" class="cap"><span>B</span></span>ig businesses have always had an advantage when it comes to reaching customers. This was because of their big marketing budgets and their ability to utilise large long-term contracts. Whilst these advantages have not disappeared, they do not matter as much anymore and there is a simple reason for this: Social Media. Social Media has enabled the smallest of companies to compete with the largest of companies and it is all free. This article will consider how you can make your business look bigger and more prosperous than it actually is through the use of clever <a href="http://www.connected.com.au/">network management</a> and free social media.</p>
<h2>1. Become a Trusted Field Expert</h2>
<p>Blogging will allow you to establish yourself as an expert in your field. By providing free and accurate advice you will create an ideal relationship with your customers and trigger an increase in email opt-in communications. This method will help to generate leads for your sales team and demonstrate that you are capable in your field.</p>
<p>Additional benefits come through the promotion of your site through Search Engine Optimisation. Google and other search engines provide great website ranking benefits to those who write blogs.</p>
<h2>2. Build a Custom Facebook Page</h2>
<p>Facebook provides a huge potential market but it is important that you approach this area correctly. Your Facebook page will need to offer the customer something which will make them want to return to it. Include interesting discussions, engaging materials and relevant information about your business. By including an email communications opt-in on the page, you will be able to generate a greater customer contact list.</p>
<h2>3. Professional Videos</h2>
<p>Video marketing is easy. What was once out of reach for most small businesses is something which can be produced at a very low cost now. The advent of Youtube allows you to present your business to the world through the medium of video. Video hosting is free, so all that you need to do is create the material to place online. Website visitors who watch an online product video are 85% more likely to make a purchase than those who don’t, so it is wise to seriously consider this option.</p>
<h2>4. Give It Up For Free</h2>
<p>By providing e-books, tips, guides, and other methods of free help, you will be able to demonstrate your expertise and convince potential customers that your business is the right place to go. Customers are far more likely to utilise a business which has offered them a high quality free trial than they are to trust in an unknown and untrusted source. Providing free services is a great way to generate custom.</p>
<h2>5. Dominate the Search Engines</h2>
<p>Part of your business’ <a href="http://www.connected.com.au/">IT service</a> should focus heavily on Search Engine Optimisation. Social media channels will enable you to optimise your SEO ranking. The number of times that a link or video that you have created has been shared will directly impact on the prominence of your company in search engines. If you can make it so that your business is the first result for your industry <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/marketsamurai" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/marketsamurai';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">keywords</a> then you will be able to easily and effectively get a step ahead of the competition.</p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F30%2F5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F30%2F5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F30%2F5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/30/5-ways-social-media-can-make-your-business-look-bigger/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Improving Your Business Signage Is a Must (As Explained By An Award-Winning Orange County Signs Maker)</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/25/why-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/25/why-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:12:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8541</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Having an attention-getting sign is critical for your local businesses – no matter the industry.  Your business signage identifies your business and location and it establishes your business image. Your business signage is the core of your brand identity strategy, whether it is proudly mounted on the building, on your booth or display at a [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F25%252Fwhy-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Why%20Improving%20Your%20Business%20Signage%20Is%20a%20Must%20%28As%20Explained%20By%20An%20Award-Winning%20Orange%20County%20Signs%20Maker%29%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="H" class="cap"><span>H</span></span>aving an attention-getting sign is critical for your local businesses – no matter the industry.  Your business signage identifies your business and location and it establishes your business image. Your business signage is the core of your brand identity strategy, whether it is proudly mounted on the building, on your booth or display at a trade show, or on your company vehicles.</p>
<p>It’s also the most cost-effective advertising you can do.  The Small Business Administration says, “…signs are the most effective, yet least expensive form of advertising for the small business.”  Building signage is often taken for granted, but signs are always on the job, advertising 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.</p>
<h2>How Improved Business Signage Will Help You Brand Your Company, Communicate with a Highly-Mobile Society &amp; Leverage Your Advertising Efforts</h2>
<p><em><strong>1 </strong>       </em>Your business signage is the only indicator that you exist and would like your prospect’s patronage.  <em> </em></p>
<p><strong>2  </strong>      A frequently-noticed business sign sends your message to more people per dollar invested than any other form of advertising.  For example, if you display a $200 sign for one year at a location where 10,000 cars pass every day, you’ve reached over 3.5 million people (not counting passengers), at a cost per person of less than $.000057. (Less than six hundred-thousandths of a dollar.)  Even a high-end, lighted or monument sign that costs $5000, still reaches those people at a cost of $.0014, or a little over a tenth of a cent each.</p>
<p><strong>3   </strong>     95% of retail business is location-based.  As consumers pass by your place of business, an attractive and effective on-premise sign will leave a positive impression. When the time comes to make a decision or purchase, consumers will be attracted to you.</p>
<p><strong>4    </strong>     About 40 million Americans move annually to a new home, all needing to buy goods and services, and looking for brands that stand out.</p>
<p><strong>5    </strong>    Enhanced sign technology allows sign faces to be easily changed to match evolving marketing circumstances.  New developments in lighting, plastics, digital printing resolution, and color profiling mean signs can now achieve the same visual effect as four-color magazine advertising.</p>
<p><strong>6 </strong>       Your company does not need to be a national franchise with a major advertising budget to “brand” your site with effective signage.  If appropriately designed and placed, your sign can develop top-of-mind awareness of your products and services, no matter the size of your business.</p>
<p><em><strong>7 </strong>       </em>Many communities and cities have strict sign codes requiring that signage remains attractive and in harmony with the look and feel of the community, while encouraging business activities.  Advances in sign design and technology means that via signage, your company can communicate more effectively to potential customers in a way that enhances both your site and the community at large.<em></em></p>
<p><strong>8</strong>        Purchase habits can be influenced with effective signage.  Pricing or product information can influence a purchase decision or prompt an unplanned stop, which is critical, since nearly all businesses rely in part on impulse visits.</p>
<p><em><strong>9 </strong>       </em>A well-designed sign can provide a positive perception of quality and service and create the image of a leader, even for the smaller business.  For the national franchise or chain, on-premise signage reinforces all other media advertising, and maximizes advertising effectiveness at a low cost.<em></em></p>
<p><em><strong>10</strong>    </em>By adding your business signage to your car and “wrapping” your company vehicles with striking vinyl, you can generate over 600 visual impressions for every mile driven  At about $0.35 per thousand impressions for a typical vehicle wrap, the cost is almost trivial compared to $3.56 for outdoor advertising or over $20.00 for typical magazine advertising.  <em></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.calibersi.com/Building-Signage.html"><em>Orange County Business Signs</em></a><em> Specialist Martin Neil contributes value to businesses and non-profit organizations across the United States by increasing their brand awareness with the very best sign solutions. He specializes in custom requirements for commercial building signage, vehicle wraps, office inside signage, trade show displays, promotional banners &amp; flags, and large-size wall graphics. Improve your business signage by going to: </em><a href="http://www.calibersi.com/Building-Signage.html" target="_blank"><em>http://www.Calibersi.com/Building-Signage.html</em></a></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F25%2Fwhy-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F25%2Fwhy-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F25%2Fwhy-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/25/why-improving-your-business-signage-is-a-must-as-explained-by-an-award-winning-orange-county-signs-maker/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mobile Marketing: Seven Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Small Business Owners in 2012</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/23/mobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/23/mobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:24:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biz Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smart phone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8515</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You’ve heard all the stats and read all the news: smartphones are a big deal, right?  But with all that noise out there, how can a small business owner actually get customers and make money from those smartphone junkies?  Here are seven tips, tricks and techniques to help any small business owner go mobile without [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F23%252Fmobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Mobile%20Marketing%3A%20Seven%20Tips%2C%20Tricks%20and%20Techniques%20for%20Small%20Business%20Owners%20in%202012%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="Y" class="cap"><span>Y</span></span>ou’ve heard all the stats and read all the news: smartphones are a big deal, right?  But with all that noise out there, how can a small business owner actually get customers and make money from those smartphone junkies?  Here are seven tips, tricks and techniques to help any small business owner go mobile without busting the bank.</p>
<h2>1.  Claim Your Business and Your Location</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>With smartphones, a consumer searching for a hardware store will automatically be shown the nearest hardware stores relative to their device’s GPS signal.  That means you want to be sure your physical facility shows up (even if your office is just the location for people to call).</p>
<p>So what can you do to be “found?”  It’s pretty simple really – just be sure that you visit each site such as Yelp, Bing, Yahoo Local, Google Places, Foursquare, and Facebook and “claim” your business and its location. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ClaimBusiness.png"></a><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ClaimBusiness.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8516" title="ClaimBusiness" src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ClaimBusiness.png" alt="" width="384" height="576" /></a> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h2>2. Mobilize Your Website</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Mobile searches have grown 400 percent since 2010, according to Google.  And when they find you on their phone – consumers visit (59%) or they call you (61%). </p>
<p>So, be sure you can be found.  This means making sure the website you initially launched back in 2000 is accessible by mobile phones, or “mobile-optimized.”  There are a number of new and reasonably priced tools to help make your site mobile-optimized.  But, before you plunk down any money, check out Google’s <a href="http://www.howtogomo.com/en/#homepage">“GoMo” site</a> that has a testing tool and resources to help businesses with their websites. </p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free (depending on your site)</strong></p>
<h2>3.  Make Your Coupons Mobile</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Have you ever been in line at a store and watched a clerk refuse to honor a coupon on someone’s phone.  Claiming “no, you need to print that before I can accept it” just sets the consumer off even more. </p>
<p>Don’t be that business. The days of clipping coupons has come and gone.  Now, most consumers would simply prefer to open an email or webpage with your coupon, flash it to you on their smart phone and get the discount.   Make it clear that showing the coupon on your phone is sufficient and consumers will thank you for being mobile-friendly. Plus, you’ll avoid an awkward confrontation with your store clerks.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CouponsMobile.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8517" title="CouponsMobile" src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CouponsMobile.jpg" alt="" width="394" height="384" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free (other than the cost of your coupons)</strong></p>
<h2>4.  Monitor Your Reviews</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Did you know that <a href="http://blog.zaarly.com/blog/2011/11/03/social-commerce-infographic/">81 percent of consumers</a> say they read reviews before making a purchase and 51 percent of consumers say they’ve used the Internet IN SHOPS before making a purchase?  If you have a bevy of negative reviews or poor feedback, that consumer may decide to shop, eat, drink or pay somewhere else.</p>
<p>The first step to keep tabs on your reviews is to set a <a href="http://alerts.google.com/">Google Alert</a>  for the name of your business.  Watch for any reviews, postings or other news that you might need to address.  Then, find out the review-focused sites people use regularly to review your business, like Google Places, Yelp, and Angie’s List.  For a more detailed tracking service, try <a href="http://www.reputation.com/for-business">Reputation.com for Business</a> that monitors and provides real-time alerts for your business.</p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free (for Google Alerts); Starting at $34.99/mo. (for Reputation.com)</strong></p>
<h2>5. Talk to Your Customers</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Guess what?  Consumers want to talk with, and hear from, brands they like.  In fact, <a href="http://blog.zaarly.com/assets/Social-Commerce-B.jpg">43 percent of consumers “like”</a> at least one brand on Facebook and 53 percent of individuals with a Twitter account recommend products or services in their tweets.  And, more and more consumers are using social media on the go.</p>
<p>Both Facebook and Twitter are free to setup and utilize – so schedule time daily to engage.  Put links to your accounts on your website and in your facility (if you have a physical location) and talk to your customers: respond to questions or concerns, and consider offering deals for fans or followers.  <strong>The most important lesson? Talk like a human not a brand.</strong> Remember, as consumers are out and about, they are talking to you, about you and with you – so be a part of the conversation.</p>
<p>You can manage most of these conversations using the standard Facebook or Twitter platforms. If you want something more advanced, try <a href="http://hootsuite.com/">Hootsuite.com</a> which can help you manage your efforts, schedule messages and track conversations from a single interface.</p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free (Hootsuite provides free basic social media plans)</strong></p>
<h2>6.   Be Able to Take Money Wherever you Are</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Quick, how much cash do you have in your wallet?  Enough to buy something over $100?  Over $50?  Over $20?  People are becoming more reliant on credit cards for all of their transactions, so rather than force someone to run to the nearest ATM (and pay the enormous fee for withdrawing from a non-bank ATM), consider taking payment right on your mobile device. </p>
<p>With services like <a href="http://squareup.com/">Square</a> or <a href="http://gopayment.com/">Intuit GoPayment</a>, providing a device that plugs into most smartphones to take a credit card on the spot is actually quite simple.  Plus, new technologies are coming along to allow you to pay without needing any hardware at all.</p>
<p><strong>Cost: Free (other than the credit card processing fees)</strong></p>
<h2>7.  Tried Text Messages?</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>According to the Pew Foundation, 73 percent of cell phone users utilize the text messaging function on their phones.  And, 44 percent of Americans have opted into at least one text messaging marketing campaign.  So, why not share deals, information and updates with your customers via text. </p>
<p>To get started, check out Tatango’s <a href="http://www.tatango.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-sms-marketing/">Beginner’s Guide to SMS Marketing</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/TextMessage.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8518" title="TextMessage" src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/TextMessage.jpg" alt="" width="437" height="302" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Cost: Varies depending on the SMS Marketing Software partner</strong></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>This year, with more people expected to be using mobile than ever before, business owners must think about how they can interact with these potential customers.  With the simple actions and activities listed above, any business can go mobile to create a positive environment for their customers, leads and partners.</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em><strong>About the Author:</strong> Eric Koester is the founder and COO of <a href="http://www.zaarly.com/">Zaarly</a>, a mobile, real-time marketplace. Eric is a former securities lawyer who has testified before Congress on matters of startup and small business financing, immigration reform and business taxation. Zaarly provides tools for small-businesses and consumers to transact right from their mobile devices.  For more information or to sign-up for mobile alerts, visit <a href="http://www.zaarly.com/business">www.zaarly.com/business</a>. </em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F23%2Fmobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F23%2Fmobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F23%2Fmobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/23/mobile-marketing-seven-tips-tricks-and-techniques-for-small-business-owners-in-2012/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>4 Free Online Marketing Tools Every Small Business Owner Should Use</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:01:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[free tools]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As the Flying Lizards once sang, “the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees – I want money. “ And really, who doesn’t? Small business owners all have paper chasing on the brain, but what many of them don’t realize is that some of the best [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F13%252F4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FwKbcvI%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%224%20Free%20Online%20Marketing%20Tools%20Every%20Small%20Business%20Owner%20Should%20Use%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="A" class="cap"><span>A</span></span>s the Flying Lizards <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk&amp;ob=av2n">once sang</a>, “the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees – I want money. “ And really, who doesn’t? Small business owners all have paper chasing on the brain, but what many of them don’t realize is that some of the best online marketing tools are free – and they can help you get sales.</p>
<p>Here are four free online marketing tools that will help boost your bottom line:</p>
<h2>1. HARO and Reporter Connection</h2>
<p>Ever wish you could be quoted as an industry expert in a major media outlet? Now you can – but you’ll have to sign up for <a href="http://www.helpareporter.com/">HARO</a> and <a href="http://www.reporterconnection.com/">Reporter Connection</a> emails first. These will put you in contact with reporters looking for quotes and information, and if you can type up a decent response email you’ll get placed (and linked to) in a variety of different outlets. If you’re not using HARO and RC, you and your business are missing out.</p>
<h2>2. Social Media Management Software</h2>
<p>First and foremost, you should have social media accounts set up on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Once you have that all finished, you’re going to need something to manage your updates – and Hootsuite, Cotweet and TweetAdder are all free. It seems like <a href="http://contentfac.com/blog/how-much-do-social-media-management-programs-really-cost/#axzz1iYKz0wuT">most pros prefer Hootsuite</a>, but if you only have one person managing the accounts you can’t go wrong with any of them. Use the <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/marketsamurai" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/marketsamurai';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">keyword</a> streams to find people tweeting about needing your products/services, and don’t be shy about reaching out (preferably with a coupon code). <a href="http://www.hashtracking.com/">Hashtracking</a> will tell you which hashtags to target for maximum visibility.</p>
<h2>3. WordPress Plugins</h2>
<p>You do have a blog, right? If not, that should top your to-do list. They’re crucial for SEO, and the fresh content also gives you a good excuse to link back to your site on your social media accounts. Plugins help optimize your blog, and there are a <a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/best-wordpress-plugins">variety of free ones</a> you can benefit from. <a href="http://yoast.com/wordpress/seo/">WordPress SEO by Yoast</a> is a good place to start, as it’s widely regarded as THE SEO plugin to use these days. <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sexybookmarks/">SexyBookmarks</a> is also a favorite, since it gives cute little buttons that make your content ridiculously easy to share. Just remember: the more plugins you have, the slower your pages will load.</p>
<h2>4. MediaBistro Forums and Quora</h2>
<p>Have questions? There’s no need to guess when you can ask an expert and know the answer for sure. The <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/paste/mediabistro.com/bbs">MediaBistro forums</a> are crawling with PR pros, copywriters and all-around marketing mavens who are usually happy to share their expertise. <a href="http://www.quora.com/">Quora</a> is like a useful version of Yahoo! Answers, sans the spam and poor advice.</p>
<p>As with all things, there’s a learning curve to online marketing. If you don’t get discouraged and keep at it, though, you’ll hone your skills and see serious results over time. It may take you three months of responding to HAROs and Reporter Connection emails before you get placement, but if that placement is in Entrepreneur Magazine or Good Morning America the effort is totally worth it.</p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong><em> Kari DePhillips is the owner of </em><a href="http://www.contentfac.com/"><em>The Content Factory</em></a><em>, an online PR company that specializes in web content writing and social media marketing. Give her a shoutout on Twitter (</em><a href="http://www.twitter.com/contentfac"><em>@ContentFac</em></a><em>) or become a fan of </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/contentfac"><em>TCF on Facebook</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2F4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2F4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2F4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/4-free-online-marketing-tools-every-small-business-owner-should-use/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three cost-effective ways to market your start-up in 2012</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/three-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/three-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:22:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8473</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Friends sneered at you when you said that you are going the entrepreneurial way. You quit your job in that MNC to build this dream product. Now the product is finally out in the open but how do you find takers for your product.  Needless to say, being a startup you always have this financial [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F13%252Fthree-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Three%20cost-effective%20ways%20to%20market%20your%20start-up%20in%202012%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="F" class="cap"><span>F</span></span>riends sneered at you when you said that you are going the entrepreneurial way. You quit your job in that MNC to build this dream product. Now the product is finally out in the open but how do you find takers for your product.</p>
<p> Needless to say, being a startup you always have this financial question mark staring blankly at your face. Keeping in mind the limitations, startups can easily use these three tools to market their product. It is working for us and if you do it right, it will work for you too.</p>
<h2>Social Networking might be passé but networking is not :</h2>
<p>Start by using your own personal contacts and their contacts. Ask your friends to try and use your product. Talk about your product when you meet each other during social gatherings. You somehow have to ensure that the optimism you have for your product, gets communicated around. And all said and done, Facebook and Twitter are still one of the best ways to talk about your brand online.</p>
<h2>Data Visualizations:</h2>
<p>A picture is worth a thousand words. People might not be interested in your 1000 words article but they would love to see a nice graphic communicating the same idea. Try exploring infographics to market what your product stands for, what problem it seeks to solve, industry trends in your market, etc.</p>
<h2>Blogging:</h2>
<p>This is an effective way to make yourself heard online. Post articles that you think your target market would be interested in. Try and establish yourself as the thought leader in your industry. Encourage the idea of blogging within your organization. Ask employees to contribute their own take on things.</p>
<p>All the best and have a rocking year!</p>
<p><strong>About the Author<em>: </em></strong><em>Shilpi Choudhury is an Inbound Marketing Specialist and <a href="http://discountpandit.com/blog/">Business Blogger</a> based out of Bangalore, India. She is currently working for <a href="http://www.discountpandit.com/">DiscountPandit</a>, Bangalore, which is a deal search engine that provides users a faster, simpler and a comprehensive deal search experience.</em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2Fthree-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2Fthree-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F13%2Fthree-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/13/three-cost-effective-ways-to-market-your-start-up-in-2012/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What New Tools Does the Twitter Redesign Bring to Social Marketers?</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/12/what-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/12/what-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:36:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter for business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8463</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Twitter has a new look, and some observers are calling it the single biggest overhaul the site has received at once in its five year history. The update is one that aims to unify both the presentation and functionality of the microblogging service across all platforms, essentially simplifying the experience for the user. This latest [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2012%252F01%252F12%252Fwhat-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22What%20New%20Tools%20Does%20the%20Twitter%20Redesign%20Bring%20to%20Social%20Marketers%3F%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="T" class="cap"><span>T</span></span>witter has a new look, and some observers are calling it the single biggest overhaul the site has received at once in its five year history. The update is one that aims to unify both the presentation and functionality of the microblogging service across all platforms, essentially simplifying the experience for the user. This latest move has kept the internet community busy discussing the implications, so lets take a look at the new tools the redesign offers social marketers.??</p>
<h2>Enhanced Toolbar</h2>
<p>The change you will probably notice first lies in the toolbar. You will now see the following section categories at the top of the interface:??Home &#8211; Shows you the tweets posted by the people you follow on Twitter. This category keeps you up to date with the information that matters most to you.??Connect &#8211; This new section keeps you connected with the conversation. Through Connect, you can see who is following or mentioning your brand, endorsing your posts, or retweeting and sharing with friends.??Discover &#8211; Hence the name, the Discover section helps you find relevant and useful information via Twitter. The results you see are tailored to your location, network, and other areas that match your interests.??Me &#8211; This section the “Profile” section found in the old Twitter design. Here you can introduce yourself to the world of Twitter and even communicate with others through tweets and direct messages.??</p>
<h2>Embedded Tweets??</h2>
<p>One of the most interesting tools to accompany the Twitter redesign is the embedded tweets feature. This option can be accessed directly from the new interface. The actual process is pretty much like embedding a YouTube clip, meaning you copy a snippet of HTML code and paste it into the web page where you want the tweet displayed. Perhaps the best thing about embedded tweets is its seamless integration with Twitter’s new partners Posterous and WordPress. If you use either of these services, you can have your tweets automatically embedded by simply copying the code and dropping it into your web page &#8211; no cut and paste required.  ??</p>
<h2>Brand Pages??</h2>
<p>Following in the footsteps of rivals Facebook and Google, Twitter has decided to introduce its very own brand pages. Similar to the feature offered by other networks, these pages will give social marketers the ability to promote their brand on the platform. You can have a promotional tweet on display at the top of your page, and even choose which tweets the user sees upon visiting your page. This is one of the most exciting new tools to accompany the redesign for obvious reasons. Twitter is currently testing the new brand pages with a select few brands, including Chevrolet and Coca Cola.??The redesigned Twitter is slowly being rolled out to the user base. For now, the update is only available to mobile users, though the company says all users will be able to experience the new and improved service over the coming weeks. Adapting to change can often be difficult, but in the case of Twitter, this looks like change both users and social marketers will come to embrace.</p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong> <em>Aidan Hijleh is a freelance copywriter and serves as the Non-Profit Partnership Liaison for Benchmark Email. Aidan advocates </em><a href="http://www.benchmarkemail.com/FreeEdition"><em>free email marketing</em></a><em> services to assist with the flourishing of grassroots organizations.</em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2012%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2012/01/12/what-new-tools-does-the-twitter-redesign-bring-to-social-marketers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Your Business Will Benefit From A Loyalty Card Program</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/30/how-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/30/how-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:13:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loyalty cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8417</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It seems like almost every business has jumped on the loyalty card program bandwagon. From grocery stores to pharmacies and restaurants, retailers everywhere are launching customer rewards programs. Have you ever wondered why? Sure, customers stand to benefit from participating in loyalty card programs. They get discounts, special offers and cash-back opportunities. But the benefits [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2011%252F12%252F30%252Fhow-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22How%20Your%20Business%20Will%20Benefit%20From%20A%20Loyalty%20Card%20Program%20%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="I" class="cap"><span>I</span></span>t seems like almost every business has jumped on the loyalty card program bandwagon. From grocery stores to pharmacies and restaurants, retailers everywhere are launching customer rewards programs.</p>
<p>Have you ever wondered why?</p>
<p>Sure, customers stand to benefit from participating in loyalty card programs. They get discounts, special offers and cash-back opportunities. But the benefits for retailers are just as great, if not better. Even with the <a href="http://www.costowl.com/b2b/gift-card-loyalty-program-cost.html">cost of a loyalty gift card program</a>, you still end up being a winner in the end.</p>
<p>If you’re considering launching a loyalty card program, here are some of the many benefits you’ll pick up along the way:</p>
<h2>1. Better Data Tracking</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Every time a customer swipes a rewards card, you’ll get a clearer picture of who is buying what. The data will allow you to examine shopping patterns and use the information to make better business decisions. For example, use the information to make better choices about product selections and inventory supply.</p>
<h2>2. Improved Marketing</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Armed with all the data you’ll collect from customers who fill out a rewards program application, you’ll be able to develop marketing campaigns tailored to specific groups. Offer customers special, personalized deals based on their age, interests or previous purchases.</p>
<h2>3. Better Customer Retention</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>A few incentives go a long way in creating loyal customers. If your customers believe there’s something to gain from giving you their repeat business, they’ll come back time and time again. Simply by offering a coupon for $2 off the next purchase, you’re dramatically increasingly the likelihood that a customer will come back.</p>
<h2>4. More Frequent Business</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>With a loyalty program, the more often a customer shops, the faster they can start claiming rewards. A customer who’s just $5 away from earning a $25 gift certificate might find an excuse to stop by your store. Customers who used to come in once a month might start coming twice a month or once a week. </p>
<h2>5. Increased Product Awareness</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Do you offer a valuable product that &#8211; for one reason or another &#8211; is simply sitting on the shelves? Maybe you’re a retail shop that specializes in handmade goods, but the greeting cards in the back of the store just aren’t selling. By offering items like these as incentives, you can promote items customers may not know you have.</p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F30%2Fhow-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F30%2Fhow-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F30%2Fhow-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/30/how-your-business-will-benefit-from-a-loyalty-card-program/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are you Wasting Your Money on Mobile Emails that Don&#8217;t Work?</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/28/are-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/28/are-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:04:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[email marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8411</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Email marketing is one of the most lucrative online channels. And it looks like the combination of mobile is a powerful team. According to a recent report from HubSpot, &#8220;43% of people on mobile devices check their email over four times per day&#8221;. That presents a huge opportunity to reach people instantly at any time, [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2011%252F12%252F28%252Fare-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FvdpGHa%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Are%20you%20Wasting%20Your%20Money%20on%20Mobile%20Emails%20that%20Don%27t%20Work%3F%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p class="first-child "><br />
<span title="E" class="cap"><span>E</span></span>mail marketing is one of the most lucrative online channels. And it looks like the combination of mobile is a powerful team.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/29765/7-Staggering-Statistics-on-Email-Viewership-Data.aspx">recent report</a> from HubSpot, <em>&#8220;43% of people on mobile devices check their email over four times per day&#8221;</em>.</p>
<p>That presents a huge opportunity to reach people instantly at any time, and any place. But the problem is that an email that looks great on your laptop will look terrible on a mobile device.</p>
<p>So you need to <a href="http://fixcourse.com/improve-email-marketing/">improve your email marketing</a>, and make sure that what you&#8217;re sending will perform on any device. Otherwise, you&#8217;ll be wasting your time (and money).</p>
<h2>1. Write a Killer Headline</h2>
<p>The headline is the most important element of any <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a> campaign.</p>
<p>How important?</p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://mailchimp.com/resources/research/email-marketing-benchmarks-by-industry/">recent study</a> from MailChimp, average open rates are only around 10 &#8211; 30%.</p>
<p><strong>That means that 70 &#8211; 90% of the people didn&#8217;t care enough about your headline to even open the email.</strong></p>
<p>People today don&#8217;t have time. So they don&#8217;t read everything. They scan and only open things that look interesting. If your headline doesn&#8217;t grab their attention, then they&#8217;ll never <em>open it. </em>And the the first step to making more money with an <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a> campaign is by <strong>improving the open rate</strong>.</p>
<p>Start with <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/">Copyblogger&#8217;s guide</a> if you need help.</p>
<h2>2. Focus on One Goal</h2>
<p>The screen on a mobile device is really small. You literally only have an inch or two to get your point across. So keep it really simple. Pick one goal for each email you send, and focus only on that. This will drastically improve your Click-Through-Rate (CTR) for that <em>one element</em>.</p>
<p>Most people try and put several calls-to-action in one email. They want people to click a link to their website, become their Facebook friend, and buy something all in one email. That doesn&#8217;t work on a tiny screen. And the goal of your email isn&#8217;t to sell. You just want to pique your reader&#8217;s interest enough so they <strong>click through to a <a href="http://fixcourse.com/what-is-a-landing-page/">landing page</a>. </strong></p>
<p>Once you have them on your mobile site, then you can worry about converting them.</p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong><em> Brad Smith is the founder of FixCourse.com, a blog about online customer acqusition and how to grow your traffic, generate leads, and make more sales.</em></p>
<h3>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F28%2Fare-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F28%2Fare-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F28%2Fare-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/28/are-you-wasting-your-money-on-mobile-emails-that-dont-work/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why You Should Use Free eMail Marketing to Keep Sales Going Beyond the Holiday Season</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/16/why-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/16/why-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:14:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[email marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8323</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Businesses of all kinds are giving free email marketing a try for first time. Many have decided to give it a go with the goal of cashing in on the shopping frenzy that accompanies the holiday season. This is easy to understand when seeing how it is great for keeping in touch with customers, enticing [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2011%252F12%252F16%252Fwhy-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season%252F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Why%20You%20Should%20Use%20Free%20eMail%20Marketing%20to%20Keep%20Sales%20Going%20Beyond%20the%20Holiday%20Season%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="B" class="cap"><span>B</span></span>usinesses of all kinds are giving free email marketing a try for first time. Many have decided to give it a go with the goal of cashing in on the shopping frenzy that accompanies the holiday season. This is easy to understand when seeing how it is great for keeping in touch with customers, enticing them with offers, and providing stellar after-sales service as well. If you are thinking about abandoning this tool once all the shopping is done, get it out of your head. This article will explain why free email marketing has value that goes beyond the holiday season.</p>
<h2>It Fits in the Budget</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Some businesses will give <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a> a whirl for the holiday season. Several will throw in the towel and go back to what they were doing previously. Why? Because they can’t fit the extra expense into the budget. Even though email marketing is very cost effective, it is another expense, one that some businesses cannot justify in this economy. If a strained budget is what attracted you to free email marketing in the first place, then you should definitely keep at it when the holiday season wraps up. You can use this tool to support a sizable portion of your overall marketing needs, and invest in other critical areas with the money you save.</p>
<h2>It Still Drive Sales</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Although many of the big sales end once Christmas comes to a close, the shopping continues for some time after. In fact, some retailers enjoy even more sales once the holiday season officially ends by cleaning up on the leftover traffic. During the months of January and February, stores are often packed full of people who are redeeming gift cards and taking advantage strategically timed sales offers. Free email marketing can keep you in touch with these ambitious consumers. Whether you are trying to get rid of your last bit of inventory from the holiday, or move a line of entirely new products, it can keep them connected with whatever you’re selling.</p>
<h2>It’s a Great Learning Tool</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>What were the results of your holiday email program? Was it an overwhelming success, or did you come out of it feeling like your strategy was in need of some fine tuning? If you thought the results could have been better, sticking with free <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a> is probably the best thing you can do. The more you continue to use it, the more familiar you will become with aspects such as campaign creation, list management, and tracking. By the time the next holiday season rolls around, you could potentially be a seasoned email marketer with the savvy to take on the world, or at least your target audience.</p>
<h2>Who Needs Free Email Marketing?</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Free email marketing does not discriminate. It can be an ideal solution for a small business, a large enterprise, a non-profit organization, or an entrepreneur with only a handful of clients. Find the right service provider, and it could be the solution that enables you to thrive year-round.</p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong> <em>Aidan Hijleh is a freelance copywriter and serves as the Non-Profit Partnership Liaison for Benchmark Email. Aidan advocates </em><a href="http://www.benchmarkemail.com/FreeEdition"><em>free email marketing</em></a><em> services to assist with the flourishing of grassroots organizations.</em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fwhy-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fwhy-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fwhy-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/16/why-you-should-use-free-email-marketing-to-keep-sales-going-beyond-the-holiday-season/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 Ways To Ruin Your Business Rep With Email Marketing</title>
		<link>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/15/5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/15/5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:04:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>smallbizbee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Former Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biz Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[email marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smallbizbee.com/index/?p=8319</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a small business owner, you know what it means to have to fight for your share of the market. Competition is everywhere and you only have a few chances to set yourself apart to show that you are the company that deserves attention. So what sets you apart from the next guy? I would [...]<p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_blue" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fsmallbizbee.com%252Findex%252F2011%252F12%252F15%252F5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FvMajMq%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%225%20Ways%20To%20Ruin%20Your%20Business%20Rep%20With%20Email%20Marketing%22%20%7D);"></div>

<p class="first-child "><span title="A" class="cap"><span>A</span></span>s a small business owner, you know what it means to have to fight for your share of the market. Competition is everywhere and you only have a few chances to set yourself apart to show that you are the company that deserves attention.</p>
<p>So what sets you apart from the next guy? I would say that the two things a business should be judged on are it’s  products, of course, and it’s level of customer service.  That’s always important!</p>
<p>But take a step back and think, what do you get when you combine those two elements? What do your consumers really consider before they choose who to do their business with?</p>
<p>Reputation. That’s what it all boils down to.</p>
<p>If your company has a good reputation, any number of small sins can be forgiven, and you can be sure that you&#8217;re in good standing with most, if not all, of your customers. On the same hand, if your company has a rep that’s the equivalent to an Atlantic City loan shark, well, odds are, you aren’t going to be in business very much longer.</p>
<p>So, what does this have to do with <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a>?</p>
<p>Well, people can tell a lot about a company by how they market themselves, and with email marketing being one of the most effective options for small businesses these days, it’s important for you as a small business owner to make sure your email marketing campaign isn’t hurting you when it should be helping.</p>
<p>Here are a few examples of what NOT to do.  Avoid these hazardous practices, and you&#8217;ll be on your way to not only a successful marketing campaign, but a successful business.</p>
<h2>Start Fresh</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>An email marketing campaign needs one thing to get off the ground &#8211; emails. Now, gathering emails can be a tricky business, and, of course, while everyone wants to get their marketing campaign up and running as soon as possible, buying a pre-gathered email list is pretty much not allowed.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: you will be sending emails to people who never asked for them. I’m sure part of that sounds great, I mean, who wouldn’t want a crack at roping in new customers, but what it looks like on the customers&#8217; side of the street, is SPAM, and nobody trusts a SPAMmer.</p>
<h2>Double Opt-In</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>I hate to sound like a broken record, but this helpful little hint is very closely related to the last one, and will go a long way when it comes to separating you from the SPAMmers out there.</p>
<p>Always use the double opt-in method when gathering email addresses. Basically, all the double opt-in method entails is sending everyone who subscribes to your mailing list a confirmation email, making sure that they signed up on purpose. If you don’t use double opt-in, you are opening yourself up to SPAM complaints which, like I mentioned above, are one of the quickest ways to lose your customers trust and ruin your rep.</p>
<h2>If You Love Them, Set Them Free</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>People get antsy when they don’t have options. Just because someone signed up for your email a year ago, doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to keep getting it this year. Make sure that each and every email that you send has an easy to see “opt-out” link (usually at the top or bottom of the email).  Again, if you don’t give your subscribers this option, you are treading dangerously close to SPAM territory.</p>
<h2>Tell The Truth</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>Another way to ruin your business’s rep is to go back on promises that you’ve made to your subscribers. Anything that you tell your readers, from the length of a warranty to a product description to the amount of times they will be receiving an email from you, is a form of promise. Once you start breaking those promises, you may as well say goodbye to whatever reputation you had.</p>
<h2>Keep It Fresh</h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>The very first thing you learn when you enter the world of email marketing is: Content is King.</p>
<p>Everyone knows it. Some version of that phrase is in pretty much in every <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://smallbizbee.com/index/recommends/aweber';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">email marketing</a> guide and article that has ever been written.</p>
<p>Why?</p>
<p>Because it’s true. The minute you start sending out sub par content is the minute your readers begin to lose interest in you, and your business will become stagnant, stale, and out of date. If you want to keep your reputation strong, deliver the fresh content every time.</p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong> <em>Daniel Cassady is an experienced freelancer, guest blogger, and frequent contributor to a blog hosted by Benchmark Email, one of theworld’s global </em><a href="http://www.benchmarkemail.com/email-marketing/about-benchmark-email"><em>email marketing company</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<h3><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Want to be our next guest author? <a href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/guest-post/">Click here for details…</a></h3>
<p><br />
 </p>
<h6><a rel="lightbox" href="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Business-Apps.jpg"></a>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/twentysevenphotos/">chintermeyer</a></h6>
<div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-right: 10px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F15%2F5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F15%2F5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing%2F&amp;source=smallbizbee&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<iframe id="basic_facebook_social_plugins_likebutton" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fsmallbizbee.com%2Findex%2F2011%2F12%2F15%2F5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:px; height:25px"></iframe><p><a href="http://smallbizbee.com/BizBloggingGuide" target="_blank">
<img src="http://smallbizbee.com/index/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BBizBlog_468x60px.jpg" alt="Biz Blogging" />
</a>
</p>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://smallbizbee.com/index/2011/12/15/5-ways-to-ruin-your-business-rep-with-email-marketing/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

