Archive for the ‘small biz e-biz’ Category

Google Apps Offers New Lowcost Website, Email Strategy for Small Businesses

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007


There are many ways to look at the launch of Google’s new Apps platform, but for me, it looks like a pretty cool and very low cost ($50/year/user) way for a small business to do a web site without traditional hosting, and with a bunch of neat features.

Because it supports direct domain (as well as sub-domain) hosting and includes integrated e-mail as well as a bunch of features (from Google Page Creator for creating web pages to calendars and other forms of collaboration), it’s quite powerful. More info here specifically for small businesses.

I think the biggest challenge will be having small businesses understand the scope of what’s being offered.

On the other hand, the bigger business story for larger enterprises and the broader IT market is that Google is Challenging Microsoft (NYTimes) with a service that offers email and more for $50/user vs $225/user annually using Office and Exchange.

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Posted in small biz e-biz, small business | No Comments »

MerchantCircle Aggregates Local Search Listings for Small Businesses

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007


Over 14 million Business ListingsI’ve commented before about the expansion of local search, other convergent tools for local search, and even a directory of local search directories. All in support of small businesses who are recognizing that being found on the web is now far more important than being found in the paper yellow pages.

Now, thanks to the AlwaysOn.com Media 100 “special awards for market disruption,” I’ve discovered a wonderful service, MerchantCircle.com that gives small business owners a convenient way to access (or add) local search listings on most of the important local search directories (only Google seems to be missing) including Yahoo Local, City Search, YellowPages.com, Verizon Superpages, Yelp.com, Insiderpages.com and more.

The result is the ability to manage your business’ “web identity” and online “reputation.” So, if you have a business that has local, face-to-face community contact (in other words if your business does not exist entirely on the web), then MerchantCircle is definitely worth checking out. You can monitor and update most of your localized listings and also network with other local businesses in a very state-of-the-Web 2.0-art environment.

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Posted in small biz e-biz, small business | 4 Comments »

Hear Me Now: Internet Marketing Internet Radio Interview

Monday, January 29th, 2007


Last Friday I was interviewed for an hour by the delightful hosts of the eMarketing Talk Show. The four-part interview, “Leveraging your Website to Grow your Business: Best Internet Marketing Practices for Small Businesses” is posted here: http://www.emarketingtalkshow.com/advertising-agencies/online-strategies.asp

I look forward to your feedback. I hope it’s useful to many of you as a solid introduction to the three main types of internet marketing and more. Enjoy!

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Posted in internet marketing, small biz e-biz, small business | No Comments »

Easy, Low Cost Solutions for Creating Websites & Podcasts

Monday, January 22nd, 2007

Here are a couple of interesting Web 2.0 style online user-generated content creation services I’ve come across lately:

> Weebly.com has an impressive video demo that makes it look (to me, at least) like Weebly may well be about the easiest way available for almost anyone to create a website. The video demo shows a drag and drop, practically brain-dead simple interface… and that’s a good thing!

> Likewise, BlogTalkRadio.com has it’s own push-button interface that takes the audio studio work, or even the GarageBand software production out of producing a podcast talkshow via the phone, complete with RSS feed. And some people say Web 2.0 is just a concept…

In both cases, no fuss, no muss, no independent hosting account is required.

FYI, I’ve also posted my first WordPress website, which was also a reasonably straight forward process. It’s a bit more feature-rich and blog-oriented as compared to Weebly, but I’m pleased with the results (which are viewable at: TheJoyofGolfing.com). Not bad for a rare solo effort (professionally, I’m more of a team player).

Any comments or anyone want to share their experience with any of the above services?

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Posted in small biz e-biz, small business, user generated content | No Comments »

Browser-based Chat App Breaks Through Compatibility Blocks

Monday, November 27th, 2006

Web content is becoming more and more modularized, and Web 2.0 is increasing efficiencies with windows within the browser window… One of the most useful applications I’ve seen that solves a real problem for me is Meebo.com. First of all, I’m using two IM (instant messenger) applications these days, having collegues using both AIM (via Mac’s iChat) and Yahoo Messenger. This meant I needed to run two different readers. Meebo handles both IM chats within one web window/application.

And, to make things better, they also offer a widget that I can put inside a web page. I’ve done that now at ComBridges.com (at the bottom of the page) so that visitors can chat with me directly from my web page. This is an experiment to see if I can get prospective customers to start a conversation that may lead to them becoming a client. This sure beats $99/month for LivePerson and also offers distinct advantages over the complexity (albeit free and open source) of a application like ZaZaChat.

I’m impressed with Meebo. It works and has made my life simpler while opening up new possibilities. What more can I ask?

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Posted in internet marketing, small biz e-biz | No Comments »

Free Conference Calls with Built-in Recording

Wednesday, September 6th, 2006

I’ve been using free conference calls from FreeConference.com for some time. It works. No toll free number, but no per minute charges either. Now thanks to a tip from NYTimes’ David Pogue I’ve found LiveOfficeFreeConference where you don’t have to make a reservation, AND you can record up to 60 minutes of the call (just press “5*”). And, they make this recording easy to share because they send you a link to an MP3 file (within 60 minutes). This way someone who couldn’t be on the call can hear it. Now that’s a convenient service! And the price is right. ;) Enjoy.

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Posted in e-business, small biz e-biz, small business | No Comments »

Free Chat App Can Help Convert Browsers into Buyers

Tuesday, March 7th, 2006

It’s been proven that offering a live, realtime interaction via online chat applications like LiveChat can help convert browsers into buyers. Now, open source strikes again by making this kind of technology free via a new web-based app, ZaZaChat. As you might expect, it’s still in “beta,” so if anyone tests it, please let me know. Now that the price is right, all you need is the time and willingness to interact directly with your prospective customers. ;)

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Search is a 2-Way Street: “Google Base” Breaks Posting Barrier

Wednesday, November 16th, 2005

I know it’s starting to look like I’m a bit obsessed with Google. Maybe so. But, I also think that I know a true innovator when I see one. This time I salute Google for creating a new kind of interactivity via Google Base. This new service enables anyone (meaning folks without the slightest technical ability) to publish content, from recipes to want ads, you name it, for free. And, of course, because they are Google, they are making all of this new, easy-to-post content searchable, or as they describe it, Google Base is “a place where you can add all types of information that we’ll host and make searchable online.” Thus, now, anyone anywhere can add content to the global information database without needing to know how to post to a blog or how to build a web page. With user-friendly categories and more users, this new “channel” could become quite powerful. As this analysis agrees, look out Craig’s List, Amazon and EBay… Stay tuned…

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Posted in e-business, e-marketing, internet marketing, search marketing, small biz e-biz | 1 Comment »

La Madame du Paid Search + Tip

Monday, March 7th, 2005

Here’s a great resource for real online advertisers. Catherine Seda not only wrote the book (literally) on pay-per-click advertising, but she has written tons articles.

Her most recent for Entrepreneur magazine is on the merits of local search, which if you haven’t heard, is the ideal way to go for those of us who tend to do business only with locals–even on the web– including all those tire stores and other retailers who must market to customers who can literally show up at their door. Click here to read more about how “geographic-targeting get your online message to customers right around the corner.”

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Posted in search marketing, small biz e-biz | No Comments »