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Author Archive for Anita Campbell

Are You Ready to Start a Business?

by Anita Campbell
May 22nd, 2013

Think you’re ready to start a business? This post will help you determine whether you’re ready to become a small business owner, or if you need to do a bit more developing before diving in. Just answer each question honestly to see where you stand.

1. Do I Have a Viable Idea?

By “viable” I mean an idea that can become a business. It’s one thing to have a fabulous idea for the next whatsit, but if you don’t have a clue on how to turn that into a business, you might not be ready.

If You Answered Yes: Look at your target audience and conduct research for what they want out of a product or service like yours.

If You Answered No: Go back to the drawing board. Think in terms of an idea that you can sell, and that people will want to buy. Continue reading “Are You Ready to Start a Business?” »

Categories Starting a Business
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How Becoming an Entrepreneur is Easier Than it Was 10 Years Ago

by Anita Campbell
May 8th, 2013

For those of you who started a business before the age of social media, blogging, and websites, you can attest: it’s a lot easier to be an entrepreneur these days.

Back then, we spent more time on the phone cold calling, and direct mail was booming. Networking was done face-to-face, and we couldn’t always track our marketing efforts. My, how times have changed.

1. Our Businesses No Longer Confined by Geography

In the “old days,” you marketed your business to people who could drive there. If you were a consultant, you served the local market. Now, thanks to email, social, and tools like Skype, you can have clients “virtually” anywhere.   Continue reading “How Becoming an Entrepreneur is Easier Than it Was 10 Years Ago” »

Categories Business Technology
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Startup Funding: Are you One of the 51% or the 24%?

by Anita Campbell
April 24th, 2013

Starting a business requires capital — often more than you initially planned for. If you burn through your savings too quickly, or expenses begin to mount, where will you obtain additional financing? The answer varies by entrepreneur.

 

According to the most recent Survey of Small Business Owners put out by the U.S. Census (look for an updated survey next year), these are the primary means for funding startups:

Categories Business Finance
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The Myth of ‘Shark Tank:’ What VC Funding is Really Like

by Anita Campbell
April 17th, 2013

For those who have watched ABC’s ‘Shark Tank,’ it might seem like simply having a great business idea is enough to get a venture capitalist to invest millions in your brand. Not so. Just like with any “reality” television program, viewers don’t see what’s really going on behind the scenes. Nor is the program indicative of what real “sharks” are like.

Myth 1: It’s That Easy to Get in Front of Investors

You’ve seen footage of the long lines of would-be stars who wait in line all day to audition for ‘American Idol.’ It’s no different for ‘Shark Tank.’ Thousands of entrepreneurs submit their ideas, and only a handful are chosen. Even fewer of those that pitch the Sharks are actually aired online.

Getting in front of a non-celebrity investor can be just as hard. Before the Recession, VCs were eager to discover the next Facebook or eBay, but now they’ve backed off, and are extremely picky about the companies they invest in.   They’ve also reduced the average deal size, and the number of seed-stage deals.  Many startups will be better off searching for an angel (i.e., a business person willing to make investments, often in your local community), rather than approaching a professional venture capital firm. Continue reading “The Myth of ‘Shark Tank:’ What VC Funding is Really Like” »

Categories Business Finance
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10 Steps to Take in Guest Blogging

by Anita Campbell
March 27th, 2013

Guest blogging is a great way to get your brand name in front of more potential customers. Essentially, you’re writing content for someone else’s blog, with the benefit of having your bio at the bottom of the post, including a link back to your site.

While this seems simple enough, there are steps to take to ensure success and help you target the best blogs to write for.

Step 1: Do Research
Using the scatter shot approach to guest blogging won’t help you. It’s better to invest time in finding those blogs that speak to your audience. If you’re in small business services, find blogs that speak to a small business audience.

Create a spreadsheet to collect data, and record the blog name and URL, as well as contact person and email, and any guidelines the site might have for guest bloggers. Continue reading “10 Steps to Take in Guest Blogging” »

Categories Marketing Your Business
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Should Your Staff Bring Their Own Devices to Work?

by Anita Campbell
March 13th, 2013

With tablets and cell phones in the hands of so many Americans (this year, it’s expected that 177 million Internet users will own tablets alone), it’s understandable that these devices are making their way into the office. But companies are still unsure about how they feel about employees bringing — and using — these devices on the job.

Employees claim they’re more productive using their own mobile technology, but is that entirely true? Or is the BYOD trend (Bring Your Own Device) just the evolution of playing solitaire on the office computer? Continue reading “Should Your Staff Bring Their Own Devices to Work?” »

Categories Business Tools
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Social Selling vs. Social Marketing

by Anita Campbell
February 27th, 2013
Some small business owners use social media to sell. Others use it to market. What’s really the difference between the two, and what strategies can you use to get more customers?
Social Marketing 101
Social marketing centers around creating and maintaining brand awareness, as well as building up customer loyalty.  Your purpose here isn’t to immediately get sales, but rather start those conversations that will help you connect with potential customers. You want to build trust here, so that these buyers will turn to you as the resource for information on your industry and type of product.
The term “thought leader” is used a lot with social marketing. It’s a fantastic strategy, if used correctly. Focus on delivering useful content to your Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, and Facebook followers, and they’ll come back for more. That content can be your own (from your company blog) or from other resources. In fact, a  mix of the two is ideal. Continue reading “Social Selling vs. Social Marketing” »

Categories Social Media Strategy For Small Business
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Seven Tips to Communicate with Employees and Improve Results in Your Startup

by Anita Campbell
February 20th, 2013

Communication is one of the cornerstones to a successful startup. If you incorporate it as part of your company culture from the start, you’ll build a solid foundation. If not, you’ll constantly be trying to fill the cracks in that foundation rather than focusing on your business’ growth.

These tips are designed to help you be a better communicator, as well as encourage your staff to come to you with concerns, questions, and ideas.

1. Hold Regular Check-Ins

It’s important as the business owner to stay in touch with your employees. That doesn’t mean you should hold endless meetings with every single staffer each week. But do hold quick, company-wide meetings, as well as departmental and even one-on-one appointments to ensure that you know what’s going on at every level. Do less talking in these meetings so that you give your employees a chance to express themselves. You might be surprised at what you find out. Continue reading “Seven Tips to Communicate with Employees and Improve Results in Your Startup” »

Categories Business Tools
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More–But Not All–Small Business Owners are Using Social Media

by Anita Campbell
January 23rd, 2013

Just as you’d expect with any new type of technology, social media has been a tool that small business owners have slowly adopted over the past several years. While the numbers haven’t spiked up, they are steadily rising, according to the 2012 Small and Medium Social Business Study conducted by the SMB Group.

Once small businesses realize the value in using sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google + to find new prospects and build relationships with existing clients, it seem like adoption increases. I imagine they also follow suit to what big business is doing, budget allowing.

But that’s not all small businesses. A full 47%, according to the study, aren’t using social media currently. That’s a number I expect to shrink in coming years, but by how much, well, that’s anyone’s guess.

Overall, social media use by small businesses rose 9% from 2011 to 2012. The biggest slice of that was of businesses that use it in an “ad hoc manner,” without an appropriate strategy in place. This is to their detriment. Social media is an effective tool–if used appropriately.
Continue reading “More–But Not All–Small Business Owners are Using Social Media” »

Categories Social Media Strategy For Small Business
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The 10 Most Overlooked Things when Starting a Business

by Anita Campbell
January 9th, 2013

Congratulations! You’ve come up with a great idea for a new company. That’s half the work in starting a business. The other half is the hard work and dedication it takes to actually run it. And while you have a list a mile long that you need to take care of before you can actually open your doors, don’t overlook these tasks that many entrepreneurs forget about. Taking care of them up front will make your business operate that much more smoothly in the long run.

1. Get an EIN
Having an employment identification number will make it easier when you’re ready to start hiring. Also known as a federal tax identification number, you’re required to have one if you set up your business as a corporation, Limited Liability Company or a partnership. You’ll need it to open a bank account or hire employees. Continue reading “The 10 Most Overlooked Things when Starting a Business” »

Categories Starting a Business
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