Internet And Business Online And Stage Fright

Entireweb Newsletter * February 7, 2008 * ISSUE #412
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If you're a person who hates to even think about getting up on stage and performing for an audience then you may have some understanding of what it is like for some to consider starting their own online business.
For many people who experience stage fright there are two dynamics at work. The first is a feeling that they would love to be able to perform. In fact some might even believe they have everything it takes to be a great performer. The second is that they are fully convinced they would freeze on stage and not be able to perform. The potential embarrassment keeps them sidelined.


The idea of business ownership is very similar. If you visit enough brick and mortar stores you can begin to identify individuals who are gifted in multiple areas. They would be prime candidates for business ownership, but in may cases they would never seriously consider the idea although they may be equally certain they could make a business successful.
In most cases this dynamic may be attributed to the fact that the individual has never owned a business previously and may be uncertain that their present skills are enough to develop a business.
It may also have to do with a constantly shifting future timeline. For instance an individual may have a date of five years fixed in their mind to begin their own business, but that date is constantly on fast forward and the business idea never seems to be developed.
This process can be a bit like agreeing to play a part in a locally produced musical. You attend all the rehearsals and memorize your lines. You learn the music and are outfitted with a costume. However, after the dress rehearsal you go home and never return for the actual performance.
In the case of developing an online business a prospective owner can look at the potential of site development, hosting packages, product availability and a myriad of other issues and then just when family and friends think the business will launch the entire thought process stops and the business idea is simply referred to as "the business I could have started."


It really is a bold step to develop a business. You are assuming a variety of risks and rewards and you are placing a dream on a pedestal for all to see. What happens if no one likes your business idea? What will you think if the idea is ridiculed at some point? Wouldn't it be easier to just forget about it?
There are countless potential business owners who have shelved great ideas because they have developed a case of 'stage fright'. They would like to own a business of their own, but they find more comfort in the idea that playing it safe (and out of the spotlight) may be the only option they could handle.
Stage fright comes when anyone has to perform in a setting they are not comfortable with, but the great performers always find a way to ensure that the show will 'go on'.
You can be one of the great performers you just need to find the right stage and then confidently work through your performance.



About the Author: Scott Lindsay - Use the Website Builder with HighPowerSites.com or the Easy Website Builder at BuildAGreatSite.com. Make Money and Sell Ebooks at BooksWealth.com.

Is Your Business Ready For Valentines Day ?

by Chris Crum

Valentine's Day is in 7 days. If you have not already done so, it is time to really start thinking about whether or not this holiday can have an impact on your business.

Now is the time to target couples. What are you selling that would appeal to them? It's time to start promoting whatever that may be. Some businesses will have to try a little harder to figure that out than others, but if you look hard enough, you might be surprised how you can use the holiday to gain business.

Valentine's gifts don't have to be limited to jewelry and chocolate. Use the holiday as an excuse to have a sale.

Marketing based on events captures attention.

Like the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day is just another event you can take advantage of with your marketing direction.

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If you sell jewelry or chocolates or run a restaurant, then you should have no problem coming up with promotional ideas, but if you sell cars, hardware, plumbing services, or other things not commonly associated with the romantic holiday, it doesn't mean you can't use the day as an excuse to offer a special or run ads based on the event.

It may seem ridiculous to have a Valentine's Day special on plumbing, but why not? I can see the ad now. "Get her the gift she's really been wanting...get that toilet fixed." Send Valentine's Day coupons. Chances are, they're going to need a discount after shelling out hundreds or thousands on jewelry.

A few things to keep in mind when marketing for Valentine's day or any other holiday:
plan ahead of time (it's getting a little close now, but if you hurry you can still get something together)
appeal to as broad a demographic as possible within the holiday
make your offer worth checking out
Do you have any other ideas to help get some extra business out of a holiday? If so, please share in the comments.

About the Author:
Chris is a staff writer and content coordinator for iEntry, Inc. which publishes titles such as SmallBusinessNewz and WebProNews.

Starting A Small Business Blog

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008
If you run a small business you may want to consider starting your own blog to raise awareness about what you do.

There are some basic strategies you can use to start your blog. Consider who your audience is and write on subjects that will make them want to read your blog. Select a blog service that helps you build traffic and sends alerts if a reader comments on one of your posts.

Use an angle that will be compelling to your readers and at the same time be sincere in your views. Provide links on your blog to other sites that are related to your business and read the other blogs to stay informed about events or news that is happening in your field. Eventually other bloggers will start linking to your blog.

Keep your blog up to date so readers don't become frustrated with outdated content and will keep returning to see what you are saying. Keep tabs on your traffic to your site and don't be afraid to try other ideas to capture a larger audience.

Search engines like Google or Yahoo are another part of attracting readers to your blog. To generate traffic, use keywords in your headlines and blog postings that are related to your business.

Use an RSS feed so first time visitors to your blog will comeback again. If you connect readers with your blog's RSS feed your content will be syndicated whenever you write a new post.

Respond to comments you receive about your blog post even if they are negative or offer a perspective you don't agree with. Use your own voice and be honest.

Here is a link for a summary of five free blog services.

If you are not comfortable with writing your own blog you can turn to someone who works for your small business to write for your blog or a family member or friend who knows and understands the business. Also it's not a bad idea to have an occasional guest blogger write a post for your blog for variety and to fill in if you are not available.

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Blogging is not just for large corporations it can benefit your small business by helping to create your brand. Even if you don't think you have a brand the truth is you do. Your customers or clients will view your blog as something real that shows how focused you are on the services you provide and can establish your business as an industry leader.

Here are some main reasons to start a small business blog.

1. A blog is an economic way to market your small business and enhance your brand, reputation and sales.

2. Blogs can provide you with immediate customer feedback. If you receive negative feedback look at it as a way to improve your business.

3. Blogs are easier and less costly to manage than a Web site for your small business.

4. Blogs can help attract new customers along with opening up the possibilities for new partnerships.

5. Blogs can help you and others learn and communicate about what your business does.


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About the Author:
Mike Sachoff is a staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and WebProNews.

Google Leads Others In CPC Inflation

By Jason Lee Miller

Controls 77% of search advertising spend


Google takes in nearly 77% of the total search advertising spend, as of Q4 2007, and raked in 97% of all ad spend increases, according to a study by Efficient Frontier. Despite Nielsen's recent report that Google search share had slightly decreased, numbers like these on the advertising revenue side could mean good things for a flagging Google stock price.

We'll know more about that when Google releases its earnings report on Thursday.

Efficient Frontier conducted its study by tracking campaigns of clients between Q4 2006 and Q4 2007, covering 17 billion ad impressions and 270 million clicks on Google, Yahoo, and MSN. The clients were advertisers in the Finance, Travel and Automotive sectors.

Google Leads In Search Spend and CPC Inflation

Google's share of the search spend increased by 8.6% last year, growing from 70.5% to 76.6%. ROI on Google increased by 7.5%.

That kind of dominance is a blessing and a curse for advertisers as Google's search share presents a cornered market and larger audiences, but Efficient Frontier also says Google's universal search and expanded broad match updates didn't do much to affect campaign performance.

Thanks to increased competition and a change to the AdWords algorithm in August, top positions have become costlier in terms of CPC bid prices. In fact, Google led the other two search engines in CPC inflation last year as CPC prices spiked 22%, half of which occurred in Q4 following the AdWords algorithm update.

The AdWords algorithm update did not appear to have an effect on click-through-rates, which remained steady in 2007 until a 12.5% increase in CTR in Q4 2007. Google penalizing sites with poor landing pages is thought to be a direct factor in the increased CTRs.

Despite the increased cost on Google, Efficient Frontier still names Google as the engine of choice because of the sheer volume of referrals it generates.

Yahoo ROI Up, Search Assist Kills CTR

It sounds like mixed results for Yahoo. While advertisers enjoyed a 39.4% increase in ROI since Panama was completed in February 2007, the overall ad spend on Yahoo declined by nearly 4%, leaving the company with just 17.9% of the search spend.

The ROI wasn't enough to make up for the declining volume of searches on Yahoo, which led to lesser investing in Yahoo search advertising. In addition, Yahoo Search Assist, which allows users to refine searches, possibly led to a 34% drop in CTR last year.

MSN Is King of the Molehill

The good news for MSN is that it leads the other engines in ROI and CTRs. The bad news is, hardly anybody using it, which means there's less competition affecting ROI and CTR. MSN pulled in 5% of search engine ad spending last year.

But things are looking up. Though CTRs were 50% higher on MSN than Google last year, that statistic actually declined 16.5% between Q4 2006 and Q4 2007. Efficient Frontier suggests increased competition as a reason for declining CTRs on MSN.


News Tags: Search, Advertising, Yahoo, Google, SEO, Panama, SEM, ROI, AdWords, CTR, Microsoft
About the author:
Jason Lee Miller is a WebProNews editor and writer covering business and technology.