7 Canada Government Grants Your Small Business May Qualify For

Monday, September 6, 2010
It's one of the most common questions people ask me. Are there any Canada government grants that I can get to start my business or expand? Normally I patiently explain that there aren't actually that many Canada government grants available and that those that do exist have stringent eligibility requirements that immediately knock most applicants out of the running. To qualify as a grant applicant, you often need to be engaged not only in a particular business sector, but be a resident of a particular geographic region of the country. If you are a person who wants to start a retail business, your chances of finding and qualifying for a Canada government grant are slim indeed. Now, small business loans on the other hand - there are a lot of those available, so your chances of getting the money you need are much higher. Still, there's no harm in looking at what smal ...
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Successful Marketing Starts With a Marketing Plan

Sunday, September 5, 2010
Successful marketing can be summed up in a sentence; market to the right people in the right place in the right way. So what's the secret of super-successful marketers? A marketing plan. A marketing plan crystallizes your Unique Selling Proposition and lays out your pricing strategy, distribution plan and promotion and advertising. It coordinates and directs your marketing efforts so you don't waste time and money doing things that do nothing for your business. The Key to Marketing: The Marketing Plan - Learn more about marketing plans and marketing strategy. Writing the Marke ...
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Cool Tool of the Week: Shipwire

Saturday, September 4, 2010
There's a certain point for businesses where growth becomes problematic and for a lot of ecommerce businesses, that point comes when inventory starts piling up in the owner's living room and he or she runs out of hands willing to pack and label things. One solution: rent warehouse space and hire staff to deal with it. Another solution: Shipwire. Shipwire provides order fulfillment services and looks like a great solution to the problem of storing and shipping your products when your ecommerce business outgrows your home. Basically, you send your products to Shipwire and when your customers order online, Shipwire takes care of shipping your products to them. Shipwire is integrated with many popular shopping carts. Currently, warehouses are available in Chicago, Los Angeles, Nevada, Toronto, Vancouver and the UK (with more to come). A starter account is $29.95 per month plus shipping; a free trial is available. ...
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Shipping out of Province: Should You Charge Them HST?

Friday, September 3, 2010
I'm still getting lots of mail about GST and HST, mainly about whether businesses should be charging GST (the Goods and Services Tax), HST (Harmonized Sales Tax), PST (Provincial Sales Tax) or what when they ship goods and/or services out of province. For instance, K.S. writes: I am a little confused on the HST rules. We are a business based in Quebec. If a supplier from Ontario ships us merchandise to our plant in Quebec, should they invoice us HST and QST on top of HST? The taxes you charge depend on where you're shipping to. As I explain in Online Business and HST, if you are selling goods or services out of province, you charge the GST/HST rate based on where the goods are being shipped to. Therefore, if you ship to B.C., charge 12%, to Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, or New Brunswick, charge 13%, to Nova Scotia 15% and if you sell to Alberta, Ma ...
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Small Business Idea: Chalkboards for Business

Thursday, September 2, 2010
Have artistic talent? Then maybe doing chalkboards for business is the small business idea for you. My artist friend Ja says that his chalkboard business is really picking up and it does seem that chalkboard signs are becoming increasingly popular. Lots of restaurants and pubs sport chalkboard menus and there also seem to be more chalkboard murals and interior art around. For businesses, chalkboard signs are not only trendy but easier to change or update than traditional signage and can be cheaper than going the traditional graphics route. You could design and sell custom-made illustrated chalkboard me ...
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Top 5 Ecommerce Trends and Strategies for the 2010 Holidays

Sunday, August 29, 2010
It may still be warm outside and you may not be ready for your 2010 summer to end, but if you are in ecommerce and you are planning to sell product to holiday shoppers this year it's time to start putting those holiday plans together. If you don't start now you are liable to get lost in the dust and your competitors will capture the sales that were meant for you....Read Full Post ...
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Four Small Business Marketing Steps You Need to Put Into Check

Sunday, August 22, 2010
I think the biggest mistake small businesses make in marketing is making everything so difficult for consumers to understand that they don't get it. Small businesses often make the mistake of trying to compete with the "big dog" companies that have larger marketing budgets. I daily watch small businesses try to market like big companies, when in fact they've missed the core components that will get a person to buy their products or services. My first piece of advice is stop trying to compete with the "big dogs" - find your own niche and your own market and become one of the big dogs....Read Full Post ...
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Marketing, Advertising, Sales - Who Does What?

Thursday, August 19, 2010
It's so easy for the confusion to begin when you start talking about advertising, marketing and sales. Truth is most individuals don't understand the difference. The good news is there is a difference and each of these components have a part to play in the success of a company. Today, I want to clear up the confusion....Read Full Post ...
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Short Speech - Easy as 1-2-3

Sunday, August 15, 2010
I love that I learn from my contributing writer Guy Bergstrom.  He's a public relations professional that gets it and makes things so easy to understand.  For example, I'm often asked to speak at events and I love doing it, but I am always looking for ways to be more organized and even more effective. Guy must have understood my plight, because he  recently wrote an article on how to organize a short speech on an index card.  I love it.  It's simple, it's effective and it's easy! If you are needing to do a 3 to 5 minute speech in the upcoming weeks, I think you will find his advice very helpful - you won't want t ...
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Are You Interacting or Interrupting Potential Customers?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Marketing is changing and if you are stuck in the old patterns of marketing you may be taking your business down a destructive path. Consumers want more engagement and interaction from those that they buy from. Our consumers have faced an overstimulation of marketing messages over the last several years and now in order to get their attention you must do something different....Read Full Post ...
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Sky high interest rates? Here's one solution.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
You just got a notice from your credit card company saying your interest rate has been doubled or worse. If you owe a large balance on that card, it's going to make your payment go up significantly. How are you going to handle the financial crisis that's going to cause? ...
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A CAN-SPAM Refresher Course

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Remember the CAN-SPAM Act, enacted in 2003? Neither do many email marketers, if the amount of spam clogging email boxes each day is any indication. Here's a quick review of the CAN-SPAM rules. ...
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8 Ways To Cut Mailing and Shipping Costs

Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Mailing a letter or two isn't going to break your budget, but if you send out hundreds of letters a month or ship products to your customers, your shipping and postage costs can take a chunk out of your bottom line. Here are eight things you can do to reduce your mailing and shipping costs. ...
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10 Tie-Died and True Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead

Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Viral marketing and social networking have arrived on the scene after a long, strange trip indeed. The Grateful Dead were much more than a bunch of rock-and-roll geniuses; they were pioneers of the digital age marketing landscape. Get ten of the lessons in this excerpt from Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead. ...
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Security Camera Systems Prevent Crime and Save Lives

Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Security cameras, especially when used in conjunction with an integrated security system, not only help police identify criminals after a crime, they also help deter crimes from taking place to begin with. Read more >> ...
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Does Entrepreneurship Education Make People Better Entrepreneurs?

Monday, September 6, 2010
A recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report on entrepreneurship training asks a central question for anyone interested in starting a business: ?Does entrepreneurship education make a difference?? You might think that this question has been resolved. After all, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation reports that more than 2,000 U.S. colleges and universities teach entrepreneurship. How could all those professors teach something that might not matter? As surprising as it may sound, we don?t know the effect that entrepreneurshipRead MoreFrom Small Business TrendsDoes Entrepreneu ...
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Get Fired Up at BizTech Day: Join Me

Sunday, September 5, 2010
I’m excited to tell you about BizTechDay, which is coming up in 3 cities: Seattle – September 18, 2010 New York – September 24, 2010 San Francisco – October 23, 2010 I’ll be attending and speaking at BizTechDay in San Francisco. I would love to see you there at that event. BizTechDay is an intensive one-day conference founded by Edith Yeung, a young entrepreneur herself. I met Edith in New York earlier this yearRead MoreFrom Small Business TrendsGet Fired Up at BizTech Day: Join Me ...
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10 Social Media Books Every Small Business Owner Should Read

Sunday, September 5, 2010
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of social media books out there.  So how is a many-hat-wearing business owner supposed to know which ones to read?   Here is a list of the 10 social media books that small business owners can read to get the most bang for their social media investment of time and money. About the List Putting together this list was challenging because there are so many wonderful books to choose from.  Ultimately it came down toRead MoreFrom Small Business Trends10 Social Media Books Every Small Business Owner Should Read ...
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Small Biz Contests and Competitions

Saturday, September 4, 2010
This fall has lots of great contests and competitions – don’t miss the opportunity to win some nice business services, prizes, cash and even investors. This list of contests, competitions and awards for small businesses is brought to you every other week as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com. - * * * * * The Franchise Council Contest ...
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Clutch Helps Business Owners Perform in Tough Times

Saturday, September 4, 2010
Want to be the one that makes the big play in business? Don?t just imagine a single monumental act like a scene from a movie.  Instead, plan on a series of well-executed plays. At least that?s my takeaway from the new book Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure But Others Don’t by Paul Sullivan, a New York Times columnist who writes the “Wealth Matters” column for the paper.  I received a review copy of this book, and was intriguedRead MoreFrom Small Business TrendsClutch Helps Business Owners Perform in Tough Times ...
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Tax Planning Tips: Why You Need to Start Now!

Sunday, September 5, 2010
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Are you a Successful Entprepreneur? What is Success, Anyway?

Saturday, September 4, 2010
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My Life in Business, Where it Started and Where will it End

Friday, September 3, 2010
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Custom Newsletter Design Service for Small Business

Thursday, September 2, 2010
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How to Get Your Startup Recognized

Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Weekend Favs September Four

Saturday, September 4, 2010
Weekend Favs September FourThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Weekend Favs September FourThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week. I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is ...
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Delivery is the New It Thing

Friday, September 3, 2010
Delivery is the New It ThingThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Delivery is the New It ThingThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing if you’re looking for a way to differentiate your business or products and create a killer competitive advantage you may not have to look any farther than how you delivery of your products and services. Now, delivery is a fabulously flexible term when applied ...
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WiseStamp Brings Your Email Signature to Life

Thursday, September 2, 2010
WiseStamp Brings Your Email Signature to LifeThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing WiseStamp Brings Your Email Signature to LifeThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing On the spectrum of really big marketing tactics, the email signature isn’t terribly sexy, but this little touch can say a lot about what you do and how you connect. If you’re like me, you send a lot of email so why not ...
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Creating a Boutique Business

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Creating a Boutique BusinessThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Creating a Boutique BusinessThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with Sarah Petty (Click to play or right click and “Save As” to download – Subscribe now via iTunes The term boutique is often associated with fashion or beauty related businesses, but it’s a concept that can apply to any business. Case in point ...
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Duct Tape Coaching or Going It Alone

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Duct Tape Coaching or Going It AloneThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Duct Tape Coaching or Going It AloneThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing One of my long-term missions is to build a network of small business marketing consultants that are equipped to install the Duct Tape Marketing system and essentially bring an end to all small business struggles. I admit it’s an ambitious mission, but I ...
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Why You Need Virtual Assistant for your Business

Monday, May 31, 2010
http://www.hangelbel.net/2010/05/why-you-need-virtual-assistant-for-your.html ...
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Save $100

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Are you still static?  Bring real life to your Website with a Virtual Representative (vRep) and right now, you can save $100.   Welcome visitors to your site, inform them about something new, or draw their attention to an area of your site.   Add a star or BE the star. We offer the comfort and convenience of our green screen studio and the flexibility to work around your shedule.   Call today for more information or to book your vRep video production. 613-216-2417 ...
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FREE advertising on FLOOPLA!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tell your friends, business associates about FLOOPLA and when you have 10 referrals sign up, you receive one FREE month of advertising on FLOOPLA.  Ad size is 236 pixels (width) by 350 pixels (height) and you provide your ad in either jpg, gif, png.Remember to encourage your 'sign ups' to indicate your name or business name as their referrer. Just 10 referral sign ups and your ad will run for a month - FREE. FLOOPLA is growing everyday. Take advantage of all the excellent marketing tools to promote your business and your site. ...
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FREE Advertisement on FLOOPLA

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Great news from FLOOPLA! Tell your friends, business associates about FLOOPLA and when you have 10 referrals sign up, you receive one FREE month of advertising on FLOOPLA.  Ad size is 236 pixels (width) by 350 pixels (height) and you provide your ad in either jpg, gif, png.Remember to encourage your 'sign ups' to indicate your name or business name as their referrer. Just 10 referral sign ups and your ad will run for a month - FREE. FLOOPLA is growing everyday. Take advantage of all the excellent marketing tools to promote your business and your site. ...
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FLOOR SAFETY MAKES GOOD $$$$ SENSE!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Even though Floor Safety is a valid safety issue--(we all need to be proactive and good stewards of floor safety)--it also just makes good money sense!  Why?  Consider this:  If you, Mr. or Ms. Business owner are proactive in having your hard surface floors treated with an anti-slip solution that helps to prevent accidental slip and falls when your floors are wet, what else do you get?  You get the peace of mind knowing that your chances for lawsuits have just been drastically reduced and an added bonus?  Your workman comp claims will be reduced because your staff will not be slipping on wet floors and getting hurt. We all know that fewer claims = lower rates.   Floor Safety OK, Inc. offers a wonderful product that when applied to your mineral based floors, the coefficient of f ...
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Benefits of video online.

Friday, July 23, 2010
We all know the expression 'a picture is worth a thousand words'.  Then I wonder about the equivalent for a video...'a video is worth ...' .  A video is worth... - looking into - the time, effort and investment - a great deal when used online - every cent - IT Call me and we can talk about how video may best suit your communication needs.   Whether you are looking for a virtual rep,  brief online video or full broadcast production, EchoUs Media offers it all, including our own green screen studio. You may find this information interesting; Brief statistics ...
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Save $100

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Are you still static?  Bring real life to your Website with a Virtual Representative (vRep) and right now, you can save $100. Welcome visitors to your site, inform them about something new, or draw their attention to an area of your site. Add a star or BE the star. We offer the comfort and convenience of our green screen studio and the flexibility to work around your shedule. Call today for more information or to book your vRep video production. 613-216-2417 ...
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FREE Advertisement on FLOOPLA

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Great news from FLOOPLA! Tell your friends, business associates about FLOOPLA and when you have 10 referrals sign up, you receive one FREE month of advertising on FLOOPLA.  Ad size is 236 pixels (width) by 350 pixels (height) and you provide your ad in either jpg, gif, png. Remember to encourage your 'sign ups' to indicate your name or business name as their referrer. Just 10 referral sign ups and your ad will run for a month - FREE. FLOOPLA is growing everyday. Take advantage of all the excellent marketing tools to promote your business and your site. ...
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My first WBC Orleans event.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday morning I attended my first Orleans WBC event - their monthly breakfast. I was very impressed by the turnout and the diverse group of business women who attended. I am looking forward to attending their next event, their luncheon on March 25th. Thank you ladies for a wonderful introduction to your organization. See you soon. ...
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Keep In Touch - Mobile Message Me

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Yet another way to stay in touch - mobile messaging. Floopla has just added this convenient new feature to business profiles. You may now allow your FLOOPLA visitors to mobile message you right from your FLOOPLA account. Login to your account to update your profile; enable this feature, select from the list of service providers, ie. Rogers, Telus etc, and add your cell number.  (Your cell number is not available to view, unless you add it to your contact information.) Now your visitors will see the Mobile Message icon and with a simple click they will access a form to send you their name, cell number, email and a short message. Easy, quick, convenient and free! ...
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The Key To Sobriety

Monday, September 6, 2010
Tom Edwards openly admits his guilt over drinking and driving. However it is that guilt that has motivated him to create a new tool in the fight against drinking and driving reports Florida Today. About three years ago, Edwards was driving through Merritt Island on the way to his Rockledge home, when he was pulled ...
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Postpartum Boot Camp For Mom And Baby

Monday, September 6, 2010
There is nothing quite as tough as trying to work off baby weight. It’s those few pounds that seem to just want to stick around forever. Nine years ago Kristen Horler found herself in a position where she didn’t want to drop her child off at daycare and go to work. So she started ...
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Targeting Hockey Moms

Monday, September 6, 2010
One entrepreneur has gotten really niche recently with his up and coming business, Hockey-Mama, reports StarTribune.com. Minneapolis ad man Doug deGrood has developed an Internet retail site devoted to hockey moms called, not surprisingly, Hockey Mama (hockey-mama.com). The apparel includes stocking hats, beanies, baseball caps, jackets and fleece vests bearing the Hockey Mama logo. According to the ...
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Labor Day 2010

Saturday, September 4, 2010
I would like to dedicate this Labor Day holiday to the 14.9 million women and men who, through no fault of their own, lost their jobs in the economic downturn. I’ve been there. I feel your pain. Days upon days looking for a job. Just looking for a job becomes a job, a non-paying job. Your ...
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Up Close and Personal With Crocodiles

Friday, September 3, 2010
Like crocodiles? Then you’ll love Crocosaurus Cove park in Darwin, Australia where tourists to this unusual theme park can get up close and personal with crocodiles. The Daily Mail has more on the crocodile itself: Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles on the planet. Their main habitat is northern Australia and New Guinea, Indonesia and Borneo. ...
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Time-based Banner Ads Part 2

Friday, September 3, 2010
By Samantha Gluck You have decided to try time-based banner ads. Now, you need to determine the best times to display the ad, what types of companies offer time-based banner ads and how long and often you want to run the ad. Related Products Web Hosting Launch a Web site with unlimited traffic, numerous email accounts, generous storage, and ...
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Time-based Banner Ads Part 1

Thursday, September 2, 2010
By Samantha Gluck Businesses of all sizes use Internet online advertising in the form of banner ads to promote their goods and services. Banner ad technology has become increasingly more sophisticated in recent years. Time-based banner ads target customers at certain times of day, days of the week or both. Related Products Web Hosting Launch a Web site with ...
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DIY Product Images: Lighting

Thursday, August 26, 2010
By Samantha Gluck Photographing products for your ecommerce site yourself saves money and gives you the most control over the outcome. But keep in mind that a camera?s built-in flash alone will rarely produce product photos that sell. The purpose of product photography is to display the details of the products clearly. To achieve this, the ...
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Integrating Video into Ecommerce Sites

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
By Joanna Fletcher The popularity of using video on ecommerce sites has increased dramatically. As noted in eMarketer, the percentage of the US top 50 online retailers using video in 2009 was more than triple the 2008 baseline. The majority of retailers planning a website redesign will include video on their new website. Related Products Merchant Manager Get a ...
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Time for a Redesign?

Thursday, August 19, 2010
By Joanna Fletcher Your website is your public face, your storefront to the world. Just like a store, you need to change the window displays regularly for new products, new seasons and promotions. But how do you decide when it’s time to give the whole website a fresh new look? Related Products ProSite Design Hire our professionals to customize ...
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