Holiday Shoppers Are Expected to Migrate Online
‘Tis the season to be shopping. However, the economic unease leaves many storeowners fearing low sales numbers. Fortunately, many experts believe that while consumers may be a tad more conservative with their spending this holiday season, they will still make plenty of purchases - particularly online.
There are numerous reasons why more consumers will shop online, but the main reason is that online shopping makes it easy for them to find the best deals. Online shoppers can search and find the stores that sell their items of interest in a matter of seconds. In addition, they can browse through countless stores to compare prices and product features. They can also shop whenever it is most convenient because online stores are open 24 hours.
Now is the time to aggressively advertise if you own or manage an ecommerce Web site. Boost your online marketing spending for the time being. Send out optimized press releases. Do what it takes to make your stores more visible because shoppers are going to buy this season and you want them to buy from you.
Add comment November 12, 2008
Free Small Business Tools
Recently, we came across some handy tools we know you’ll appreciate. All of these tools were designed to help small business owners.
The first tool we found was a small business loan calculator. No matter which industry you are in, you probably rely on a small business loan. Yahoo’s small business loan calculator helps you determine the ideal monthly payments for each of your fixed-rate loans. To view this loan calculator, simply visit: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-calculator-loan
Like Yahoo!®, SCORE® also provides complimentary tools for small business owners. SCORE’s selection of small business tools includes a business plan template, sales forecast template and cash flow template. Users can also take a variety of business quizzes, which help evaluate their current performance. To check out SCORE’s tools, go to: http://www.score.org/business_toolbox.html
MySolutionSpot’s Free Business Tools
MySolutionSpot™ features a wide assortment of free business tools, as well, and we’re always open to suggestions. Therefore, be sure to take advantage of our tools and let us know what other tools you would like to see on our site.
3 comments November 6, 2008
Election Day Is Tomorrow!
No matter which candidate you are leaning toward, ThinkLocal® encourages you to vote in the 2008 presidential election.
Add comment November 3, 2008
Early Voting States & the Absentee Ballot
November 4 is nearing. So, in the brink of the upcoming presidential election, we are taking a brief intermission from discussing small business topics to encourage everyone to vote.
Have you cleared a small fraction of your schedule to allow time for a trip to the polls next Tuesday? Remember, every state has different poll hours, and these hours are not always the same state-wide. Poll hours sometimes vary depending on the size of the jurisdiction. For that reason, you should always find out your polling place’s hours prior to Election Day.
Early Voting States
You have a little more flexibility if you are a resident of an early voting state. Early voting states allow their residents to begin voting before the official Election Day - no excuses necessary. If you reside in an early voting state, then voting has already begun. Simple go to your election official’s office or one of the satellite voting locations designated by your county or state. In most cases, early voting ends on the Friday or Saturday immediately before November 4.
Early voting states include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Caroline, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
If your state is not an early voting state and you would like to cast your vote before November 4, you should ask about absentee voting. Some states do not require absentee voters to explain why they cannot vote on November 4, while others grant absentee ballots only to voters who meet their predefined criteria. Furthermore, some states require notary signatures on absentee ballots. Absentee voting usually ends prior to or on Election Day. However, a few states allow residents to cast their votes several days after Election Day.
No matter what party you are leaning toward, make sure you vote. Contrary to some arguments, every vote counts!
Add comment October 28, 2008
How to Use the Internet to Benefit Your Business
Network Solutions® has teamed up with ooVoo®, a popular online video chat and conference network, to present:
Solutions Stars Video Conference
October 29, 2008
1 p.m., EST to approximately 3:30 p.m., EST
This video conference will educate small business owners on how to effectively use the Internet to improve their business performance and boost their business’s overall visibility. The conference will include the following topics:
- Building Web Presence
- The Social Opportunity
- Start with Listening
- Strategy Drives Outreach
- You Need Social Networks
- To Blog or Not to Blog
- Visibility Through Search
- Rising Above the Noise
- Time Demands
Participants can choose to watch the entire conference or view only the videos that interest them.
For additional information about this free event, please go to: http://www.solutionsstarsvideo.com/
Add comment October 22, 2008
U.S. Retail Sales Drop
The recent economic shift has been hard to miss. Several industries, particularly the auto industry, have experienced fallen retail sales numbers. The Wall Street Journal article below outlines September results:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122407325937336063.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Add comment October 15, 2008
Why Incorporating Printable Coupons Is a Good Idea
Your Web site is more than just an informative resource about your business. It is an incredible marketing tool - a vehicle through which you can communicate with your target market. You should treat your Web site like an online billboard and maintain fresh content that will grab consumer attention.
Incorporating printable coupons is an incredible way to draw in new customers and expand your client base. Through periodically publishing limited-time discounts or specials, you will be able to encourage people to try out your services or buy your products, and return to your site.
Printable coupons can also be used as part of your loyalty program. By rewarding repeat customers with printable coupons, you will be able to show them your appreciation for their business and give them an incentive to continue their relationship with you.
Printable coupons are just one of many ways you can use your Web site as a promotional tool. To learn about other methods for enhancing your business through the use of your Web site, go to www.MySolutionSpot.com.
Add comment October 13, 2008
