Didn’t go to Stanford for your MBA? Well, now you can. Top notch universities in the US and abroad, business schools, museums, public broadcasting stations and state education organizations are all part of YouTube EDU, Academic Earth, MIT Open Course Ware and iTunes U which offer free downloads of educational podcasts or videos. These presentations cover a range of topics from VoIP security forums to language courses. iTunes U is the most popular platform for these free downloads. iTunes U’s popularity is most likely attributed to its promotion of free and mobile learning. Although released in 2007, not many users are maximizing its true potential. iTunes U has the prospective of creating a more empowered business person.

How it works:

iTunes U is accessed through iTunes and is found at the top of the menu bar. The podcasts can be downloaded individually or you can subscribe for automatic downloads as they become available. This second feature is used primarily for an on-going series podcast which operates like an on-going course.

How to Use it:

iTunes U’s direct relationship with iTunes means podcasts can be watched or listened to through a computer or can be taken anywhere with an iPod or an iPhone. iTunes U can be accessed from mobile devices through their cellular networks and via Wi-Fi. When accessing iTunes U from a computer, you can even send the podcast to your employees to ensure they are also up-to-date with current technologies or business concepts.

Whether your company is trying to break into a new industry, revamp your company logo or stay current with trends, there is probably a lecture for it.

Here is an exaggerated hypothetical situation illustrating how to utilize iTunes U to improve your business:

A small business owner is deciding between a social media focused online marketing campaign or a direct mail campaign. From listening to some iTunes U lectures, he decides that an online marketing campaign would be best and could be part of a larger search engine optimization effort. This savvy businessman decides to learn more about online marketing strategies before hiring anyone. After several lectures, he hires an experienced graphic design firm familiar with techniques referenced in the podcasts. He managed to do all of this free research on his iPod while on his daily subway commute to work each day.

As with the hypothetical example above, listening to these lectures may not illicit the necessary skills to do the project yourself, but will create a more knowledgeable entrepreneur. This knowledge creates a more confident negotiator and may eliminate the need to outsource more basic projects. Whether trying to learn Spanish to attract new clients or learn about social networking sites, with over 200,000 free educational files available through iTunes U alone, not taking advantage of this educational opportunity is too expensive of a mistake to make.

The US Chamber of Commerce, which proclaims itself to be “the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size,” has a big problem on its hand.

High-profile companies have been quitting the Chamber, a virtual Who’s Who of top businesses, including Apple, PG&E, Nike, and Exelon.

The reason: the US Chamber’s opposition to the Waxman-Markey climate change bill.

The US Chamber points out that “ore than 96% of U.S. Chamber members are small businesses with 100 employees or fewer” and that “As the voice of business, the Chamber’s core purpose is to fight for free enterprise before Congress, the White House, regulatory agencies, the courts, the court of public opinion, and governments around the world.”

But its members seem to feel that the U.S. Chamber is not listening.

And, as a member of my local Chamber of Commerce, I’ve been upset about some of the positions staked out by the US Chamber: they didn’t truly seem to help small businesses.

I had mentioned something to my local chamber, but it turns out that local chambers of commerce are not necessarily members of the US Chamber — which is a branding problem.

For both the US Chamber and local chambers.

I’m a member of a local chamber, but have no input on what the US Chamber’s policy making function. Yet I was upset enough to consider quitting my local chamber, which has nothing to do with the US Chamber.

Meanwhile, the US Chamber seems to be responding to the news that more big-name members are quitting, seemingly each day, by sticking to its guns.

I’m sure that the US Chamber is losing smaller companies, too.

Yet as a call-to-action for prospective members, the Chamber says, “The Chamber understands your needs and protects your livelihood as if they are our own.”

It’s not a matter of them being “as if they are our own.” As a membership-based organization whose mission is “to fight for free enterprise,” its members’ needs and livelihood are their own.

So, the lessons learned:

1. You need to listen to your members. It certainly doesn’t seem like the US Chamber is doing this. I’m sure the US Chamber conducts surveys of its membership to help determine the direction and policies to support. But when even energy companies are quitting because they have deep concerns regarding the US Chamber’s position on climate change, that’s a problem.
2. You need to respond to your members. The lack of response to the companies leaving seems to indicate that the US Chamber doesn’t truly care about what its members think. In fact, according to Fast Company, “Why Did Apple Quit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?” “Apple’s move probably won’t change any minds in the Chamber of Commerce–Eric Wohlschegel, a spokesman for the organization, shrugged off the mass exodus by explaining that some companies have more to gain from the Chamber’s stance than others.” Seems like that’s not acting as if members’ needs and livelihoods are “our own.”
3. You need to realize that, whether you think it’s one or not, there’s a crisis. Shrugging off “a mass exodus” is not a way to manage a crisis. There is a message from the president of the US Chamber about its climate control policy, but it’s dated Sept. 29, and a lot of the high profile membership resignations have occurred in Oct. They haven’t even issued a press release this month, as of this morning, Oct. 7, to present their side of the issue. And there are no current op-eds on the site with data that supports a controversial policy.
4. You need to engage your members. The first step could be to say, we realize that our current stance on climate control may be unpopular but we think it’s the right one, but we’re willing to meet with members to explain our reasons. Town Hall meetings have a bad tone these days, but why not set up events to talk to and hear from members? Why not show the level of membership support for the current policy? Yet we have no idea of how many members surveyed agree with the policy. So far the US Chamber has not done a good job here.
5. You need to reach out to prospective members. Considering that the US Chamber needs to continue to recruit members, they need to use policy positions that will encourage prospective members to join. Doesn’t seem like fighting against climate change would generate new members.

Meanwhile, I’d have to say that the local chambers seem to be ignoring the matter, too. They may operate independently, but a lot of people may not realize that. There’s bound to be a lot of people and local businesses upset, and that could leave them with negative feelings about all chambers of commerce — which is not what you want right before renewal season. I know it’s not the local chambers’ battle, but they need to let their local members know they’re not part of the US Chamber.

Think your sales department is doing all it can to convert credit card processing sales leads or VoIP sales leads into paying customers? Think again. When it comes to maximizing lead generation efforts, perceived success rates are much higher than real statistics indicate, according to our recent study. (more…)

Is Canada the newest entrepreneurial frontier? Maybe. Globally, the country has the highest population of entrepreneurs within its working population (15.9% compared to 10.1% in the U.S.*). By some measures, it’s easier to start a business in Canada than in almost any other large-economy country: Canada ranks #1 among the G-7 and OECD countries for fewest number of procedures required to start a business and for the fewest number of days required get a new business off the ground. (more…)

With news that retail sales rose 2.7% in August (higher than the 2% increase many experts predicted), many small business owners are breathing a sigh of relief.  Nearly every business blogger has done some version of the “Recession-proof Companies” post, but what many fail to address is how you as a small business owner can translate these successful strategies for your own company. Should you dedicate more budget to online marketing efforts, position your brand differently, or employ several brand building strategies at once? Here’s a look at a few industries that have managed to slide through the past years relatively unscathed by the economic woes plaguing many businesses- and how you can use their secrets of success.

Fast Food

“Fast casual dining” (fast food restaurants) have done well over the past years. The success of businesses that offer lower-priced fare is often attributed to customers’ increasing desire for bargains, which sounds right- until you consider the case of McDonalds, which attributes a same-store sales rise of 2.6% to the launch of it’s McCafe line of espresso and coffee drinks. Conventional wisdom dictates that customers would forgo fancy coffee beverages the more financially stretched they become. But McDonalds turned what could have been a huge disadvantage into a marketing ploy: instead of going out the $5 lattes to save cash, just switch to a cheaper version. The $100 million campaign placed McDonalds as the cash-conscious alternative to Starbucks and other high-end coffee retailers.

Steal this Strategy: McDonalds’s strategy is a great example of turning lemons into lemonade. Even if you can’t position your product as the cash-saving equivalent of a pricier or luxury item, you can probably think of creative ways to turn a perceived hurdle into a successful marketing strategy. Online marketing efforts, pay per click ads, and related strategies can shift customer perception of your product in a relatively short span of time.

Beer

Alcohol is often touted as a “recession proof” product, even though this isn’t entirely the case- “value sector” brands tend to see sales increase or remain steady because drinkers mid-market beverages downgrade to more cost effective alternatives. Brands on the high end, where customer loyalty is the strongest, tend to sustain minimal damage during rough economic times, according to Beer Business Daily. Illustrative of this trend is the case of Chicago brewer Goose Island, which seen an increase in sales of its $8 and up bottles at local bars.

Steal this Strategy: The lesson here is that it can pay to position yourself either at the top or at the bottom of a specific market. Companies that produce niche products or those with a cult following seem to be less likely to lose business to mid- or low-market brands because loyalty is so strong. Building customer relationships can be as simple as offering special promotions to repeat clients or customers, initiating an email marketing effort, or ramping up a social media marketing campaign.

Pharmaceuticals

Medical News Today reports that revenues of pharmaceutical companies actively developing new drugs grew to $89.7 billion last year. Though some have pointed out that pharmaceutical industry growth in the US is “not sustainable” the current numbers show that explosive revenue growth is possible, even in a down economy.

Steal this Strategy: Not all drug companies are making piles of money. The largest profits seem to be reserved for those companies that place the most importance on growth: developing new therapies, obtaining new patents, and bringing new drugs to market. Innovation in any industry is key for long term success, but it can also drive short-term revenue, as well. Now is the time to evaluate growth strategies and get customers excited about new product or service offerings.

Technology

Some of the industries thriving in the recession are easy calls- people always need to eat, and take care of health needs, for example. Success in bargain markets is equally easy to predict. Don’t despair if your business isn’t serving a “steady demand” industry or producing low-cost goods. High-end retailers can also fare well in an economic downturn if they are strategic with sales and marketing efforts. Apple, the stylish innovator that brought the world the iPod, the iPhone, and a whole host of other sleek, easy-interface devices is the perfect example of a high-end brand doing better than expected in an economic decline.

Steal this Strategy: Apple capitalizes on all of the strategies employed by the other companies described: customers are fiercely loyal (even if prices are high), it positions itself as a “better” alternative to existing offerings (PCs, music players, etc.) and it manages to create huge excitement for even less than monumental innovations (iTunes 9). It does all of these things incredibly well. The lesson here: combine your strengths into a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy. Focusing on one technique might work well, but integrating several well-targeted efforts might work even better.

You’d probably think twice before going for a trim at Yummy Hair or getting an oil change at Sham Auto Repair, right? Choosing a business name is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur can be faced with- the name will stick with your company for years into the future, tell customers what your business is all about, and determine branding, online marketing, and advertising strategies. Here are a few things every entrepreneur needs to consider when selecting a business name:

The “Sticky” Factor

Choosing a memorable business name can be tough. Many branding and online advertising experts advise starting with brainstorming or mindmapping.  While bouncing ideas off a few trusted sources is smart, try to avoid involving too many people (employees, spouses, silent partners) in the naming process. If you’re in need of a little inspiration, check out sites like rhymer or wordlab. Noemata and bubbl are also good places to start or to browse if you’re fresh out of ideas.

SEO Implications

Sure, you know a few search engine optimization basics- your business name should be simple to search for and easy for prospective clients to identify. But did you know that many common search terms are delivery devices for malware? According to a recent study by McAfee, certain popular terms, celebrity names, and phrases link to malware sites that can crash the computer where the term was searched- not entirely your fault (unless your business offers that dangerously named “Jessica Biel Screensaver”), but a bad first impression nonetheless. Do a little research, and avoid choosing a name that’s too similar to a dangerous, obscene (likely to be blocked) or otherwise undesirable search term.

Copyright/Trademark Issues

Copyright and trademark issues don’t just prohibit you from calling your own burger restaurant “MacDonalds.” Licensing regulations can impact logos, tag lines, graphics, and overly similar company names alike. Yes, it’s time consuming to perform a U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office search, but the effort will be well worth it if you find that you need to make modifications to all of your promotional materials before they’re printed. Check out the SBA website’s tutorial on copyright and trademark issues for more information.

Domain Names

In an ideal world, your domain name would be the same as your business name. This isn’t always possible, especially if you have a name with a common term in it. Try to avoid modifying the name beyond recognition (“PriceLogic” shouldn’t ever become “PryceLogixNetworkOnline”). You can also choose a catchy tagline or a descriptive domain. For example, one local taco shop went with www.eataburrito.com. Instead of a popular domain that might be unavailable (drsmith.com), try something descriptive (Marina del Rey Opthamology or Marina Eye Doc). Even if your name is available, you should still be careful- some businesses who register their full company name don’t count on the way the words read as a single block of text. It always helps to get a second opinion before you commit to a domain.

Translations

If you plan to do business in foreign markets, you’ll need to consider the language and cultural implications of your business name. We’ve all heard about the Chevy Nova and its unpopularity in Spanish speaking countries- naming the U.S. model the NoGo probably wouldn’t have been a smart move, either. While services like Google Translate are free and easy to use, they aren’t able to translate the cultural or slang implications of a certain name. Ask a native speaker what they think of a prospective name before committing to it.

Naming your business is an important (and fun!) first step in starting your company. Avoid the mistake of an unfortunate name (like Yummy Hair) by doing your research and choosing wisely.

Every business owner wants to use time-proven, effective marketing tactics that build strong brand awareness and increase its clientele. Small business owners today may not necessarily have the tools to spend an insane amount of money on television advertising, radio spots, or other costly advertising avenues such as billboards emblazoned with state-of-the-art graphics. Other advertising methods exist that are cost-effective and have the ability to get the company’s branding message across. We have looked at some of the most efficient and least expensive advertising measures from websites such as here and others for small business owners that we believe will fit in with your budget while helping to create a profitable business. These include:

1. Postcard marketing
2. E-mail blasts
3. Social networking sites (i.e. Twitter or Facebook)
4. Podcasting
5. Creating a website

It is no surprise that 163.3 million Americans use the Internet whether it is to find out new information, shop online, or learn about a business. For this reason, it is crucial for start-up and small businesses to leverage the power of the Internet instead of focusing on traditional advertising maneuvers such as print media and television advertising.

Postcard marketing may seem slightly outdated, but it is important to highlight the massive effect of postcards. Postcards printed on 4” by 6” index cards are highly noticeable in the mail because they can be flipped over and read in a matter of seconds. Immediately, the message is sent across to the end-user without them having to peruse through a pamphlet or packet that usually instills a lack of interest or frustration.

E-mail blasts are excellent for small business owners to send out to their network of contacts. Even better, they’re excellent for building a database on a website. E-mail blasts should be kept simple, to-the-point, and underscore promotional offers to gain the reader’s attention. Moreover, they can be sent out to multiple parties from the recipient, increasing word of mouth buzz.

Social networking sites have become a marketing phenomenon that is helpful for businesses in spreading their brand, mission, and services and/or products in the form of a user-profile. Also, sites such as www.Twitter.com and www.Facebook.com have changed the face of Internet marketing by establishing the online sphere as a word of mouth metropolis. Now is the time to take advantage of social networking sites.

Another helpful marketing suggestion is to create a simple podcast. Not sure how or where to start? Make sure your computer has a web cam. If it doesn’t, these gadgets can be bought at inexpensive price at large computer and electronic retailers. Introduce your business concept through the podcast that is less than 30 seconds. Podcasts are an excellent marketing tool because they can be posted on a website, sent through e-mail, and posted on sites such as www.YouTube.com. According to www.Quantcast.com, www.YouTube.com averages 72.5 million users per month.

With the implementation of these media, businesses are likely to see an increase in interest. The next step would be to create an intuitive, user-friendly website that summarizes the concept of the business without too many graphics or distractions. Following these steps can help an entrepreneur bolster their brand and reach their selected demographic.

Remember that back-to-school anticipation from when you were a kid? You’d buy a new backpack, pick out your “first day” outfit, get all your new school supplies organized, and excitedly make your way to class for the fresh start of a new school year. As an adult, late August just doesn’t produce that same excitement (unless you count claiming the house back from your summer vacationing kids or finally being able to watch the new season of Mad Men). Back-to-school season is actually a great time to jolt your business out of the summer slowdown mentality. Great deals, online marketing opportunities, and a fully-staffed office are just a few things you can look forward to in the coming months. Here are a few cool things to get excited about as the summer comes to a close:

Great Discounts. Retailers at both online and physical stores ramp up the discounts in order to drive back-to-school purchases- for example, Microsoft’s Bing is running a huge cash back promotion with participating retailers. Now is a great time to get office equipment, office furniture, or even a new copier or printer for a steal.  Many smaller and local companies also offer steep discounts on products and services in the fall.

Summer vacation is over. There is an upside to the end of vacation season. Summer is a naturally slow time for many businesses because so many employees take time off. Come fall, everyone is back, rested, and ready to tackle new challenges. You’re playing with a full team- there’s no need for out-of-office reminders, vacation adjustments, or other distractions that can bog down the workload of many employees.

Everyone’s getting back to business. Statistics show that online media use jumps when school is in session. Whether it’s the increasingly chilly weather or all of those students doing research online, web traffic tends to increase when it’s time to get back into the classroom. This can be great news for any small business owner that’s been working on driving web traffic or creating an online presence. Stay on top of the search engine optimizaton efforts and maintain your social media presence- it’ll pay off in the coming months.

Great promotional opportunities. Back-to-school season has a way of making people get motivated and get moving. Maybe it’s the whole “fresh start” idea, but creative back-to-school promotions are a great way to drive traffic to your website or generate much-needed sales after a slow summer. Now is a great time to think about upping your online marketing efforts.

Full Talent Pool. Back to school isn’t just for elementary-age students, it also means that college students head back to campus en masse. Thinking of hiring an intern? If your business is in a university town, you’ve got access to a great talent pool. To all those future (or current) business owners who are still in college: if you’re interested in a spot at our internship program here at Resource Nation, send us a note (info@resourcenation.com)- we’re accepting applications as of this week!

Sharks have long been one of the earth’s most maligned creatures.  Even though we’ve all heard the statistics- for example, that you’re likelier to be hit by airplane debris falling from the sky than be attacked by a shark- most of us still cringe at the theme from “Jaws.”  If the shark were a company, we’d say it had a serious marketing problem- until now, that is.  Every year, the Discovery Channel makes an effort to give sharks some much-needed PR help.  The more you learn about sharks, the more you start to realize that they actually have a few things to teach us.  In the spirit of Shark Week, here are a few ways we can all be more shark-like in our online marketing efforts:

Sharks can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water. While extremely heightened physical senses isn’t something one can emulate, you can definitely seek out the information you need to craft a successful marketing effort.  Google your company, do a Twitter search…find out what people are saying about your business, your products, or your services.

Sharks regularly shed and replace their teeth. Don’t be afraid to let go of efforts that clearly aren’t working.  If you’ve placed affiliate ads on a site for a while and still aren’t seeing the traffic to your site that you want, maybe it’s not a good match.

The largest shark species eat the smallest prey. Competing exclusively for high-dollar sales or big-name clients isn’t always the best strategy.  Throw a wide net with email marketing blasts or email newsletters - they’re free to mail, fairly easy to create, and if done right, very effective.

Sharks have to keep moving stay alive. Sharks “breathe” by swimming forward, which allows water to pass over their gills.  Staying in motion is important- keywords and site rankings change, so your search engine optimization efforts can fade over time.  Managing an SEO campaign is a constant process- make sure you keep up to date.

Sharks cannot swim backward. Focusing on going forward is always a smart idea- if you have a clear plan of where you’re going.  Don’t forge ahead with a social media strategy unless you have a strategic plan and clear goals- once information is out there, you can’t take it back.

For more cool shark trivia, you can take the Shark Week Quiz at the Discovery Channel website.  For more tips about online marketing efforts that don’t involve sharks, take a look at our Buyer Guide.

In an interview in BtoBObline, Marcy Shinder, VP of Brand Strategy and Marketing at American Express OPEN, offered up these tips (in a different format):

• A downturn is a good time to identify ways to transform a company.
• A lot of companies look at delivering better customer service as a differentiator. (For service organizations, this can be a challenge since your competitors are likely to be trying the same things. Instead, think about what improvements would deliver the most value.)
• Companies need to stay relevant. (In other words, think about the problems customers buy from you, and make sure that what you provide truly solves their problems.)
• Provide tangible value. (We have a client with a fascinating vision of the future of technology in their sector, but we’ve advised them to make that game-changing vision a secondary message because their first goal is to sell product. So they need to focus on ways they provide real value to their customers. A compelling vision of what’s to come is good, but that doesn’t always help customers when deciding to buy now instead of putting off the purchase for later.)
• Companies need to market differently from the day of the 30-second spot. They need to provide insight, inspiration and advice during every customer interaction.
• Companies need to answer what they can do for their customers.

Some good common sense advice, yet I’d bet a lot of companies don’t follow up on this. Check out the complete article, “American Express’ Shinder on marketing to small businesses.”