Navigating the New Free-Ad Ecosystem
What's a small business to make of Facebook, Google, and HopStop offering up ad space free of charge? Read more
Sales and Marketing
Recent Sales and Marketing Guides
7 Ways to Make a Mini-Marketing Campaign
Go big or go home? Forget that. These strategies for increasing your brand influence take hardly any time, and very little money. Read more
How to Blog to Attract Investors
Venture capitalists and angel investors weigh in on what they're looking for in your company blog. Read more
How to Set Up Sales Territories
Deciding how to divide sales territories create the most efficient environment for your sales team is more difficult than just drawing lines on a map. Read more
How to Sell Your Products in the U.K.
U.S. products almost certainly have a market across the pond. Experts share their tips and advice for shipping inexpensively, hiring help abroad, and dealing... Read more
How to Negotiate a Land Deal
A successful negotiation takes place when both the buyer and seller believe they have received a good price. Read more
How to Prepare to Launch Your Start-up
Preparing to launch your start-up means more than simply making sure you have a viable product and potential customers. Here are five tips on how to prepare ... Read more
How to Qualify a Sales Lead
Learning how to properly qualify a sales lead can be the difference between landing a juicy new business deal or wasting lots of energy barking up the wrong ... Read more
The New Rules of Getting Press for Your Start-up
Think Facebook and Twitter are all you need to get the word out about your new business? Here are eight more ways to get some media attention. Read more
How to Choose an Advertising Agency
With thousands of ad firms wanting your business, how can you choose? Experts explain how to set your goals, put it in an RFP, and snag the best creative team. Read more
How to Combine Foursquare and Your Loyalty Program
Tying a traditional loyalty program to social and location-based check-ins can be an easy way for businesses to attract customers and make money. Here’s ho... Read more
How to Sell on Value Rather Than Price
Don't want to compromise on price? Experts explain how to stay competitive based on the value of your product or service to consumers. Read more
How to Choose a Live Chat Service for Your E-commerce Site
Adding a live chat service to your e-commerce site can simplify communication with your customers. Here's how to integrate this alternative to e-mail and cus... Read more
How to Make Great Brand Merchandise
Creating brand merchandise can strengthen customer loyalty and enlist fans to spread your name—"but you don't want to make just another oversized T-shirt. Read more
How to Best Harness Inbound Marketing Leads
Once your company gets a sales lead from your site, you'll need to make the right steps to convert them into a paying customer. Here's what you should know. Read more
How to Market a Brand New Product
What the Snuggie, the Roomba, and other innovative products can teach you about turning an unknown name and product into a consumer success. Read more
How to Market Your Business Using Google Places
Pretty much everyone uses Google to find local businesses. Here's how to make sure your company stands out. Read more
Making Your 15 Minutes of Fame Last
Whether it's sudden press or a viral video, it's easier than ever for business owners to get a taste of the spotlight. Here's how to make it last. Read more
How to Spice Up Your Sales Meeting
Keeping a meeting interesting is something even the sharpest sales reps struggle with. Experts share a few tips on how to mix things up. Read more
How to Break Into the Daily Deals Space
Groupon—one of the fastest growing companies ever—has proven the formula works with its estimated $750 million IPO. Can you still break into the crowded ... Read more
How Social Media Has Changed Business Travel
Let's face it: Social networking influences the way we travel, whether on business or for pleasure. Here's how you can make the most of your trip by using th... Read more
7 Tips for Improving Your Sales Forecasting
Sales forecasts are by nature imperfect. But experts say there are ways to squeeze more value out of the projections you're making. Read more
New Tools for Sales Training
Welcome to the world of sales training 2.0, where innovators are leveraging new technology—and new thinking—to make better sales people. Read more
How to Use Samples to Promote Your Product
Got a product? Give a sample. Make sampling easy and effective for any product in any industry with these six steps. Read more
The New Rules of Building Customer Loyalty
Want your customers to stick to you like glue? Today it takes more than a punch-card or priority line. Read more
8 Tips for Using Social Blogging to Grow Your Business
Use continuous updates and punchy messages to heighten interest and keep your customers informed about products or services which in turn can boost sales. Read more
10 Tips on How to Research Your Competition
Keeping tabs on your competition is a great strategy for growing your business. Follow these tips, from fellow small business owners, on which tools are best... Read more
How to Use Game Mechanics to Reward Your Customers
Your customers hoard airline miles and covet their status-symbol black American Express. What was once called "consumer incentives" is now known as "gamifica... Read more
A Guide to Starting Your Small Business Blog
Though time-consuming, blogging about your business has its benefits. Here are four tips to help you get started. Read more
How to Find the Right Employees to Be Your Brand Ambassadors
Here's how to promote your company's message through your most passionate and social-media-savvy employees. Read more