The Smallbiztechnology Weekly Roundup and Look At What’s Ahead

Each week on Smallbiztechnology.com, we post a lot of articles that help small businesses GROW their business. We want to make sure you didn’t miss anything, so here’s a quick roundup of what we talked about last week and a sneak peek at what we’ll be sending your way in the week to come. Check out our video here, or watch below:

This past week, we had articles on putting your vending machines in the cloud, ReachMail’s free email campaign, the best in online printing services, three business card readers that make managing new contacts easy, preparing for retiring baby boomers, online pawn services, and three ways to get your office ahead this spring.

Plus, four online survey services that help you understand what your customers want and need, four tech trends every business must know, results from Brothers 4th annual small business survey, the evolution of printers, how content discovery can help engage bored readers on your blog, HootSuite’s premium apps and why great content can help your business boost its sales.

We had six tips for adding live chat to your website, the how to’s of writing content for your blog vs. social media vs. the web, eight project management tools that help you pull your team together, three lessons on email marketing from President Obama’s campaign and five tips for hosting your own customer events.

We reported on three small businesses that moved their financials to the cloud and found great success, reasons you might want to start an online community for your small business, how to add an affordable executive leadership team to your business, the only business formula to grow a business, three solutions that make remote access to your files easier than ever and how to generate more leads from the cloud.

It’s a lot, so get reading!

Now, here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll see this coming week:

Articles on mobile analytics, ToutApp, keeping your mobile customers happy, new features from Clipix, rugged computers, tech tools for online selling, and how to take a peek at your competitor’s ads and see if they’re working.

We’ll have the top ten sins of data safety, three ways to give your business the best chance for success, Infusionsoft’s ultimate marketer finalists, three tips for starting an e-commerce website, crowdsourcing, MediaGraph’s PR campaigns, predictive analytics, putting parking on your website, keeping appointments organized, Inuit and LinkedIn teaming up for a ‘Hire Small Business’ event, what comic book superheroes teach us about business, social CRM, three trends for internet marketing, four tips for tablet-worthy web design, and your one-stop shop for video production.

See you next week!

The Smallbiztechnology Weekly Roundup and Look At What’s Ahead

Each week on Smallbiztechnology.com, we post a lot of articles that help small businesses GROW their business. We want to make sure you didn’t miss anything, so here’s a quick roundup of what we talked about last week and a sneak peek at what we’ll be sending your way in the week to come. Check out our video here, or watch below:

This past week, we had articles on putting your vending machines in the cloud, ReachMail’s free email campaign, the best in online printing services, three business card readers that make managing new contacts easy, preparing for retiring baby boomers, online pawn services, and three ways to get your office ahead this spring.

Plus, four online survey services that help you understand what your customers want and need, four tech trends every business must know, results from Brothers 4th annual small business survey, the evolution of printers, how content discovery can help engage bored readers on your blog, HootSuite’s premium apps and why great content can help your business boost its sales.

We had six tips for adding live chat to your website, the how to’s of writing content for your blog vs. social media vs. the web, eight project management tools that help you pull your team together, three lessons on email marketing from President Obama’s campaign and five tips for hosting your own customer events.

We reported on three small businesses that moved their financials to the cloud and found great success, reasons you might want to start an online community for your small business, how to add an affordable executive leadership team to your business, the only business formula to grow a business, three solutions that make remote access to your files easier than ever and how to generate more leads from the cloud.

It’s a lot, so get reading!

Now, here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll see this coming week:

Articles on mobile analytics, ToutApp, keeping your mobile customers happy, new features from Clipix, rugged computers, tech tools for online selling, and how to take a peek at your competitor’s ads and see if they’re working.

We’ll have the top ten sins of data safety, three ways to give your business the best chance for success, Infusionsoft’s ultimate marketer finalists, three tips for starting an e-commerce website, crowdsourcing, MediaGraph’s PR campaigns, predictive analytics, putting parking on your website, keeping appointments organized, Inuit and LinkedIn teaming up for a ‘Hire Small Business’ event, what comic book superheroes teach us about business, social CRM, three trends for internet marketing, four tips for tablet-worthy web design, and your one-stop shop for video production.

See you next week!

Supreme Court: You Bought It, You Own It, You Can Resell It

This past week the United States Supreme Court decided a case that reinforced the right to re-sell something that you had lawfully bought.

Now â€" you might be wondering what’s so earth shattering about that.  After all, hasn’t that always been true  You own an iPad and want to get a new tablet instead  Just sell the old iPad or donate it or recycle it â€" because it’s yours and you can do what you want with it.  Bought a book and no longer need it You sell that, to0. Right

Here in the States we have something called “first sale doctrine.” It simply means that once a copyrighted work (or something with copyright in it) is sold lawfully the first time, the original copyright owner no longer has rights over it. After that, the buyer can do whatever he or she wants with it â€" sell it again, donate it, whatever.  That’s why you can legally hold a yard sale or sell computers on eBay.

Most of us take resale rights for granted.

But that right to resell copyrighted items had been challenged in court.  The Supreme Court’s decision this week reaffirmed that owners have resale rights, as Daniel Fisher writes in Forbes:

The U.S. Supreme Court today settled a long-simmering debate over the Copyright Act by holding that publishers can’t prevent the resale of books they produce overseas in U.S. markets.

The decision in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons is a victory for Supap Kirtsaeng, a student who was fined $600,000 for importing Wiley textbooks from his native Thailand, where they were cheaper, and selling them in the U.S. It’s also a victory for libraries and retailers like eBay, who argued the “first sale” doctrine â€" giving owners of published books and recordings the right to sell them to whomever they want â€" should apply to imported works as well as U.S. publications.

The lawsuit related specifically to copyrighted items manufactured outside the United States, but re-sold or disposed of inside the U.S.

The Owners’ Rights Initiative hailed the decision as a victory for individuals, organizations and businesses.  The Initiative is an advocacy group started to protect owner’s rights to buy and sell authentic goods.

Their motto is: “You bought it. You own it. You have a right to resell it.” (Image above)

The Owner’s Rights Initiative says you should be permitted to resell something you’ve legitimately purchased, no matter where it was manufactured.  While the court’s decision puts to rest one attack on resale rights, the group believes  there could be other legal attacks in the future.  Said Lauren Perez of the American Free Trade Association, in a video on the Owner’s Rights site:

If you buy it you own it. If you paid for it, it’s yours. You shouldn’t have to go ask permission of anybody to resell it.  You shouldn’t have to worry about being sued for copyright infringement because the original copyright owner or manufacturer doesn’t like you being the person reselling it… doesn’t want you to realize a profit from your original investment.

The Owner’s Rights Initiative is backed by groups  like eBay, Etsy, Overstock, the American Library Association, the Computer and Communications Industry Association, and even the popular used/out of print bookseller Powell’s Books.

Below is the Supreme Court’s decision (only the 4-page summary, also known as a syllabus):

Image credit: Owner’s Rights Initiative

How to Create Your Content Marketing Game Plan

Content marketing is crucial to developing a worthwhile Internet presence for your blog, website or business. Content marketing helps increase traffic, build links and create strong brand awareness.

Quality content is of the highest importance when you’re developing filler for your Internet spaces. It not only makes your informational outlets more credible to users, it also means Google and other search engines will rank your site higher than others based on the quality of the content offered.

Essentially, online marketing and content marketing go hand in hand. The content marketing plan below is a great checklist for developing a quality base of online content.

Blogging

Setting up and maintaining a blog is a must if you’re striving for an excellent content marketing plan. It is important to keep these pointers in mind:

• Create a reliable and informative blog that’s fun to read, even if you’re just blogging about products and services.

• Aim for about 5 blog posts a week, but don’t force the content. Quality over quantity is crucial in blogging. If content is forced, it will lose its quality. So do the best you can to post five times, but scale back if the content isn’t there.

• Have a motive behind your blog posts. Do your research and work to develop high-ranking SEO keywords and key phrases to use within each post to give your blog posts the intended purpose of creating traffic and disseminating information.

Guest Posting

Guest post on other sites to make your content available to a wider audience. Doing this helps you connect with other people in your industry. Guest post with an aim to provide valuable content and a following for your site rather than for link building. Comply with these guest posting guidelines:

• Find a list of sites from your industry that allow guest posting.

• Do a “background check” on these potential sites and check their domain authorities and page rankings, and make sure they understand their audience.

• Don’t guest post on a site that accepts guest posts from just anybody. Do your research and find quality websites.

• Write good quality articles following the guest posting guidelines of the website, keeping their target audience in mind.

• Keep track of the success of your guest posts to give you an idea of which posts are most popular and successful, and continue to guest post on these sites.

Press Releases

Press releases are a great venue for creating quality online content and developing links and avenues of sharing information. The frequency of the press releases you send out or post depends on your budget and the products and services you offer. However, try for at least one press release a month, minimum.

Press releases not only give you quality content for Google to pick up on, they give you back links and the chance to fit in keywords related to your business venture within the text of the press release.

Infographics

Here’s the breakdown on infographics and why you should use them in your content marketing plan:

• Infographics are “information graphics” that display complex situations or descriptions that require a lot of information in a simple, picture (or graphic) oriented way. They offer an explanation of an intricate subject in a straightforward, clean way that’s easy to understand.

• The use of infographics on your site or blog is attractive because users prefer to see a concept rather than read a bunch of text about it. Also, Infographics have the potential to go viral, and they are great tools for social sharing over Facebook, Twitter, etc.

• You can create infographics by using free tools, or you can acquire a more complex one designed by an online graphics company or handy Internet user.

• Infographics can include bar graphs, survey and statistic results, or step by step pictorials. Don’t make your infographic too stuffed with information or too complicated to understand. Otherwise, you defeat the whole purpose of using one.

Audience Engagement

Engaging your audience is one of the most important steps in your content marketing plan, but it often occurs after you have all the other elements of your content marketing plan in line. Make sure to follow these guidelines to effectively engage your online audience:

• Provide social sharing icons any chance you get. This will make it easy for users to share information that they like, without going to too much trouble to post manually on their own social sharing channels. Sharing should just be a click away.

• Include access to your mailing list wherever and whenever possible. This way fans of your company or blog can be part of the network of shared information you’re building. Think about starting a monthly newsletter or even sending your monthly press releases out through your mailing list.

• Always establish a call to action when content marketing. Your content should really spur your users to take action. Encourage them to share your information, like your Facebook page, or follow you on Twitter.

• Blog posts should also push users to take action. Include links to your site or product pages so they can follow through with the action you’re suggesting.

Conclusion:

Hopefully this content marketing plan will help you to establish effective content marketing for your company or online venture.

Remember, content marketing is a crucial part of online marketing. So start working on building your network of quality content and you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful online marketing guru.

Planning Photo via Shutterstock

10 Best Strategy Books to Beat the Competition

One key to beating the competition is to adopt a strategy that sets your business apart. It’s important, now more than ever, that business people be aware of how competitors are marketing, hiring, protecting their intellectual property, leveraging the social media wave, deploying leadership techniques and the full complement of techniques it takes to be successful in a highly competitive business landscape.

When browsing the business books at the bookstore, online, or even at the local public library, I look for titles that not only catch my eye, but will resonate with CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs and their need to succeed.

Below are 10 strategy books published in the past year. These are books that while they may not have strategy in their titles, are what businesses need in the 21st century to round out all aspects of growing a business.

10 Strategy Books to Beat the Competition

“Hiring For Attitude“ by Mark Murphy.

Nearly half (46%) of all new hires, according to the book, fail within 18 months. An overwhelming majority of those failed hires do so because of attitude â€" not skills or talent. Attitude sets your company apart from the competition. Employers need to make every hire count for maximum productivity and profit.

Why this book is important: This book will show you how to hire right. Don’t think for a minute that because the unemployment rate remains high in the United States it’s easy to find the right employees. It isn’t. The marketplace is highly competitive when it comes to finding, hiring and retaining great employees that fit with your company’s culture, mission and goals.

“The Rebel Entrepreneur“ by Jonathan Moules.

The rules of business have changed. We do business in an age when it’s critical to rethink your business often in order to stay on track and ahead of the competition. Yet the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Why this book is important: This book tells you how to start a business but more importantly, how to succeed. People never go into business with the intention of going out of businessâ€"yet that is what happens to most.

“Breaking The Fear Barrier“ by Tom Rieger.

“A company’s worst enemy is not always the competition. Sometimes it’s the fear that lives within its own walls.” The Great Recession may be over, but the uncertain economy, divided politics in Washington, and the rapid rate of change in our personal and work lives only leads to more fear. That’s why it is necessary to identify and remove the fear that exists in your company.

Why this book is important: Fear is a barrier to success. Remove the fear and transform your business. This is one of the most important business lessons you can ever read.

“Harvesting Intangible Assets“ by Andrew J. Sherman.

In today’s economy, every company wants to maximize profit. That means being able to recognize and act upon the wealth of revenue-producing opportunities hiding just below the strategic surfaceâ€"intangible assets.

Why this book is important: Also referred to as intellectual property management, companies need to make the most of everything they have to offer in order to remain competitive. It can make all the difference in the bottom line.

“High-Tech, High-Touch Customer Service“ by Micah Solomon.

If you’ve been in business for any length of time, meaning pre-2008, then you know that the way you’ve always served your customers may not be working as effectively as it once did.

Why this book is important: Social media, self-service technologies and the rise of mobile smartphones is disrupting traditional customer service for many companies. Customers are becoming more and more socially empowered. This book shows you how to maintain your company’s customer service edge against the competition and create loyal customer advocates.

“Likeable Business“ by Dave Kerpen.

In today’s socially-oriented business world, it pays to be likeable. In fact, it’s essential to be a “likeable leader of a likeable business.” Customers deserve a “likeable” experience every time they interact with your company.

Why this book is important: This book presents 11 strategies for organizations of all sizes on how to be likeable. Is there a return on investment for being likeable Yes. Think: growth, profits and success. A win-win for everyone.

“The Plugged-In Manager“ by Terri L. Griffith.

This book isn’t just for business people with the word “manager” in their job title. The book is for CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs too. Today, to be successful in business, you must be “plugged in” on all levels within your company.

Why this book is important: Being “plugged in” means being able to swiftly adapt when you see new opportunities and beat the competition to the next great business idea. You can only do that with a committed team, and for that you must understand your people, and what drives employees in the 21st century. Showing they are valued and respected can count for more than pay, and help you build a stronger organization.

“Lead From The Heart“ by Mark C. Crowley.

Business is changing. Work is changing. Leadership is changing. More than half of all workers hate their jobs. The heart is the driving force of human achievementâ€"and it will drive extraordinary performance from employees.

Why this book is important: The book shows you how to seek authentic employee engagement by recognizing the human being that exists in every person you work with. Lead From the Heart is about developing, honoring and valuing people individually, and making people feel connected to work and the company mission.

“Successful LinkedIn Marketing“ by Viveka von Rosen.

A step-by-step guide to everything you ever wanted to know about LinkedIn.

For CEOs and business owners it is essential to be on LinkedIn with an up-to-date profile page and company page â€" and more. LinkedIn, especially for those in B2B businesses, is no longer an option for business people who want to be successful.

Why this book is important:  This book guides you through LinkedIn so you and your company can stand out in the crowd.

“Return On Influence“ by Mark W. Schaefer.

As the author of the book states: “We are on the cusp of a marketing revolution. And it’s being led by YOU.” This quote really sums it up. How you do business is changing. How you market your business is changing.

Today it’s about influenceâ€"being recognized as an influencer and marketing with influence. Is your company on board and an active participant in the marketing revolution

Why this book is important: Social media and social business strategies are here to stay, and your competitors are using them or thinking about using them. Don’t let yourself or your company get left behind in these changing business times.  Social business strategies are part of the bigger picture â€" the broader strategy a company sets.  When a company creates positive engagement from the top on down customers become advocates of your products and services; and your employees and the business will thrive.

Conclusion

When developing your business strategy, take into account all aspects of growing and running a successful business â€" that’s what it takes to stay at least two steps ahead of the competition at all times.

Now you may think these books are about marketing, hiring, leadership, social media and the like.  But they really are  strategy books that will show you how to survive and profit in today’s competitive business environment.