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Qualifying An Inbound Internet Marketing Consultant For Your Small Business

2011-05-30T18:40:44Z

Hiring a marketing consultant has long been a strategic option to increase small business exposure. Sometimes new expertise, experience and a fresh set of eyes is all that is required to put wood back on a stagnating fire. With the Internet becoming an increasingly important part of small business expression, a new breed of marketer has risen to meet the challenge and ever changing landscape Internet opportunity offers. Enter, the inbound Internet marketing consultant.

So what does an inbound Internet marketing consultant do?

Simply put, an inbound Internet marketing consultant integrates targeted keywords that are identified though detailed research into the following inbound Internet marketing channels:

The aim is to develop and implement a global, unified approach to marketing through online channels to elevate the small business authority when the specified keywords are referenced.

Keep in mind…

A word of caution for the small business looking to outsource their inbound Internet marketing; an expert in traditional marketing is not necessarily in the know and up on everything that is required for Internet marketing. Even though both are marketers, few if any can competently claim to be an expert of both types. Would you go to a divorce lawyer when buying a house? Not likely, you’d most certainly find a real estate specialist even though both are in fact lawyers.

How do you find an inbound Internet Marketing Consultant?

Inbound Internet marketing are services that can be offered through a single individual or a marketing firm. It’s important to understand that none of them are created equally. Just because you enlist the services of a marketing firm doesn’t mean you will be receiving the best service for your small business. You are at the whim of their expertise which is often easy to hide behind smoke and mirrors.

On the flip-side, a single individual may not have all the resources to effectively meet your inbound Internet marketing needs.

I’m certainly not going to lie to you; hiring an inbound Internet marketing consultant is just as much a gamble as any other type of consultant. Quite often, you also get what you pay for so keep that in mind.

Being that you are a small business, every decision you make matters and you need to get the biggest bang for your buck. To limit the amount of risk you accept, here are a few points you should consider when evaluating your inbound Internet marketing consultant options.

Services: Does the marketing firm or individual provide ongoing services to their clients? Successful inbound Internet marketing cannot be achieved in a short time frame. It requires a long term commitment. Be extremely skeptical of those who make claims like getting your small business a number 1 Google ranking in one month for a specified keyword. You will get ripped off one way or the other.
Experience: Since the company should provide ongoing services, take a look at who they provide services for. Having a healthy current client list provides insight on the marketers ability to maintain long term relationships and keep their customers happy through measurable results. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and that list. Inform them that you will be calling to make inquiries.
Education: What kind of education does the inbound Internet marketing consultant or firm bring to the table? When was that education received? Since this is a relatively new field it’s unlikely that an individual with an older business marketing degree was schooled in the skills required at all. You may me hiring an old school marketer applying the wrong concepts to inbound Internet marketing. What have they done to upgrade or maintain their ongoing learning and mastery of their field? That’s pending you have any faith that a traditional marketer can straddle both sides of the fence. Personally, I don’t think they can. You are going to be giving something up somewhere as they both think quite differently. There are now specialized degrees specific to inbound Internet marketing so cover your butt and look for them.
Application: Do they practise what they preach? Don’t go into hiring a consultant without a basic knowledge of what an inbound Internet marketer does. Research a little bit, check their website, ask to see their press releases, read their content and ask questions about it. What are the keywords they are optimizing for and give live examples of how they are being implemented for their small business. Do the consultants teach others or provide educational resources? Being a true expert involves having the knowledge, applying it and sharing it with others.
Publishing: An indication of a true authority is a consultant or firm that takes the time to publish their insights. Traditional publishing through books and industry trade journals are a solid indication as it reflects being recognized as an expert by others. E-books, white papers and manuals are other forms of publishing but they don’t really carry as much weight. How often do they publish? More often is definitely better.
Certifications: A true professional recognizes and is involved with continual learning. Look for cited certifications and look up their credibility online. Some examples of what you may run across include Certified Inbound Marketing Consultant or Educator and Social Media Consultant. Some Universities also offer inbound Internet marketing programs and certifications.

As mentioned previously, a small business has to make sure they are making the best decisions they possibly can. Since inbound Internet marketing is a long term process, the last thing you want to do is to pay big bucks to the wrong person. Take the time to really qualify your candidates before rushing into anything.

Do you have any experience with hiring an inbound Internet marketing consultant? What about someone who claims to specialize in any of the areas these types of consultants focus? Where they good or bad? Did you get what you expected to receive? Were you fed a load of promises? Where did they fall short? Please share your experiences and help other small business through commenting below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Qualifying An Inbound Internet Marketing Consultant For Your Small Business

Small Business And Twitter – Get A Grip On Your Tweets Will Ya?

2011-05-26T16:28:25Z

Lately I’ve been focusing a little more time on organically building my small business network on Twitter. In a previous post (How Should I Build My Network On Twitter?), I get into how I am going about it and why I made the decision to do it that way. Let’s just say that I’m following almost everyone except faceless, spammy accounts and using lists to control where I spend my time. I’m sure you can appreciate that requires looking at each follow request to get an idea of the account so I can decide if I wish to reciprocate.

By doing that, I am getting allot of exposure with how most people and small business are using Twitter and can see some real flaws in their approach. In my opinion anyway. Take my advice if you wish or tell me to stick it and carry on.

It’s your call.

So if you want you Twitter account to be successful, avoid the following three most common shortcomings small business and personal accounts make.

Article spamming

First of all, what the hell is the sense of bombarding followers with 100 tweets a day that contain only links to articles of which the small business or personal account has no association? They haven’t even taken the time to personalize the link. This is nothing but spam and absolutely pointless. We all know those Tweets are automated and are pulling RSS feeds to populate them. What does the small business have to gain? As far as I’m concerned, it’s like constantly receiving junk mail. Is their constant barrage worth turning me off?

Twitter is about engaging and communicating. Not spamming me to death. People or a small business like this will never make it to one of my “A” lists. I keep following them in the off-chance that they may read an article like this one and change their evil ways. Perhaps even message me to share their thoughts and get some good conversation going. Isn’t that what Twitter really is all about?

Being self-centered

And now comes the small business and personal accounts that only use Tweets for sales pitches and self-promotion. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with throwing out a pitch or promotion here and there. Everyone has the right to make a living. As far as I’m concerned though, it needs to be earned.

And by the way.. a product or service “sale” is a sales pitch, don’t forget that.

Why don’t they spend some time developing a relationship with me? Engage me in conversation. Let me learn about them through experience, in time and on my own terms. Make me want to know more about what the small business offers. If they shift their focus to building trust and friendship then they will find that I am more apt to act when I see the occasional pitch or another form of self-promotion. I will trust them more as we have a relationship.

Sales squeezed to death

What about the accounts that tweet multiple messages that all link to the same locations? Usually it’s to a sales or squeeze page intended to draw one in through audio, video, testimonials and copy. I’m sure you’ve seen one of these. They are those never ending pages (extremely long) that are made to overcome any exception so the visitor will buy a product or service immediately at that time. That’s why it’s so long. The marketers believe they only have one chance to get the sale so they load it up with everything they can.

I’m not going to get into how I feel about that type of sales process here. I suppose it does have it’s place. What I don’t like is the deceptive nature of the account. It’s certainly not there to develop much of a relationship with me. All it’s doing is promoting one thing in different ways.

For those small business who intend to employ this type of strategy, I suggest splitting up the pitch tweets with content meant to engage. The squeeze page is focused on trying to develop a relationship with the visitor and answer every question so they will buy. Why isn’t the small business Twitter account doing the same instead of trying to trick someone into clicking the same link by finding a message that may resonate with them at that time.

I never follow small business accounts like this and can pick them out a mile away. Ya lost me, even before hello.

Well there you go, a few Twitter suggestions made upon observations I have had building my own small business social network. I’m sure I will bitch some more about it as I continue on with the process. Until then!

Do you have any other suggestions regarding what a small business should avoid when trying to develop their Twitter network? How do you recognize questionable accounts on Twitter? Share your opinions through commenting below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Small Business And Twitter – Get A Grip On Your Tweets Will Ya?

Google +1 and Small Business

2011-05-26T15:59:35Z

I’m not going to get into to much depth of what Google +1 is and how it works here. I’ll let Danny Sullivan, the editor-in-chief from Search Engine Land do that for you. Reading his article Meet +1: Google’s Answer To The Facebook Like Button will give you all the goods you need to know about it.

For this purpose, let’s define Google +1 as a means for an individual to personally recommend an online resource or asset by clicking a related Google +1 button. This is important to your small business as those recommendations will be seen by the members of that individuals personal network within the Google search results (SERPs) as well, the associated ads displayed therein. It will also influence the search algorithm for that user by taking into consideration those same recommendations. this essentially means that results recommended by friends may show up higher in the search ranking than those that aren’t.

Personally, I also wouldn’t be surprised if Google incorporated Google +1 results into their default algorithm as citations for resources as long as they are from a validated source. Only time will tell on that one and Google is being pretty tight lipped about it whether it will or not.

So what’s all of this mean to your small business?

In a nutshell, other peoples positive experience with your small business and the resources and assets it provides online will influence your showing up higher and being more influential in the search rankings. That translates to your being easier to find, people having more trust in what you offer, your credibility increases as well which can contribute to higher conversions and make you more money.

Isn’t that the name of the game?

There is also some talk that Google will be releasing a Google +1 web page button that will allow users to vote up a small business assets from the page level instead of the SERPs. This will greatly expand the reach of this service and expedite its adaptation into the web community.

The end result.

Google +1s are good and will help your small business. At this time, the only way I can think of attracting them is to create remarkable content and provide exceptional service for your customers/visitors that is worthy of their endorsement. I’m sure you could solicit your friends to +1 you to death but what’s that really going to do for you? Will influencing the search results of your friends really benefit your small business?

On the other hand, it may help if Google chose to incorporate Google +1 results into their default algorithm. I’m sure they would be aware of the social connections you have and decrease the influence those endorsements had though. They sure have us guessing now don’t they?

Add in Social Search.

Google +1 is not the only thing to influence the SERPs these days as Social Search is another variable that Google beefed up and added to the equation. These two are working together to create a better user search experience. To learn more about Social Search, please consult my article Social Media Search And Your Small Business – Go Hard Or Go Home

What are your thoughts of Google +1? Do you think it will help to increase user trust and credibility with your small business? Will it negatively influence anything? How about it’s integration with Social Search in the SERPs? Please share your thoughts and opinions with other small business owners by commenting below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Google +1 and Small Business

Small Business – Create Genius Content, Not Necessarily Original

2011-05-26T15:36:38Z

I frequently hear small business bitch and complain about not being able to come up with original ideas for their blog. That’s one of the most common arguments against creating or maintaining one.

“Why would someone want to read a regurgitation or plagiarization of what someone else has already said? We can’t do that.”

Well, your right. They don’t and you can’t.

However…

You are totally missing the point.

Few journalists have the opportunity to be the first to publish a new, hot story. Most take known content and publish their piece with a different spin on it. Maybe they added some new information they gathered to give the piece more weight. Perhaps an interview, citations or more references? Instead of writing about the recession, they chose to write about how the recession is influencing their city. Get the point?

Imagine a world where only works containing original ideas could be published?

Consider the impact on books, movies, plays and television shows? How many original stories or scripts have you run into lately? Most are a new spin on an old idea aren’t they?

The content you create to support your small business does not necessarily have to be original at all. It can be the same information someone has already published but applied or shared differently and in your own words. That makes it your message and your work doesn’t it?

Keep in mind, you still need to cite and give credit where credit is due when it comes to some information. You cannot claim rights to the hard work of another but you certainly can give an opinion of it. Use common sense and if all else fails, do a little research into what constitutes plagiarism and what doesn’t for your circumstances.

Strive for the genius application of it.

Think about and share how the information applies to you and your audience. Make it more specific and granular. Maybe generalize it, make it more complicated or simplified. Change the wording to reflect more with your small business or industry. How about creating a video or audio podcast to share what you want to say? Make it personal.

There are so many things that can be done to share the same content differently. The key to the message is the relevance to your audience and your small business which is where the genius comes into play.

Always keep in mind that a message will resonate differently with different people. This is your real challenge. Create something that strikes a cord with the majority of the people you wish to reach. Generate meaning, teach, show, engage, connect emotionally and you will be met with success.

Have you had challenges coming up with content for your small business blog? What were or are they? Have you been able to overcome the obstacles? How has your small business benefited from genius content?

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Small Business – Create Genius Content, Not Necessarily Original

Small Business Local Search Ranking Factors – Part 4

2011-05-12T15:20:14Z

This is the fourth installment of Small Business Local Search Ranking Factors. To catch up on previous posts please see the following parts: 1, 2, 3.

In this post, I continue to simplify the details reported through David Mihm’s Local Search Ranking Factors Survey project for small business. For more information about the project please refer to my previous posts or visit David’s site.

Let’s look at the fourth set of 10 factors associated with optimizing your Google Places Page Local Listing Information.

Continued from previous list

Having a URL that contains a Product or Service Keyword
There seems to be a split with the experts believing that it does have an impact or not. Considering the way Google seems to have worked in the past, one would likely think that it would have a positive impact. It was said that if the URL contains both a geographic keyword plus a product or service keyword then you are golden.
Having a URL that contains a Location based Keyword
It seems to be agreed that this has a slight to no impact on the search rankings. However, adding it in is considered best practise as if further emphasizes the local nature of the Google Places Page Local Listing.
PageRank of Homepage/Highest Ranked Page
The general consensus is that this has very little influence on your local rankings. It was suggested that Google maintains a separate algorithm for local which likely doesn’t take their regular algorithm into consideration. If it does, it’s minimal. There have been listings who don’t even have a website achieve high local listings.
Providing a KLM File of your Locations
Simply put, a KLM file can be used to inform Google of all your different business locations. There seems to be little to no agreement on whether this helps your ranking or not. It certainly doesn’t hurt though and for that reason you may as well put one together.
The PageRank of the Places Landing Page URL
There seems to be moderate agreement that this factor has no bearing at all on your rankings. It’s up to you whether you wish to pass link juice to it or not on your website. If it doesn’t have any bearing then I likely wouldn’t.
HCard MicroFormated Address on Website
To date, this doesn’t have any bearing at all. It was recommended that it be done as a best practise as it allows Google to sort out the data much easier and the websites seemed to show up faster as citations. Once again, it doesn’t hurt and Google tends to like and support things that make it easier on them.
Having a WHOIS Record associated with your Domain
There is evidence to suggest that Google is looking at this data and likely using it as a trust factor. However, it doesn’t seem to influence ranking factors at all.
Having an 800 number on your Website without Local Area Code
Listing an 800 number instead of a number that includes your local area code on your Places landing pages seems to have a negative influence on your ranking and is definitely a missed opportunity to gain from the positive influence of having one.
Having Details for Multiple Locations Present on your Places Landing Page
There is moderate agreement that this will produce negative results. If you think about it though, why confuse Google and take the chance. It was recommended that you create on Places landing page for each location to maximize the listing.
Listing a PO Box on a Website without a Physical Address
Most agree that this will significantly decrease the use of your website as a prominence builder and negatively influence your rankings. It was recommended that you use your real physical address to further support the Places profile and rankings.

There you have it, the next 10 small business local search ranking factors under the bridge. If memory serves me correctly, we’ve got roughly 30 more to address so stay tuned for the next installment.

Have you had any experiences with using any of the above small business local search ranking factors with your Google Places listing? Did you receive different or similar results? Please share your opinions through the comments below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Small Business Local Search Ranking Factors – Part 4

Dear Small Business Website, It’s Over

2011-05-10T12:47:32Z

My heart was broken by a small business website recently. I thought I’d share the break up letter I wrote so that others can learn from my mistakes. Here it goes…

Dear Small Business Website,

I’m pretty upset that I have to do this through an email. You’ve never even shared where you live. I’ve never been given any contact information, phone or even your mobile number. I looked and can’t find you anywhere. I even checked in with your friend Google and stopped in to the local places and still ended up with a big fat zero. Absolutely no one knows where you are so I guess this is the only option I have. I doubt it will give me any real piece of mind as you’ve never really been good at responding to my requests in the past anyway. At least I get to say my piece and that makes me feel a little better.

I’ve had it and need closure with this poisoned relationship. Do yourself a favor and listen at least once in your life.

Quite honestly, I was hoping that it would never come to this. I kept trying and trying to make our relationship work but there has never seemed to be any interest from you at all. It really feels like you don’t care about what’s important to me and the issues I’m facing. I keep hoping that one day you will wake up and understand that this relationship is a two way street but you never change. When I am finally able to track you down it’s always about you. You never ask me how I am or care to do anything for me. How do you think that makes me feel? Give me something to show that you care. It’s really not that hard you know. I’m not talking about giving me things although that would have been nice once in awhile. If you would have only shared some of your experiences; maybe what others are saying or have said about you. Anything that sheds a little light on your life which is honest and from the heart. I know, I’m demanding and it’s too much to ask. I should take you as you are right? We’ll I’m not anymore. I’ve had enough! I need someone that listens, someone that will be willing to spend some time with me, to get to know me, to understand what makes me tick. I want romance and not some emotionless relationship!

You’ve always treated me like I was lucky to know you. I feel that you put a lot of weight in my having limited options to find a replacement for you. Well, I hate to burst your bubble but I’ve expanded. I’m getting out there more these days. I’ve met new people and they are earning my trust through their openness and honesty. That’s something you seem to have very little of. I’ve learnt that you aren’t the only fish in the sea which is contrary to how you made me feel when we were together. You don’t have the control any longer, I do.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to navigate you? I never know where to go or what to do. It’s like walking on eggshells and I hate that feeling. I felt like running away and just forgetting you existed so many times in the past but I didn’t know where else to go. It would have been really nice to feel special once in awhile. It seems as though everything with you has a price associated with it. Why can’t you just give a little bit because you care? Hell, you don’t even share how your day was and that’s all about you. You’d think you’d be interested in that since you’re so self-absorbed. It’s like no one is home and that’s never going to change. Why can’t you give me something that makes me want to come back? Do you have any idea just how frustrating this is? I don’t trust you. How could I? You’ve never acted in a way that deserves it. Don’t even begin to tell me that your surprised by this.

I really should have listened to my friends. I thought that since I didn’t hear anything positive or negative about you that you would probably be a safe bet. Boy was I wrong. Going forward I’m going to do my homework and investigate before investing into anything. It’s a small world and I’m sure I would have been able to dig up enough to convince me not to go near you. You better consider that in the future because I’m not going to be keeping my mouth shut. I don’t want someone else to make the same mistake I did.

Well there it is. I’ve said all I need to say. I sure hope that you wake up and look in the mirror to see what you really are some day. Maybe even change so that you never treat anyone like this again. People deserve more and if you don’t start giving back you are going to wake up one day to find yourself alone. As far as I’m concerned that’s exactly what you deserve.

Your Ex-Customer

PS. I’d appreciate it if you’d quit sending me mail. I’ve asked you many times to do so but you have ignored my request. If I receive one more unsolicited message I will be contacting the authorities and requesting a restraining order.

Does this letter remind you of any small business websites you know of? Take some time to vent through the comments below.It’s really a sad thing when small business don’t recognize what could of been. Reminds me of a song… anyone have any Air Supply??? *sob* *sob*

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Dear Small Business Website, It’s Over

Shark Tank Season 2 Episode 7 Review and Discussion (S02E07)

2011-05-26T17:31:59Z

Episode 7 of the Shark Tank throws Robert Herjavec, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John and Mark Cuban into the tank.

Don’t hesitate to visit the Shark Tank on ABC should you wish to watch this episode online.

Aired 05/06/11

Opportunity 1

Jason Lucash & Michael Szymczak – Orig Audio – www.origaudio.com

Jason and Michael wish to attract a $150k investment for a 15% equity position in their small business.

I’m really impressed with Jason and Mike. They seem like great guys who have worked damn hard at building their business to selling 750k in one year. The deal looked absolutely amazing until they informed the Sharks that the product is actually patented and made in China. They only have an exclusive territory license for the United States or North America for 5 years at which time it requires renewing. That brings a whole new level of complexity and risk to this opportunity as the owners of the products could quite possibly open their license up to everybody or not renew it for the guys at all which essentially kills the company. They have been in business for one year so that leaves 4 to make it all happen. Considering what they have done in the first I think the risk is well worth it and am not suprised that most of the Sharks wanted in on the deal. The products would definitely allow the opportunity for them to get their investment and make money in the time remaining.

I can understand why Kevin O. backed out really early because this isn’t his type of deal at all. I also understood Mark Cubans tactic with trying to run the deal from the start and cut the rest out. That may have worked with other much less experienced investors oposing him but this time it backfired. Daymond’s deal was crap and I think the boys did well with chosing Robert but Barbara would have been a good choice for this as well. They would have had to give up a little more but the connection with “As Seen On TV” may have been worth it.

I’m in.

I think I’m going to pick up the RockIt and the other recycled speakers. Pretty damn cool.

Opportunity 2

Johnson Bailey – Man Candle – www.test.originalmancandle.com

Johnson is offering a 25% stake in his small business for $50k.

Ohhh Johnson, you came to the Shark Tank way too early in the development of your business. I think it needs to be proven through more sales and customers. You also should have had the manufacturing process at least setup so it’s scalable before going for a swim in the tank. I think these candles are cool but that’s only because I’m a guy. I think I’d buy a few of the scents once as a novely and just to try them, especially the fart scent. It would be a great prank to pull at a party. I can’t see me buying them again though. In general, Guys are not traditionally candle buyers and that significantly influences my decision to invest or not. I also can’t see a lady buying any of these candles for her man.

I’m out.

Opportunity 3

Julie Goldman – Original Runner Company – www.originalrunners.com

Julie is looking for $250k investment in exchange for a 15% stake in her small business.

Julie, I’m loving ya. Way to take no crap and to be prepared, you had a great answer for everything. In all truth I was wondering why you decided to take your opportunity into the tank when you don’t need them. I must admit that the Sharks brought up some really good points with remaining steadfast to your core business and focusing on dominating and expanding that market out more. You mentioned that people don’t find you online. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that there are a tremendous amout of things that you can do to increase what you capture and convert through that medium. On the other hand, no-one knows your business better than you so if you feel it’s a good decision then give it a shot. I’d just stick my toe in to get a feel first though.

I can understand why you stuck to your guns. Good on you for not letting them push you around. You can certainly do it on your own. Go get’em!

I’m out.

Opportunity 4

Jeff Stroope – HyConn LLC. – www.hy-conn.com

Jeff would like $500k for a 40% claim in his small business.

When applied to firefighting, I think that Jeff has a little bit of an uphill battle ahead of him. Let’s face it, he’s got a great product and every second counts when dealing with any type of emergency situation. Especially when human life is concerned. I think the men on the ground would definitely want this product but they aren’t the ones buying the equipment. There is a reason why hose connectors haven’t changed much in a long time. My best guess is because the time savings won’t significantly add to saving human life and property, if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it and the purchase of the connectors would be an added expense due to the hoses already having connections upon purchase. You add that all together with this being a small niche market that likley needs a fair amount of servicing before a sale is made and I can see why it may look unappealing to the Sharks from an investment perspective. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a great business though. I would consider licensing the technology to firefighting equipment manufacturers and offer it as an add on at point of sale for when new hoses are purchased. There has to be more than the one Jeff already spoke with. If Jeff receives the same reponse and lack of interest from the others I would question the validity of the product.

The circumstances really turned around when Jeff produced the version of the patent intended for home use though as that seriously broadens the market. I am really suprised that Mark jumped all over it as he did. There are already other players in the alternative garden hose connector market so there will be some hard work ahead of them to make a good go of it. I do think that either of the Sharks offers are a good deal because there is a fair amount of risk with the whole application overall. That may be the reason why Jeff chose Marks deal as he’s up 1.25m either way with a heftier royalty should it capture future market share. Not a bad deal.

I’m out.

That’s it for another episode of Shark Tank. I heard a nasty rumour that the next episode is the season finale. I sure hope it’s not. It seems like we just started and the amount of episodes this year are no way close to last years.

What do you think of the products offered today? Do you agree with my thoughts? Why or why not? Would you pick up a RockIT? Do you think Julie made a good choice with declining Kevin’s offer? Share your thoughts by submitting a comment below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Shark Tank Season 2 Episode 7 Review and Discussion (S02E07)

How Should I Build My Network On Twitter?

2011-05-05T20:06:32Z

I’m really torn with how I should build my network on Twitter so I thought I’d just work it out here. Maybe you can throw in a your 2 cents in the comments below. I’d like to hear what you think. From what I can gather and in it’s simplest form, there are at least two schools of thought out there.

On one hand, there are those who believe you should only follow people that you have an interest in receiving updates from, connecting or engaging with. On the other hand, there are those who feel that one should follow back anyone that follows you.

If your aim is to build a large network on Twitter then the latter option may make sense. If those who have followed you are trying to achieve the same thing, you risk losing the follower should you not return the favor in kind. Who knows, you may have lost what was to be an incredibly engaging relationship.

My mother would also say it’s the polite thing to do.

Switching back to the first group, they believe that following everyone just clutters your timeline.If your intent on Twitter is to really engage and stay informed of and with other users, then following everyone makes that harder to do. It’s not a realistic representation of the number of people a person could stay in touch with.

Well, I certainly wish to engage and stay informed but it will be impossible to do that with everyone in a large network on Twitter. Being a business advisor would support my wanting to keep all avenues open to anyone that wishes to contact me though. Following people back also allows them to message me directly.

My brain is trying to chew this all up.

If I go with the theory that following back everyone that follows me opens me up to being more reachable, that would be the better option. Now, I’m not saying following back the accounts that just spam crap and self-centred content. I mean checking each person who’s followed me to make sure they are a real account and are engaging with other people. Those are the people who interest me.

Thinking about it further, there is also this nifty option in Twitter that allows me to setup personal lists that I can add those I wish to receive updates from. That’s a great way to keep focused on what’s really important to me while still opening up my timeline to the diamonds in the rough that show through when I have the time to take it in.

Another thing I need to consider is that Google is now integrating social data within it’s search results. The social graph that’s included shows me the name of the Twitter contact that had something to do with that result. Without getting into to much detail on this, what are my results going to look like when I have 100k followers? Does the inclusion of the social media data skew my search results at all? If the answer is yes then maybe I need to rethink following everyone. That’s a real gamble though as Google isn’t known to be completely transparent with how it achieves search results. On the flip side, seeing that a follower has the same interests as me may be enough to switch them to my “A” follow list so that’s a bonus. I can always use the information to unfollow should there be a need for that as well.

I really need to ask myself if the added administration and possible impact of following everyone who follows me justifies the return.

Wrapping up my thoughts.

So, if I chose to follow back all the real people accounts that follow me but limit most of my focus to the favorite lists I make, don’t I have the most flexible of both worlds? Won’t that help build my network on Twitter based upon my needs?

I think that would work just fine. I’m also willing to accept the impact of the social graph in the SERPS for now in exchange for the added flexibility for my Twitter followers.

Have I missed anything? What are your thoughts on building your network on Twitter? How do you approach using it? I would appreciate any suggestions you have through the comments below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. How Should I Build My Network On Twitter?

Building Your Small Business Right The First Time

2011-05-03T20:05:52Z

I am exposed to the obstacles small business face everyday. I understand bootstrapping and having limited funds available. I understand not having expertise in all areas and needing to put faith in suppliers. Is being treated fairly and coming to the table with the best they offer asking to much?

Not at all.

Is that what happens?

Rarely.

It’s Truly Unfortunate

I’m sure that you have experienced that the world is a truly diverse place. There are people of all types with different skills and varying level of expertise within those skill sets. Business and technology is no different. Neither is medicine or rocket science. The grey areas within business and technology is a lot more forgiving than the later though.

There are always those who know more than you do on a particular topic who may seem like the cure for all woes but it’s rarely the case. Quite often, even those dedicated to providing the best service they can may put your small business in a position where unnecessary time and monetary costs are incurred but could have been avoided.

So what can you do? How do you avoid possible pitfalls and put your small business on the best track to promote future growth?

That’s easier said than done and leads me at times to believe that building a small business has as much to do with luck as it does skill. To increase your chances of things going in your favor consider the following thoughts.

Nobody Is An Expert At Everything

That’s right. In order to be the best at something, one must immerse themselves in that field. This means that the best web interface designer is likely not the best coder, search engine optimizer or search engine marketer. It also means the best copywriter may not be proficient in writing online content or search optimized content. If there is a name for a professional field of expertise then it requires absolute focus to stay on top of it. If someone claims to be the all knowing expert then I would run… run like hell away from doing business with them. It will bite you in the long run. Quite often, the damage that will be done will be unknown to you and attributed to something else. You just can’t figure why things aren’t going as you expected…

Ever had those thoughts?

I would much rather do business with someone who acknowledges their limitations, knows how to apply business and technologies properly to get you started and points you in the right direction to expand past their level of expertise.

But how can you spot these people?

Educate Yourself

Just because you aren’t an expert at something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be aware of the basics and what is required to implement them. This is absolutely mandatory. Without it you are essentially running blind.

There are two ways to achieve the knowledge required to support your small business. Either you educate through self instruction and research or pay for professional guidance which could possibly include representation or internal employment. The former is time consuming and can involve a large number of fields whereas the latter has a cost associated with it.

Personally, I tend to gravitate towards self instruction but for most small business owners, paying a consultant for a couple of hours of their time may be the best approach to take. If I enlist the services of a consultant, I always select an entity who will not be approached to provide the services I may require going forward. Their knowing this up front will focus their efforts on my small business needs instead of it being a sales opportunity.

Do not limit yourself to local small business. The Internet is littered with organizations who offer guidance resources and consulting services for any need.

Know Thy Landscape

As a small business owner, knowing what you face and understanding why you face it is necessary and invaluable. Making the right decisions early in business development often makes the difference between future success and failure. Sometimes it can be narrowed down to just one thing.

Don’t miss it.

Have you ever been in a position where you wished you had sought further advice with your small business? Perhaps you use consultants all the time already. How has this helped? What issues have you avoided? Please share your thoughts through the comments below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Building Your Small Business Right The First Time

Shark Tank Season 2 Episode 6 Review and Discussion (S02E06)

2011-05-06T14:10:04Z

Episode 6 of the Shark Tank throws Robert Herjavec, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John and Jeff Foxworthy into the tank.

Don’t hesitate to visit the Shark Tank on ABC should you wish to watch this episode online.

Aired 04/29/11

Opportunity 1

Les Cookson – Carsik Bib – www.carsikbib.com

Les wishes to attract a $30k investment for a 15% equity position in his small business.

I feel that Les is on to something but it was much too early to bring it to the Sharks. His company evaluation for $200k was also drastically way off which made it impossible to consider making a deal even if there was interest. Why is he asking for $30k when he has only made a few hundred sales? This doesn’t even consider his meagre personal investment of a little over 1k? The numbers don’t add up which made this opportunity more of a joke than something real. Even if his numbers were on target this would be too small of a business to generate interest from the panel. The Sharks brought up some good points regarding safety but I feel they can be overcome with research or design changes. If my child had an issue with being car sick all the time I would certainly be interested in the product; pending it being safe of course. Keep working on it Les.

I’m out.

Opportunity 2

Chris Spencer – Hydromax – www.hydromaxsystem.com

Chris is offering a 25% stake in his small business for $50k.

Chris has an amazing product. It’s well thought out, looks to be well made and has a broad application. I’m a little blown away by the short sightedness of Barbara, Daymond, Robert and especially Kevin O. This has license deal written all over it; especially since Chris has the patent for the product. I don’t see the big deal in bringing it to sporting equipment manufacturers and pitching it up. I think it would sell itself as it’s quite an emotional product. It would just be a matter of mentioning that the competition may like it and the deal would be done. Jeff certainly had the vision and the right perspective. He saw this opportunity for what it really is; a great one. In the end he comes to the table and makes the deal which includes an increase in equity to 50%. Chris couldn’t find himself in a better position than being in bed with Jeff as an equal partner. Good game!

I’m in.

Opportunity 3

Andy Humphrey – Ecomowers - www.ecomowers.com

Andy is looking for $90k investment in exchange for a 20% stake in his small business.

Andy, what the hell were you thinking? You haven’t even sold one of your own products. Do you really even have a product? You say you’ve developed a frictionless cutting system but don’t have a patent for it. You’re hanging your hat on the assumption that people will buy your mower because they don’t have to sharpen the blades and because of the name. How often do you have to sharpen blades anyway? I remember having a push mower when I was a kid and cutting the grass of our huge yard was part of my. I don’t think it was ever sharpened and it always worked. I thought those systems were self-sharpening due to the friction anyway. The point is that I still have questions you haven’t answered which is a representation of how good your presentation was. All you have is a brand and a bad attitude. Thanks but I think I’ll pass on this one.

I’m out.

Opportunity 4

Stuart & David Pikoff – Games2U – www.games2u.com

Stuart and David would like $500k for a 10% claim in their small business.

I don’t really understand why Stuart and David wanted to be on the show. It certainly wasn’t to achieve any form of investment. They have only been in business for 3 years, they have had substantial growth and are already generating a profit. I’m thinking it was a marketing play to achieve more exposure in order to attract new franchisees to tell you the truth. That’s really the only thing that makes sense to me. It certainly explains why their evaluation is so high. Good luck fellas.

I’m out.

Do you have a different opinion from the Sharks or what I shared above? Would you invest in Ecomowers or the Carsik Bib? Buy the small business products? Think they should be kicked to the curb? Hit us with your opinion through commenting below.

BizzBeginnings.com - Best business info for start-up and existing businesses. Shark Tank Season 2 Episode 6 Review and Discussion (S02E06)