Why Accepting Guest Articles Isn’t As Easy as It Looks

Companies often put a large focus on how to submit guest articles and why guest posting is a great SEO tactic, but few consider how difficult it can be to actually accept a guest article on their own site. There are many different choices and different questions that a website owner needs to ask before allowing someone to contribute a guest article, but these questions are often taken for granted.

choosing guest writers for your blog

Unfortunately, not putting time and thought into accepting guest posts can cause website owners more headaches than if they were to take the time to research and writer an article on their own.…

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Small Businesses and Shipping Providers: What Are the Options?

Depending on the industry, small businesses usually depend on logistics and shipping services at some point. While some choose to facilitate those functions internally, others might consider outsourcing the work. When juggling between the two alternatives, it is helpful to consider a few key points.

Any small business owner knows today’s market is extremely competitive, and many small businesses continually battle large businesses to try and stay afloat. Mistakes can be very costly and drive consumers away from a “mom-and-pop” operation to a big business they know will deliver products and results they need. If a business is too small to employ accurate and timely shipping services, it might be better to outsource the work.…

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Is Your Business Aware of Carbon Accounting?

Carbon accounting is the accepted method for calculating how much, or little, your business contributes towards global warming. The concept of carbon accounting has been around for a while now and ERP software developer Epicor has conducted a global survey of businesses, ranging from start-ups to multi-national corporations, on the topic.

They have presented their findings in the above infographic.

Some of the results are astounding:

The fact that 58% of all businesses surveyed were not even aware of carbon accounting is the first shocking statistic, especially from the perspective of green campaigners, but it is maybe even more shocking that of the 48% who were aware of the process, less than 25% understood it correctly.…

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10 Steps to Start Importing from China

When it comes to importing goods from China to the United States, getting started is the most complicated part of the process. Free trade agreements have made business exchanges between the two nations a cinch. By spending a bit of time preparing yourself for the process, you can get started in no-time at all.

tips for importing goods from China

While the process is simple, it is also an exact one. It is absolutely crucial that you follow all customs requirements and do not make any assumptions when it comes to importing goods. A small mistake can be a costly one when it comes to importing goods from anywhere in the world.…

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Top 3 Reasons Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Do It All

outsourcing business tasksEntrepreneurs are the first ones with the great idea and, more importantly, the first ones to bring it to life. You do more in an hour than 20 people can do in one day.

But how long can that last? Entrepreneurs have a tendency to fall into the “I have to do it all” trap. No one gets the vision as much as you do and no one can possibly do your work as well as you.

In falling into this trap you create a bottleneck. There are limited hours in the day so do you update the database, make those new business calls, work on that report, meet with your product vendor, confirm meetings”¦

If you are like me you probably answered, “Yes, I do it all and stay up late to get it done.”…

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Are You Consultant-Phobic? Check Out These 6 Mind Blowing Benefits to External Advice

benefits of hiring a business consultant

Ever think about hiring a consultant? Think your business is too small to benefit from a consultant? You’re wrong! Check out these 6 benefits before you say “No Way”.

Regulatory Compliance: A consultant would be able to help decide on the most optimal structure for your specific situation. Other compliance requirements like documentation and tax filing are also better done by a third party. Most regulatory provisions are open to interpretation and a consultant would help you to minimize your compliance costs without incurring any penalties for violations.

Performance Optimization: Consultants typically have access to benchmarking data across diverse industries on areas such as best practices, cost elements, strategy options and so on.…

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3 Must-Watch TED Talks For Small Business Success

TED Talks are taking the business world by storm. Short for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, TED itself is an annual conference that brings together leaders from these three industries to share their expertise with the crowd.

Past events have featured speaking appearances by top executives from companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and J.J. Abrams have also spoke at these conferences.

3 Must-Watch TED Talks For Small Business Success

So what can you take from a TED Talk? Plenty. Here are three success lessons small businesses can learn:

1. A Social Media Presence is More Than a Profile

Several of the more recent TED Talks have been focused on social media – surprise surprise.…

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What Social Media Metrics Matter for Your Local Business

Local businesses tend to understand the inherent importance of metrics, but when it comes to social media platforms, it can be confusing to figure out what’s most important. Perhaps part of the difficulty with social media platforms is they provide so much information to businesses it can be hard to determine what to focus on.

what social media metrics matter and why

Unfortunately, a common response when overwhelmed is to become indecisive and not take action. Therefore, in this post, I’m going to share specifically what metrics you should pay the most attention to and why.

Your Facebook reach. You can see the impact each of your Facebook posts has had with this metric.…

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3 Video Marketing Tips For Small Business

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a moving picture may be worth 10,000 views? While that may be a stretch, the value of online video marketing for small businesses is real – if production and promotion are approached strategically.

One of the biggest difficulties small businesses face in developing an online video presence is the dollars – so many entrepreneurs scratch their head at the cost of video production for online marketing. Yet, beyond these misconceptions exists a video reality – developing an online video marketing strategy can be a cost effective way to increase brand awareness, and maybe even generate leads.…

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Is Your Answering Service Helping Your Business?

business virtual answering service

Call answering services can be a great, cost-effective way to enhance your customer service without taking on a full-time staff member. A phone call is likely to be your clients’ first interaction with your company, so it’s important that you choose the right service for your business.

How can you make sure your service will make your business look good? Remember that:

First impressions matter. Are the virtual receptionists answering your calls happy? Do your callers hear ring after ring before they pick up or are they greeted right away by a live person?

Call your perspective answering service several times before you sign up and you’ll see what your callers will go through when you finally forward your line.…

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