This article will walk you through the steps necessary to successfully use Facebook to better reach and understand your customers, as a fellow member of the community.
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In a new series of short videos, Matt Dickman simplifies technobabble into a framework that marketers can understand and act on. The next time you have a meeting where they're speaking "geek," you can surprise them with your knowledge instead of just nodding along.
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Here's what one fictitious small business did to grow its customer base, and reach potential customers worldwide.
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In this MarketingProfs Classic, originally published in April of 2003, Suzan St. Maur highlights 10 online writing concepts that also kick offline. "After all the agonies we suffered some years ago when some tried to make offline text work online, we've finally turned the tables," she writes. "Now we can borrow back a number of online writing concepts and use them to sharpen up our paper-based marketing communications."

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I hear from lots of folks kind of, sort of, maybe wishing, they could start their own business. To them I say, Just Start! There has never been a better time to start a business, period.

In fact, the folks at Intuit just made it an even better time to start a new venture with a national campaign aimed at helping aspiring entrepreneurs get into to business now. The highlight of the campaign is a $50,000 grant awarded to one lucky start-up.

Enter the “Just Start” Contest

Aspiring business owners can enter the “Just Start” contest by submitting a letter or video to www.IWillJustStart.com, or by visiting one of the local “Just Start” events in four major cities. Entrants will describe their business dream, what they need to do to make it happen and how they would use Intuit’s “Just Start” business grant to get started.

Experience the “Just Start” Feeling

Budding entrepreneurs can experience “Just Start” in four busy commuter hubs across the country. At each “Just Start” Lounge, they can enter the contest by sharing their business dreams on video. They can also draw inspiration from local entrepreneurs, obtain expert advice from local business experts and get a free copy of QuickBooks Simple Start.

Cities include:
• Seattle – Oct. 24-25, Westlake Center.
• Chicago – Nov. 1-2, Union Station. (I will be at this event, come by and say hi)
• New York – Nov. 7-8, Grand Central Station.
• Boston – Nov. 13-14, South Station.

Visit the I will just start page to get a feel for the types of entries. Scrolling through some of the video entries is a great way to get fired up about your dream.

The contest entries are due by December 15th and the winners will be announced in January 2008. I have been asked to judge the entries, along with Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends and Ramon Ray of Smallbiztechnology.com. We will review the submissions and select five semi-finalists. Those entries will be posted on the site in mid-January, when visitors can view and vote for their favorite.

I can’t be bribed so you must go to the site and just get your entry posted!

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 I visited with Kevin Eikenberry, author of Remarkable Leadership for a recent episode of the Duct Tape Marketing podcast.

It’s funny but I don’t find may small business owners that think of themselves as leaders, but you can’t do what a small business owner must do without some leadership ability. The thing is, until you begin to think of yourself as a remarkable leader, it’s going to be one of the toughest jobs you have.

Eikenberry’s book breaks the practice of leadership into a system of steps that anyone can master.

Kevin put together a short inspirational video - check it out

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