Labor Day is well behind us and whether you want to believe it or not, 2013 is fast approaching. The end of the year is typically the busiest time for many businesses, but it can also be the perfect time to host an event.

An event can give your business or organization an opportunity to create intimacy and make a more personal connection with those you come in contact with. When you invite customers and members to a special event, you’re building relationships the old-fashioned way — with personal, face-to-face contact.

Now is the perfect time to start planning for your end-of-year events. Here are some ideas for events that businesses and organizations can put together to bring in customers, clients, members, donors, prospects, and others: (more…)

This article is the second in a series on Internet Marketing for Beginners. In the first article, I discussed setting a proper online goal. A website should either generate sales, leads, or support for an existing customer base.

This article will focus on the first goal: Generating Sales.

Some of you may think ALL websites should generate sales. However, in my opinion, only a few should consider that their goal. When I say, “generate sales,” I define that phrase as allowing someone to put a product in a “shopping cart” and paying for it online. The merchant has only to ship it at that point.

The majority of you don’t need a shopping cart. Basically, those who sell high-priced items or services rarely need a shopping cart. Examples would include realtors, repairmen, consultants, etc. (more…)

Feedback is one of the most important aspects of any event—be it a sale, a wine tasting, an open house, a conference, or another gathering– because it can tell you if all your efforts were worth it from your attendees’ perspective. Staying on top of what those people are saying before, during, and after your event will ensure that your future gatherings will help you continue your momentum. The good news is that social media makes it easier than ever to have a feel for what your attendees are saying

Following are 7 ways you can gather feedback, before your next event, while your event is still taking place and after it’s all over.

Pre- Event

· Conduct a Pre-Poll: Find out what your attendees are expecting from your event. This helps you plan accordingly and gauge how well you’ve done at meeting those expectations. (more…)