Challenging assumptions
“It can’t be done.” Photo credit: Michael Wolf Wolf has documented residents in Hong Kong’s oldest public housing development, living in flats most of us would consider far too small to hold a single person, let alone a family; each is a mere 100 square feet. This is what some companies say when faced with unexpected customer demands. But this is what successful entrepr

The Blog Week in Review — 11/24/09
Social Media Means People and, Eventually, Maybe, Friends — Tim Berry shares a story of virtual friendship. Unclear on the concept –  Sabrina Parsons believes web business models have been around long enough that business people should understand them. My Mail — A Handy Widget — When you wear a lot of hats, you need quick, easy ways to manage your em

Business Plan Pro training on the Oregon Coast
Palo Alto Software Offering Business Plan Workshop to Lincoln County Business Owners – Oregon It’s not a secret that Oregon is a great state to start a business. If you are a business owner in Lincoln County you know the challenges of staying open and staying solvent. Do you have a plan to thrive in this changing economy? Palo Alto Software can help you develop a solid business plan for your business. This software company, based in Eugene Oregon is following up on this past summer’s Small Business Boost by offering a workshop on their Business Plan Pro software. This workshop is being held in conjunction with the Small Business Development Center at Oregon Coast Com

BAM – Success!
Customer service has been turned upside down by the self-sufficiency and immediacy of shopping and buying products and services on the Web. Our self-help culture has been transformed into a self-service culture with customers able and willing to do much more for themselves. At the same time, we are becoming accustomed to the benefits and good feelings that we experience online through automated buying experiences that can be customized and personalized to our schedules, locations, tastes, buying patterns, and desires. More than ever before, the transactional relationship between the seller of products and the buyer of those products is critical to companies’ overall profitabilit

What’s your advertising IQ?
Ready for a pop quiz? Answer the following questions with a True or False and then check your answer below. Your ad needs to be large to generate a good response. Use a lot of “white” space because people will not read crammed copy. Ads with black text on a light background get a better response than white text on a black or coloured background. The best section for your ad is always where your market is seeking this type of product or service (e.g. travel section for holiday packages). Long copy is better than short copy. Watch what the big guys are doing and follow their techniques