BizOp Blogs

ITworld.com: *Send out an e-mail newsletter. Even if you have a small bricks-and-mortar business, you should be collecting the e-mail address of every customer who walks through your door. That way you can send them a regular newsletter with special offers, special events, coupons, and more. “Your... More

Entrepreneur’s Tips: Although 97% of U.S. small-business owners have some degree of concern about today’s dismal economy, 26% plan to spend more on advertising – especially online – and another 60% plan to spend about the same as in 2008, according to a report from Ad-ology Research... More

PowerHomeBiz.com: Video Marketing – Video marketing is a powerful and versatile tool for your online business. You can introduce yourself, detail what you offer on your site, demonstrate your products/services, offer free instructional videos etc. Use your imagination and propel your business forward!... More

The B2B Lead: Every marketer makes mistakes. As an entrepreneur with a limited budget, and only a few chances to make your business a success, the goal is simply to avoid making too many. The five marketing mistakes every entrepreneur is tempted to make are: 1. Betting On the Big Event: Gambling Instead... More

RisMedia.com: With so many Realtors facing a more challenging market, the agents who best differentiate themselves, will be the ones to ultimately lead the pack and obtain the most business. To get started, here are a few tips from Simon Payn, founder of Ready to Go Newsletters, for agents who are looking... More

Wall Street Journal Blogs: Most small businesses can’t even dream of sponsoring the Olympics. But that doesn’t mean the games can’t be part of their marketing efforts. VerticalResponse, a direct marketing firm, offers some fun ideas on its blog for Olympics-themed promotions and ad campaigns... More

CNNMoney.com: It was too weird to be true. In late 2006, a series of videos appeared on YouTube about a Willow Springs, Ill., resident named Kyle Bone who’d created a successful product called “the anti-shirt” – a shirt that exposed the area of one’s torso that a normal... More

SmallFuel Marketing Blog: Small businesses are on the rise, and many economists wholeheartedly agree that opportunities are rife. The time is right. You can start a business, even if is just a small one. Barriers to entry are dropping quickly and so are the startup costs. Poor economics, the rising... More

Search Engine Land: According to comScore, U.S. Internet users watched 11.5 billion online videos in March, 2008. The average viewer watched nearly three hours of video online. These statistics make video an attractive means for advertisers to reach their audience, and in turn, a potential windfall... More

BusinessKnowHow: 1. Obtain free or low cost business cards at a company such as www.VistaPrint.com. 2. Have a new or rebuilt shopping center opening in your town? Attend the grand opening and chat with the business owners and staff and hand out your free or low cost business cards. 3. Create flyers... More

EastOregonian.info: A recent trade show in Houston filled the Astrodome, Reliant Center, adjacent halls, and exhibit tents in the surrounding parking lots. There were 2,400 exhibitors and over 50,000 visitors. Ironically, that was a “medium size” show by industry standards. Every year, tens... More

Boston Herald: Vinod Bagdwal, who started bagging ice by hand in a garage in Pennsylvania three years ago, recently started selling bagged ice to Stop & Shop Supermarkets because he showed up at a trade show looking for customers. In an age where the Internet has made it easier to reach vast numbers... More

PowerHomeBiz: Green marketing is the new “in” thing. Celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Leonardo di Caprio prefer to drive hybrid cars. HGTV channel is giving away a “green” home. Ikea has done away with the free plastic bags. Crate and Barrel is marketing ecofriendly furnitures.... More

Andrew Grant: One of the greatest benefits that comes from technology is that the cost of communicating with your customers and prospects keeps getting lower and the number of opportunities to interact with them keeps increasing. E-mail and websites are an incredibly cheap resource and once you have... More