When marketing on the internet building brands becomes very important due to these immense amount of traffic and competition. All too often online marketers get so involved in promoting their products and/or services they lose sight of the importance of business branding. Creating a unique identity online helps people identify you from the 'pack' and also more quickly relate a certain product, service or niche to you or your business. Developing brand recognition is actually a very intricate part of your marketing strategy that should not be overlooked. If done correctly your business branding can bring you an unreal amount of traffic and all with little or no effort.

Today, we are thrilled to officially open the 10th Idea Café Small Business Grant, sponsored by Liquid Web Inc. The entrepreneur, who comes on top in the competition against thousands of other small business owners, will receive a $1,000.00 check, heaps of free publicity and national recognition.

This Grant is all about getting entrepreneurs to take steps toward living their dream and pursuing new heights. In a search for the most creative small business idea, the contest is designed to spur the imagination and spirit of entrepreneurism.

The cycle of marketing was once summarized in the story of the circus coming to town.

If the circus is coming to town and you buy a billboard saying “Circus Coming to the Fairground Saturday,” that's advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town, that's promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor's flower bed and the local paper picks it up, that's publicity. And if you get the mayor to laugh about it, that's public relations. If the town's citizens go to the circus, you show them the many entertainment booths, explain how much fun they'll have spending money at the booths, answer their questions and ultimately, they spend a lot at the circus, that's sales.

Question: What's the best way to lose potential customers?

Answer: Piss them off.

Yet, that's exactly what many Internet marketers are doing...pissing off potential customers. How? By using disrespectful marketing methods. Unfortunately, there seems to be a pervasion of intrusive and disrespectful marketing on websites across the Internet.

In today’s tight credit environment, more and more businesses are having to turn to alternative and non-bank financing options to access the capital they need to keep the gears of their business running smoothly.

There are a number of different tools available to owners of cash-strapped businesses in search of financing, but two of the main ones are factoring and accounts receivable (A/R) financing. Sometimes, business owners lump these two options together in their minds, but in reality, there are a few slight differences that result in these being different financing products.

The immense popularity of social networks, and the meteoric rise in the last few years of social media marketing, have been some of the most exciting new directions for PR and marketing that I have experienced.

That is why I jumped on board the social media marketing train over a year ago…it has been a huge boon to my performance-based PR business.

But in spite of the many extraordinary opportunities in social media marketing, one drawback I've found is the speed with which one can be forgotten. Even the social-media savvy may struggle to stay in front of and remain memorable in the minds of their friends, followers, connections and fellow group members.

We take pleasure in announcing that Gerhard Guevarra, the owner of All-American Fencing Academy, is the recipient of the current Small Business Grant. With his impressive enthusiasm for teaching and training new and competitive fencers, he instantly grabbed the hearts of our regulars and stood out amongst thousands of other small business owners. Congratulations!

During the final month-long voting round of the grant, All-American Fencing Academy emerged as the leader, with 41.66% of the votes. Gerhard was closely followed by another exceptional business, Denizen Surfboards, who got 39.3% of the votes.

Scientific inventions and technological advancement has transformed modern society. Personal interaction has been replaced by chatting online, the meeting place being cyber space rather than a room, market or home. Cell phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are constant companions and hence provide the means to stay connected at every point in time.

Many in the West look to China as an exceptionally low-cost sourcing resource for manufactured goods. However, for those who are accustomed to dealing with contract manufacturing in Western markets, the first ventures into Chinese manufacturing will require a major readjustment in business approaches and expectations.

Promotional marketing is in its own renaissance right now. In a world of digital connections, absence of in-person interaction with customers, and a beleaguered economy, companies, and especially small businesses, are realizing that customers still appreciate a free gift and a personal touch.

Giveaways are incredibly inexpensive and profound in impact for a small business. A simple gift can pack more punch than your competitor’s massive advertising budget. Let’s take a look at the numbers.