Earth Day is April 22nd. Yes, we relegate one day to focus on keeping our planet healthy. Anyone else think this deserves an ongoing commitment? Or at least a month? Here’s a link to Earth Day Live which runs from April 20 -22nd. Learn about some events you can participate in and get involved. But […]
Is your website ready (and healthy enough) for Google’s algorithm update? Read More »
We’ve all been there. A project due. Deadline looming. And bam! You’re stuck. The words (or layouts or designs or insert-your-own-noun) are simply not coming. You’ve hit a creative rut and you need help getting out. In his article in Wired Magazine, What’s Up With That: Your Best Thinking Seems to Happen in the Shower,
6 workarounds to get out of a creative rut. Read More »
Successful businesses connect with customers. And they do this via 5 traits that are critical for client engagement: believability, authenticity, transparency, sincerity and dependability. Let’s see how this works. One of the easiest ways to do this is by asking yourself 3 questions: Think about your favorite businesses. What is it about them that makes
5 traits that successful businesses use to engage customers. Read More »
So you’ve got a brand new website, and it looks great. Well designed. Smart use of color. Smarter use of white space. Reasonably intuitive navigation. A business owner’s dream website. But there’s one significant problem. Your website simply isn’t engaging. It looks good, loads fast and seems to work well. But the copy is bland.
How to craft engaging web content. Read More »
Updated March 8, 2023 3-minute read Businesses that know exactly who they are and what they provide have a leg up on the competition. They have a deeper understanding of their value. Smart business owners incorporate this into a positioning statement or brand positioning statement. If your marketing is looking a little dull or you
What are you really selling? Read More »
2020 has been a difficult and crazy year. Understatement ;). We’re all looking forward to a fresh and hopefully healthier year in 2021. So rather than waiting to do a goals list for January, let’s get a jumpstart on 2021 now. Here are 7 things you can start implementing in your small business right now.
7 Things You Can Do Now to Get A Jumpstart On 2021 Read More »
September signals the start of fall. A time of new beginnings — change of season, a new school year, for some companies a new fiscal year. For small business owners, fall is often the time to think about ramping up business. Maybe you need to refresh dated marketing material. Or spruce up your website with
If your website isn’t functional & secure, you’re losing business. Read More »
Many thanks to Lum3n for use of this Pexels image. A recent headline in the Wall Street Journal jumped out: Target Posts Record Quarter. Really? Month 6 of a pandemic. Life is anything but normal. Shops still closed. Restaurants going out of business. And Target can’t get out of their own way. What’s Target doing
Smart small businesses come up with solutions. Read More »
Super Small Business Service Providers Last month, we shouted about some fun things to do during this odd Chicago summer. This month, we’re focusing on three small businesses offering services that can help you grow your business. Video Production Robb Emmett is the owner of WinWin Productions, Inc. and an excellent small business pivot story.
Small Business Shoutouts #2 Read More »
Every once in a while, I like to look back to what we were doing a year ago. In July 2019, life was radically different. We were busily blogging about branding. We also roamed freely in our cities and networked face-to-face. Summer was filled with beach time, boat rides, biking and concerts and festivals. A
Supporting Our Small Business Colleagues & Friends Read More »
