Guest Post: Making Sense of SEO for your Small Business

So you’ve heard the buzz about SEO. But, what is it exactly and how can you make it work for your small business? With so much information out there, it can be difficult to get the facts. Currently, Google is working hard to eliminate spam and develop ways to allow users to access information more efficiently and with better search results. There are things you can do as a small business owner to be proactive in this effort by focusing your content and capitalize on SEO. Here are some tips to get you started.

Infographic: Use Social Media for All Business Needs

Customer-centric company, GetSatisfaction, published an infographic recently about how companies need social media for all of their business needs.

Top Three Relationships you Should Have in Business

Seems like only yesterday when people were very communicative to each other, dealt with problems face-to-face (unless you're a wuss), and had a job worth fighting for. Now, these days, seems like those three things just listed don't exist much anymore. Not saying they don't exist anymore, it's just they're far limiting now.

You might be thinking you can do this business thing alone. Perhaps that's what's on your mind right now: "I can work alone and be totally independent" or "I'm my own boss, therefore I don't need anyone else around" or "My life is on a success spindle, so I control the relationships I have". Hope you get the gist.

Infographic: Video Marketing is Highly Important for your Business!

It's my greatest concern to share this infographic with you today to express how important video marketing is for your business. If your business strategy does not include video marketing, then reconsider.

3 Strong Ideas to Build a Fast Growing Business

The following are subjective tips that may or may not work for you, when constructing your entrepreneurial plan. Read these tips carefully, and allow them to interact with your current plans.

This is not guaranteed advice, but seems to be common among several companies that I've witnessed, so it's best to share here for reference.

Guest Post: Attracting Big Talent in a Small Business

Attracting Big Talent in a Small Business (via YourWellnessnHealth)

As a small business owner it is crucial that you spend your time in the most efficient way possible, and this includes recruiting new employees. Stagnant companies do things the way they have always done them. Companies using creative recruitment strategies attract better talent. The great news…

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What if you don't have an exit strategy?

Have you pondered the question: "what if I don't have an exit strategy for my startup?" If you don't have an exit strategy or haven't at least pondered one, you're not ahead of the market, and thus are doomed to fail.

Not to worry, you might still have a lot of time, if you take the initiative to rescue the situation. Many startups constantly have this problem, and can lead them not having any money (and being in debt), if/when their company fails - or if they decide to sell the business/retire.

Not to discourage anyone, but something must be done if your business strategy does not include an exit strategy. Don't make the same mistake most new startups make: saying that they don't need an exit strategy because "my business won't fail". Then, a few months to a year later, they find themselves in a pickle, or lost at sea.

Don't be afraid of success!

When it comes to success, many people are afraid of it for many reasons. What we've been through in the past wasn't exactly successful, but then again being successful may not be a cup of tea for you?

Values to achieve as a startup employee

When it comes to running a startup business, entrepreneurs want valuable employees, thus, it's only smart for employees to contain good values. When it comes to these values, though, what should you possess?

I believe, in my experience of studying other startups, that employees contain a pretty good list of values, that employers would love!

So...here they are:

1. Sense of community

Employees who have a sense of community make a great team member, or even a great team leader/captain. They also make good future managers. And definitely be communicative. Being a great communicator is important to adapt good community.

Have the opinion that "none of us are in this alone" or "nobody gets left behind". You need to feel at home while you're working. That's why this is one of the most important values to have!

Manage BIG decisions quickly

Managing your decision-making process is very important. For both personal, and for business. There are many steps to make big decisions quickly, but as you practice these steps, see if you start doing things a lot quicker in the future.

Product rollouts for my campaigns, mainly web products such as services and sites, are usually fast. That's because I plan first, and then once I'm ready to go, I'm way too eager to get the product finished and rolled-out, quickly.

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Crowdfunding a good or bad move for your business?

It's time for a reality check on crowdfunding for business startups: only use when necessary, because - even though it has good short-term income, it does not provide enough long-term income. When we put it into perspective, crowdfunding is an excellent tool for individual projects, but it should not be a significant source of funding for businesses.

I really find that crowdfunding is best for those individuals who're doing private projects or their own freelancing motives. But, as for a business, I'm a bit skiddish for many reasons...

What The Wolverine can do for your Business Strategy

The Wolverine movie releases in July 2013, starring Hugh Jackman. That's some good news. But, what can The Wolverine do for your business strategy? That's the question. Let's explore...

This $100 million movie is a potentially prized movie. Therefore, it's obvious people believe in the character of The Wolverine. The character of The Wolverine in X-Men comics is an absolute powerhouse, having keen animal senses, accelerated self-healing, and a willingness to not mess around.

(Spoiler alert: skip this paragraph only, if you don't want any part of the plot, which is talked about in the official trailer) However, in the new movie, we see that he was now granted mortality, severely lowering his chance of healing at an accelerated rate. This makes things a lot more interesting for The Wolverine, because his life is flipped upside down. He's always been anti-authority, so when The Wolverine finds out that his identity crisis with mortality is now a problem, he must make amends with life. In other words, his aggression returns.

Top 3 Crucial Interview Questions

As we're looking toward the sky for the best possible candidate, we think "he (or she) may look good on paper, but what're they really like in person?" Do they have a good sense of direction? Well, these aren't what interviewers use, but they do seem to be stuck in interviewers head. But, what I'm talking about here is the top three interview questions to ask candidates. Let's roll right with the list:

1. How did you know about this particular job opening?
   
   By asking this question, you'll find out real quick how difficult their job search was, who they're connected with (because networking is important to landing a good job), and how possibly long they've been searching. At least you'll want to know this information in your head, so it's good to ask this open-ended question in the interview.

Free Mobile Apps to Supercharge your Business Lifestyle

Have you ever stepped back and checked how many useless apps are on your smartphone? What about recognizing the apps that you actually need? What about apps that can supercharge your business lifestyle? Today, I'll offer a closer look. These are a list of apps in no specific order. :)

• Brewster, your Rolodex made instant. This iOS-only app is made to help with pulling in contact info as well as other personable details from social network platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The profiles that this app creates for those individual people is just stunning! Did I mention it's searchable? Check it out today!
• HootSuite, yes the famous HootSuite social media management platform is available on your smartphone. What's good about HootSuite on mobile platforms, is that it is available on Android, iOS, and BlackBerry! HootSuite Mobile is just like the web based management platform, except in the palm of your hand. So, you can have your dashboard on the go. From scheduling messages to attaching files, photos, and links - this is assured to be a favorite, if you're an avid HootSuite user! Get it now.