Link building constitutes a major part of ensuring that you rank well in search engines. On-page optimization is only half the battle. Here are the pro tips and inside scoops to help you create a link building strategy that only requires 3 hours a week. All of these tactics are white hat SEO practices simplified... More »SEO: Link Building Tips For The Busy Business Owner

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been talking about the first R: Reputation and why it’s important to build a good one (you can check those posts out here and here). Today, we’re going to focus on the next “R”: Relevancy. You might be sending out well-written, beautifully designed emails every week, but are they... More »One Size Fits All? Not When it Comes to Email Marketing

Question: How do you, as a busy entrepreneur, find the time each day to keep up with social media? Question by: Ashley Newsflash: I’m Engaged! “Writing 140-character tweets or replying to a Facebook comment takes minutes — entrepreneurs waste hours on social media when they’re reading, not engaging. Twitter and Facebook were designed to suck... More »How Do You Make Time for Social Media?

We all know that change can be difficult. It’s true in life and it’s certainly true when it comes to marketing your business or organization. You find something that works, you invest time, energy, and resources into improving it, and then one day someone tells you stop and rethink everything that you’ve been doing. It... More »How To Make The Change To A Mobile-Friendly Email

In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald introduced Jay Gatsby to the world in The Great Gatsby. This summer, Leonardo DiCaprio brought the iconic character to life once again on the big screen. Jay Gatsby is the master of the intriguing personal brand. Everyone in New York City knew his name. Everyone wanted to know more about... More »How to Build Your Personal Brand Like Gatsby

Whether you run a small business or occupy a small corner of the org-chart at a massive multinational corporation, today’s business is almost entirely information driven and most often is done in writing. The following  business editing tips should be sufficient to help you do a good job. Less is more In business writing as in... More »Tips for Better Business Writing

There is a lot of noise and distractions out there. Step back and think about your busy day. How many unsolicited emails did you get today? How many did you unsubscribe from? How many ads did you see in your social media (the paid ones)? How many ads did you see in your Google searches... More »Social Networking – Reception vs Reality – 3 Common Mistakes

As mentioned in a recent Fresh Insights post, new survey data from Constant Contact shows that the mobile train has officially left the station. Two-thirds of small businesses are on board, proving that mobile marketing is no longer the sole domain of major brands like Subway, Google, and Target. Given the growing interest in mobile... More »More Than Half of Small Businesses Are Going Mobile…Are You?

Nature is an incredible force that cannot be stopped, altered, or controlled. We are at its mercy as we see time and time again in movies like Twister and the Wizard of Oz, and in more unfortunate cases in our day to day lives. Without fail every March to August we see the U.S. mid-west... More »Mobile Technology Helps Enable Relief For Oklahoma City

When you seek out a mentor, you may mistakenly want a cheerleader or supportive therapist. But, in a mentor: you need a leader. A person who can tell you the brutal truth, and expect you are strong enough to keep your unwavering faith. A mentor is the person who creates a way for you to... More »Questions Your Mentor Should Ask You

There’s a blog I enjoy reading from time to time: Small Business Branding by Ed Roach. Earlier this month, Ed posted a great little piece encouraging small business-owners to muscle up a “Bold Idea” and throw all their weight behind it. Really go for it. No doubt, many CEM blog readers would enjoy the post.... More »Stop Procrastinating and GO For It: Small Biz & Content

Being a solo entrepreneur has many challenges.  On top of the list perhaps is the money management.  If finances go wrong, there is no business to run! Outright is a bookkeeping service for sole entrepreneurs and helps with cash flow management.  Here are some tips we suggest: Take responsibility The first step to managing your... More »5 Tips for Managing Cash Flow