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May, 2010

Meet the Five Finalists and Vote for Grant Winner

Submitted by Elena on Mon, 05/10/2010 - 16:10
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Having the chance to vote for their favorite business idea, Idea Café regulars made their choice and selected the five finalists out of the list of our stellar semi-finalists. Now YOUR vote will determine who will actually get the grant -- $1,000.00 for their business from Idea Café.

We are honored to present you the people and companies who will compete for winning the grant:

The Essentialness of Online Marketing Fundamentals

Submitted by David Jackson on Mon, 05/10/2010 - 17:17

If you're a sports fan like I am and watch sports on tv, you've probably heard certain athletes being described as "fundamentally" sound.

For example, Tiger Woods is always described as being fundamentally sound. That means the follow-through on his picture-perfect golf swing is always the same, and when he putts the ball he always keeps his head perfectly still, is in perfect alignment and makes solid contact with his putter. Those are some of the fundamentals of playing golf.

Apps turn iPad into Business Assistant

Submitted by Zack Winder on Mon, 05/10/2010 - 17:29

Recently, it was announced that the iPad has sold over 1 million units, sending the new device into iPhone-levels of popularity. While many have argued about its downsides, critics agree that the device works great in the home and has become a valuable sales assistant as well, due to its wide and useful selection of business apps.
In addition, the iPad provides a solution to the bulky laptops and speed issues that netbooks and portable computers face.

How Facebook’s Privacy Issues Affect Small Business Advertisers

Submitted by Chris Birk on Tue, 05/11/2010 - 23:59

Last month, Facebook’s f8 conference revealed a lot about their plans for the future. It’s also created backlash from users and critics across the globe about the social networking behemoth's treatment of user privacy.

How does this affect small businesses, most of whom have only recently began using Facebook as an outlet to communicate with customers? What about businesses that purchase advertising through Facebook’s system?

Why SaaS is Ahead of the Rest

Submitted by Arthur Clyne on Thu, 05/13/2010 - 16:17
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As the now preferred deployment model for enterprise applications of all shapes and sizes, there is no doubt why the Software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry is outperforming all other business software sectors. SaaS is a method of deploying software over the Internet for licensed use of an application in an on-demand fashion. While in times past SaaS hardly made sense to embrace, technology advances and recent economic changes have put it back into the fast lanes of the Information Superhighway. Companies want to focus on what they do best. SaaS such as hosted exchange allows them to focus on their core business directives, outsourcing peripheral tasks to companies that do those tasks better or more efficiently than they could do in-house.

The Importance of Evaluating Marketing Tactics

Submitted by Shannon Suetos on Mon, 05/17/2010 - 11:08
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Brushing up on your marketing tactics is never a bad idea. Whether it is deciding on what new tactics to dive into, or how to make the ones you currently use better, sometimes the best idea is to just take a step back.

Look at your goals
When setting goals there are two things you need to consider--one is how attainable they are, and the second is how you are going to reach them.

The Sale You Can't Close

Submitted by Mark Hunter on Tue, 05/18/2010 - 13:45
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We've all been there. After countless calls, meetings and an endless amount of work, you just can't get the customer to say "yes" and move forward. There can be hundreds of theories and ideas as to why this happens more times than we care to admit. Let's put all the theories aside and get to a solution you can use right now to determine if the customer is serious.

The problem in these types of situations is as a salesperson, you've invested time and effort and the last thing you want to do is quit and walk away. You are thinking, "The prospect could be very close to saying 'yes.'" It's either your pride that doesn't allow you to walk away or it's the fear of having to report to your sales manager that the work you've done with a prospect is not going to materialize into any business.

Moth Attack Getting Ready for Summer

Submitted by Megan Dean on Tue, 05/25/2010 - 02:45

The weather in Los Angeles is still cool, but it feels like summer is already in full swing. Bikes are always popular in mild, sunny Southern California, but I haven't had a summer in LA that didn't come and go in a flash of events. Races each weekend bring friends to town or take us out of town. There are a few coming up that we are getting ready for once summer really does arrive.

7 Tips for E-Commerce Websites To Boost Their Sales This Summer!

Submitted by Kabir Bedi on Tue, 05/25/2010 - 10:46

As businesses come to realize the enormous marketing and sales potential of the World Wide Web, more and more of them are opening up online shops. However, in order to beat the competition and keep your online business alive and kicking, you need to ensure that you employ innovative ideas.

Here are 7 great tips that will help boost your sales:

12 Days Left to Cast Your Vote for the Ultimate Winner

Submitted by Elena on Tue, 05/25/2010 - 15:21
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Well, the clock is always ticking in our biz/lives. This time we'd love to draw your attention to an important countdown. You have only 12 days until next Sunday (June 6th) to vote for grant winner, if you haven't already done so.

The five finalists for this ninth Idea Cafe's Small Business Grant have demonstrated determination and commitment to take their business to the next level. Plus, during the competition, they've shown us an inventive business approach which will undeniably inspire others who come to IdeaCafe seeking advice on starting and running a business. That is why we encourage you to support them by casting a vote for one of the finalists who deserves to win $1,000.00 from Idea Cafe.