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Decide and Plan for a Small Business, Entrepreneur Ideas

3 Totally Doable Small Business Ideas

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A lot of people hesitate to start a business because they think they need to invest a whole lot of money and time to get it going. Not so, thanks mostly to the Internet and social media, there are plenty of options for starting a business with a minimal investment. Here are 3 totally doable small business ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Get Crafty

In the past, the only people who benefited from your creative crafts were your mom and maybe your cat, but now thanks to sites like Etsy, Zazzle and Cafepress you can get “crafty” and make some money in the process. You can sell your creations on a highly trafficked site that gets a lot of attention from the public. A lot of online craft sellers promote their creations on Twitter and other social media sites… and yes, they sometimes make a nice bit of change doing it.

So get crafty and have some fun making some really cute jewelry, home décor, clothes and other items from scratch.

Your investment: the costs associated with the site, which usually include a small listing fee and a percentage of each sale, so yea, basically not much at all. Oh and the investment of your time spending your weekends making beautiful crafts (as if that’s some type of chore! Have some fun with it).

Time for Your Close-Up – Start a YouTube Business

You may be surprised to learn how many people make a nice living from YouTube. With this totally doable small business idea you make money by posting videos that provide information, tips, advice, funny content and other things that people really want to see online. So how do you make money? Google has a program called Adsense where you can run ads besides your videos and make cold hard cash every time someone clicks to your page.

Your investment: the cost of a really good camera (a web camera works) and 1+ hour per day recording videos for posting.

Start a Flourishing Business – $5 at a Time

Another totally doable small business idea for entrepreneurs young and older who are just getting started out is to start a Fiverr business. If you’re not familiar, it’s a site where people can post what are called “gigs” – a service like writing, translation or design – for $5 per gig. You can also sell products on the website, it’s totally awesome and easy to use. There are plenty of resourceful people who have built thriving “Fiverr” based businesses earning a living on the site.

Your investment: none (besides the $1 fee for each completed gig) and your time investment providing the service.

So as you can see despite popular belief, there are ways to start a business without having to invest your life savings or work yourself into the ground. Have some fun with it and remember that when you do what you love, people can tell and they will buy from you. Get started today!



Starting up a small business, even if it's just on the side, is no longer an option -- it's a necessity. Why? Because everyone needs an additional source of income in our new economy. Click here to sign up for educational and motivational posts to keep you on track.

Creating a Small Business Wordpress Blog

Small Business Blogging Tips: Getting People to Read Your Blog Posts

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The average blog reader isn’t going to read your whole post unless they’re hooked from the start. If you don’t grab their attention right away, they’re going to hit the ‘back’ button on their browser and forget that they ever even visited your blog. There are several things that you can do to draw the reader in and compel them to not only read your entire small business blog post, but also to take a look at your products, services and offerings.

readingThe Title Is Crucial
Coming up with a great title for your small business blog post is incredibly important because it’s what first inspires the reader to click on your site in the first place. It should encompass what your post is all about in an inspiring way. For example, if you run a boutique and you’re writing a post about the latest fashions, don’t give your post a generic title like “The Latest Fashions for Spring.” The average browser is going to assume your post is as common and everyday as your title. Instead, try something like “2014 Fashions that Will Make Him Do a Double Take” or something else to inspire action. That’s the type of title that gets clicks.

Have an Opinion and Stick to It
It’s important to have a solid point that you want to make in each blog post. Keep coming back to that point and have strong proof to back it up. To grab maximum attention it helps to be a bit controversial and ruffle some feathers, but be true to yourself and your business. Don’t be bold or contrary just for shock value, but it’s important to get your reader feeling strongly about your post, even if she disagrees. If the reader is moved to respond or leave a comment, you’ve hooked her in and she may bookmark your site for future visits.

People Do Judge Books by Their Covers
While your content is absolutely the most important part of your small business blog, the cosmetic stuff matters too. If you use a generic, boring theme, the reader might judge your blog before he even reads a word that you’ve written. You might want to invest in a paid WordPress blog template that was created by a professional designer and either learn how to integrate it with your website or hire someone who does. It’s a small investment that can make a big difference in how people interact with your blog.

Other ways to make your blog look more interesting:

– Use expressive pictures or art in each post that are related to the content (make sure the photos are public domain or royalty-free and you have the rights).
– Use larger call out quotes to draw attention to important points in the text.
– Add widgets to the side of the content with links to your other interesting blog posts to encourage visitors to stay around awhile.
– Add widgets showing your recent activity and comments on social media.

Above all, to get people to actually read your small business blog, you must develop your own unique voice. Just focus on blogging about the things that you know and care about—your passion and personality will do all of the “hard” work for you.

 

 

© Dreamstime Stock Photography & Video Footage | Dreamstime Stock Photos


Starting up a small business, even if it's just on the side, is no longer an option -- it's a necessity. Why? Because everyone needs an additional source of income in our new economy. Click here to sign up for educational and motivational posts to keep you on track.

Marketing Strategies for Small Business, Online Marketing Strategies, Retail Sales, Social Media Sites for Small Business

Social Media Marketing Tips for a New Clothing Store

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When you open a new retail clothing store, whether it’s online or at a physical location, one of your top marketing goals should be to connect with the right people who can help spread the word and increase your market reach. Social media makes that process easier for store owners. With social media marketing you can become a premier store that fashionistas and clothing enthusiasts go to for the latest trends.

fashionableladyBe a Trend Setter
People commonly use social media sites to stay updated about the latest fashions and clothing trends. Give them what they want—use Twitter and Facebook to share pictures of the latest trends that come across your radar as well as fashion “do’s and don’ts.” Put clothing pieces together to show your followers how to complete the perfect look. Start a conversation on Facebook to encourage people to share their own fashion ideas or faux pas. Pinterest is also a perfect place to display your outfit ideas and gain more followers for your store.

Generate a Buzz
Create energy and buzz about the items that will be shipping into your store soon so that people will be eager to snatch them up. One way to do this is to offer them in very limited quantities. For instance, if you post a picture of an amazing pair of pants on Twitter and state that there are only 10 available starting Monday morning, it can create an intense demand for the item. If you do this consistently and successfully, you might get to the point where people are willing to stand in line at your store to get the latest items. If you have an online clothing store, start a countdown clock until the limited quantity item is available to the public and remember to inform everyone when it’s sold out.

Value Your Followers

You are nothing without your customers, so make sure that they know just how much you appreciate them. Back up your glowing words of praise with special offers and discounts to keep your best customers coming back for more. Also, on social media sites it’s important that you interact with your followers and show them that you’re not just a bot posting advertisements. Talk to random followers and answer people who ask you questions about your merchandise.

Creating a reputation for being an awesome new clothing store won’t happen overnight, but with smart social media marketing you can accomplish this goal more quickly. Offer the latest trends, create a buzz, open up to your customers on social media sites and be sure to thank your customers with special offers that keep them coming back for more.

 

 

Image credit: © Phil Date | Dreamstime Stock Photos

 



Starting up a small business, even if it's just on the side, is no longer an option -- it's a necessity. Why? Because everyone needs an additional source of income in our new economy. Click here to sign up for educational and motivational posts to keep you on track.

Make Money Online

3 Ways to Use Twitter to Make Money

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Some Twitter users spend a lot of time posting on Twitter for fun, but they don’t realize that it’s possible to use Twitter to make money. Your time is as valuable as money (if not more), so why not use your time spent on Twitter to make some money? Shift your perspective a bit, because this could start off as something to do on the side and turn into an opportunity to start a small business.

So if you’re a Twitter fanatic who is also a fan of making money, explore ways to use your account more productively. Before you get started, read Twitter’s Rules to ensure that your plan is in line with their guidelines.

Here are three simple ideas for earning an income on Twitter and other social media sites:

Promoted Tweets

Some people make money by promoting tweets to their followers. An advertiser pays them a fee for each tweet. There are a number of services that facilitate this type of transaction by accepting payment from the customer and then immediately posting the tweet to your account (like this one). You set the price—obviously, the more followers you have, the more you can charge. It’s also helpful if you happen to reach a targeted group of people who advertisers want to reach, like moms or teens.

Affiliate Arrangements

Another way to make money with your Twitter account is to manage a website or blog where you post affiliate deals and specials related to your subject matter. You can create an affiliate account with a service like Commission Junction, LinkShare or Amazon. Your job is to continue to provide valuable content that your followers enjoy on Twitter so that they will visit your website for more information and make purchases using your affiliate ads.

Write an Informational Guide

A lot of people make money on Twitter by writing informational guides and books (usually eBooks) and placing them for sale online. There are numerous ways to self-publish your work online for sale, including Amazon’s KDP platform, Clickbank and by simply posting a secure PDF file on your website for download after a PayPal purchase.

Use these ideas as a starting point to inspire you to pursue ways to use Twitter to make money and possibly start your own small business.

 

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Starting up a small business, even if it's just on the side, is no longer an option -- it's a necessity. Why? Because everyone needs an additional source of income in our new economy. Click here to sign up for educational and motivational posts to keep you on track.

Social Media Sites for Small Business

Social Media: Which Sites Are Best for Your Small Business?

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If you want your small business to thrive in this day and age, it’s crucial that you have some sort of social media presence. According to an article from CNN.com, about 75 percent of small businesses utilize social media but don’t know how to use it effectively. Take the time to learn more about the top social media sites and which ones may be best for your small business.

Facebook: The Mother of Social Networks

According to a 2013 research study by GlobalWebIndex, Facebook is by far the most popular social network in the world. Using Facebook properly and regularly can get you clients as close as next door and as far away as the other side of the globe. It can be a beneficial online tool for both B2C (business to customer) and B2B (business to business) companies. When users like your page, they receive updates. Make the most of your Facebook account by giving useful insights and posting links to current industry news. Grow your brand using this popular social media site by posting images related to the culture of your company. For instance, if you have a fun and laid back company culture, you might post photos and videos of your employees doing fun things like throwing a football around at the company picnic. Telling stories about your business also grabs the attention of Facebook users. Stories and pictures help potential clients connect and relate with your small business on a more personal level, which could persuade them to call on your company.

Also, Facebook is the perfect place to get feedback from customers so that you can better focus your advertising efforts — read the comments on your page to find out which products and services people like the most.

Twitter: The Conversation That Never Ends


Twitter is a powerful site for your small business because it allows you to send information about promotions, events and special news to clients in seconds. It is a useful social media solution for both B2C and B2B companies. With Twitter, you can build your customer or client base by generating conversations that illustrate your knowledge and experience. The quickest and most effective way to reach potential customers is to find and answer questions that relate to your business using the advanced search feature of the site. Ongoing engagement between you and your target audience builds trust and sets the foundation for Twitter followers to become customers. Twitter users will be more likely to visit your website or establishment if they trust your advice and opinions.

LinkedIn: The Potential Employee Directory

There comes a time when even the smallest small business needs to hire people to help the business reach its full potential. LinkedIn is the social media site to use when you’re ready to start hiring people. LinkedIn is a hub for people seeking new jobs. It is full of professionals advertising their resumes and experience. It can be a very useful tool in screening potential new hires before you consider setting up interviews. The site also offers recruiting services where you can post job openings and publish keyword-rich information about your company.

LinkedIn is also a great site to use if you sell to other businesses. One simple way to generate business contacts is to join a few groups that relate to your business. Provide useful information and advice — when you become established in a group over time, potential clients will want to know more about your company.

Pinterest: The Place for Creatives

If you run a creative small business, such as a graphic design company, art gallery, tattoo shop or beauty salon, Pinterest may be the ideal social media site for your company. Pinterest allows creative people to post visual images of their work and interests instead of text. So if you have a beauty salon, you might post before and after pictures of your clients. An art gallery owner can post the newest additions to the gallery’s collection. A graphic artist can post his entire portfolio on Pinterest to attract new clients. The images link back to your business website so that people can check out more of your work and contact you for inquiries. Some online experts believe Pinterest is the next big thing in social media for small companies.

Of course, there are plenty of other social media sites besides Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest that could help your small business gain more exposure, but it’s better to focus on a few popular sites than to spread yourself thin on dozens of different sites. It’s important to note that no matter what social media platform you use, the key to success is building a good relationship with your target audience.