“Got guilt? It’s an epidemic. And we’ve all been there. Rushing out the door after dropping off your preschooler to get to work on time? Check. Late for a meeting because of a sick child? Check. Determining that you want to be a stay- or work-at-home parent and second-guessing yourself when you meet someone who chose to do the opposite of you? Check.
You can fight it. You can feel terrible about yourself. Or, you can take an active role in extinguishing the pain and suffering that comes with parenthood guilt. The Wall Street Journal has reviewed the “dependency dilemma” that exists in American families and Psychology Today has explored the topic of guilt in the context of “serving the cherubs” that are our American children. ABC News has even reported on the “external blame and recrimination that seems to bombard working mothers on a daily basis.” Nonsense, I say.” Read the rest of Jill’s PBS Parents piece here.
Maybe it’s a social media quandary. Or a marketing issue. Or a legal question. Maybe it’s about your graphic design, or your current website, or your work-family juggling act. Whatever your current company concern is, we’re here to help — publicly.
If you send in your burning question, we’ll make a 60-second video to answer you. We’ll post it to our blog and to our social media sites so that you’ll get great publicity for your biz. At the same time, we’ll get to help thousands of entrepreneurs who may be wondering the same thing.
Think your question is too embarrassing? Think again. We’re all in the same boat. Fill in the Show & Tell Form here and help us help you. Ask and ye shall receive (and grow, and profit.) Go now!
“Did you know that newsletters are far more effective at driving business to your company’s website than social media? For you “I-Don’t-Have-Time”-ers and you “Why-Bother”-ites, maybe you should rethink your marketing efforts and create a promotional email. Only please make it less annoying, less spam-like and less cringe-inducing than everyone else’s newsletters.
How?
1. Content matters. Don’t get lazy and turn your newsletter into an aggregator of other people’s newsletters. Come up with short, to-the-point information, stats or opportunities. Make sure that you have relevant, concise information about your industry that’s interesting. Without the interesting part, you’ve lost me…” Read the full article at NBC Chicago here.
Guest Post by Intrist’s Joe Garbarczyk :: The majority of your website traffic will see your homepage at some point. It’s important that your homepage is working hard for you. This is usually the first step in the conversion funnel (and one of the most important!) If this is the first time a potential customer or client is hearing about your company, you’ll want to make a great first impression.
Here are five elements that should be on your homepage to make it effective:
Simplicity.
Simplicity should be used to minimize distraction. Think of your homepage and the user experience similar to making a cold call. It should be short (“We do X”), sweet and clutter-free. Take it easy on the images and animations. One trick that we like is going to Starbucks and asking people who could be in your target audience what they think.
Sign up ASAP — each workshop has only 15 spots available. Click on the link, above, to get yourself all hooked up. We’re gonna LEARN! And it’s gonna be FUN!
Guest Post by Katy Lynch :: As a mom, and business owner, things can get pretty hectic. I have heard from a lot of entrepreneurs and startups that social media is overwhelming, and it can be. Managing content across multiple platforms can be a full-time job (take it from me)!
The important thing to remember is that social media should help, not take away from your business – so I have put together five tips to help mom entrepreneurs prioritize, connect and communicate on social networks. By doing this right, you can increase your fans and followers and raise awareness of your personal brand or company.
With limited time, don’t join every social network out there. Find two or three you think are best and focus your social media efforts there. For example, if you are a retailer or restaurant owner, you might consider joining Pinterest. The visual nature of this social platform allows you to promote through photos and easily link back to your website, which can lead to point-of-purchase sales. However, if your company targets other businesses, you might consider LinkedIn, where you can network with other entrepreneurs and business people. Read more
Tim Jahn of Entrepreneurs Unpluggd and I talk all things entrepreneurship in this great video interview (…in my very messy office.)
We discuss why it’s important to get your idea out to market quickly, why it’s important to test your idea regularly, the advantages and disadvantages of planning versus just iterating, and much more.
Need to know more about social media as it pertains to your small business? Know that you need Twitter but don’t know where to start? Want to become an expert in your field?
Click on one of my upcoming classes, below, to sign up!
Let’s go over how to write a better press release, shall we?
The press release is used to bring noteworthy information to the masses. It’s a vessel of news. An announcement of the unannounced. It comes in a shape and size familiar to its recipient. Entrepreneurs and publicists alike adhere to its traditional form, but seem to misunderstand its function. It’s often the only opportunity the entrepreneur will ever have to win over the release’s recipient. And yet, it is often so poorly written.
“This past month, I sold The Bumble Brand. Turns out, selling my business was a lot like starting one up. Oh, the things I wished I had known. I was reminded once again that there are certain things you can’t know until you experience the process firsthand.
Nevertheless, here are a few tidbits I uncovered along the way:
1. There is no such thing as the “right” sale price. The exact sale price of your business is in the eyes of the beholder — or rather, the price will be what you and the buyer feel the business is worth. I’d suggest staying flexible: If you’re stuck on $300,000 and no one is willing to pay that, then by all means bring it down. Similarly, if you’ve got low expectations but you meet someone whose pockets are dripping with the green stuff, be bold and raise that number. I met buyers who balked when I stated my asking price. And I met buyers who didn’t wince even once at that same number. Take the Stephen Colbert approach on this one and go with your gut. If it feels right, it may feel right to the future owner of your company, too.
2. Keep your business going. Don’t stop running your business while hunting down a buyer. They want to see that you remain profitable even as the transaction occurs. In my dealings with buyers, the fact that The Bumble Brand had ceased to be my first priority put me at a distinct disadvantage. In retrospect, it seems obvious. But at the time it simply didn’t occur to me that easing off the accelerator would negatively impact the business’ value.
