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Website Best Practices, Friday 15: Small Business Tips

April 16, 2014

Let’s get back to the basics. I’m dedicating today’s post to helping you make the most of your website. In these two Friday 15 lesson spotlights, we’ll teach you about 1. choosing that perfect domain name for your website, and 2. tips to develop a game plan to make sure your website helps you achieve your business goals.

Sit down, grab a cup of joe, and enjoy these Friday 15: Small Business Tips to help your business succeed online.

Lesson Highlight: Choose the right domain name for your business

A domain name is your online address. It’s important to think carefully before selecting a domain name for your business website because this is how people will find you on the web.

Domain names usually start with a “www” and end with an extension like “.com” or “.net.” This lesson covers tips for choosing the words that fall in the middle, like www.OrganicCity.com. Some highlights: (more…)

Why You Should Consider Having a Blog for Your Business

April 14, 2014

As a small business owner, you have plenty of things to do on a day-to-day basis. The last thing you need is to have another item added to your to-do list. That’s probably why you may not be overly enthusiastic if I suggest you start a blog for your business.

But what if I told you that starting a blog could actually help you alleviate some of your most pressing marketing challenges and enable you get more from the work you were already doing?
For example, if you already create email newsletters, chances are you’re already hard at work, planning and writing content for this month’s scheduled mailing. You’re thinking of content ideas, going through a few different drafts, and eventually you’ll have everything ready to go — just in time to start planning for what’s coming next.

Let’s say instead of just plugging that content into your email newsletter, you published it on your blog first. Better yet, instead of trying to pack every article in its entirety into your newsletter, you use your blog to trim down the amount of text within your email newsletter and link to your blog to read more.

Right away you can identify a few important benefits. The design of your email becomes a lot simpler. This means an easier creation process for you, but also a more enjoyable experience for your readers — especially those email contacts that are checking email on their smartphone or tablet. (more…)

Missouri SBDC Helps Secure SBA Loan for Brewery

April 9, 2014

It’s a bright, cold day in January. Traffic is sparse and sunlight glitters on freshly fallen snow. Inside the industrial-zoned building on Fay Street just northeast of downtown Columbia, sparks fly and construction workers grind, weld, nail and otherwise ready the former meatpacking plant to become Logboat Brewing Co. LLC in February.

Tyson Hunt, CEO and one of four partners of Logboat, graciously points out the offices and a conference room and the tap room, where thirsty patrons can sip at tables. He explains the purpose and location of steam generators, a glycol cooling system and the huge stainless steel tanks trucked in from Oregon.

Every beer lover knows it takes a combination of hops, barley, malt and water mashed together and cooked to make beer. But there’s much more to brewing than that. The resulting fragrant mash, blended to exacting specifications, must then be steam-heated and vented through stacks that will carry the steam out of the brewery, giving the whole building that intoxicating, malty-sweet aroma of beer in the making. The beer must then be pumped and cooled into fermenters, mixed with carbon dioxide, aged and then finished before it can flow from a tap or keg into a frosted glass. (more…)

What the technology you’re using says about your business

April 8, 2014
By Cindy Bates, VP, Microsoft U.S. Small and Medium Business

Did you know the technology you use has an impact on what current and potential customers think of your business? Those are the findings of a survey we recently conducted, in which 90 percent of respondents said they would – or would consider – taking their business elsewhere if a company uses outdated technology.

About 60% of respondents said they consider a 5-10 year old operating system or desktop computer to be “outdated.” That means the estimated 30% of small businesses that are still using the Windows XP operating system (introduced over 12 years ago in 2001), are running their business on technology that definitely falls into the category of “outdated.” On April 8, 2014, businesses running Windows XP will no longer receive security updates or technical support, leaving them vulnerable to potential security threats. (more…)

Spring Cleaning for Your Online Presence

April 4, 2014

Birds are chirping, cherry blossoms are blooming, and warmer weather has returned. That means one thing- spring is finally here! With the return of spring comes the opportunity for a little spring cleaning– and no, I’m not just talking about cleaning out your closet. In addition to cleaning up around the house, there are things should be doing now to tidy up your online presence. This will not only make you look more professional, but can also help you be discovered by your next great customer.

Here are 3 items you should include in your spring cleaning to-do list:

Develop a consistent brand.
Your brand starts with your website. This is your “home base” and where you should set the tone for all of your other marketing efforts. Use your logo, coordinating colors and fonts. The branding that you establish on your website should be consistent with and reflected in all of your other marketing channels—your email newsletter, social media presences, and anywhere else people are interacting with your business online.

Control your information.

In addition to the look and feel of your brand, you’ll also want to get a handle on the information people are finding online about your business. 75 percent of smartphone owners use their mobile device to get real-time location-based information. If the information that’s out there is inaccurate or out-of-date, you could be at risk to damage valuable relationships, or miss the chance to connect with a new customer. (more…)