Tag Archives: Web site

How Much Can Your Customers and Clients Do on Your Website?

Are you truly optimizing the capabilities of your web site for your home business? If you are simply using your business web site to share and disseminate information, you might be missing the boat. People should be able to submit orders, do research, ask questions and even connect with one another on your web site in order to take full advantage of the possibilities. Several years ago, a web site was seen more as a way to market and augment a “bricks and mortar” type businesses. We knew we needed to have a web site, but really more as a … Continue reading →

The Role of Facilitator

One of the realities of many separated and divorced or otherwise single parent families is that there is often “sides.” Children feel like they need to take sides (or avoid taking sides) between parents and families and we single parents may feel like we are definitely on one side or the other. As we heal, recover and move on, however, we may find that our circumstance calls on us to play more a facilitator role and bring diverging sides together. I have mixed feelings personally about finding myself playing the role of facilitator in my family situation. Part of me … Continue reading →

Does Your Web Site Have a “Culture”?

By now, you probably know that I think unique is good when it comes to a home business and how we market and promote ourselves. In my opinion, we don’t want to look and sound and seem like everyone else and this goes for our web sites too. If your business web site looks like a copy or a template of hundreds of other web sites, you might not be making the most of your online presence. I think that a web site should have an “image” and a “culture” that lets people know what you about and helps separate … Continue reading →

Keeping Unwanted “Squatter” Advertising Off Your Web Site (And Other Places)

We are in such a digital/internet age that what I call “guerrilla” advertising is rampant. I recently read an article about “shopdropping”– a term retailers have given to the act of dropping, inserting, and leaving unwanted items on shelves and in products. Individuals leave business cards, flyers, religious or political propaganda, differently wrapped products, etc. in stores. Meanwhile, for those who have web sites with blogs or places where individuals can make comments, many find unwanted promotional posts and “plugs” for other products and services. How can a home business owner stay on top of such “leaches” trying to drum … Continue reading →

How Much Personal Information Should You Put On Your Business Web Site?

Personal connections are important and for those home business that rely on a web site to share key information and generate business—many find that sharing some personal information about the business owner is good business. But, how much information should you share? Should you be concerned about protecting your privacy? Is there such a thing as too much information and how much do customers and prospects respond to the personal touch? I know that some small businesses have taken a very “personal” approach to marketing. There are businesses in my home town where the “brand” is the family approach and … Continue reading →

Online Holiday Gift Planner

Take advantage of technology to plan your holiday gift giving. No more scribbled paper lists or just winging it. Thanks to this website, you can create wish lists, set budgets, track your spending and more. The information is all very organized into easy to read groups, and this online tool does all of the calculations for you, so you won’t even need that calculator. It is easy to adjust your budget as needed, so you won’t wind up paying more for gifts than you can afford. You can see at a glance how much you are spending. The holiday gift … Continue reading →

Afraid of Using the Phone?

E-mail has become the preferred means of communication in the business world these days. So much so, I think that some people have developed a fear or phobia for actually picking up the telephone and calling someone—or returning a phone call. Of course this is all conjecture and opinion, but in the world I move in, I am running into more and more people who avoid using the telephone… I do not want to appear judgmental, but I do have issues with folks who seem afraid to use the phone for business. First, the phone can be much quicker than … Continue reading →

When Customers Ask For Special Treatment

I guarantee that there will always be those people who ask for an extra break. It does not matter if you already offer discounts, coupons and bonuses to your clientele—there will be those who want a little extra and they are not afraid to ask for it. Since you are the one in charge of your own small business, you have to be prepared to make the decisions—do you give in and offer a special break? Or do you say “no”? Most of us want and need the business and it doesn’t seem to matter what sort of business we … Continue reading →

You Want People to Move Around Your Web Site

A web site is not the same as print media. It can sometimes be tough for business beginners to understand or fully comprehend the capacity of a great web site. Many people just copy what they put in their promotional brochure or materials on to the web site and call it good. Having a little repetition can be good for branding–but a strong web presence can do so much more. It might help to think of how YOU use the internet and what you do when you visit web sites. Chances are you do not read each page from start … Continue reading →

Is There Really No Such Thing as a Dumb Question?

We tell our children that there is no such thing as a dumb question, we encourage people to let us know if they have any questions or concerns when it comes to our home businesses, but let’s be completely honest here—do we really believe that there is no such thing as a dumb question? Admit it, doesn’t it irk you just a bit when your time gets taken up by a really, really, dumb question? Now I don’t want you to think that I am advocating eye-rolling or any other sort of disrespectful behavior toward our customers or clients, but … Continue reading →