StartupNation Blogs

If you want to increase your level of returning customers, there is one major thing that you need to take care of at the very beginning of every relationship - Expectations.
This may sound simple, but if you don’t spell out what you are going to provide for the money, you can run into major confusion [...]

As Halloween approaches, you’ll see spooky ghosts, goblins and monsters everywhere. But for many of us, the real scare comes from talking to media members.
If picking up the phone to pitch a reporter gives you the chills, here are three simple tips to make the experience less frightful:
1. Prepare.
Before calling a reporter, know what that person [...]

Many new clients tell me that they have a blog, but no one is reading it. Other clients ask me if they need a blog.
Well, if you have a blog, or are wondering if you need one, you may have these questions:
• What’s the point?
Before you start writing, figure out why you want to have a [...]

As the “royalty” status of Hollywood stars has risen, so has their effectiveness as key influencers in consumer purchasing behaviors. Celebrity product placement is considered an “influencer-marketing” approach for helping brands increase their competiveness in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Marketers and small business owners can harness that power through strategic product placement opportunities that have [...]

With the popularity of performance shows like “Fame,” “Glee,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars,” etc., it got me thinking. Ever see some of the performers warm up singing, “Mi, Mi, Mi…?”
Well, this could be the theme song on many of the Web sites I review these days!
Do You Fall Into [...]

Recently, I caught up with Bruce Freeman, The Small Business Professor (aka “Professor Bruce”) to get his current thoughts on small business success.
In addition to having a syndicated, small business column with Scripps Howard, teaching and running his own marketing and public relations business, Bruce is the co-author of the entrepreneurship book, “Birthing the Elephant.” Here’s what [...]

Recently, I received some interesting information from a small business owner who is pursuing his passion, and thought I would share his tips with you. Meet Shy Figaro, a successful, high-end fashion designer and entrepreneur.
Tell us about your business and why you started it.
I’m fascinated about beauty and elegance, and believe that fashion is a [...]

Since many of you commented on my last blog entry, here are three more free tools to help you with your small business PR activities:
1. Help a Reporter Out
PR Pro Peter Shankman set up this great site at http://www.helpareporter.com/. Simply enter your name and e-mail information. And each day, you’ll receive a list of reporters [...]

On an earlier blog entry, I gave you this list of free, press-release posting sites, http://www.rembrandtwrites.com/FreePressReleasePostingSites.htm.
But are you using these free tools to build buzz and sales too?
Free Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Add the keywords people search for online, and you can significantly increase site visitors and sales. And there are free services to help you [...]

StartupNation’s 3rd Annual Home-Based 100 competition
This is the quintessential ranking of home businesses and the superstar people behind them. StartupNation selects 10 Top Ten Winners across ten categories including Recession Busters, Greenest, Wackiest, Savviest in Social Media, and more. Winners receive invaluable publicity. Many winners have been featured in national TV, newspaper and magazine articles [...]