Small Business and Entrepreneurial Tips

Free Publicity will Boost Business

Episode #7 - Free Publicty will Boost Business

Marketing your business using free publicity is a sound strategy, and, it's not a tough as you think. A good story with a good hook targeted to the right columnist or news editor will go along way. Look at a large portion of the business related articles in your local paper - how many of them are stories of businesses just like yours? You know your business is good news, so why aren't they writing about you?

This weeks 'Fast Answer' podcast discusses how to get free publicity to boost your business.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 3.5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Roger Pierce
Link to Written Article: Free Publicity Will Boost Business

Do you funnel your business?

Episode #6 - Do You Funnel Your Business?

When you arrive at most places on the net, there are many things fighting for your attention. Every link counts as one, every banner, picture that's click-able, every course of action is a choice. How many choices do you have on your business website for me to choose from? I've counted some sites with as many as 70!

When someone comes to your site, you should have a funnel set up. A large intake that brings people into your business, and you control the future contact. The first contact should be easy to do and cost nothing. Hence a newsletter or a ebook/report on a subject. However, you should only have one funnel, one way to get them into your world and slowly approach the end goal = buying from you.

This weeks 'Fast Answer' podcast discusses how to use a newsletter as a funnel for your business.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 3.5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Scott Stratten, Scott Stratten
Link to Written Article: Do You Funnel Your Business?

Working With a Designer

Episode #5 - Working With a Designer

In order to get professional looking marketing materials most of us need to work with a professional graphic designer. Working with a Designer is not often easy as they all have there own style and personality. Very often there is a challenge between artistic integrity and plain old fashioned marketing sense. It's tough to find a graphic artist that you can work with.

This weeks 'Fast Answer' podcast discusses ways of effective working with a designer..

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 3.5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Faith Seekings, Faith Seekings Design
Link to Written Article: working with a designer

Listening is Key to Sales

Episode #4 - Listening is Key to Sales

How good a listener are you? It doesn't take a genius to understand that listening is key to sales. Yet how often, when in front of our customer we let our excitement to make a sale turn us deaf to what our clients are really saying? We need to slow down and try listening instead of selling, do so and we will find the clients are actually telling us what we need to know in order to complete the sale.

This weeks 'Fast Answer' podcast show how to make listening key to sales success.

We suggest you download the file onto your mp3 player or computer and use it as a brief reminder before you start your next sales call.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 3.5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Roger Pierce, BizLaunch
Link to Written Article: Listening is Key to Sales

Marketing to Existing Customers

Episode #3 - Marketing to Existing Customers!

All too often we spend our time trying to attract new customers. While attracting new customers is a very important revenue and profit building strategy, it is not the only one. Considering the costs associated with attracting new customers we might want to look at ways to capitalize on the existing relationships we already have. Selling more to existing customers has some distinct advantages and can lead to both short and long term revenue increases.

This weeks 'Fast Answer' podcast talks abouth marketing to existing customers.

We suggest you download the file onto your mp3 player or computer and use it as a primer before you start your next sales planning session.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 3.5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Roger Pierce, BizLaunch
Link to Written Article: Marketing to Existing Customers

Why Networking Events Stink

Episode #2 - Why Networking Events Stink!

Most of us have been to a networking event at some point in our careers. We go around, shake hands, make small talk and generally give out as many business cards as we can. At the end of the networking event though, we have very few real leads. This podcast talks about how to make the networking event more successful for you and will help you garner higher quality, more profitable and more qualified leads.

We suggest you download the file onto your mp3 player or computer and use it as a refresher on your way to future networking events.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 2.95 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Scott Straten, Un-Marketing
Link to Written Article: Why Networking Events Stink

Are they Employees or Contractors

Episode #1 - Are they Employees or Contractors?

The difference between an employee and a contractor are pretty clear in the eyes of Revenue Canada. Which do you have?? Are you sure? The penalties for improperly considering an employee as a contractor can bankrupt a small business. This podcast talks about the differences between employees and contractors. Many people believe that as long as someone has a GST number they are a contractor. The reality may surprise you and the potential cost may hurt you. So, are they employees or contractors? Listen to find out.

Subscribe to Last Minute Training
Download this Podcast - 5 meg

Press Play to Listen Now:

Or Listen on Podcast Pickle

Show Resources:
Article Author: Fern Gordon, The Profit Line
Link to Written Article: Are they Employees or Contractors