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4 Ways to Improve Your Holiday Marketing Results

November 15, 2013

There’s nothing small about the holiday season when it comes to small businesses. Between 20 to 40 percent of yearly sales for small and mid-sized retailers take place within the last two months of the yea according to the National Retail Federation.

With the holiday season (and busy shopping days like Black Friday, November 29th, 30th, and December 2nd respectively) fast approaching, now is the time to make sure you have a sound marketing plan in place. Following are few things you can do that are guaranteed to improve your results:

Pay attention to what people are saying

As the holiday season approaches, make sure to pay special attention to what people are saying about your business on social media. Look for opportunities to engage with your most loyal fans on Facebook, respond to a customer’s question on Twitter, or thank someone for a positive online review whenever you get the chance. (more…)

What Investors Really Want to Know

November 14, 2013

Venture capitalists (VCs) make you work hard for their money by inundating you with question after question about your fundraising process, your company goals, your founding team, among other things. Many of these questions will seem reasonable. Some will seem ridiculous.

But no matter the question, you must have an answer. And your answers better be good.

Behind all of this interrogation, there is one key underlying question: what makes you different? Regardless of the variation on the theme, your potential VC is really asking why your business — as compared to others vying for their money — is worth their investment.

If you’re ready to join the ranks of funded entrepreneurs, you need to be prepared to answer this key question. How? (more…)

Success Story: CQM Systems of Iowa

November 12, 2013

The Iowa Small Business Development Center at The University of Iowa assisted Chuck Dirks extensively with his energy efficient water treatment and tube cleaning systems business and continues to help him grow his company.

Charles (Chuck) Dirks grew up on a farm in Jones County and graduated from Anamosa High School. He joined the Army, served in the Gulf War as a pilot, and throughout his military career flew a number of different aircraft including the UH-60 Blackhawk. He then worked for Cessna Aircraft for several years before joining Rockwell Collins, where he worked as a principal marketing manager for the company’s Next Generation Avionics Program and its information management department. A chemist Chuck had worked with came across a company doing interesting work on energy efficiency technology in Israel, which is kind of the green technology center of the planet right now. Chuck was very interested so he licensed some of their technology and left Rockwell Collins to start his own business. Unfortunately, he started his company in 2009 during one of the most challenging economies in American history.

Chuck went to the Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at The University of Iowa in April 2010 for help with his business. Center Director Paul Heath first reviewed Chuck’s application for tenancy at The University of Iowa’s BioVentures Center, which was approved. Paul helped him identify potential private and government customers for the company’s technology. He then reviewed the company’s business plan and provided feedback, and assisted Chuck in completing a demonstration fund grant application. (more…)

Dude, What’s My Brand?

November 11, 2013

Your glowing red tie that everyone can see from across a busy city street, the gleaming white smile, the perfectly pressed suit or designer pumps, the fancy name badge you always wear to try and stand out, the robust strides you take when you enter a room that creates an air of confidence are just not enough to build your personal brand anymore. There will certainly always be a place for the Fuller Brush salesperson approach and some may be fooled by pomp and circumstance, but today’s buyers are savvier than ever and they want substance.

I remember buying my first business suit at Today’s Man when I was 21 and being so proud and confident that I could actually look the part of a successful person. I felt like a million bucks, but in reality I looked like $124.95 off the sale rack. No one was impressed. I quickly learned that playing the part was not nearly enough. I needed to be able to deliver for my prospects and clients to earn the respect and credibility I needed to grow my business and advance my own skills.

So I hit the streets.

Cold calling, telemarketing, and getting to every networking event and industry gathering I could humanly make it to. Within a remarkably short period of time I realized that more and more people knew who I was and they were recommending me to their friends, clients, and colleagues. Without much thought, in these early days I was building my personal brand of excellence and people were taking notice of my prowess in the heavily trafficked payroll services industry. It was nice to be in demand and even better to have folks calling me for a change.  (more…)

Common Call-To-Action Mistakes to Avoid Over the Holidays

November 8, 2013

When you market your organization through email or social media, the goal is to get your audience to take an action — purchase something, register for an event, read something, engage with your content, or form an opinion of you. But if you make it difficult for your readers or followers to find your call to action, they might not follow through.

With the busy holiday season right around the corner, you’ll want to avoid these common call-to-action mistakes to ensure the success of your holiday promotions:

Don’t: Bury your call to action

Don’t make your audience scroll through a long, wordy email to get to the call to action. Keep it short and sweet. Focus on one call to action in your message so that your audience knows exactly what you want them to do next. If you give customers the right information and resources from the beginning, they’ll be armed with the knowledge and tools necessary to take the next step. (more…)