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Protecting Your Inventions: Utility vs. Design Patents

November 25, 2014
By Emily Ely

If you’re planning on patenting your idea, you should be careful in choosing which patent you apply for when protecting your inventions. There are many different kinds of patents, but most likely, you’ll be wanting to choose between a utility or design patent.

A design patent lasts for 14 years. This is subject to change, as are most laws. Design patents are mostly used for, well, designs! If you’re an architect and come up with a novel design for a new kind of Titanic that can’t be sunk, with unique features that no other ship currently possesses — then you should apply for a design patent. The design patent makes it illegal for anyone else but yourself to replicate your design, sell it, or use it for the whole fourteen years.

A utility patent lasts for 20 years. This is subject to change, just like the design patent. Utility patents are meant for inventions – so you’re trying to protect the actual mechanism of an invention. Utility patents protect the mechanism of the invention and its function, but it poorly protects its design.  (more…)

How to build momentum for the holidays

November 24, 2014
By Gina Watkins

Hopefully you’ve already started thinking about how you’re going to make this year’s holiday season worth celebrating—because without a doubt many of your biggest competitors have already started generating buzz. While you may not their million dollar TV budgets or a Grammy-worthy holiday jingle to do it, you don’t actually need those things to be successful—you just need the right plan in place and the right tools to help you out.

Following are some easy to embrace tips to help your business build momentum as you head into the holiday season:

Develop a schedule to build momentum

Building momentum will be crucial in determining whether or not this year’s holiday season is one worth celebrating. But you can’t build momentum without a plan for how you’re going to do it. Start by creating a schedule. Map out the weeks leading up to and through the holiday season with specific business goals for each of the big days. The specific holidays you plan to target may vary based on your business and your audience.  (more…)

Get discovered: Two SEO Tips to Get Your Small Business Website Found

November 19, 2014
By Jim Christian

Jim_ChristianLike a prehistoric masterpiece scratched into the far recesses of an undiscovered cave, it doesn’t matter how awe-inspiring your website is if nobody can find it. Search engines are the archeologists of the digital landscape. An estimated 90 percent of consumers searching for local businesses online use search engines like Google® Bing® and Yahoo® to find them. If you want your business website to get discovered, you need to tap into the power of search.

Just about every website owner today understands the basic concept of search engine optimization (SEO): taking steps to attract the attention of search engines in order to drive traffic to your site. Search Engine Land defines SEO as “the process of getting traffic from the ‘free,’ ‘organic,’ ‘editorial,’ or ‘natural’ search results on search engines.” The paid ads you often see at the top of search results don’t figure in.

You’ve likely already taken the fundamental steps to improve your SEO. Your website brims with unique and compelling content. You use relevant keywords all over the place. You optimize title tags and other metadata. You covet backlinks. (more…)

Campaign types to try out this holiday season

November 17, 2014
By Gina Watkins

The holidays are upon us, and for many small businesses, so is the busiest time of the year. With limited time and resources, you want to be smart about where you are investing your time, and ensure that your marketing efforts will drive the best results. Depending on your business, there are a number of different campaigns you could run during the holiday season. The types of campaign you decide to run will depend on the products and services you offer, and the audience you’re trying to reach. You will also need to consider the type of results you’re looking for, and your overall goals.  To help you get you thinking, here’s a list of campaigns types for you to consider trying out this holiday season.

Try a local deal

With a local deal, you can create a great offer, like a $25 for $50 voucher, that customers and potential customers can purchase and redeem at a later date. This is a great way to generate new revenue during the holiday season, and can help bring new customers into your store.

Offer an exclusive discount

The key to a great offer is that it’s compelling enough to get people to act. It also needs to bridge the gap between your customer’s needs and your success. With a service like Constant Contact, you can easily add a coupon to any email that customers can print out or redeem from their mobile device.  (more…)

‘I’ve heard good things’: Build positive business buzz via customer testimonials on your website

November 12, 2014
By Andrea Rowland

Andrea_RowlandFew phrases make a business owner happier than “I’ve heard good things.” (“Do you accept cash?” would be another.) And kind words about your business — especially from new customers — do a heck of a lot more than make you feel good. They make you more successful.

That’s because positive buzz about your business is contagious.

If I tell my Aunt Gladys about the mouthwatering linguini carbonara I had at the new Italian restaurant in town, she’s MUCH more likely to go there the next time she gets a craving for Italiano. Then she’ll probably tell someone else, and so on. And let’s not underestimate the power of social media. My Facebook® friends might be tempted to share the luscious linguini pic I posted. The same pic could score a few Pinterest® pins. And that five-star review I left on Yelp® while waiting for my cannoli to digest? That’s word-of-mouth on digital-age steroids. (more…)