Entrepreneurs: Create A Journal For Business Success!

By: Dr. Cinda Justice

Like most people, you probably kept a journal or diary when you were younger. You don't have to be a child or teenager to still benefit from keeping a journal. In fact, keeping a business journal not only helps you stay motivated, it encourages business growth. As an entrepreneur, a journal works as both a sounding board and planning tool. While you may think journaling is a waste of time, journaling for business purposes has absolutely no downsides. The time you spend is an important investment in your business, and well worth the effort.

Capture New Ideas
How often do you have a great idea on how to improve something, but forget it later? Perhaps a customer made an amazing suggestion, but now you can't find it. If you create a journal, you can jot these ideas and suggestions down along with any details on how to implement the idea. No longer will you forget ideas which could help your business grow significantly. If you use computer software versus a written journal, you can actually tag entries to quickly find them later.

Measure Progress
Many entrepreneurs measure success based upon profits. However, if your profits have increased slightly but you spend twice as much time working, you really haven't succeeded. The best way to measure success on all levels is through a journal. Use it to create goals and document when you've succeeded. For instance, if you've been trying to promote your website, use your journal to document which methods work the best so you know which ones to focus on in the future.

By measuring your progress through a journal, you learn what does and doesn't work. In the end, you increase profits and decrease the time necessary to run a successful business. Successful entrepreneurs combine journaling with goal charting software to fully track results.

Keep Notes
You should always be learning new things as you build your own business. Use your journal as a notebook for keeping track of the different things you learn, as you learn them. You never know when re-reading your notes could make the ultimate difference in your business. You can't rely upon your memory alone. When you're given good advice, read tips from entrepreneurial leaders, take classes or gain knowledge in any other way, always jot it down, where it will be readily available for future reference.

Journal Successfully
When keeping a business journal, you have two options. You can either go with the standard pen and paper or utilize computer software, including online applications for use anywhere. Both are highly effective. An entrepreneur journal can also be a combination of the two. You can keep a written journal on hand for quick notes and later enter them into your software. The main benefits of software is the ability to tag and organize entries. However, you should always keep a backup of any digital journals.

Journal at least several times each week, daily if possible. The more frequently you journal, the more motivated you become. You are able to vent, strategize and see your business grow. Your journal becomes a living document and guide for your business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Cinda_Justice

Entrepreneurs: Create A Journal For Business Success!

Five Tips for Window Graphics Art Work

by CASEY VALIANT

1. Window graphics on cars, trucks and storefronts
Window graphics are not just for cars. They are signs that can be placed in commercial storefronts, mirrors, or even large interior windows. When sending window graphic artwork in to your local SIGNARAMA to be printed, you will need to keep a few things in mind to streamline the process, and move beyond the simple stick figure artwork commonly seen on car rear windows.

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2. Your message, custom designed for your windows
Window graphics can run the entire gamut of file complexity – from the aforementioned line art vinyl to full high-resolution images (300 or 600 dpi — dots per inch). Additionally, most car-covering window graphics use a perforated material. This allows those inside the car to see out but those outside the car cannot see in very easily. The graphic will still contain enough of the vinyl to be seen as a whole, complete picture from a few feet away with the full-colored graphics.

Be aware that tiny text can get lost when using the perforated material, so choose large text in order to be seen. Text on a moving car needs to be read from a distance. Text seen by pedestrians can be a little smaller, but should still be large enough to be eye-catching.

3. Branding, branding, branding
Let your type of business dictate what type of window graphics you use. If your company sells beach tours, it would be worthwhile to cover your company car’s windows or storefront windows with beach window graphics. However, beach graphics would not be used for a car insurance salesman. But you’d be surprised at the people who put something bright and colorful on their vehicle or storefront with something that has nothing to do with their business.

Additionally, be choosy when selecting colors for your window graphics. If you choose the perforated material option, understand that while your image will print just as brightly, the lighting from inside or outside the store/vehicle can change the look of your sign from a distance. Your sign can look brighter or darker, depending on the light, so avoid using too many colors that might get washed out or lost in different lighting conditions.

Window graphics are perforated to let you see in and out. This affects tiny lettering.

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4. Window graphics and the law
Be aware of your particular state’s laws and city’s rules when dealing with storefront window permitting, because it often counts as signage. Generally, you will need to apply for a permit before applying window graphics to your storefront.

States have different levels of acceptability for vehicle window visibility as well. What’s considered too dark in one city or state may be acceptable in other cities and states. Every locale will be different, so if you travel frequently, be aware of this.

If you have any questions about the laws in your area, contact your local SIGNARAMA professional. They can assist you in acquiring permits and answering any other questions about using signage legally.

5. Window graphics = effective marketing
Window graphics can transform your vehicle into a rolling marketing machine, and your storefront into a localized billboard that will entice people into your store. Check with your local SIGNARAMA store for more information on how they can help you design and create some outstanding window graphics.

Article Source: http://blog.signarama.com/five-tips-for-window-graphics-art-work/

Five Tips for Window Graphics Art Work

3 Easy Steps To Build Your Marketing Muscle

By Lori A Manns

Whether it is entrepreneurs or small to medium size business owners, many people get stuck in the overwhelmed feeling of how to successfully market their businesses. They lack systems and effective strategies to keep their funnel of potential clients full. In order to avoid the overwhelmed feeling of not marketing your business properly, you must have a systemic approach that starts with a simple philosophy; "don't sell to strangers." What I mean by this is to focus on building relationships first, and only sell to people with whom you already have a relationship. Think about the last time you made a purchase for a major item such as a house or a car. Did the agent or salesperson, try to get to know a little about you before attempting to sell you? More than likely, the answer is yes if they were good at their job, that is. You get the point, right? Building a relationship with your prospects will help them to know, like and trust you and eventually want to buy from you. Fortunately, setting up a system to "get to know" your prospects is precisely that...a system.

There are 3 components to this system, and each must be completed in order. Please resist the urge and temptation to focus on step 3 before you do steps 1 & 2. To reiterate, the system works best when followed in order.

Step 1: Create a catchy, compelling and cool offer on your website. Go to your website now. Is there a "compelling" offer of free information that is prominently advertised on the home page? I'm not talking about a "sign up for our newsletter" or "join our mailing list" box.) This is the crucial step #1. According to web analysts who track such things, up to 96% of visitors who come to your site, aren't ready to buy or contact you for more information. With that said, they probably aren't willing to leave their email address unless there's something in it for them. Therefore, if you don't have this great "compelling' free offer, you will not have a chance of building a relationship with people who have a small amount of interest in you.

So the first thing you need to do is create that great free "compelling" offer. Remember "pull" tactics that are hooky in nature, catch the eye and work best. Do not simply say: "Here's what we do".

Step 2: Create interesting follow-up messages that you send after people request the free offer. This message is not the newsletter or ezine. This message is called "drip marketing"...it is something unique. Perhaps the message offers a personal story giving the prospect an idea of your personality. Of course, you can certainly supplement the personal messages with a newsletter. You want to have your drip messages have a tone of intimacy as if they are being written to a single individual (even though they may be sent out to dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people over time). Drip marketing messages are critical regardless of whether you're selling business to business or business to consumer. Building the emotional connection is key and it's these messages that will do just that for you. Utilizing these messages will assist you in converting prospects into paying customers.

Step 3: Now it's time to promote. After steps 1 & 2 are done, and only after you have completed those two steps for a few months, then began to focus on driving traffic to the web page. There are lots and lots of options: S E O, paid advertising on Google, Facebook, Linked in, article marketing, videos, Slideshare, direct mail, speaking, etc. The opportunities are endless.

Most small business owners tend to jump to step 3 without spending proper time and focus on step 1 and 2. It makes no sense to obsess on traffic to your website when you don't have anything there to draw or pull people into your business. The idea is to get your prospects to self select when they land on your website's home page. By the time they glance at your home page for a few minutes, they should be intrigued enough to learn more about you and begin considering a relationship with you. Therefore, the focus should really be on steps 1 & 2 which are the most crucial in building the relationship.

Once you have this system in place (the compelling free offer and the drip marketing sequence) now you are in a position where you can put as much-or little-marketing muscle into getting people to the site. What you finally have is a SYSTEM. If you work this system repeatedly, you will get results which means, more clients, make more money and get more visibility.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_A_Manns

3 Easy Steps To Build Your Marketing Muscle

Employ State-of-the-Art Marketing With QR Code Decals

[Scan this QR-CODE to go to our NEW 
Mobile Version of www.sdsar.com]

The popularity of smartphones has resulted in new options for marketing your business using the latest technology. If you haven’t heard of QR codes yet, you probably haven’t been paying attention.

It’s quite simple to start employing this cutting-edge marketing strategy: you secure custom created QR codes, put them anywhere your customers might see them, and ensure a compelling call-to-action is present to let cell phone users know why they need to scan your code. We can help you do all three of those things.

The beauty of using QR codes is that they allow you to initiate a dialogue with your current and potential customers. This type of engagement can lead to many things, including sales on your website, e-mail signups, or communication from customers in the form of phone calls or text messages. The bottom line is that you’ve connected with your target market in a way that’s unobtrusive and even fun for them.

Here are just a few ways you can use QR codes:

• Encourage online shopping to take advantage of special deals
• Replace handouts at trade shows (go green!) by encouraging booth visitors to scan to sign up for additional information 
•  Distribute coupons or “insider” product information 
•  Generate Facebook “likes”

We’d love to discuss this new brand of marketing with you. Believe it or not, we can customize QR code decals for you and have them ready for pickup or delivery within 24 hours.

www.sdsar.com

Employ State-of-the-Art Marketing With QR Code Decals

New Mobile Friendly site for Sign-A-Rama

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We have a new Mobile friendly site. When you visit www.sdsar.com on your mobile device you will see a Mobile friendly version of our site. You will see various links to contact us, receive a quote, view our various sign product offerings or learn about our company and people. You will also have the ability to view our full site. You will be able to press on your touch screen to call us directly or view a map to our location.

We have discovered, as most other sites, that more and more people are coming to our site from a mobile device.  Since January 1st, over 10% of our visitors are using mobile phones or tablets to view our site.  We expect this to only increase as mobile devices become more prevalent.

Our mobile friendly interface was created by the fine folks from Venue Valet in Austin,Texas (www.venue-valet.com).  In addition to Mobile friendly sites they also feature mobile apps for iPhone and Android and other offerings that turn customer loyalty into results. They offer a mobile centric loyalty platform for markets that depend on the loyalty of their customer base for continued growth and success.

www.sdsar.com

New Mobile Friendly site for Sign-A-Rama