Drawing the attention of millions, virtual pinboard-styled social photo sharing website Pinterest is all the rage these days. From the comfort of your own home you’re able to pin awesome internet finds and share them with your friends. The site receives a whopping 11-16 million unique visitors a month, who are primarily women (80%) and users are between the ages of 25 and 54 (80%) according to Google Ad Planner. As internet marketers we seize the moment when new trends and sites emerge. We flock to where people are and in this case it’s a site that caters to the... Continue reading

Ultimately, the end goal is to create an experience for your customers that is unique from your competition and far surpasses the expectations of the customer. But while many business leaders may know and understand this concept, it's an entirely different concept when trying to map it out and implement. Things to consider while designing and creating the ultimate customer experience... 1. What does the ideal experience look and feel like to your customers? Often, business leaders know what THEY'D like it to be, but fail to consider what the CUSTOMER wants it to be. Remember, the most important person... Continue reading

Customer service is the one strong advantage that small businesses have over large corporations. Small businesses can form stronger customer relationships that will directly result in higher profits and revenue. Small business owners and managers can quickly connect with the customer in a personal way, respond to service issues, and quickly work in the best interest of the customer at all levels. These five simple steps that the successful small businesses use are essential to instilling an excellent customer service experience... Make the right hiring decision. Hire the smile train the skill. Making sure that you hire friendly people is... Continue reading

How many times have you been into a department store, supermarket or clothes shop and been completely ignored by the sales assistant whose job it was to serve you and make you feel as if your custom was not only welcomed, but appreciated? Have you called a service provider such as a gas company, an electricity supplier or a Digital TV provider, only to be offered multiple "Press 1 for X" and "Press 2 for Y" choices and not known which option to choose? Equally, on how many occasions did you eventually get through to a customer service agent who... Continue reading

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If you have been considering using Pinterest for your business, here are some resources that you will find of assistance. A webinar training programme taking place in May 2013 to help you develop more engaging Pinterest images for your content marketing plan – book your place today Learn how to turn your Pinterest boards into PDF’s and JPEG’s so that you can refer to them offline. Discover how you can create instructographics with your mobile phone for your Pinterest marketing Implement these three essential tips in your Pinterest marketing Learn how many boards you should have in your Pinterest business... Continue reading

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We hear that Pinterest is a really only used by younger females – so let me introduce you to Dan Ashbach, who is a retired airline pilot, just to provide a different perspective. You might have read my article about how many boards should we have on Pinterest where I comment that Dan has just 38 boards (I wonder if that is a coincidence that he has been married for 38 years) that versus many accounts I see with well over 100 Pinterest boards. Dan recently participated in a Google Plus Hangout with PinLeague and this is a recap of... Continue reading

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There are many ways that need to be kept in mind when you operate a business in order to make the most of it. You want to be as productive as possible and you want to have a constant stream of new business coming through your doors. Even though those are important things for you to keep in mind, it is also important for you to keep your existing customers in mind as well. After all, a great deal of your business is going to come from those individuals who have already used your services in the past. What are... Continue reading

Cats seem pretty self-sufficient and independent. They do not require regular daily walks, they can be and are usually left alone for long periods of time provided there is ample food, water, and a litter box nearby, and they do not typically require frequent bath and grooming like their canine... Continue reading

It's true that people give dogs chew toys to keep them out of trouble. But there are also cat toys - pet accessories that can keep your cat out of trouble. There are plenty of pet supplies that are suitable for your cat in terms of cat toys. Pet shops... Continue reading

Fortunately you don't have to spend a fortune on toys for your feline friend. This is largely due to the fact that they will play with whatever it is you have handy. Whether it is a string, a leaf, wrapping paper, or a ball, they will be completely content swatting... Continue reading

Cats by nature are hunters despite being tamed. This is probably the reason why they love playing with certain toys. Cat toys bring out those hunting skills from pet feline. When we see cats playing, they are actually mocking hunting games with their toys. Curiosity is cats' nature and therefore... Continue reading

Sometimes we really wonder...with her tail curled in a perfect S-shape, head angled just a liiiittle to the right, and paws frozen in stance, our Kitty McKitterson seems to know when a camera is around. Does she know we're snapping a photo of her? She must! Interesting then that she's... Continue reading

BY CRYSTAL APR224 I continually see missed opportunities when it comes to marketing online, so I’ve pulled together the top 5 common mistakes businesses make when it comes to their Facebook page. After reading this post, use it as a checklist to help make your Facebook page better and convert more people into a fan/join your email list/call/come in and buy/etc. 1. Cover Images. The cover image is the large photo on top of each Facebook page. This is the first thing people see when visiting your page. It is crucial to first of all have one (if you don’t... Continue reading

Everyone wants to be liked. This was first felt in the schoolyard. It meant being invited to hang out with the popular gang. It was noticed when you were offered to attend “that” all important birthday party. When college came around it was being selected to be on the football team, chosen for that all important committee or be part of a fraternity. It doesn’t change when you start your career. You need to be “liked” to get past first base at that job interview. Being left off the list is a lonely place. On the social web that has... Continue reading

Pinterest redesign makes social network easier to manage By Bree Fowler Associated Press Posted: 05/08/2013 05:41:49 PM PDT Updated: 05/08/2013 05:41:51 PM PDT NEW YORK -- Don't worry, Pinterest fans: Your sprawling virtual pegboards of wedding dresses, handmade jewelry, craft projects and food porn haven't changed dramatically. They're just easier to manage. The popular link- and photo-sharing website, based in San Francisco, has rolled out an update, one offering people simpler navigation and new ways to arrange their boards to fit their needs. Although the haphazard spirit of Pinterest remains, the site is much less overwhelming. I wasn't a Pinterest... Continue reading

I recently had an amazing experience with a local business here in Boulder, Colorado. I had been shopping around for a doggie daycare for my new puppy, so I asked my dog owner friends for their recommendations. Many of my friends recommended The Dog Spot, a locally-owned daycare and boarding business for active pups. I reserved Moose’s first daycare day with them, and right from the first moment, I got a great feeling about The Dog Spot. Here’s what I loved about my experience on the first day: 1. I was asked to fill out a complete profile for Moose,... Continue reading

The rapid growth of Pinterest was one of the big social media stories of 2012, and by all accounts, the platform is continuing to see strong growth in the first half of 2013. What was originally a platform used by women is now expanding across wider demographics, and some businesses are even using the network in rather creative ways. If your small business or nonprofit is not yet using Pinterest, now is a good time to take a look at how it might fit into your overall digital communications plan. Remember, anyone can just pin their products to Pinterest. That’s... Continue reading

You’ve obviously heard about it by now — the social media site that’s taking the Internet by storm. Now the question is, what do you do about it? Is there a way to use the Pinterest craze to the advantage of your business? What is Pinterest? First, for those who aren’t familiar with it, here are the basics: Pinterest is a lifestyle brand that allows you to create a visual online pinboard, organized around topics of your choice, by category. Seventy percent of the site’s visitors are women age 25-44, and they spend an average of 15 minutes looking around.... Continue reading

The rise of the online community has changed the way in which we do business forever. It has brought us closer to people that can help with our day to day operations as well as backend business needs, enabling our businesses to run smoother and turn more profit. One of the key places that this has really made a difference for business owners is in bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is much like going to the dentist—no one really wants to take the time out to do it but neglecting the issue can lead to serious repercussions. For the most part, this is... Continue reading

C.J. Hayden, MCC Okay, so we're in a recession. Now what? Is it time to throw your marketing plan out the window? Cut your prices? Close up shop and look for a job? Hmm, none of those choices sound too wise if we're in for a stretch of poor economic conditions. It's certainly not time to throw away the marketing plan. Cutting prices doesn't sound like such a good idea if you might be getting less work to begin with. Looking for a job in the current economy doesn't seem like the best solution, either. So what's an independent professional... Continue reading

C.J. Hayden, MCC It's the ultimate question, isn't it? You work hard at marketing to make contact with potential clients. Then you work even harder to get a chance speak with them about what you have to offer. But how do you actually get them to hire you? The answers may not be what you think. 1. Know-Like-and-Trust Factor - When making a buying decision about professional services, the number one factor clients consider is how much they know, like, and trust you. It's more important than how much you charge or even how much they need you. What clients... Continue reading