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Category Archives: Tools
Finding Freelance Talent Online
If you need an occasional programmer, writer, marketer or website designer, you probably don’t want to hire a full time staff member to do the job. Sometimes you have a project that needs assistance for a few weeks. But where do you find freelancers?
My top picks online are Elance and Guru. Read on to find [...]
Must-Have Resources for Startups
In this economy, startups need all the help they can get. I’ve compiled a list of people, blogs and incubators you should familiarize yourself with if you’re serious about success.
Paul Graham
If you have a startup, you need to know Paul Graham’s name. He’s the founder of Y Combinator (see below) and an all around [...]
Also posted in startup Tagged paul graham, y combinator
Tough Times: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Biz
This economy is really beating us up, isn’t it? Just when things seem to get better, we slide back down into the hole we’ve helped create. For small businesses, this is truly a time of soul searching, especially when you can’t make ends meet.
But should you shut your doors and let the economy win? [...]
Also posted in entrepreneurship Tagged economy, recession
Not Working With Female Bloggers Yet? You’re Missing a Huge Market
I’ve long been an advocate of brands working with bloggers. Every blog has an audience of readers who trust the blogger’s opinion, and often they trust the blogger more than traditional advertising.
I recently attended BlogHer, a conference for female bloggers, and a session proved that I am right:
According to a Nielson study, blogs by [...]
Why Aren’t You Listening to Your Customers?
Recently I returned to Dell headquarters in Austin to participate in the company’s Consumer Advisory Panel for the second time. Dell wanted to know what customers (specifically those of us who blog and talk about brands like Dell on social media) think of Dell.
It was an amazing opportunity to be heard as a consumer. A [...]
Also posted in Branding Tagged customer service, Dell
10 Tips for Title Tags
Title tags, those brief descriptions that appear when you search for something on Google or other search engine, can help more customers find your website. Even if you think you’re SEO-illiterate, you can write title tags that search engines love.
1. Use Your Keywords. The “key” to great title tags is using keywords. Use resources like [...]
Posted in Tools Tagged seo, title tags
Best States for Small Business Taxes
In the Land of the Free, all states are not created equal when it comes to tax systems. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has compiled a list of the best (and worst) states for small biz taxes.
The list is based on 18 factors:
The state’s highest personal income tax rate
The state’s highest [...]
Also posted in entrepreneurship Tagged best state for business tax, business tax
Are You Drowning in Email?
I recently asked a contact if she had received a specific email from me. She said she’d have to look for it; she currently had 4,000 unopened emails in her inbox! Unbelievable! But true for so many of us. There are all kinds of strategies about managing your inbox and your workflow, but I like [...]
Also posted in entrepreneurship Tagged email, organization, planning
How to Get Things Done
A lot of entrepreneurs don’t manage their time well. No, of course I’m not talking about you! But believe it or not, some people procrastinate or miss deadlines simply because they don’t know how to organize their time and be better planners.
I just read David Allen’s Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. [...]
5 Mobile Sales Apps That Beef Up Your Game