<![CDATA[Weebly.com - Inspiration]]>

<![CDATA[Weebly.com - Inspiration]]>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:01:54 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[How to Use Facebook Ads to Promote Your Page and Business]]>Thu, 18 Jan 2018 18:00:00 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/how-to-use-facebook-ads

Every business needs a Facebook fan page; it's a great way to interact with both customers and potential customers in a place where many of us spend way too much of our time. The question is, how do you grow this page beyond the initial wave of likes you get from your friends and relatives? And how can you ensure the likes you do get match your audience so the exact right people see your posts, interact with your page and visit your site?

Unlike with TV or Newspaper or any other classic form of advertising, Facebook enables very specific targeting. If you want to just reach people between the ages of 25 and 60 in the three zip codes nearest you, you can do that. If you'd like to reach only people who like Die Hard or When Harry Met Sally, you can also do that.

What are the basics?

Facebook ads can be used for a variety of marketing goals: to get more visitors to your site, to drive sales, to get social posts in front of more people, to retarget people who've previously visited your website or to gain likes for your business page (among other options).

Each goal has a generally expected cost attached to it, based on how difficult is to for that goal to be achieved. An ad whose goal is to lead directly to a sale will be more expensive than an ad whose goal is just to get someone to see a post, since you'll make a direct profit from the first while the second provides an indirect value.

Generally costs come out to an average of around $0.20 per like (for a campaign to get more people to like your business page) or $0.28 per click (in a campaign to get more visitors to your site). Keep in mind that these average costs are brought down by large companies with efficient marketing departments; your own costs will vary depending on the quality and effectiveness of your advertising message.

A great thing about FB advertising is you can set a daily budget, whether it's $1.00 a day or $100 a day (or more) that ensures you never spend more than you can afford. And that ensures you can test your marketing out before you start pouring money into it.

How to get started?

Start by going to the Facebook Ads Manager. Anyone with a Facebook account can run an ad from here.

Click on your name, and then click the Create Ad button. This will present you with a variety of options:

If you're just getting started with Facebook ads, then it's best to keep this simple and focus on one of two kinds of campaigns: Traffic (to send people to your site) or Engagement (to gain FB page likes). Let's continue using Engagement as our focus since it leads to a tangible benefit: more likes and followers for your FB page, providing you with an interested audience to continue marketing to as your business grows.

Selecting this brings up three options, the second of which is Page Likes. Select that one and continue.

Now you'll create your campaign. First choose which of your FB business pages you'd like to advertise.

Then select the audience you'd like to target. This starts with every FB user in the U.S. (or your country) over the age of 18. This is not a particularly targeted audience, so you'll want to narrow it down. Even if you think everyone in the world would benefit from what you're selling, you, at least, will benefit from focusing in on a more specific group.

Let's take a coffee shop in San Francisco. Arguably every single person in San Francisco, and cities in San Francisco's metro area like Oakland and Berkeley (since many of these folks work in SF), could be interested in stopping through. But the people most likely to stop through will live nearby, so why not focus on the zip codes nearest your business?

Facebook Ads Manager user interface locations

Then why not narrow this down even more to people in this area who've shown a strong interest in buying and drinking coffee?

Facebook Ads Manager user interface targeting

Now everyone who sees your ad will stand a good chance of being interested in what you're selling.

If you have a website with a national audience, be creative in how you think of targeting. Would people with specific interests be more likely to buy your product? What about people who like certain TV shows or movies? Don't ever target everyone.

Now set your budget and the start / stop time for your ad. Your daily budget can be whatever you like, but if you want to notice activity from the ad, you should likely keep it to at least $5 a day. You can keep it open ended or set an end date. If you set an end date and are happy with the results, you can always extend it, so maybe limit it to a week if this is your first campaign.

What's your message?

Now that you have your audience, you have to create an ad to entice them to like your page. This should be an image and a short message to get viewers to click that Like button. The same principles that always apply to crafting a strong call-to-action apply here: use positive and actionable language, and be direct with your message. No need to beat around the bush. People like to buy things. You're selling things. Tell them.

And you're all done! Your campaign will begin running on your start date and time.

Now what?

Your page has a lot more likes now. So what? What good does it do anything except your ego to have 2,000 people like your business page?

Well, for one, now you have a reason to keep your FB page continually updated. Run special deals and messages for people who follow you. Don't just let them sit there. They liked your page. They know that doing so means there'll be posts from you in their feed. Have a picture, a message, a greeting, a daily menu, something nice to remind them you're there. Now they'll be more likely to visit your site or swing by your coffee shop, and tell other people about you. And that's what business is all about.

Ezra Meyers Ezra is a freelance writer focused on web development, email marketing and baseball. He lives in Los Angeles, but wishes he lived in Tokyo.

]]><![CDATA[7 Things I Wish I Had Known About Prototyping]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2018 21:50:50 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/7-tips-for-prototyping

Entrepreneurs need to learn a little bit about nearly every aspect of business — and they need to learn it fast! What better, safer way to learn than from other people's mistakes? That's why we've launched this new series — “What I Wish I Had Known" — to share lessons that successful business owners have learned through experience. We hope their advice prepares and informs you for your own entrepreneurial journey. And, if you missed it, check out the first installment of this series: 6 Things I Wish I Had Known About Building a Website.

Ely Rodriguez, started Ruthworks SF in 2009 after custom-designing luggage he could carry on a borrowed bike for his upcoming 10-day bicycle tour. Working as a school director at the time, he didn't realize that this first bag would turn out to be the prototype that launched his own custom cycling luggage business. Today, though, designing and selling bicycling-friendly luggage is his full-time job.

“Using that bag on my bicycling tour was the impetus, and I continued to refine its design up until 2015," Ely says, noting that he's learned a few prototyping lessons since.

“In the design phase, prototyping allows you to troubleshoot and refine the usability of the product. Its weight, dimensions and aesthetic can be tweaked, and other details can be added or removed to increase its practical use or to alter its price point." He also notes that the production phase of prototyping allows business owners to get a realistic idea about the time involved, if the method works and which materials or tools will be required to build a single project. “This will affect the cost and price point," he explains. “At this phase, you can fine tune your sourcing and scale."

Beyond why prototyping is important for a business, here are seven lessons Ely has learned:

Lesson 1: Plan for scalability

“If I could do it from the beginning again, I'd plan my design with scalability in mind," Ely says, noting that his early designs included several labor intensive elements that made repeatability and, therefore, scalability difficult — both for one person shops and for factory production-level companies. “Now when I make other versions of the bags, they're always designed to be scalable because the beginning was horrible. For the first couple years of my business, I had a six- to eight-month waiting list."

He suggests carefully considering the materials you use along with where and how you'll get them. These factors affect the speed at which you can make your product.

Lesson 2: Design with a specific clientele and market in mind

When you do so, says Ely, you not only will design the aesthetics with your clients in mind, but you'll also better understand how your customers use the product and what specific purpose it serves. In other words, you're more likely to get it right early on, creating happy, loyal customers.

Lesson 3: Build a support group

“From day one, you need a support group of people who do similar things," Ely urges. “This is critical to success." Ely's team includes bicycle frame builders, metal workers, leather workers, industrial designers, bag makers and even a cobbler. He notes that some of the best pieces he's designed have involved advice from his industrial designer contacts.

“Working with other people always yields a better product," Ely says. “Collaboration and different perspectives can add a lot, so be open to advice from everyone about everything." Finding your community early on can help aid your success.

Lesson 4: Development never stops — price with this in mind

When Ely priced his first-ever product, he didn't think to factor it its prototyping costs or plan financially for its future development. These factors, he has learned, should be worked into the price of any business' product.

“In the prototyping stage, my original design intention was simple, and I priced the bag at a specific price without any intention to further develop it," Ely explains. “But after a few years, people asked for modifications, which were great and led to improvements, but I needed the price of the bag to help cover that. Now when pricing a final product-build I plan for it to cover the prototyping cost and price it so that a year or two later, I can continue to develop the product." Be sure to consider pricing strategies early in the product development process.

Lesson 5: Try various materials

Using different types of materials will allow you not only to experiment with their different properties to see what works best, but it may even lead to the development of several types of your product that allow for different uses and various price points.

Ely's original bag was mostly leather. Using this material not only took longer to produce, but also made his bags heavier. As he evolved his prototyping practices, Ely began to experiment with other materials. While some of his customers still like leather, others now prefer a more lightweight version of his bags.

Lesson 6: Get comfortable with criticism

Ely emphasizes how customer use of his bags, like keeping large DSLR cameras safe and storing u-locks while riding, is one of the most important factors while developing the design. In fact, since his first bag's inception, he's developed its design specifically in response to customer feedback.

“Even if it's difficult to hear, constructive criticism is really important to improvement. Don't get too emotionally attached," Ely counsels. “Ask your customers questions about what they like, what they'd change and why — isolate and solve problems and note what they really like too. My customers' usage drives the refinement of my prototypes."

Lesson 7: Track your prototype-related expenses and time

“I missed the opportunity the first time around to claim my prototype expenses on my taxes," Ely says, noting that there's a section for research and development expenditures. He's since learned to keep track of expenses related to prototyping and product development. “Now that I know I can claim the cost on my taxes, I'm more confident dedicating time, energy, and materials toward product development."

Anne Shaw Anne is a marketing consultant who specializes in content strategy. Before becoming her own boss, she led the marketing team for a Fortune 500 brand.

]]><![CDATA[How to Take Your Pastime to Full Time]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2018 21:27:28 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/take-your-pastime-to-full-time

You've heard it before: if you work on what you love, then you'll love your work. Who wouldn't like to make money doing their favorite hobby instead of spending all day filling out spreadsheets (unless your hobby is Excel, in which case: congrats!). Pulling this off is easier than it might seem. How can you turn something you genuinely enjoy into a career?

The short answer is one step at a time. The longer answer involves all those steps.

Take Yourself Seriously

Woody Allen once said that 80% of success is just showing up. That doesn't mean you don't have to work at your success, it just means that you absolutely will not succeed if you don't get started. It means that 80% of working out is going to the gym, 80% of writing a novel is sitting down and typing every day, 80% of starting a business is taking it seriously as a business. Once you've started something, you're not usually just going to turn around and leave the minute you get the ball rolling.

To turn your hobby into a business, you have to treat it like one:

Set aside enough time to pull this all off. You very likely already spend a serious amount of time on your hobby, but now you'll need to spend time on the business/promotional side of thing. This can be a couple of evenings every week at first, but be consistent.
Write a business plan and really think through the steps you'll need to take in order to move your hobby from pastime to profitable venture.
Get a business license. Nothing says “I'm serious about making this happen" like paying your city or town the small (but necessary) fee to obtain a license. Now your hobby is suddenly something you'll be able to start writing off on your taxes.

Joe of peasandcues.press took his hobby seriously and built an unexpectedly successful business as a result.

Create an Online Presence

We've long since passed the point where a business can succeed without having a notable presence on the internet. Google is the new Yellow Pages and if potential customers can't find you there or on another search engine, then there's a good chance they'll assume you don't exist.

Build a basic website. Make a nice home page, give visitors a way to contact you, put together an about page so people can learn about you and your business, get an appropriate domain name and publish it. You don't have to go over the top (at least not yet) — the more ambitious you are with this first version of your site, the less likely you are to ever finish it. Read our post on why your first site doesn't have to be perfect. Establish that your business is real with a tightly packaged, small website that you can worry about building on later as your business grows.
Start a Facebook page. If Google is the new Yellow Pages, then Facebook is the new community bulletin board. It's the ideal spot to share your business with your friends and get them to share it with their friends. There are plenty of other social networks to consider, but deal with those later on once you're established. Facebook is the most important.

Deb of theorganicgallery.com used an online presence to turn her love of art into a business. Listen to her story of how she did it:

Build Your Brand Identity

With your presence established, you can start showing what sets you apart from other businesses that provide something similar to yours. Your product/service may be the highest quality, most interesting, least expensive of its kind, but you need to successfully convey that both intellectually and emotionally before people who don't personally know you will believe it.

Ask yourself why you think someone else would choose your business. Ask friends why they would choose it. Use these answers to identify and develop your brand's emotional benefit.
Use this as the basis of your brand's personality. Every brand, large and small, has a personality. Don't be afraid to show yours off. Determine your target market (budget? high-end? moms? grandparents? teens?) and focus your message in that direction. If you try to be everything to everybody, you won't be anything to anyone.
Tell your brand's story. This will likely even be your own personal story, detailing your love of this hobby turned business and/or the neighborhood in which you live. Start a blog and keep it updated every couple of weeks with tidbits of this story.

Betty from pretzelprincess.com built a brand that's all about her own story. You have your own story to tell. Tell it.

Keep at It

To quote Richard Branson, "In business, you will never get everything right the first time. Learn to dust yourself off and get up quickly when things don't go your way."

No matter how many stories you hear about people who achieve instant success, it is far more common for success to take time and effort. Don't give up just because your business hasn't taken off in the first six months or a year. Set small, realistic goals for yourself (first sale by second month, third sale by third month, etc.) and build on those. You have to walk before you can run.

Ezra Meyers Ezra is a freelance writer focused on web development, email marketing and baseball. He lives in Los Angeles, but wishes he lived in Tokyo.

]]><![CDATA[Your First Website Won't Be Perfect and That's Okay]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2018 21:17:09 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/tips-for-your-first-website

There's no doubt that having a great website is critical for telling the world your brand story and growing your business, but the pressure that comes with building your first website can often be overwhelming. For some small business owners, the desire to get it just right is so strong that they delay the release of their website indefinitely or sometimes don't bother with building anything at all.

Fortunately, your first website doesn't have to be perfect to be effective. Here are four tips to help you get started with a website and improve as you go.

Keep It Simple

While your heart may be set on a slick, feature-rich website with lots of photos, videos and other interactive content, consider what you really need to communicate to your audience. What is the bare minimum amount of information you need to generate interest from a prospective customer?

Select a theme, then consider a few basic things like your name, logo, a short description of your business and a list of the products or services you provide. With this information and a focus on basic SEO best practices, you can actually achieve a lot of success. You might even find that you like your minimal website. After all, sometimes less is more.

Have a Plan

Starting with a very basic website doesn't mean you have to stop planning for the future. Consider a phased approach to your website development strategy that gradually implements the features you want to add over time. One of the advantages to this approach is that you are more likely to understand what features are working and not working. If you're only adding one component at a time, it's easier to identify what might be causing a boost or decline in performance.

It also minimizes the amount of time, money and resources you need to focus on website development. If you're like many small business owners, designing a website is not your main area of expertise so keeping updates small is a good way to make the project manageable and not let it detract from other important aspects of your operation.

Practice Makes Perfect

As you begin building out your website and considering how to add more unique or advanced features, remember the old adage "practice makes perfect." The more you test and experiment with your website, the more likely you are to find the right mix of content that leads to optimal performance. If you're measuring success based on your very first iteration of the website, you're likely setting yourself up for disappointment.

The advantage of using a flexible website platform is that you can make updates very easily. Nothing has to be locked in until you're 100% confident that it's working, and if things change in the future, you can change too.

Don't Be Overwhelmed

As I said at the beginning of this article, the most important thing to remember when you're designing your first website is that it doesn't have to be perfect to be effective. If it helps, you can turn that into a little mini-mantra that you say when you sit down at your computer to work on the site.

At the end of the day, it's your business and you're the one in control. With a good plan, a positive attitude and a willingness to start small and learn as you go, you can build a website that does everything you need it to do.

Rob FrappierRob is a creative content strategist from Detroit. When he’s not developing integrated marketing campaigns, he’s probably watching Netflix.

]]><![CDATA[Free 3D Design Software If You Decide to Design Your Own Inventions]]>Tue, 16 Jan 2018 22:24:05 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/free-3d-design-software

3D design is often considered a difficult and costly endeavor for those with an invention idea — either you have to buy expensive software, or hire a qualified modeler or designer. Fortunately, there are many free 3D computer-aided design (CAD) packages available (web-based and downloads) to help get your prototype started and ready for production.

There is a learning curve for any new software package you decide to use, but here are four that are considered some of the easiest to learn and use.

TinkerCAD
FreeCAD
OpenSCAD
Blender

Tinkercad is viewed as a basic, kid-friendly, 3D modeling app, but it is much more than a simple web app and more robust than most people realize. There are advanced features in Tinkercad and small business owners are using it to design and create complete products. Files can be saved for 3D printing, of course.

FreeCAD is what is known as a parametric 3D modeler, as in, the software allows you to modify designs by changing parameters, such as, dimensions or density. Most often this is from a dimension – you can change the parts or components graphically by dragging the corner of an object, for instance, but you can also just enter in a numerical change and it will adjust the model accordingly. FreeCAD is open source (LGPL license) and completely modular, allowing for very advanced extension and customization.

OpenSCAD is popular, but different than the other packages mentioned above in that it does not focus on the artistic side of 3D modeling, but on the CAD-specific approach. Their tagline captures it best: "The programmers solid 3D CAD modeler." So, it makes it the more technical package in this list, but it has great reviews. If you are not interested in trying the “artistic" approach, this may be your software.

Blender is one of the best known 3D design software programs, partly because it is free and open source, but more so because it is a robust 3D creation suite. This software package gives you the tools to move through the entire range of 3D — from modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, to include video editing and game creation.

While these four will serve most readers, if you have more technical or specific needs, here are two bigger lists of CAD software that may help:

Finding the Right 3D Modeling Software For You on the MatterHackers site and Top 10 best free 3D modeling software tools for 3D printing at 3Ders.org.

As you will find with these software tools, 3D design and modeling does not have to be an arduous experience. There is little risk and with just a bit of time invested, you will find yourself modeling new product ideas and getting ready for the production line.

Two final notes: If you If you somehow find that you need a more mainstream CAD package, most of the major 3D software packages offer some sort of extended trial for the entrepreneur, small business and startup: Autodesk, Solidworks and Onshape each have free or low-cost options.

If the Do-It-Yourself path does not work for you, then read 3D Printing Services - Turn Your Idea into a Product, which offers several service bureaus, such as Shapeways and ProtoLabs, where you can get help creating your first prototypes.

TJ McCue TJ McCue runs a content marketing firm, Refine Digital, to help technology executives share their expertise. You can find him on Twitter.

]]><![CDATA["Buy Local" Marketing Programs to Help You Find Customers]]>Tue, 16 Jan 2018 21:30:10 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/local-marketing-programs

Small Business Saturday is one of the best known “buy local" marketing initiatives, meant to counter the Big Box Retail phenomenon known as Black Friday. The good news is that “buy local" type programs happen all around the country, all through the year.

According to the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), independent businesses in communities with a long-term “buy local and independent campaign" reported average revenue growth of 7.4 percent, nearly double the 4.2 percent increase for independent businesses not served by such efforts. Here is a list of resources for you to consider and either join or build upon.

Buy Local, Made Local Programs and Initiatives You Can Join

AMIBA (cited above) offers some of the best resources to help cities and businesses create “Buy Local" campaigns. In the U.S., Independents Week is an annual campaign that covers the week of July 4.
Bellingham, Washington's Sustainable Connections is a great example of a “Think Local" focus. The Think Local First Campaign makes it easy to find what you need locally and give back to the community.
Oakland, California started what is known as “Plaid Friday" and other cities coordinate their own Plaid Fridays. The community wear plaid the raise awareness for the creativity of independent businesses.
SFMade is another well-known West coast program in San Francisco that launched to help with the city's boom in urban manufacturing. There are similar ones in Seattle and Portland (Oregon) helping connect small businesses with local manufactures.
The Urban Manufacturing Alliance (UMA) has a quick and thorough local branding resource page with a downloadable Toolkit and webinars you can watch. Their focus is on small manufacturers, but the ideas hold true across a wide spectrum of business types.
This guide from an Orlando, Florida "Buy Local" effort is worth a read if you are considering helping your city start a program: How to Implement a Buy Local Program. Here you can find research on how to implement and measure a successful by local program in your own community.
Well-known blogger, Becky McCray, has a wide range of useful resources on her Small Biz Survival site that includes a Shop Local ebook.

If you wonder if your city or area offers a buy local program, simply search for your city name and the various terms these initiatives often appear under:

Buy Local [+ City, County, State, or Region Name]
Made Local
Shop Local
Think Local

Now is always a good time to start marketing. "Buy Local, Made Local" programs and initiatives offer a foundation to help you find more customers in an era of big brand marketing budgets. Join one of the efforts in your area so that local businesses prosper all through the year.

TJ McCue TJ McCue runs a content marketing firm, Refine Digital, to help technology executives share their expertise. You can find him on Twitter.

]]><![CDATA[5 Simple Marketing Tips to Boost Business in 2018]]>Tue, 16 Jan 2018 19:30:28 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/marketing-tips-to-boost-business

Successful entrepreneurs know that customers are their lifeblood. Unless you're one of the relatively few entrepreneurs with a product that sells itself, repeatedly and perpetually, you can't overlook the need to actively win and retain clients.

A great product and excellent service are vital, as is effective marketing. After all, people have to know about your business to become customers.

Whether you're offering life coaching, guitar lessons, landscaping or professional photography, or selling hand-knit sweaters, designer clothing or cheese from your own goats, good marketing moves can draw in new customers and deepen existing clients' loyalty.

Before you get started, consider writing a marketing plan — even a simple one — to map out your efforts. You can get some ideas from SCORE's free, downloadable small business marketing guide or develop a more simplified strategy.

Developing a marketing plan may be the ideal first step, but even if you forgo a formal blueprint, a few key moves could jump-start, or accelerate, business in 2018. Every business and entrepreneur is different, so consider those that apply most to yours.

1. Share your expertise

Offering useful insights is a great way to raise your profile as an expert without making a hard sell.

You might blog on your company website, publish an article on LinkedIn, record podcasts, post webinars or tutorials, or host a free seminar in a local library or coworking space.

A financial planner, for instance, could invite parents to a school auditorium to talk about strategies to save for college, or hold a WeWork gathering for startup entrepreneurs to outline ways to build personal wealth and save for retirement. Posting videos with the same info is another option.

A therapist could publish a blog post or LinkedIn article, or both, with mental health tips on handling stress, achieving goals, improving mindfulness or managing family conflict, while a home organizer could share decluttering advice.
If you sell handcrafted or homemade goods, you might post a video tutorial, or series, on knitting, sewing, canning or other domestic arts, or offer a mini-lesson at a fair or farmer's market.

A frequently updated blog on your company website can help you and your business develop a following of regulars.

2. Get active on social media

Depending on your business, clever use of Facbeook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn can drive customers your way. You might promote sales, contests and events, or share news about your business. Even sharing photos or interesting tidbits can draw in customersIf you're blogging, podcasting or posting videos, use your social media accounts to link to them.

Be sure your tagline or blurb describes your business in a way that will get you noticed by potential clients in your desired target market. If you want to turn up on Twitter or LinkedIn searches for a "Seattle residential architect" or "New Jersey organic farmer," then use the appropriate wording.

Social media can be a great way to engage directly with customers, but remember to keep tabs on your accounts and be prepared to respond, whether your customer leaves a rave review or brings a complaint to the entire Twitterverse

3. Create or update your professional website

It's hard to overestimate the importance of a polished website for a company or professional, even if you conduct most of your business offline. You may win or lose potential customers before ever hearing from them based on their search for your website.
If you don't have a website, or if it doesn't look good, you may lose a prime opportunity with potential clients.

Your website is a chance to present your business in a professional way and set the tone with customers, whether you're selling whimsical gifts or promoting your legal services. Make it easy to navigate, and to fuel its marketing effectiveness, add client testimonials and an engaging, regularly updated blog.

4. Tend to existing and former clients

Remind them of your products and services and let them know about any new offerings or changes in your business.
Emailing helpful tips or news is a good way to stay in touch with regular customers without directly asking them to buy anything.

On the other hand, a direct approach can work wonders.

Freelance designers, writers and consultants can touch base with clients they haven't talked to in a while to offer their services and re-establish a working relationship. Consider asking existing clients if they need additional services or know of anyone else who could use your offerings.

Retail small businesses — online, offline or both — might offer deals, gifts or special events to existing customers. This could be a gift card or a unique object with your corporate logo, an exclusive online discount code or a physical coupon to use within a month.

Consider throwing a party to show appreciation to loyal customers. Wine and hors d'oeuvres, accompanied by your favorite Spotify playlist or a local musician, needn't cost a fortune. This isn't the time for a sales pitch; it's a "thank you," designed to engender warm feelings about your business.

If you're an online-only business, consider a party alternative. Could you invite your top 50 customers to a multi-city virtual party, sending gourmet pizzas to their homes or businesses at the same time, maybe with a video chat?

5. Reach out to your community

Attend or host networking events, create a pop-up shop in high-foot-traffic places, or go in with other businesses to throw a street party or fair that features your wares.

Sponsor something fun — perhaps a bowling tournament, scavenger hunt or race that gets your business in front of a relevant target market.

Consider banding together with companies or professionals in related fields to refer customers to each other or engage in other joint marketing.

Getting involved in community activities and philanthropy is good for the soul, and can raise your profile as well. Consider establishing your business as a supportive community player.

As you plan for 2018, take some time to brainstorm what two or three steps you might take to boost your marketing efforts.

Dinah W. Brin A freelance reporter and writer based in Philadelphia, Pa., Dinah previously worked as a staff reporter for The Associated Press and Dow Jones Newswires.

]]><![CDATA[Using Quizzes to Drive Engagement on Your Site]]>Mon, 15 Jan 2018 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/drive-engagement-with-quizzes

When we’re online, we all see quizzes all the time - they seem to be everywhere! This is no accident - websites like BuzzFeed or your preferred news sites use them because they keep visitors like us engaged on their site - and are often great for getting new leads. Additionally, quizzes often go viral - and others flock to see how their results stack up to their friends’!

You too can use quizzes to engage your site visitors or capture new leads - no matter what your website is about or the products you sell in your online shop, there is a theme you can pick for your quizzes that is both relevant to your industry and interesting for your public. Additionally, you can use it as a lead capture form - if you ask for someone’s e-mail, then you can add them to your mailing list and build a relationship with them.

So, how to get started with Quizzes?

1. Choose the platform or tool you’ll use to create your quizzes. On Weebly, you have tools such as 123 Form Builder and Quiz Survey Builder, available through the Weebly App Center. You can also check out external quiz platforms such as Qzzr (paid), Apester (free), Fyrebox (Free & Paid options), or EngageForm (free trial).

2. Choose the type of quiz that makes sense and goes with your brand’s ‘voice’ and the look of your site. Also think about how it can help you sell your services or products.

For instance, if you sell handmade soaps, you could publish a quiz called “What type of soap should you buy your girlfriend/boyfriend?”, or a more personality-based quiz called “What kind of soap are you?” Sounds silly, but these kinds of quizzes work. Whether they are a personality type of test or a knowledge type of test, you can keep it interesting for your audience.

3. Write your questions! Don’t make the quiz too long (over 10 questions) or you’ll risk boring people. If you can use images, all the better.

4. Encourage sharing - most tools will let you customize the final quiz results page and the message that users can share on their social profiles (which will link back to the quiz on your site).

5. Pick a catchy title! The ones that seem to do best are any variation of the following:

“Which ____ is right for You?”
"Which Kind of _____ are You?"

"How Much Do You Know About ____"

Note that depending on the tool, you can create more complex quizzes (for instance: if user answers option A for question 1, take them to question 2, otherwise skip all the way to question 3). This may sound more complicated than it is, and your best best is just to make a test quiz before you start working on your final one, in order to see how the tool works. If you have a question about how to make a quiz more complex, reach out to their Support team - they’ll be happy to help, since it’s also in their interest that your Quiz do well!

Once you’ve set up a quiz, you should also think about using surveys to learn more about your visitors - as we know, people do like answering questions about themselves!

Finally, remember that if you’re gathering e-mails on your Quiz (it’s usually done right before the visitor can see their results), be straightforward on how you intend to use their e-mail address, and plan out a short e-mail marketing campaign to make sure you’re top-of-mind and prove that your site, product or service can provide value for potential customers.

Larissa Murillo Larissa is the Marketing Manager at MarketGoo, an SEO application for businesses looking to optimize their websites for search engines.

]]><![CDATA[5 Ways to Overcome Fear of Failure and Start the Business of Your Dreams]]>Fri, 12 Jan 2018 22:26:02 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/overcome-fear-of-failure

Don't worry, it happens to all of us. Most entrepreneurs experience a moment of fear before starting a business.

For some, fear of failure is easily pushed aside; however, for as many as 30% of U.S. and more than 35% of U.K. and Canadian entrepreneurs, the fear that their new business will fail is so strong that it has the power to derail their plans. Here are five ways you can put the fear of failure into perspective so it doesn't stop you from starting the business of your dreams.

5 Ways to Put Fear Aside Before Launching Your Business

1. Visualization

Visualization is the deliberate act of creating images in your mind or even in visual or written forms that envision what will happen as a result of taking specific action. It includes mental visualization exercises, writing down goals and plans, pros and cons, visiting successful businesses like the one you want to build and more. When you imagine what your business will be like, how it will change the world and how it could change your own life, it's likely that what you stand to lose by not starting your business outweighs potential risks.

Plus, visualization can help at every step. While an overall fear of failure can be overwhelming, when it comes to the risks associated with only the specific actions that need to be completed in the near future, you may find that visualizing just the next step, or the next day or week robs fear of its strength.

2. Education and Research

Knowledge is power and you can minimize or eliminate potential risks by drawing on the expertise and experience of others. Before you start your business, research and educate yourself on topics like:

Business startup checklists
Expert tips for starting and operating a business
Common mistakes startup and small business owners make (and how to fix them)
Commonly overlooked startup and small business challenges
Things business owners wish they had known when starting a business – and so on

As you dive into research you're going to discover that many other entrepreneurs have faced-off against the same fears you have about starting your business. Here are just a few of the rich repositories of business knowledge and free resources available online to help you overcome obstacles as an entrepreneur:

SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) – SBA loans, counseling and other small business assistance, including national and regional resources, classes and workshops
SCORE - Free small business resources, advice and mentoring, including local chapters
LinkedIn – B2B (business to business) social networking and professional resources, including a vast library of online tutorials and videos accessible by members with professional (paid) accounts
TED Talks – Inspirational and instructional videos from other entrepreneurs and successful professionals

3. A Mentor or Coach

You might already know successful entrepreneurs who would be happy to offer advice, brainstorm ideas, discuss challenges as they arise and cheer you on as a mentor or coach. Having a mentor can also minimize the feeling of isolation many entrepreneurs experience when they feel like they are going it alone. Not sure where to start? Check out the seven ideas this Entrepreneur.com article suggests.

4. Local Networking Groups

Joining or even starting a networking group with other business owners and entrepreneurs can connect you with people who are facing (or have already overcome) the same fears and challenges you are experiencing. These peers can be great sounding boards for your ideas and they can offer expert advice based on their own experiences in starting a business in your city. You may find great networking opportunities within your local Chamber of Commerce, where you are likely to find other business owners who have successfully built businesses in your region.

5. Counseling

Many people think of professional counseling as a resource only accessed after something bad has happened, such as a personal tragedy or relationship problems. If fear of business failure is holding you back, something already has happened; it is happening. You may be able to find a good counselor from personal recommendations; however, you might not feel comfortable asking around. The National Board for Certified Counselors can give you a list of licensed counselors in your area. Professional counselors can help you put fear in its proper perspective and strengthen your mental, emotional and physical ability to manage fear so that it doesn't have the power to disable you or derail forward motion.

Fear of failure is normal. It can even be healthy in motivating you to fine-tune your business model before you launch your business, but it doesn't have to stop you in your tracks. Use these tactics to put fear in its place.

Elizabeth Kraus Elizabeth is a Seattle-based marketing consultant and the owner of The Marketing Desks and author of 365 Days of Marketing.

]]><![CDATA[For the Easily Distracted Entrepreneur: Staying Focused in 2018]]>Fri, 12 Jan 2018 22:09:07 GMThttp://www.weebly.com/inspiration/staying-focused-as-an-entrepreneur

Any small business owner or freelancer bursting with ideas and overwhelmed by projects may need help staying focused and organized. This is especially true for the easily distracted entrepreneur.

Shiny objects - email, Facebook, the phone, the dog — can sidetrack anyone, leaving you foraging for important papers or just trying to figure out how to start your workday.

If you find yourself bouncing from task to task, becoming more frazzled as you struggle to make real progress, consider trying a new tack to minimize distraction and establish some order.

A combination of meditation, planning, written goal-setting, bite-sized work sessions, productivity apps, accountability buddies, exercise and delegation may work for you. Here are a few tips to consider for getting organized and on track in 2018.

Write down your daily goals and steps for getting there — and follow that plan

"Storing all of your goals in your head just isn't enough; if you don't already create daily goals, it's time to integrate this into your routine. Every morning, make a short list of milestones for the day," says Hannah Wright, co-founder and CEO of cloud HR software firm HR Partner.

"The act of recording your goals is much more powerful because you are far less likely to forget your tasks, and it also allows you to hold yourself accountable," says Wright.

Licensed clinical social worker Kelsey Torgerson recommends that people set a schedule for the day, figuring out what needs to be done immediately, within the week and within the month. "Stick to a schedule so that you know you'll spend at least an hour on this task before moving onto the next one," she says.

ADHD author David Greenwood batches together similar or smaller tasks to complete in one stretch, which helps him "get in the zone" on projects.
Your daily goals should be part of a larger objective.

"Every business owner should be operating from a strategic plan. This plan should include an overarching vision, a path to achieving that vision and the milestones that need to be hit along the away," says David Scarola, The Alternative Board's chief experience officer.

Break your work into manageable pieces — and take breaks

By unpacking a major goal into smaller steps, you'll see progress and gain momentum and confidence to propel you toward your overall objectives, emotional intelligence coach Harvey Deutschendorf says.

S. Frances Robbins, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with an online therapy practice, recommends establishing time blocks for working on specific tasks, starting with 20 minutes.

"Remove all distractions. If no internet is needed to complete this task, turn off your WiFi," she says. "If you need the Internet, then turn off the notifications and limit your screen to only those areas you need to complete your work."

Take a short break after this dedicated work session, said Robbins, but set a timer, "or your 10-minute break could easily turn into an hour."

Free or low-cost time-tracking apps like TimeCamp and Toggl, project management software like Wrike and Asana, and your trusty computer, paper or cloud-based calendar can help you stay focused, organized and on top of business.

Tech entrepreneur Mike Brummett, founder and CEO of startup Sensory A.I., keeps a Google Keep tab open, using the note-taking service to set reminders for tasks, follow-ups and even prompts to go get some fresh air.

Tend to mind and body

Exercise, meditation and mindful focus on breathing can help keep you centered, calm and on track. Rest and good nutrition are important, too.

"Getting the proper sleep is critical. The brain repairs itself during sleep and it's one of the best ways to ensure you have the ability to focus the next day," says Greenwood, author of Overcoming Distractions: Thriving with Adult ADD/ADHD. "By the same token, exercise needs to be a part of your life. ... I need to get some type of physical activity at least every 48 hours or I have issues with focus."

Twenty minutes to an hour of exercise a day can keep your mind focused, according to Robbins.

Mindfulness, through meditation, focused breathing or other methods, can also be effective.

"Help your brain stay focused by taking breaks for deep breathing, and just build them into your schedule so that you know they're coming," says Torgerson.

Brummett says mindfulness and meditation apps like Headspace have "helped on those mornings and afternoons where there are important meetings or personal events that seem to overwhelm my mind."

Physically limit distractions

You may need to close a door, get away from your regular work space or find another way to tangibly block distractions.

"Noise-cancelling headphones are my godsend," Brummett says. "You can shut out the world when you're in the zone and keep up the momentum."

Limit your personal social media accounts and your access to them, perhaps checking only once a day. The same goes for any other internet rabbit holes that tend to steal your time and attention.

If you find that you can't resist Twitter or Facebook, try an extension like Work Mode or StayFocusd that will block them for you during work.

Find an accountability buddy to help you stay committed to achieving your goals

"Clients who struggle the most with getting focused really benefit from weekly accountability check-ins from either a coach, friend, family member or colleague. This looks like someone sending them an email or text to ask them what their three main accomplishments were the previous week, and what their three main priorities are in the coming week," said career coach Rebecca Beaton.

"I personally do this with a friend each week — we both check in with each other," she says, "and I find it helps me to laser focus in on what's important, while avoiding 'shiny object' syndrome."