If it’s so important to be in tune with what our customers want from us, why don’t we just ask them? Focus groups provide business owners with the opportunity to hear invaluable information directly from their competitors. When it comes to the best use of your time and your company’s money, enough emphasis can’t be placed on targeting your marketing ... Read More »
Conducting focus groups is a great way for businesses to get an in-depth look into what consumers are thinking. Although there are very few methods that can provide such a detailed look into the mind of consumers, focus groups are a tool usually employed by large companies. When considering the advantages of focus groups, however, it’s clear that more small ... Read More »
As you may well know, succeeding with SEO (search engine optimization) is a delicate balance of many factors. Some of which are directly within your control and others are not. While the most common SEO-improvement tips include link-building and keywords, did you know that the length of time your domain name is registered for affects your SEO? Being a new ... Read More »
It’s no small thing when a potential customer decides to give you his or her email address (that is, when it’s an actual email they check regularly and not a junk email account they used to get whatever it was you offered them–but that’s another issue entirely). After all, you probably spent some time courting them and showing them why ... Read More »
Whether or not to outsource is one of the most controversial issues in business and economics today. On a global economic scale, it is definitely an issue worthy of debate. In small business, however, there is no argument. Outsourcing is not only good, but it is often instrumental in lasting success. We all outsource in some form or another in ... Read More »
When it comes to outsourcing certain tasks for your business, going online to source talent is the most efficient way to go. (For more on why outsourcing is good for small business success, see: When Outsourcing is Good for Everyone.) The idea of having someone you’ve never met (and will probably never see throughout the scope of work) is enough ... Read More »
Planning is one of those things that are fundamental to lasting success, but too much of it can be paralyzing and prevent you from taking action. Free-spirited people often argue that planning stifles creativity while the Type-A personalities can get to the point where planning to make plans seems natural. It may seem extreme, but when it comes to your ... Read More »
Long ago, press kits were the standard way for business owners to get information about their business in front of the press. With the shift to the all-things-digital age, however, the relevance of press kits has taken a hit. For most businesses, a simple press release is sufficient in getting your business’ news across to the press. For others, a ... Read More »
More often than not, you’re the face of your small business. As a result, you’re also likely to be the face of a business social media presence. That’s fine. Someone has to manage the accounts, right? Problems come into play when trying to figure out how much of “you” should find its way into your business’ social media sites. Too ... Read More »
So, you’ve hopped on-board with business social media by signing up with the usual suspects: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Maybe you’ve even started blogging. You’ve promoted the sites, done a fair amount of research and even updated your website. There’s just one problem. You’re not picking up any traffic. And without traffic, sales are flat and all you have ... Read More »
Let’s be honest. We all have things that push our buttons. There are those relationships where it doesn’t take much to set the other one off and the relationship between small businesses and the media is a prime example. You might be asking yourself, “Why in the world would I want the media to hate me?” Of course that’s not ... Read More »
Remember all the party pics you posted on Facebook years ago? How about the racy Spring Break photos? what about the off-the-cuff comment you made a while back on Twitter that ruffled a few feathers? These days, it’s difficult to hide anything — and that sort of content in your personal social media profile can hurt both you and your ... Read More »
Any business owner would agree that there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Since the odds of us getting a 25th hour to work with are pretty low, our best bet is to maximize the hours we do have. Here are some time management tips to help increase productivity: Figure Out How You Are Using Your Time ... Read More »
Hutzel Media's Business Resources Resources for Small Business Owners
