By using your creativity, you can put your retail biz in the spotlight with these low- and no-cost marketing tactics.

Original post by Geoffrey James

Follow these tips for handling tricky situations–from sick kids to ruined presentations–without losing your sanity or any business.

Original post by Geoffrey James

Why you should consider a small-business blog–and how you can start one

Original post by Geoffrey James

I have a friend whose site niche is mortgages, and all things related to mortgages. I personally don’t have any sites within that niche or anything related to that niche, so when I was first approached about a sponsored post for a new revenue stream for publishers that involved insurance, mortgages, etc., my first […]

Original post by DazzlinDonna

Just the other day, I was shopping for a product and landed on a site that was selling it. The price, however, was listed in Australian currency. I had no idea how that relates to the US dollar, so I just left the site. Who knows, maybe the price was great, but […]

Original post by DazzlinDonna

I’ll be upgrading my server today, so if everything disappears for a while, you’ll know why. I always get really really nervous about upgrading, despite the fact that I’m diligent about backups. And actually, this time, I’ve hired an expert to do the upgrade for me, so hopefully it will be quick and […]

Original post by DazzlinDonna

Great new audio recording software. With RecordForAll, podcasters have the ability to record new audio files from scratch, or edit and enhance existing audio files.

Podcasts have evolved into a popular means for individuals and companies to expand their reach and improve communications by creating portable on-demand broadcasts.

RecordForAll was designed from the ground up, with ease of use in mind. RecordForAll has an intuitive look, and built in tutorials to walk users through the process of recording and editing their first audio file.

One click audio recording easily records voices, music and other sounds. RecordForAll has reduced the learning curve, making audio recording easy even for beginners. RecordForAll allows podcasters to layer, synchronize and transition multiple audio tracks. Podcasters can now easily create transitional effects between show segments or insert advertisements into their podcasts. Existing audio files can also be imported into RecordForAll for editing. RecordForAll even has built-in filtering that helps eliminate extraneous background noises and distortions.

Simply put, RecordForAll is an all-in-one recording studio that assists users in recording, editing and mixing their podcasts, resulting in a professional podcast, even for beginners.

RecordForAll can be used in conjunction with FeedForAll, an easy to use RSS feed creation software, to publish all kinds of podcasts, including podcasts that are compatible with the iTunes Music Store.

Download a trial version of RecordForAll.

Original post by deucetwo

A 30 minute keynote seminar by Shane Gibson at Vancouver Board of Trade’s Leaders of Tomorrow Conference in 2007. This file is iPod video … all » ready just download it and add it to your itunes library for goal setting on the go. ipod video format

Original post by Shane Gibson

There’s no such thing as a standard pricing model with search engine optimization companies. This makes it difficult for site owners to compare. I often see requests for people wanting a Pay for Performance model, but I rarely see a company that actually offers this. There is a search engine optimization company […]

Original post by DazzlinDonna

The motto for this blog is the old “ABC” adage: “Always Be Closing.” That’s great advice, but only if you understand that closing isn’t a technique to trick a customer into buying but the point in the conversation when you ask for a decision.

If you take “ABC” literally, chances are you'll hammer at the customer until you get a sale or are told to get lost. It's this kind of insensitive (and ineffective) behavior that makes people avoid sales reps. Similarly, you might be tempted to spend the sales conversation positioning for one of the four classic “trick” closes:

1. The assumptive close. Ask the customer to make a meaningless decision that assumes a decision has been made. Example: “Do you want that in the hunter green or the hunter orange?”
2. The flyfish close. Promise something valuable then take it away if a decision isn’t made now. Example: “We have a special offer – a 15 percent discount – but only if you decide to buy now.”
3. The puppy-dog close. Let the customer try the product for free in the hopes the customer will fall in love with it. Example: “We’ll give you the product free for your evaluation and only charge you if you don’t return it.
4. The reverse close. Ask a customer who’s saying “no” a question intended to elicit a “no” that actually means “yes.” Example: “Is there any reason that you wouldn’t do business with our company?”

If these sound familiar, it’s because they turn up all the time on the Home Shopping Network. (Rule of thumb: if a sales technique sounds like it belongs in an infomercial, it will generally only work on a not-very-bright couch-potato.)

A more effective way to interpret “ABC” is “Always Be [checking whether it’s time to] Close),” according to Linda Richardson, founder of the eponymous sales training firm. She recommends that, during the sales conversation, you constantly ask for feedback to confirm that what you have to offer matches what the customer needs. Do this by asking open-ended, non-leading questions that draw the customer into the conversation. Examples:

• “How does that sound to you?”
• “What do you think about that?”
• “What timeframe would you need for delivery?”

As the conversation evolves, this constant checking gives you a sense of whether the customer is truly interested. If you’re getting all green lights, summarize the benefits of what you’re offering and ask for the next step. 

Original post by Geoffrey James