Small Business

Running a local small business has its rewards and its challenges. We provide advice and help for the small business owner with articles on a variety of topics such as ecommerce, marketing and general business inquiries.

Building Mobile Apps for Internal Company Use

Development for mobile apps has been an important topic for over a decade.  Companies quickly realized that if they wanted to reach a young demographic, they must establish a presence on Smart Phones, iPods, and the other mobile devices that the young adults use.  Mobile apps present challenges in both content and presentation.  Content had to include clever games, access to social networks, or other popular applications. 

Presentation had to be effective in spite of the ...

8 Ways to Make the Online Payment Process Easier for Customers

One of the most popular ways to shop today is online.  It eliminates the hassle of going into a store, and it also saves a lot of time.  Even better, online stores are always open.  Since online shopping is so popular, stores with an web presence need to prioritize the design of their sites.  After all, if their website is difficult to use, a customer might get frustrated and visit another store online.  In particular, ...

8 Tips for a Thriving Home Based Bakery Business

Many of our customers specialize in baked goods. Some sell a variety of different bakery items and others offer a specific type of treat. Although it is common to have a physical shop to sell these goods, many home-based bakeries are extremely successful. If you enjoy baking and want to make money off of your skills, the following eight tips can help you to establish a thriving home-based bakery.

1 – Create a Menu

The foundation of ...

8 Ideas to Help Your Customers Actually Buy Online

When it comes to an online store, it is important to actually have one.  However, it is more important to have one that successfully sells it’s products.  This is often half the battle with an ecommerce site, and it can be challenging with the overwhelming amount of sites competing for the business of online shoppers.  The following are 8 ideas your business can implement to help customers actually buy products when they are shopping on ...

7 Ways to Reduce Food Waste in Your Restaurant

Food, in various forms, can be found everywhere in a restaurant. From the canned tomatoes and jars of spices, grains and dry pasta stocked in the pantry, to the fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins in various stages of preparation and cooking in the kitchen, to the gorgeously plated dishes on the dinner tables, food is the star in this establishment.

Since all restaurants need to have a constant supply of fresh ingredients as well as ready-to-serve ...

4 Things to Consider When Designing a Menu for Your Restaurant

The menu for a restaurant is arguably the most important aspect to attract customers.  Sure there are other factors that can influence whether people come inside (i.e. a great ambience, price, nice staff).  However, the food you serve will ultimately determine whether or not someone wants to eat at your establishment.  Therefore, the menu design is crucial to attracting their interest and getting them to sit down for a meal.  Fortunately, with the following 4 ...

Starting an Online Business for Beginners

The national unemployment numbers are very well known by now to most of us. Often times there are hundreds of people applying for one full-time job. It’s very frustrating to send out hundreds of resumes and not get more than a handful of interviews. That is exactly when professional resume writing services come in place. So, if you ever need a professional resume, contact a resume writing service or any other similar company to get ...

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Business Blog For SEO

Your business blog is one of the most important parts of your website. It shows that you’re an active, informed, and community-minded person, while also giving you a subtle opportunity to market your business and products. But none of this matters if no one can find your blog — that’s where search engine optimization comes in. SEO is essential if you want your customers to find your blog and for your business to get the ...

What Small Businesses Can Do With Ecommerce: 5 Success Tips

Ecommerce is a trillion dollar industry covering every corner of the world. Getting a foothold in it can turn your small business into a global player. There are are countless ways to help make your business into an ecommerce success, but some methods are inherently more valuable than others. I’ve picked the five key ecommerce success tips for your small business.

Recommended reading: Starting an Online Business for Beginners

Let your customers do the talking ...

Branding an Ecommerce Website

Most companies understand that branding is the most important part of marketing.  Many large companies organize their marketing departments by Brand Manager.  It is the manager’s responsibility to make sure that when a customer thinks of a general product, that they think of the company’s product, and develop an unbreakable association.

 

Brand management consists of advertising, a hook (or brand), and a superior product.  Advertising starts by creating demand in the mind of the customer.  The ...

How to Choose a Business Networking Event

Are you looking to network more for your small business? You're not alone, more small business owners are trying to network. Networking can be a great way to find new clients and business connections who can be helpful resources. But there are many business networking events out there, how do you choose the best one? Try a few of our helpful tips to see which event is right for you:

Who's holding the event?

This is one ...