eXtension webinar series begins -The Case for Supporting Entrepreneurs in a Jobless Recovery

Thursday, September 8, 2011 – The Case for Supporting Entrepreneurs in a Jobless Recovery – 2:00pm (ET); 1:00pm (CT); 12:00pm (MT); 11:00am (PT)

To join the webinar click on https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/etc-cop
The eXtension Entrepreneurship webinar series opens with a special presentation for our colleagues and partners struggling during these tough economic times. Our topic will be The Case for Supporting Entrepreneurs in a Jobless Recovery.  Join Dr. Stepan Goetz, Director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development for an informative session on where the research points in supporting the communities we work in. More than ever before, expectations are high that entrepreneurs can serve as engines of economic growth in local economies.  Yet the scientific research base documenting the local economic impacts of smaller entrepreneurs remains weak, and organizations such as The Kauffman Foundation are promoting billion-dollar businesses rather than smaller operations to rekindle economic growth.  This presentation provides a user-friendly state of the art review of the most recent research on the roles of small, locally-owned businesses and the self-employed in local and regional economic growth.

It’s A HEAT WAVE! Learn tips on being safe

No matter how old you are, No matter where you live, No matter what profession you are in the heat is going to get to you sooner or later – Learn how to beat the HEAT WAVE with resources from across the Country.

The Extension Disaster Education Network has provided you with information on how to handle any situation – click here for more information – http://eden.lsu.edu/Topics/Hazards/Heat/Pages/default.aspx

Ever wonder which Shopping Cart is best for you? Check out this review

One of the questions we always get in our classes for those businesses considering a transactional or ecommerce site for their online business presence.  Entrepreneur Magazine featured an article about Shopping Carts and it really does a good job reviewing four Shopping Carts for you to consider!  “A Guide to Online Shopping Carts” – http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217950

21 Marketing Resources

Just to let you know these resources are some of the best for up to date information on ‘marketing’ – we subscribe or follow all of these!  http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2082024/21-Resources-New-Marketers-Must-Bookmark

Take a Tip from Google

Isn’t it great that the search engine we most want to please actually gives a lot of information on how to rank higher in its searches. While the actual algorithms are not revealed Google clues us in to what they consider High Quality Content. Check out these questions against your web content:

• Would you trust the information presented in this article?
• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
• Does the site have duplicate, overlapping, or redundant articles on the same or similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?
• Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
• Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
• Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?
• Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
• Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
• How much quality control is done on content?
• Does the article describe both sides of a story?
• Is the site a recognized authority on its topic?
• Is the content mass-produced by or outsourced to a large number of creators, or spread across a large network of sites, so that individual pages or sites don’t get as much attention or care?
• Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
• For a health related query, would you trust information from this site?
• Would you recognize this site as an authoritative source when mentioned by name?
• Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
• Does this article contain insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
• Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
• Does this article have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
• Would you expect to see this article in a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?
• Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?
• Are the pages produced with great care and attention to detail vs. less attention to detail?
• Would users complain when they see pages from this site?

Read more from Google or check out this blog post: Google’s Panda has changed SEO forever

Your Never Too Old to be an Entrepreneur!

What a great story about persistence!  http://www.businessinsider.com/dabble-george-weiss-2011-6

So continue to live the dream!

Clean Up Your Mess

I just found a site that is meant to help in the creation of clear, concise, visual advertising. I think it can also be applied to the elements of our web pages.

The author offers help in making visual elements stand out and cause logical thinking with minimal conscious effort by the reader. I especially like how the examples show slight change in content leading to calls to action that are easily identified and answer the questions in the reader’s mind.

Check it out at:  http://www.visualmess.com/

Local Search

As the yellow pages go the way of the dinosaur, it is important that small businesses make sure they can be found in online searches. This is true even in small towns.

When people are looking for a business, rather than grabbing the phone book, they now grab their computer,( or tablet, or phone) and do a quick search.

The good news for people in small towns is that it is easy to get found by the search engines. Just claim your various place pages online. Complete how-tos can be found in the resource section.

If you are in a bigger market then you need to worry about keywords and pictures and online authority. But for now…. get started, get found.

SBA – FREE webinar – growing small business through exporting

U. S. Small Business Administration and U. S. Department of Commerce

National Export Initiative Webinar: Resources to Grow Businesses
A Regional Event Serving Iowa – Kansas – Missouri – Nebraska

Session One – 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Export Finance

Export Finance, Credit Insurance and Why Lenders & Small Business Owners Should Think Globally

Session Two – 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Export Marketing Assistance

Export Opportunities, Marketing and Trade Assistance from the Government

Call in to 866-740-1260 & log onto http://www.readytalk.com/to Participate

There is no cost, but one needs to register in order to receive a pass code to participate

To register for this webinar go to: http://www.buyusa.gov/stlouis/neiwebinars.html

Great News for Small Businesses and Social Media

Small Businesses Benefit Most From Social Media, Study Reveals

The 2011 Social Media Industry Report has some great news for Small Businesses and the use of Social Media – to read more go to – http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/small-businesses-benefit-most-from-social-media-study-reveals/