HP, Dell - PC makers in desperate need of a reboot

Hewlett-Packard used to be known as a place where innovative thinkers flocked to work on great ideas that opened new frontiers in technology. These days, HP is looking behind the times.

Coming off a five-year stretch of miscalculations, HP is in such desperate need of a reboot that many investors have written off its chances of a comeback.

Consider this: Since Apple shifted the direction of computing with the release of the iPhone in June 2007, HP's market value has plunged by 60 per cent to $US35 billion. During that time, HP has spent more than $40 billion on dozens of acquisitions that have largely turned out to be duds so far.

"Just think of all the value that they have destroyed," ISI Group analyst Brian Marshall said. "It has been a case of just horrible management."

Marshall traces the bungling to the reign of Carly Fiorina, who pushed through an acquisition of Compaq Computer a decade ago despite staunch resistance from many shareholders, including the heirs of HP's co-founders.

After HP ousted Fiorina in 2005, other questionable deals and investments were made by two subsequent CEOS, Mark Hurd and Leo Apotheker.

HP hired Meg Whitman 11 months ago in the latest effort to salvage what remains of one of the most hallowed names in Silicon Valley 73 years after its start in a Palo Alto, California, garage.

The latest reminder of HP's ineptitude came last week when the company reported an $8.9 billion quarterly loss, the largest in the company's history. Most of the loss stemmed from an accounting charge taken to acknowledge that HP paid far too much when it bought technology consultant Electronic Data Systems for $13 billion in 2008.

HP might have been unchallenged for the ignominious title as technology's most troubled company if not for one its biggest rivals, Dell Inc.

Like HP, Dell missed the trends that have turned selling PCs into one of technology's least profitable and slowest growing niches. As a result, Dell's market value has also plummeted by 60 per cent, to about $20 billion, since the iPhone's release.

That means the combined market value of HP and Dell- the two largest PC makers in the US - is less than the $63 billion in revenue Apple got from iPhones and various accessories during just the past nine months.

The hand-held, touch-based computing revolution unleashed by the iPhone and Apple's 2010 introduction of the iPad isn't the only challenge facing HP and Dell.

They are also scrambling to catch up in two other rapidly growing fields "cloud computing" and "Big Data."

Cloud computing refers to the practice of distributing software applications over high-speed internet connections from remote data centers so that customers can used them on any device with online access. Big Data is a broad term for hardware storage and other services that help navigate the sea of information flowing in from the increasing amount of work, play, shopping and social interaction happening online.

Both HP and Dell want a piece of the action because cloud computing and Big Data boast higher margins and growth opportunities than the PC business.

It's not an impossible transition, as demonstrated by the once-slumping but now-thriving IBM, a technology icon even older than HP. But IBM began its makeover during the 1990s under Louis Gerstner and went through its share of turmoil before selling its PC business to Lenovo Group in 2005.

HP and Dell are now trying to emulate IBM, but they may be making their moves too late as they try to compete with IBM and Oracle, as well as a crop of younger companies that focus exclusively on cloud computing or Big Data.

A revival at HP will take time, something that HP CEO Meg Whitman has repeatedly stressed during her first 11 months on the job.

"Make no mistake about it: We are still in the early stages of a turnaround," Whitman told analysts during a conference call last week.

The problems Whitman is trying to fix were inherited from Apotheker and Hurd.

HP hired Apotheker after he was dumped by his previous employer. He lasted less than a year as HP's CEO just long enough to engineer an $11 billion acquisition of business software maker Autonomy, another poorly performing deal that is threatening to lump HP with another huge charge.

Before Apotheker, Hurd won praise for cutting costs during his five-year reign at HP, but Marshall believes HP was too slow to respond to the mobile computing, cloud computing and Big Data craze that began to unfold under Hurd's watch. HP also started its costly shopping spree while Hurd was CEO.

How much further will HP and Dell fall before they hit bottom?

HP's revenue has declined in each of the past four quarters, compared with the same period a year earlier, and analysts expect the trend to extend into next year. The most pessimistic scenarios envision HP's annual revenue falling from about $120 billion this year to $90 billion toward the end of this decade.

The latest projections for PC sales also paint a grim picture. The research firm IDC now predicts PC shipments this year will increase by less than 1 per cent, down from its earlier forecast of 5 per cent.

Whitman is determined to offset the crumbling revenue by trimming expenses. She already is trying to lower annual costs by $3.5 billion during the next two years, mostly by eliminating 27,000 jobs, or 8 per cent of HP's workforce.

Marshall expects Whitman's austerity campaign to enable HP to maintain its annual earnings at about $4 per share, excluding accounting charges, for the foreseeable future.

If HP can do that, Marshall believes the stock will turn out to be a bargain investment, even though he isn't expecting the business to grow during the next few years. The shares dropped 37 cents Monday to finish at $17.21, HP's lowest closing price in eight years.

One of the main reasons that Marshall still likes HP's stock at this price is because of the company's quarterly dividend of 13.2 cents per share. That translates into a dividend yield of about 3 per cent, an attractive return during these times of puny interest rates.

Dell's stock looks less attractive, partly because its earnings appear to still be dropping. The company, which is based in Round Rock, Texas, signaled its weakness last week, when it lowered its earnings projection for the current fiscal year by 20 per cent.

Dell executives also indicated that the company is unlikely to get a sales lift from the October 26 release of Microsoft's much-anticipated makeover of its Windows operating system. That's because Dell focuses on selling PCs to companies, which typically take a long time before they decide to switch from one version of Windows to the next generation.

Dell shares slipped to a new three-year low of $11.10 in Monday trading before closing at $11.12, down 14 cents.

As PC sales languish, both HP and Dell are likely to spend more on cloud computing, data storage and technology consulting.

Although those look like prudent bets now, HP and Dell probably should be spending more money trying to develop products and services that turn into "the next new thing" in three or four years, said Erik Gordon, a University of Michigan law and business professor who has been tracking the troubles of both companies.

"It's like they are both standing on the dock watching boats that have already sailed," Gordon said. "They are going to have to swim very fast just to have chance to climb back on one of the boats."



HD Trade Services: Use Photos to Track Shipments and Improve Logistics Management

Dealing with overseas suppliers, inventory management, and tracking shipments can lead to headaches for any type of business. But for small companies with limited logistics resources, managing shipments can be an even bigger hassle.

HD Trade Services

HD Trade Services, a Y-Combinator Backed software provider, aims to make the whole process easier for small businesses by using photos and videos to prove that shipments actually are where the supplier says they are.

The system works by using mobile phone and tablet apps to take photos and stream videos of the shipments or scan barcodes to supplement data entry. The purpose of this is to make business to business deals more efficient and to help improve liability for shipping companies and logistics service providers, instead of just relying on simple data entry to provide accurate information about the location and condition of a product.

With the globalization of the economy, shipping and distributing items, especially ones that come from suppliers outside the country, can be a big risk for logistics companies. Small businesses can often fall victim to trade fraud due to lack of communication with suppliers. The HD Trade Services tracking apps make it possible for those companies to make sure that shipments arrive to the correct destinations on-time and in-tact, and that they actually are what they say they are.

Large shipping companies like UPS and FedEx already have services like this available, but the HD Trade Services apps allow smaller logistics companies to offer the same liability as larger companies, by using devices like tablets that are widely available in the consumer market.

The availability of these products, along with the wide array of innovative apps and the ease and affordability of cloud storage, has made some important and often overlooked functions much easier for small businesses.

HD Trade Services has a variety of products available for different functions such as inventory management, product listings, and inspections.




Blogging Networks Can Expand Your Reach, Influence, and Income

Getting paid for a blog post seems like a pretty good deal if you are a new blogger. Receiving free products in lieu of payment has its upsides, too. There are many ways to go about this, but one of the popular methods, although controversial, is to join an influencer network.

An influencer network is a new way of saying that you are a hired gun. You are a blogger or vlogger who agrees to publish reviews for money or free product and to disclose it within FTC guidelines.  Many times, you'll do this work because a public relations or social media agency hires you on behalf of its client â€" thus, you are in their network.

Let me restate that this can be a controversial way to build up your blogging business. Google recently gutted other companies like this because it considers these blog networks to be “content farms” designed to enhance a company's PageRank through “spammy” (read: paid for) links. I link to a story on this topic at the end as well as several other SEO-posts that can help the small business owner sort it all out.

I don't believe that these programs are wrong or bad. I think they provide an opportunity for savvy and honest business people to monetize a blog. You have to exercise good judgment when deciding if a network fits with your overall plans and if you want to accept payment (cash or product) for a “sponsored post” versus regular online advertisements or Google's AdSense ads on your website.

Here are four to take a look at:

BlogFrog is one of the industry leaders in the influencer marketing space. They help advertisers (brands) identify and recruit topic-based social media influencers. Their platform includes a searchable database of more than 100,000 social media influencers, a knowledgeable community for quickly building successful campaigns, and tools to monitor and measure the effectiveness of social influencer programs. You have to apply to join the network and they base their decision on your topic and your web traffic.

Clever Girls Collective is run by, well, four clever girls in the San Francisco area and you have to give them credit for a high energy, savvy, and somewhat cheeky approach to influencer marketing. I hope they create a Clever Guys one soon. You apply to join the network and while topic and traffic are important; they appear to look carefully at how you will fit in with their major brand partners (an all-star list found on the case studies page).

SocialSpark is pretty organized. You sign up, then they provide you with offers or leads from advertisers. They call these “opportunities” which outline the advertiser details. You can then accept the terms or negotiate. You write your post and it is submitted to the advertiser for approval. Once published, you earn points, which can be redeemed for cash via PayPal. Simple application form.

Klout is another form of network where you can earn rewards based on your influencer scores. It is called Klout Perks. Klout is pretty well known for their Klout score and many bloggers are addicted to seeing it go up or upset when it goes down. Their entire algorithm is controversial and causes a fairly regular stir in the blogosphere when mentioned. You don't really apply - just by signing in via Twitter or Facebook you become eligible for “perks” based on your Klout score.

To make this a practical post, I asked a friend and professional blogger, Jenny On The Spot, Jenny Ingram to share a few insights with our readers. Jenny is part of BlogFrog, BlogHer, and other well-known networks and has given me advice before on building a blogging-based business. She does product reviews occasionally for which she is paid in cash and/or product.

Jenny explained that each review, each brand's request, is something she considers carefully and on a case-by-case basis to make sure there is a match for her readership, her audience. The reader has to come first. She stated that product reviews, even ones that send you “free” product to review, “come with a real cost â€" your time and effort. As a blogger, you have to decide if this path really works for you and if you're running a hobby blog or a business.”

Adding revenue streams to your blog can be a good idea for some small businesses. Just be sure that you understand the FTC guidelines as well as the impact on your site via Google.

More Resources for SEO and Linkbuilding

Miranda Miller has an excellent post at Search Engine Watch that explains a fair amount about building links and sites that have been “de-indexed.” The one site that is most often cited is BuildMyRank.com, which has reportedly been issuing refunds to subscribers after Google de-indexed them.

You can also go through the Google Webmaster YouTube channel that shares lots of good ideas for optimizing your website through officially acceptable means.

Three of my favorite SEO link building posts from Small Business Trends contributors:

1. Why SMBs Shouldn't Fear Link Building by Lisa Barone.

2. How to Choose the Right SEO Tactics for Your Small Business by Tom Demers.

3. 5 Tips For Being Naturally Good At SEO by Lisa Barone.

What do you think? Are influencer networks a good way to build income and a reputation for your blog?




Brother\'s Business Smart Printer Series: True Innovation, Speed and Good Looks

I don't review or write about many printers because frankly the printer industry, compared to smartphones or airplanes, are not very innovative.

This is not a BAD thing, but printers, overall, are tools we all need and are so important to all of our businesses yet, there is very little that's “exciting”. Basically you've got a print engine, paper, some ink and a big plastic and metal box.

Sure some vendors such as birthed the “email a printer” (HP ePrint) innovation and other vendors now integrate online printing into their printers. The innovation in putting apps on printers is pretty neat as well. Other innovations, but more subtle, have included printing speeds, better color and other things from vendors including  Xerox and Lexmark.

However, overall printers are pretty, plain vanilla, devices that you need but really don't pay lots of attention to.

Last week, however, I saw something that was indeed pretty innovative and it's from Brother.

Brother launched a new line of printers the “Business Smart series of inkjet all-in one printers that comes with some serious innovation.

  • The print speed is VERY fast. I took a video of it here.
  • The overall design LOOKS very nice. Not clunky and ugly but…well iPhone-ish â€" sleek. This was accomplished by changing the print orientation from portrait to landscape.
  • It can built in print from 8.5 x 11 to 11 x 17 â€" that's pretty innovative.
The particular model I look at was the MFC-J4510DW. The main thing that was impressive about this model is that you can place a regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper on the copy glass, press a few buttons, and print a much larger 11 x 17 sheet. (See this photo I took) Sure lots of copiers can copy to a bigger size of paper but not many PRINTERS can do this and do it quickly with the end product looking perfect even on the larger sheet of paper.

This $199 printer is economical enough to put on the desk of all your knowledge workers, especially those who really need to showcase contracts, images or other things in color.

The MFC-J4510DW  has wireless printing capabilities, can print from your mobile devices and has direct access to applications such as Facebook, Picasa, Flickr and other tools. It has a touch screen that slides to menu options with the flick of a finger.

Check it out, it looks good and is fast.

 

 



CorpNet: Behind the Scenes of a Business Filing

Nellie AkalpWhen you digitally file to incorporate your business or become an LLC, the process is purely digital, right? Not so, says Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet. For her company, the process is highly hands-on and fast paced to get the fast turnaround it guarantees clients.

How it Works

The process begins with a customer submitting an order online. This might be to file a corporation, LLC, DBA, or a business license or permit. As soon as the order is received (or the next business day if the order comes in after hours) a CorpNet staffer calls the customer to confirm the information.

The client relations specialist then performs a name clearance to make sure no one else has filed the same name. The information is then input onto state approved documents (CorpNet files for all the states), and it's sent on to be approved.

Because CorpNet has a good relationship with state agencies, the entire process takes 7-10 days (with expedited service available). Once the paperwork comes back approved by the agency, CorpNet puts the finishing touches on the packet and sends it to the client. And just like that, folks, you've become a corporation.

Putting Her Money Where Her Mouth Is

Nellie doesn't make empty promises. She stands behind her company's guarantees. When a big-time movie producer called, desperately needing to file a Nevada corporation asap, he was incredulous when she assured him CorpNet could file the paperwork in record time.

“He did not believe me, so I made a deal with him: I said I would take care of this filing and guarantee not only the filing but also the processing time, and if I did not live up to my promise that it would be no charge. However, if I came through for him, that he would have to give me another 10 orders as well.  Well, guess what? We have processed over 100 corporations for this client to date.”

The Small Business Difference

Not every company that files business documents is a small business, but that's exactly what CorpNet is most proud of. Nellie proudly says that her company is a “small business helping other small businesses,” and it shows in the care each employee puts into each order.

“I'm a strong advocate in educating small business owners and entrepreneurs about the importance of protecting their personal assets through business incorporation and trademark protection…I want them to be aware of the liabilities that they open themselves up to without having the protection of a corporate shield such as a corporation or an LLC.”

An Influencer of Small Businesses

Nellie was honored as one of the Top 100 Small Business Influencer Champions for 2012, proving to her that she's on the right track with her mission to educate entrepreneurs:

“It's definitely confirmation and validation that from a career standpoint I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, which is empowering, inspiring, and educating small business owners and entrepreneurs about starting, protecting, and running their small business…and more importantly that the content and information that I am publishing out there is credible, right on point and well received and acknowledged.”




Small Biz Events: Small Business Influencers, Global Entreprenurship, Affiliate Marketing and More

Welcome to this week's roundup of events, conferences and webinars for growing companies and entrepreneurs, brought to you every other week by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.

Summer may be winding down, but there are a bunch of great events coming up for growing companies. Get a jump on the rest of 2012 with one or more of these opportunities to make new connections and learn something new to grow your business.

If you are organizing a great event that small businesses should know about or just attending one â€" let me know!

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Use LinkedIn To Date Your Leads and Marry Your Customers
August 28, 2012, NYC

Join Ramon Ray of Infusionsoft and Jasmine Sandler, CEO of Agenty-Cy Online Marketing as they guide you into getting more customers and keeping the ones you have using LinkedIn, lead magnets and other powerful insights.

Ramon Ray will give you a 7 step process, which includes using lead magnets to attract an audience and nurture your leads. Social media is awesome, but we'll show you how to purposefully use social media and other technologies to GROW your business.

Jasmine will guide you through 4 steps you need to use LinkedIn effectively to develop and sustain client relationships.

Startup Weekend
Multiple Cities and Dates 2012 â€" see website for full list

Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations. Participants create working startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks. All teams hear talks by industry leaders and receive valuable feedback from local entrepreneurials. The weekend is centered around action, innovation, and education. Whether you are looking for feedback on a idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, or a team to help you execute, Startup Weekends are the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.

Infusionsoft Small Business Success Tour
September 13 â€" Chicago
September 28 â€" Los Angeles
October 5 â€" Boston

This series features a full day of strategies, tips and marketing best practices from the experts at Infusionsoft. You'll receive hands-on instructions on how to develop a highly effective sales and marketing plan you can start implementing right away. You'll learn to:

Drive higher customer referral traffic tomorrow
Calculate and optimize the lifetime value of your customers
Create a constant flow of new customers who are ready to buy
Build a healthy and responsive database
Get the right message, to the right person, at the right time

MacTech Boot Camp
September 5 â€" Minneapolis, MN
December 5 â€" Miami, FL

MacTech Boot Camp is a one day event for those that support the home user, and small business market held around the country. MacTech Boot Camp is a single-track, hotel based seminar that is specifically geared to serve the needs of consultants and techs wanting to serve their base better. This event is geared toward those that already support the home and SMB communities, or that want to become a consultant supporting these areas.

TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs
September 20-21, 2012, New York City

For women entrepreneurs, tech knowledge is freedom…freedom from fear, freedom to pursue their dreams of venturing out on their own. No longer will they be out of the loop from their tech team, no longer will they be held hostage by their consultants who “know more”.

At TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, you will learn:
How to plan, in detail, your entire project so that your tech team will know exactly what to do.
How to hire the right tech people.
How to manage the project and catch mistakes early
How to deliver you project on time and on budget

MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2012
October 3-5, 2012, Boston

B2B Forum isn't just another event. It's the event for B2B marketers who don't just follow yesterday's best practices; they create the next practices needed to move their businesses-and industries-forward.

Five programming tracks covering the modern marketing mix: lead gen, content, social media, mobile, and marketing essentials.
Dozens of smart sessions by professionals on the pulse of marketing trends and growth.


Inc. 500 | 5000
October 3-5, 2012, Phoenix, AZ

Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is the must-attend event for the nation's leading entrepreneurs. Join your colleagues and peers for three days of unparalleled networking and learning from the leaders of America's fastest-growing companies. This year's speakers include Captain Mark Kelly, Commander of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's final mission, Guy Kawasaki, Founding Partner of Garage Technology Ventures, and Marie Tillman, Founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation.

Women's Business Conference 2012
October 4-5, 2012, Louisville, KY

This year's theme celebrates the entrepreneurial, innovative and adventurous spirit of women business owners. They are starting businesses at record rates and running these businesses on their own terms. They refuse to sit idle, waiting and watching. They have confidence and power to shake things up, take smart risks and do things differently to move forward. They are impacting positive change at every turn, speaking out on issues of public policy, lightening their environmental footprint and creating jobs that fuel the economy. They are part of something much greater than themselves-a grassroots movement of women business owners and their community of supporters all dedicated to helping one another grow, thrive, give back and leave a legacy.

Affiliate Management Days
October 9-10, 2012, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Affiliate Management Days is the world's first and only professional forum devoted to affiliate management. This conference is designed for those who offer an affiliate program or are considering offering an affiliate channel. AM Days offers you valuable insight into how other online retailers are successfully implementing and managing their affiliate programs. If you want your affiliate channel to be more successful and profitable, this is the conference for you. Learn with world experts!

The New York Enterprise Report 2012 Small Business Awards
October 10, 2012, New York City

The New York Enterprise Report Small Business Awards is the annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of the 500,000+ small businesses throughout the tri-state area. Now in its 7th year, the Awards gala attracts more than 400 business owners and executives and is often referred to as “the networking event of the year.” Don't miss the chance to do business with the “who's who” of the New York small business community.

Pubcon Vegas 2012
October 15-18, 2012

Supported by the industry's leading businesses, exhibitors and sponsors involved in social media, Internet marketing, search engines, and online advertising, Pubcon Las Vegas 2012 will offer a week-long look at the future of technology presented by over 200 of the world's best speakers in more than 100 bold cutting-edge sessions.

New York Business XPO and Conference
October 17, 2012, New York City

The New York Business XPO and Conference is New York's #1 expo and conference for small and mid-size businesses. Over 10,000 people attend the show floor. Includes presidents, CEOs and top executives of privately held firms entering the next phase of growth. Includes educational seminars and workshops throughout the day, featuring the top small-business speakers from around the country. October 17, 2012 at the Javits Convention Center. Register now.


Small Business Influencer Awards Gala
October 17, 2012, New York City

The Small Business Influencer Awards will honor the Top 100 small business influencer champions at a festive Awards Gala on the evening of October 17, 2012 at the Javits Convention Center. Last year's event had a capacity crowd at a smaller venue. This year it will be bigger than ever - with the Awards Gala as the evening event at the New York Business XPO and Conference. One ticket gets you into both! More details. Don't miss this exciting event!
Tickets are just $34 if you use our discount code: INFLUENCER. Register now!

Small Business Expo
November 8, 2012, Los Angeles

Small Business Expo is a full day networking event, trade show & conference of the year for business owners, C-Level Executives & company decision-makers.

Network with other business professionals & check out the exciting exhibitor hall
Establish new contacts and reconnect with old ones.
Further your education by attending workshops & seminars.
Learn about new products and services that will help your business grow.
Interact with the movers and shakers of your industry.
Discover new and innovative technologies.

Global Entrepreneurship Week
November 12-18, 2012, 20+ Countries

Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world's largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.
During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. These activities, from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors-introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities.

New Media Expo
January 6-8, 2013, Las Vegas

NMX, formerly Blog World & New Media Expo, is the first and only industry-wide conference, tradeshow and media event dedicated to providing valuable content for Bloggers, Podcasters and Web TV producers. Pre-register now and receive Super Early Bird rates.


Affiliate Summit West 2013
January 13-15, 2013, Las Vegas

This three day conference includes an exhibit hall with affiliate merchants, vendors, and networks, as well as multiple tracks of educational sessions covering the latest trends and information from affiliate marketing experts.

To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit our Small Business Events Calendar.

If you are putting on a small business contest, award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please submit it through our Events & Contests Submission Form. (We do not charge a fee to be included in this listing - it is completely free to list your event.) Only events of interest to small business people, freelancers and entrepreneurs will be considered and included.



Ad Retargeting Is Essential! Here are Some Great Solutions for Small Businesses

If your business gets some decent revenue, it's likely that you would be interested in advertising on the Web if you haven't done so already. It's not as simple, though, as simply uploading some text or an image and pressing “Next” on your browser. There are many factors, like the price you're willing to pay per click (PPC) or per one thousand views (PPM). We're not going to talk about what you should choose and how much you should pay, but we are going to cover something just as important: How you should approach advertising.

If you've noticed, Apple went on a marketing rampage, plastering its brand all over popular movies. Its brand appears when an actor opens a MacBook Pro or an iMac (as is the case in Two And A Half Men). Why does Apple do this, if it knows that it has no guarantee that the customer watching the brand it paid tremendously to put up in that film will actually buy the product? If you ask that question, then Apple knows something you don't: How to properly market your brand.

On the Internet, you can do this by simply “retargetting” or “remarketing” your customers after they leave your site or search for keywords related to your business. There are a number of advertising services that do this:

  • ReachLocal â€" This company is a middleman between you and several other services that focus on advertising and promotion of your website and content. It has all-in-one advertising packages costing anywhere from $700 a month and up, depending on your industry and market. It includes retargeting in all packages. The most basic package includes Google ads, Yahoo ads, Bing ads, local directory listings, retargeting, and ad tracking.
  • Google AdWords â€" If you want to use Google exclusively, you can just slip into AdWords and start a retargeting scheme. This is possible using their own platform. They also include a brief summary and show you where you can create a retargeting ad within it.
  • Advertise.Com - This site is a standalone ad provider where publishers and advertisers join to exchange advertisements. Here, you can also get the option to retarget your ads to your visitors.

The old saying goes: ‘If you build it, they will come'. This is not necessarily true on the Web. You must learn to market your site properly and try to coax your visitors to come back.



Access to Credit and Business Survival

A paper published last year by Traci Mach of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and John Wolken, formerly of that organization, shows how important access to credit is for small business survival.

tug of war

Using data from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Small Business Finances, Mach and Wolken found that businesses that had less access to credit in 2003 were more likely to go out of business between 2004 and 2008. In addition, they found that measures of the businesses' access to credit were more predictive of company survival than were attributes of the business, owner, and market.

When this paper first came out, I thought the findings were self-evident. If lenders are any good at their jobs, then they should provide more credit to better companies run by more talented founders. Therefore, businesses that had better access to credit in 2003 should have been more likely to survive over the next five years than other companies. Presumably, they were the better companies.

But upon further reflection, I think this paper illustrates an important problem that central bankers, like Ben Bernanke, face. If the fraction of talented small business owners with good business ideas is roughly the same whether its 2008 or 2012, then this paper shows the importance of the getting public policy toward credit tightness correct.

When bank lending standards are looser, then the average business has more access to credit than when bank lending standards are tighter. That means that the average small company is more likely to survive in years when small business credit is easier to get.

That point highlights a key issue for the Fed chairman: Should the central bank encourage lenders to have easy or tough credit standards? If standards are low, then more businesses have access to credit and will survive over time. But if the businesses themselves are no better than when standards are high, then low standards means that the banks are propping up weak businesses with loose credit.

Because we don't know how tight lending standards should be, the Fed risks making one of two mistakes in creating incentives for banks to lend money to small businesses. If it makes the banks maintain high lending standards that are too high, then it will cause many small businesses to fail, including some that should remain in operation. But if the Fed lets the banks maintain lending standards that are too low, then it is leading banks to keep alive small businesses that aren't viable.

I'm glad I am not trying to get the job of Federal Reserve Bank Chairman.

Tug Photo via Shutterstock




Trans Pacific Partnership Concerns Many Critics

The list of recent regulations and trade agreements endangering businesses of all sizes in the name of big business is long. But few have been negotiated in as much secrecy as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). For a look at this and other issues that may impact your freedom to run your business as you see fit, check out the latest news below.

TPP Troubles Many

Son of ACTA. Critics compare the new Trans Pacific Partnership to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and many are opposing the clandestinely negotiated agreement for a number of reasons. Most important, however, is its apparent elimination of due process and free speech in the name of protecting intellectual property rights. Boing Boing

Let the sun shine. Those concerned about the secretive treaty, which many worry may favor big business at the expense of the little guy, are working hard to gain access to as much information on the agreement as they can. So determined are the opponents of TPP, that one opposition group claims to have raised a $17,000 bounty for leaked documents from the negotiations. TechDirt

Keeping Your Business Free

Don't be a copycat. Do we really need to mention this again? Copying someone else's content without permission has always been a dangerous game. Besides the obvious ethical issues of stealing someone's work and passing it off as your own, the offense is now likely to have ramifications in your search ranking as well. But some worry Google has gone too far. SiteProNews

Solve your Penguin problems. Bad linking is causing problems for many online businesses in the wake of Google's latest algorithm adjustment. SEO blogger Eric Enge explains some of the biggest issues that may be ruining your search engine ranking and your business, and will give you advice on how to get on the road to redemption. Search Engine Watch

Making Your Business Strong

Get your voice heard. These days it can be harder than ever before to get your voice out there to those  interested in hearing your message and doing business with you. Your best strategy for building a business with the freedom you need is to take a page from the recording industry and make guest appearances on the blogs of others. Right Hat SEO

Look at ad options. Sometimes relying on search engines isn't enough. Marketing through Pay Per Click and other advertising helps you get the search results you want more immediately, compliments your SEO, and provides you with valuable marketing data. Here are more suggestions. 3 Bug Media

Make time for mentors. Entrepreneurs are renowned for trying to do things there own way. That's fine, but in this post we look at the benefits of seeking out masters in your field. Knowledge is power, and working with a knowledgeable “master” in your field is one way to free your business of the hurtles and errors that you might face without expert advice. My Note Taking Nerd Blog