Small Business Saturday – Social Marketing for the WIN!

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If Benjamin Franklin wanted to engage more customers on Small Business Saturday, what would his “To Do” list look like?

  1. Be inventive – offer something new
  2. Make it electric – create a positive atmosphere
  3. Put Paul Revere in charge of getting the message out via social media
  4. Have Jefferson craft the message
  5. Ask Dolly Madison to whip up some free snack cakes

It would be fun. There would be bunting and maybe even a small parade. Franklin loved a good time and so should every business owner out there. Because Saturday, November 30th is our time to really shine. Don’t let the preparations stress you out. If you’re struggling to think of new ways to engage your customers we’ve gathered some great ideas from fellow business owners.

  • Clicking on the Small Business Saturday link at the bottom of this article will take you to the American Express page where they’re offering free marketing materials to small business owners. Use their materials on all your social sites and in your store so that everyone can see you’re participating in Shop Local Saturday.
  • Use social media to get the word out. Create a coupon that’s good just for Small Biz Saturday and promote it starting the Wednesday before the event. The earlier you get the word out on Facebook and Twitter, the more chances your customers have of seeing the coupon and sharing the information with friends and family.
  • Offer complimentary refreshments. When shoppers get tired they lose interest. Have some tasty snacks or drinks on hand to revive them.
  • Include a free gift with every purchase. It doesn’t need to break your bank but it needs to be useful. Look around your shop and see if you already have something in stock. Be inventive.
  • Have a giveaway for a holiday gift bag filled with assorted goodies. When someone makes a purchase on Saturday, whether in store or online, have an entry form where they fill out their name, number and email address. This not only enters them in the giveaway but lets you add them to your mailing list.
  • Make your marketing count. Have a specific message about what you’re doing to celebrate the day. What are you promoting? What’s on sale? What are your hours that day? Will you have entertainment or live demonstrations? A prepared shopper is a shopper prepared to spend.

Small Business Saturday is OUR Black Friday. So let’s make it a cool shopping party, not a shopping nightmare. Celebrate your customers and make their experience one of engagement and fun. Let the big box stores force them to endure long lines, elbow jabbing crowds and packed parking lots. Because with Ben’s advice, you can make Small Business Saturday electric, simply by encouraging folks to eat, drink, be merry and spend their fabulous Franklins with you. They can save their Washington’s for those other places.

The Advantages Of An Undergraduate Online Education

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Why Online Education?

After a hectic time in high school, most graduates want to take some time off and have plenty of fun and unwind. A few also take jobs in order to pay for their education later – and others just want take the time to find out what they want to do. However, all of these delays are only hindrances to obtaining a degree and can have a negative effect on economic stability and future prospects.

It is well known that a bachelor’s degree is prerequisite to getting a lucrative job in any industry – and the earlier one has it, the better it is in terms of career growth. So with all these choices to make, online undergraduate programs are becoming more popular than ever.

The Advantages

With the Internet maturing day by day, the quality of online education is improving, removing all possible barriers to higher education. The primary benefit of an undergraduate online education program is that physical presence is not required to take a course. So with a busy lifestyle for a time consuming job, if a person has the zeal to pursue further education, the online option gives students the opportunity to do both.

When work takes up most of your time, even after a few hours of socializing and doing chores a few hours to spare, online education makes it easy to progress in your chosen career field. For those who cannot pursue a degree because of geographical constraints, pursuing an undergraduate education online enables them to attend classes from their home computer and saves them time and gas.

Other Advantages

Pursuing an undergraduate online education offers a similar level of education that is provided in regular classes. Students can work on their program of study at their convenience. Studies never interfere with travel plans, employment and basically any activity that couldn’t be done on the campus. Undergraduate online education is unique. They are more facilitative, as discussions are quick and easy to understand. Classes are held through chat, Internet meetings and email, as well with the subject coordinator and other students. There are virtually no shortcomings in online interactions.

Another advantage of undergraduate online education is that it is different from traditional education and benefits students by giving them access to develop technological competencies and exposure to telecommunication technologies. Also, online education gives students an exceptional experience in education, irrespective of age and geographic location. It provides psychological support by shedding introvert behavior and slow learning processes. With online education, students have time to prepare notes and other information discussed in the virtual classroom because all the subjects discussed will be posted online.

The best and most valid advantage of undergraduate online education is that there are a limitless number of courses by many educational institutes. From courses in fine arts to medical science, most are provided online and these e-learning courses are as simplified as possible.

Need Car Financing? Tidbits About Auto Loan Quotes

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If you have a job or a private business and you are making decent money, then why not bring home that car you had been eyeing since your childhood? There is no good or bad time for fulfilling one’s fantasy! Opportunities seldom strike your doors unless you are sending an invite. Buying a car is not a big hassle anymore. And it is not even something which only a rich person can afford. Because of auto loans easily available on the net, even moderate-salaried people can afford to buy a four-wheeler. After all, getting a car is a symbol of richness and instantly boosts your prestige in the society.

Those who need car financing mostly log in to the net. Internet is a big unlimited world which can surprisingly fit into your tiny computer screen. It is only a matter of a few seconds and you can have the contact numbers of the top lenders before your eyes. But instead of being too hasty, it will be wiser to tread cautiously. The first thing to do will be to check for auto loan quote. If you are buying a car for the first time and are not aware of the terms & conditions of borrowing funds, then better look out for tips and advises which are freely available on the net.

Internet world will pour scores of genuine-looking lenders offering you money. But the amount of loan is going to be a substantial one, even if you are opting for the cheapest car out there. So, it will be best to search thoroughly and study the offers being made by different agencies. You must also reflect within and figure out the kind of car you need and can afford. Everybody wants a Porsche, but it will be childish of you to make castles in the air! If you do not belong to the million-dollar club, then better settle for an economic car which will be comfortable and will give you good fuel-efficiency.

These things will come into play when you are looking for auto loan quote. Quotes are based on the car’s model and a few other factors like your credit rating and the down-payment you are making. If you are opting for a pricey car and are, thus, looking to borrow a greater sum of money, then the cost is likely to be slightly high. The lenders would have to take great risk while lending you so much money. Besides, if you can afford such an expensive car, then you could surely afford a slightly higher interest rate.

There may be a bit of a problem if your credit score is not healthy. It is always better to wait for some time and raise your credit scores before opting for loans. That gives you better deals. But if your credit is bad and you still need car financing, then you better look for those lenders who provide sub prime auto loans. They will grant you funds though the rate may be a bit on the higher side.

The Significance of the DVD Advertising Scorecard

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The DVD advertising scorecard is a measure for determining the efficiency of using the DVD as a primary marketing tool for promotion.DVD advertising can be seen as an innovative alternative to CD advertising. Both of these media advertising techniques are tools containing catalogues with more advanced features containing images in audio and video qualities. DVD advertising, though somewhat similar to CD advertising, has been regarded to be more astute probably because of the popularity of DVDs among home theatre consumers and markets. But regardless of their distinct qualities, both of the advertising tools would have similar indicators to determine their efficacy in bringing awareness to the target audience.Unlike other forms of advertising, DVD advertising is characterized by having high cost per contact. Promo-DVDs are considered to be expensive largely because of the advancement of technology used. Because of the involvement of exquisite cost, it is only proper to determine the effectiveness of the adverting tool.DVDs are mostly used as advertising tools in the entertainment business. Because of its classification as cinema advertising, this form of advertising has been used by advertisers in targeting audience and markets. In this case, there is a good targeting approach making DVD advertising a viable tool for providing awareness directly to its target market. DVD advertising can be seen as support to advertisers and marketers that use direct marketing approach in advertising campaigns.Advertisers and companies must be aware of the cost in developing this advertising tool. It is vital then to measure the cost prior to and after the stage of the marketing campaign. The cost, budget, and revenues are indicators of DVD advertising belonging to the financial perspective of the DVD advertising scorecard.In the internal business perspective, there should be an involvement of evaluation by the stakeholders. Advertisers and companies must expose the promo material to the management, employees, shareholders, and other internal personnel for evaluation and appreciation before distributing it to the target market. The result of the activity can be used as indicator in the internal business approach of the scorecard.Receiving feedback from stakeholders is as essential as receiving feedback from clients and target audiences. Advertisers and marketers can maintain a record of the number of promo material distributed and a list of potential markets and buyers. From the list, they can conduct inquiry to gain feedback, which is essential in determining the performance and factors for modification and improvement.The customer perspective of the DVD advertising scorecard may include indicators, such as delivery performance to customer by date and volume, customer inquiry rate, and customer feedback. Inquiring the customer about the contents of the DVD advertising can be crucial in determining the quality of feedback and consistency of the advertising campaign.The DVD advertising scorecard includes perspectives to derive the total performance of the marketing campaign. The indicators in DVD advertising are crucial in determining the performance of the perspectives in the scorecard. Using DVD advertising metrics is important to help advertisers determine and plan the contents and features for another DVD advertising campaign.