Stuff for Small Biz

Many small businesses owners are daunted when it comes time to design an effective logo. Lacking formal training in design often makes them feel unable to create an image that captures the essence of the organisation. Without the backing of a professional designer it's easy to get lost in all the colour schemes, design patterns and other ideas you might have had.

Jackson Marketing Services has created an online marketing worksheet that can help individuals create their personal or small business online branding plan. Simply fill out the form below to download.

When you are looking for a job, you are selling a product - yourself. Therefore, it's important to establish your professional brand. Your professional brand is the image you present to potential employers. Today's job market is highly competitive. Developing your professional brand to help differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack.

Pablo Picasso, like most men of his time, was born at home. The midwife who delivered him declared the weak baby-Picasso stillborn and went to attend to his exhausted mother. Lucky for the world, Picasso had an uncle who was a doctor and who happened to be hanging out in the waiting room with Picasso's ...

While the movers and shakers of Westeros are fictional characters living in a fantasy world, their plays for power and leadership challenges are very realistic. And shrewd business leaders who watch the show likely see some of their own strategies reflected back to them on a grand scale.

Debates about net neutrality may center today on prioritization of video streams, but they will soon encompass data streams that power everything from entertainment to vital domestic functions. According to a new eMarketer report, once the internet truly becomes the internet of everything, the stakes in the prioritization game will only go higher.

Mobile device compatibility is no longer a rarity for companies. Now, having a mobile platform is integral to the success of many operations. It's a trend that small businesses are taking advantage of, and soon large enterprises will be as well.

Check out this infographic on the BYOD (bring your own device) trend

For many of us, the old fashioned paper method of storing documents and information can be a hard habit to break, but recently it seems that more and more aspects of our day to day lives are being stored digitally. Everything from our household bills to bank statements are now being offered in digital form …

In the course of a company, a merger can breathe new life into a stale product or design and help continue growth. It is an exciting time for both parties. A combination with another firm can happen in many ways and for many reasons, but in most every case it’s a dramatic change that effects …

Have you taken time to define the target market for your small business?

Earlier this year, eMarketer published a new estimate of the amount of time US adults (ages 18+) spend with various types of media. Like many media analysts, eMarketer estimates that the amount of time spent with mobile media is growing more rapidly than all other forms of #media consumption, while the consumption of print media continues to decline precipitously.
eMarketer also estimated the amount of advertising spending per hour of time spent with each type of media, and the table below contains some of the eMarketer estimates. As the table shows, eMarketer is projecting that this year, advertisers will spend 7 cents for every hour a US adult spends consuming mobile media, but more than 10 times that amount (83 cents) for every hour spent consuming print media (magazines and newspapers).

eMarketer isn’t the only analyst to make this kind of consumption ... Read More »

Do you find the office dull, quiet and not what it used to be? hearing faint whispers of people on the phones and lost that laughter you once had all them years ago? This happens in many workplaces and it can be really difficult to open it back out into that friendly, fun environment. I …

You don’t need an MBA or an advanced degree to read a set of financial statements. See these tips for how to quickly figure out financial statements.

When you start up a new business, you only need three essential things. Good employees, a successful product or service, and solid money management. Everything else that comes with starting your own business, supports these three key elements. Good People The best people are those who have the knowledge and skills to do their work. …

With growth of freelancers & home-based entrepreneurs there is a need for co-working spaces and communities that can help these entrepreneurs thrive.

Effective marketing often boils down to instantaneous attraction - something that grabs the masses with the first glance. Social media is no different.

'Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.' Stephen R. Covey

One of the most important aspects of running a business is making sure that you keep it safe. You need to provide your employees and customers with a safe environment that is conducive to getting business done. To that end, follow these five tips to keep your business as safe as possible. 1. Keep the …

Entrepreneurs and small business owners, don’t always have enough start-up cash stowed away in their piggy banks. Alternative loans may be the answer.

We have come a long way since the abacus was the foremost in accounting technology and at times it can be daunting to keep up with it all. With some help Google and some determination, this can be a very productive way to spend a few minutes a week. Below are a few tips and …

Market research will give you a picture of your target market so that you can create and grow a business that meets their needs.

'It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.' Charles Darwin

How do you spend your free time? Do you ‘waste’ all those night hours drawing instead of sleeping? Do you find knitting to be fulfilling and beading calms you down? Did it ever happen that your money is miraculously spent on painting materials instead on clothes? And, while on the topic of money, could you …

Don't get sucked into the social media rabbit hole. Try breaking these vices, and see how easy maintaining a presence online becomes.