If you are in the start-up phase of a small business, internet marketing might not be the first thing on your mind. There could be all sorts of other help that you need. And whereas we can help you out with your internet marketing and social media marketing needs, we’d like to recommend some other sources for other kinds of necessary information.
The reporters and columnists at the Wall Street Journal have put together a great, easily understood and highly comprehensive small business How-to Guide, featuring all kinds of tools and tips for entrepreneurs. Check it out at: http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-small-business-tools.html?mod=WSJ_topnav_na_smallbusiness
Articles include things like:
- Shopping for a bank
- Using factoring for cash flow
- Which credit card to pick for your business
- And a lot more great stuff.
HOT TIP: If you need live, in person help, check out the U.S. Small Business Administration at http://www.sba.gov/. They have a feature where you can enter your zip code and find business counseling, mentoring or training in your local area.
One of the things that really intrigued us about the WSJ’s small business section was their series of small business podcasts on a wide range of topics, including vital info about management and finance, which you can subscribe to here.
Many start-ups discover, to their dismay, that they did not figure in the all the costs and run out of funds before they can really get the business into the black. The WSJ’s How-To site even offers a “start-up calculator” which you can use to find out a realistic dollar amount to start a new business. Invaluable!
You can also subscribe to their small business daily “Must Reads.” The day we checked it out, they had an intriguing article about Facebook ads. According to the article, Facebook is citing studies claiming great effectiveness for ads on their site, but the journalist who reported on it was unconvinced… isn’t that the kind of thing you’d like to know about before you commit your internet marketing budget in that direction?
And speaking of internet marketing budgets, you’d be surprised as to what you can do with a meager one. Perhaps you cannot afford a full-service agency like Findability Group, but did you know that one of our services is training? In other words, we teach you how to “do-it-yourself.” If paid advertising is nowhere on your radar you can still make full use of the opportunities offered by social media sites, which are free to use, and highly effective – if you know what you’re doing. Let us show you how!
Warm Regards,
Heather Lutze
Author, Internet Marketing Speaker and Consultant