The Top 5 Accounting Mistakes Startups Make
Our team has worked with hundreds of startups, and year after year we inevitably come across the same common issues around financial reporting. There are remedies for these accounting mistakes, but it’s crucial to flag them as soon as possible, ideally before a startup begins a seed round or approaches any major growth. One of...
How to Plan Successful In-Person Events in a Post-Pandemic Landscape
The pandemic changed how people interact with one another, but it could not squash the need for in-person connections that engage audiences. As vaccines roll out and restrictions ease, in-person events are slowly returning: A recent PULSE Survey notes that 81% of survey responders plan on holding in-person events in 2021. Post-pandemic, there is pent-up...
5 Ways to Deliver Value to Your Customers and Boost Sales
Yesterday, I received the following email from a customer, whom I had spoken with on the phone earlier when she was having trouble with a discount code: “This company is a true old fashion customer service company. They have been helpful and a delight to work with. We highly recommend them and their products.” Her...
From Employee to Entrepreneur: Becoming Your Own Boss in 2021
Plenty of people dream of launching their own business, but then they undermine themselves, coming up with reasons to put off their dream just a little longer. And then they put it off again. And again. Maybe they don’t feel like they have the capital to pull it off. Maybe they simply can’t summon the...
5 Actionable Ways to Grow Your Side Hustle Using SEO
Launching a side hustle takes a lot of work, and if you want to eventually grow yours into a full-time business, you cannot afford to ignore Search Engine Optimization (SEO). There are an estimated 5.8 billion searches on Google every day, leading to 93 percent of online experiences. In short, SEO helps potential customers find...
Try These 10 Proven Tactics to Increase Your E-Commerce Sales
Now more than ever before, entrepreneurs and small business owners are realizing the power of e-commerce compared to traditional brick-and-mortar stores. With a web-based business, your virtual doors are open to the whole world, and your customer doesn’t even need to leave his or her house. However, e-commerce has a few disadvantages, as well. For...
Website Security 101: 9 Simple Ways to Protect Your Site Against Hackers
If your website has ever been hacked, you know how much of a pain it is. If you haven’t been hacked, it may just be a matter of time. Google Safe Browsing data shows that about half of a million websites are hacked at any given time, with thousands more hacked every week. Researchers estimate...
3 Simple Ways to Bring More Loyal Clients to Your Business
Bringing more loyal clients to your business isn’t easy. But it is critical. Finding the diamond in the rough clients can take years of hard work. Relying on referrals and expecting a client to fall into your lap is risky. If it happens, that’s great, but if it doesn’t work out, you’ve wasted time that...
7 Tactics for Promoting, Sharing and Repurposing Your Blog Content
Are you crafting amazing pieces of content? You know, that legendary 10x content everyone keeps talking about? If so, that’s a great start. But what good is incredible content if no one sees it? All of the precious time you spent creating that perfect post won’t yield any results if you don’t promote it properly. No matter...
4 Email Marketing Promotion Tactics to Boost Your Next Piece of Content
Are you crafting amazing pieces of content? You know, that legendary 10x content everyone keeps talking about? If so, that’s a great start. But what good is incredible content if no one sees it? All of the precious time you spent creating that perfect post won’t yield any results if you don’t promote it properly. No matter...
7 Social Media Promotion Tactics to Try With Your Next Piece of Content
Are you crafting amazing pieces of content? You know, that legendary 10x content everyone keeps talking about? If so, that’s a great start. But what good is incredible content if no one sees it? All of the precious time you spent creating that perfect post won’t yield any results if you don’t promote it properly. No matter how...
5 Visual Website Upgrades For Your Startup to Implement in 2019
Perhaps this is the year you finally start your business. On the other hand, maybe you’re an established startup that has had the same website for the past few years with little to no updates. If that's the case, it's likely that you are way past due for an upgrade. Bad web design can sabotage everything...
How Entrepreneurs Can Use Events as a Lead Generator
Research shows that 75 percent of B2B marketers believe that in-person events are the most effective lead generation strategy, above even blogging and social media. That doesn't come as much of a surprise. Real-life experiences are simply more engaging and memorable than anything else. So, if event marketing isn’t already in your marketing toolbox to drive business...
This Authority Marketing Expert Shares Lessons About Promoting Your Personal Brand
Even after the more than 13 years since I founded what is now Advantage|ForbesBooks, I am still sincerely gracious and humbled when I am called the “authority-building expert.” I am self-aware enough to know this is a not a distinction that has been haphazardly bestowed on me. It is a personal brand that I have...
My Top 5 Must-Reads for Startup Founders in 2015
Founders Can Find Practical Startup Advice in Books When you're just starting out, you have a lot to learn. These five inspirational and educational books for startup founders offer practical advice to help you get your startup off the ground: Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success - Shane Snow You've undoubtedly heard stories about...
5 Networking Tips for New Entrepreneurs
Networking: An entrepreneur's lifeline Networking is crucial for anyone's career, but when you're new to the entrepreneurial scene, or just launching a startup, a well-developed network can help your business thrive. Finding a way to network can be daunting, especially when you're frantically dealing with all of the tasks inherent to a new business. If you're...
Planning For Growth: Setting Business Goals
Any experienced business owner will tell you that planning for growth and setting business goals is an essential part of successful business growth. Whether you’re just thinking of starting a business or you’ve got an established and profitable startup enterprise, business goals are key to progression at every stage of business development. Staying on track...
4 Paths to Power PR
Want to promote your business? Want to see the media covering your firm in the morning newspaper, on your favorite news websites during the day or on the evening TV news? It’s achievable, but you’ll need the right approach to PR (public relations) for your efforts to pay off. If you are ready for...
5 Small Business Promotion Tips for Tough Times
During an economic downturn, business owners tend to stop everything—even what was working. Here are five ways to promote your business and avoid being dragged down by recession woes. 1. AH, AH, AH, AH, STAYING ALIVE It is more important than ever for customers and prospects to know your business is still thriving. Keeping...
5 Do’s and 5 Don’ts with the Media
Did you know that there are literally thousands of media outlets from newspapers to magazines to local and national TV shows, seeking story ideas on a regular basis? They are constantly seeking news angles, novel ideas and unique information. For small business owners, this translates into countless opportunities to get your company in front of...