~ #Benjamin Franklin

#energy #persistence

Facebook | Whitby Chamber of Commerce

This chamber is the largest Chamber of Commerce in Durham Region (Ontario, Canada) and sets the bar high. Check out their website (http://www.whitbychamber.org) too!

Click here to read 25 companies that are taking specific steps to go against the grain of the current economic downturn.

Here’s what Harvard has to say…

Here’s a sample of one of the daily tips I receive and read each and every day…

Click on the above image to enlarge the tip, and click here to subscribe to this or other publications by Harvard.

David Cohen, Host of The Small Business Big Ideas Radio Show writes a monthly newsletter called “The Technicolour Report” that I read each month cover to cover because not only is it a good read, it always pertains to ways I can grow my small business which as an entrepreneur I’m always on the look out for.

This month’s edition of The Technicolour Report is no different. This month he talks about the four key markets and sectors that are growing in this ‘challenged’ economy, namely; newcomers to Canada, Social Purpose Enterprises, Green Businesses and Government of course!

Click here to read this month’s edition of The Technicolour Report.

It is important in difficult times not to loose track of how crucial a solid marketing plan is for your business to survive. All of us business owners and managers have to make adjustments and cut backs…but your advertising and marketing is more important these days than ever before. The competition will be fiercer for that expendable dollar in a consumer’s pocket. Buying habits are going to change. This is the time to make sure your business card stands out, your website is fabulous and your advertising jumps out of the pages at your potential customer.

Survival is going to be for the business with the best planned marketing, the best execution of marketing materials, and the best advertising campaigns. Here is something I found in Toronto Life:

“Recessions can provide a perfect opportunity. They clearly reward the aggressive advertiser and penalize the timid one. Many studies with the same conclusion; 80 years of well-documented research shows that companies that invest in marketing during a down economy come out ahead. Whether it’s sales, profits, market share, return on capital or market value, the spenders end up better off than the cutters”.

Here some very quick tips re things you should consider:

• -Maintain unparalleled customer service.
• -Try marketing and advertising ideas you have not tried before.
• -Partner with complimentary businesses to reach more customers.
• -Negotiate or renegotiate everything.
• -Go back to old customers and contacts and work them.
• -Take this time to build your brand – both corporate and personal via social networking. Make contacts, write something, start a blog get connected through as many avenues as possible in person and on the web.
• -Make sure your marketing materials stand out from the rest and ensure your website offers a customer-friendly experience.

Stay focused and keep in mind that this is the time to be more diligent about your marketing efforts with a plan that is assertive, hard hitting and uncompromising.

Business card scanners are a must have for any networker, especially those who regularly hold draws or do tradeshows!

They are easy to use… simply slip the cards you collect in the tray, then check/correct any inconsistencies – mine’s very consistent.

The business card scanner I bought, CardScan, comes with software that automatically backs up my contact database, and it makes it far easier to edit entries in many views.

I waited a long time to buy my first cardscan only to realize that it paid for itself because it’s faster and easier to leverage your database if it’s bigger and of course digital.

There are many other types of business card scanners out there, and I’d love to know which one you’re using and what you like/dislike about yours…?

5 Website tests
4 Website links
3 Search sites
2 Podcasts, and
a chance to win a cool prize pack!

It’s all happening on Friday January 9th, 2008 from 9:30-12:30 pm at the BACD (Business Advisory Centre Durham). Costs include materials and a light breakfast. $49.00 (plus GST) gets you in. For more information, click on the poster image to the right or call 416-630-3527 to register.