Find out about an untapped market you may not be targeting–African-American consumers–and how to reach them in my blog on AT&T’s SmallBusinessInSite.

Get the latest on the state of small-business lending in my blog on iBank.com.

Finally, read whysome of America’s biggest brands are turning to franchising in my post on the AllBusiness.com Franchise Blog.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

By Maria Valdez Haubrich

Today, the world’s most recognized online trust mark, VeriSign, announced an extension of its authentication and verification services. “We recognize what small businesses want is to establish credibility,” explained Fran Rosch, senior vice president of authentication for VeriSign.  For Web sites that outsource their shopping cart or payment functions to third-party providers or for information-only Web sites, the new VeriSign Trust™ Seal will bring the same image of confidence and trust to customers that the long-established VeriSign Secured® Seal does. The VeriSign Trust Seal pairs the familiar VeriSign checkmark circle with the words “VeriSign Trusted,” enabling Web sites of any size to capitalize on displaying the  highly-recognized and respected brand seen on well-established Web sites. For a small company, a reputation of trust can increase traffic and secure customer loyalty.

Available next week for Web sites in North America, the VeriSign Trust Seal costs $299 for a one-year license. Here’s what you get for your money:

• Authentication: Validates that a Web site represents an actual business and is not a scam.

• Daily malware scan: VeriSign will scan your site daily for signs of hackers trying to inject malicious code on your site. The VeriSign Trust Seal tells visitors they don’t have to worry about picking up a virus when visiting your site.

• Seal-in-search results. VeriSign will partner with shopping search engines such as TheFind, which will display the VeriSign Trust Seal in the search results reassuring customers your site is a trusted site.

For more information on the VeriSign Trust Seal go to www.verisign.com/trust-seal/index.html.

Related Posts:

• Are your employees disengaged?
• Everything I learned about owning a business I learned in elementary school
• Top 10 Web tools for business collaboration
• Help for small business, keeping key employees and more
• Want a better business? Try trading places with your employees

By Karen Axelton

Coming up with an innovative business idea is one way to launch a business, but the key to success in doing this is getting your first follower.

Derek Sivers, founder of music distribution site CDBaby.com, has an excellent video that explains the concept of the “first follower” and how important it is. He explains it better than I could – please take 3 minutes of your time to watch and read the explanation.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

By Karen Axelton

For years Starbucks was the company to watch and learn from. In recent years, it’s taken somewhat of a beating; sales dropped when the recession hit as customers cut back.

But now Starbucks may be bouncing back—and may be once again one to watch. This article from the New York Times examines how Starbucks is rebounding by “thinking entrepreneurially” once again.

When founder Howard Schultz returned as CEO two years ago, he told employees to “break the rules and do things for yourself.” Schultz’s goal is to take the giant chain back to its startup roots. “We went back to start-up mode…with the kind of discussion and focus that probably we had not had as a company since the early days — the fear of failure, the hunger to win,” the article quotes him as saying.

One result of the new attitude: The company is opening boutique coffeehouses that aren’t named Starbucks, such as Seattle’s 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea. It is also focusing on localizing its Starbucks locations—for example, more iced drinks in the Sun Belt and more espresso in the Pacific Northwest. In short, it’s making its stores more like independent coffeehouses.

Will the strategy work? Some customers feel “fooled” when it turns out that independent-(seeming) coffee house they liked is really a Starbucks. But  last week Starbucks reported first-quarter sales more than triple those of a year ago.

Being responsive, individualistic and unique are advantages small businesses have traditionally held. Starbucks is smart to be copying them. Asking your employees to think creatively, think proactively and never rest on their laurels is a move that can’t help but pay off.

Related Posts:

• Get Your Product Yakked About
• 3 marketing lessons from the homeless
• What makes customers buy from you online? Two little words
• Support your local small business
• Sometimes it pays to think small

By Maria Valdez Haubrich

Yes, I am a nag. I nag my husband, I nag my kids and I nag my business partners. But, they all know me and love me, so they know I nag with affection.

But how do you nag in business and not come off as a pest or pushy? My friend sent me this article she read recently on professional naggers. People actually PAY someone to nag them! Can you imagine? What a great profession, I thought at first.

The more I thought about it, the more stressful the job seemed. What if the person got mad at you or didn’t follow through with what they were supposed to do? Does that become the nagger’s responsibility? Did the nagger fail?

In my business, I am the liaison in business relationships, so nagging comes with the title. Here’s my methodology:

1. Prep for nagging: Send an email with a friendly notice that I look forward to receiving their response soon.
2. Gearing up for nag: Day or two before see if they have any questions or ask how it’s coming along (whatever the person owes me)
3. Official Nag Day: Re-email or call to see if I can expect it by end of the day
4. The-Day-After Nag: Send another friendly email, followed up by a phone call to see what the delay could be (again, very friendly).
5. Still-No-Answer Nag: Sigh. Unfortunately, this has happened way too often in my business life. At this point, I go around the person and contact someone else in the company to see what the problem is. Either a co-worker or boss usually works and lights a fire under the person.

What are your nagging tips? I’d love to know if you’ve tried something that works.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts