It’s a heated debate. Are creative services, such as copywriting or graphic art, a talent or a commodity? On the one hand, business writing is a staple and can be purchased, like milk, through various locations. On the other hand, the talent behind a creative’s work must still support an income where time and talent are factors and the more developed the skill, the more valuable the time. You could look at it like a set designer or musician; the skill set is not simply learned academically, but also through mentoring and environment, as well as talent and popularity.
Twitter Helps Your Message Grow Wings
“According to a new report by Exact Target, Twitter users are:
* 5 times more likely to post to blogs at least monthly
* 3 times more likely to post product reviews and post in an online forum
* 5 times more likely to share coupons on coupon sites
“They also are more likely to write articles for third-party sites, post videos, contribute to wiki’s and a whopping 70% are commenting on other people’s blogs.”
That would include me. As a Twitter user, I like to find interesting or educational tidbits that I can share with my readers. The statistics above are from Cynthia Boris’ article on Andy Beal’s Marketing Pilgrim, a site I follow in Google Reader. It could have just as easily come from a short post and link on Twitter. Either way, I’ll share it on Twitter and our Zero To Sixty Marketing Facebook page, and a variety of other sites. Other people do the same thing, and that’s how online content gains wings.
Just Say No to the Wrong Customer!
The customer is never wrong.
Well that may be true, but it doesn’t necessarily mean each customer is right, for you. Recently I was approached by a prospective client who was asking for assistance with marketing his business. I listened to him explain everything that he felt was wrong with all aspects relating to his business and its operations, mostly external. This lit the master caution light in my mind. Sure, there are those clients who just don’t start out running their businesses very well, and they struggle along the way. Some crash immediately after takeoff, yet some manage to get a little air, but no significant altitude.
We’ve all dealt, in one way or another, with those who have tried to fly their business by the seat of their pants – the only engine on fire, a hole in both wings and no change for the prayer phone. You can hear the crew screaming at each other and watch as passengers bail out once they’ve experienced the first few minutes of the flight. Those who make the whole trip are definitely not happy with the experience.
Do yourself a favor before making a proposal or entering into a business agreement. Do some investigation into the potential client before making a commitment.
5 Small Business Tips from a Chipmunk
Have you ever pondered the life of a chipmunk? We have an active clan in our backyard and they’re fun to watch, along with the bunnies, birds and other occasional wild critters.
The chipmunk works hard and plays hard from spring through fall. It stuffs his cheeks full at one of our bird feeders, then scampers off, repeating the process again and again – filling a chamber in its underground home to feed its young ones and storing up food for the winter. Then it disappears for the winter and rests from summer’s frenetic activity.
It’s a strange balance, but balance nonetheless.
What does this have to do with small business marketing tips?
Stop and Ask Why
“Are you doing work worth doing, or are you just doing your job?” ~ A great question posed by Seth Godin in his blog post “What’s the point?”
Time doesn’t stand still for any of us. Whether you’ve shortened your work day as I have, or are working 40+ hours each week, we all have a limited number of hours to get the job done. Is the time you invest in your business, time well-spent? What about today? Will today’s activities move you toward achieving your small business goals, or are you running a parallel course – as in, you can’t get there from here?
