SmallBusinessNewz Video Blog

JackThreads: One Man’s eCommerce Dream and How It Became Reality

Videos — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:31:11 +0000

How does a regular guy from Ohio build a successful fashion company? According to Jason Ross, the entrepreneur who accomplished this feat, the opportunities are available if you are willing to take them.

He always had an interest in contemporary fashions and better streetwear for men, but he didn’t have the budget for them. For this reason, he reached out to the retailers and found out that they couldn’t liquidate their merchandise because they didn’t have a trusted vendor. Through this, Ross was able to build relationships and, in turn, develop JackThreads, a discount clothing site for men.

The business went on to be acquired by Thrillist, a popular lifestyle website and newsletter geared toward professional men. In this interview with Abby Johnson, Ross said that this move was one of the best he has ever made for the business.

Find out more about Ross’s success story and why puts a strong emphasis on customer service, in this SmallBusinessNewz report.

5 Tips to Help Your Business Prevent a Security Breach

Videos — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:27:04 +0000

Cyber attacks appear to be increasing since a number of companies, including Sony and Epsilon, have had their security compromised recently. What’s even worse is that attackers are actually more likely to target small businesses since they do not usually have sophisticated security measures.

As Abby Johnson explains in this report, such an attack could be extremely damaging to a small business. Not only could it create a huge public relations and financial burden, but it could also weaken or destroy the relationships that a business has with its customers.

To find out how you can secure your business and avoid getting hacked, watch this video report on SmallBusinessNewz.

What You Can Learn about Social Media from Weinergate

Videos — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:17:12 +0000

No matter how valuable social media is to your brand, instances such as the recent events surrounding former Congressman Anthony Weiner often have an alarming effect. Obvious reasons aside, these circumstances usually make businesses question the processes around their social campaigns.

As Abby Johnson explains in this SmallBusinessNewz report, brands need to understand that social media wasn’t at fault in this case. Yes, mistakes can happen on social media, but it’s important to not only take precautions to avoid unfortunate incident, but to also have a plan for them.

Find out more about what your business can learn from Weinergate right here on SmallBusinessNewz.

Using Social Media for Recruiting

Videos — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:30:53 +0000

Have you ever considered using social media channels, such as Facebook, for finding new employees? While many companies use Facebook and Twitter for research, a new trend is showing that they are also using to actually find people to hire.

Through these social channels, businesses have access to a large amount of information on individuals. Also, as Abby Johnson points out in this report, most consumers do not even pay attention to billboards, newspapers, and fliers. Instead, they are spending their time on social networks.

Watch this SmallBusinessNewz report to find out more about how and why businesses are using social media for recruiting purposes.

The Downside of Price Promotions

Videos — Fri, 13 May 2011 19:01:38 +0000

Did you know that price promotions could sometimes have a negative impact? As unfortunate as it is, there can, in fact, be a downside to price promotions. It’s not that price promotions are bad, but they should be used in conjunction with other strategies in order to be effective.

If a business bases its entire strategy on price, consumers will become accustomed to low prices and never pay the full price. Over time, this could lead to price promotions costing more than the profit. Also, too many price promotions could send the wrong message to both consumers and the competition. It could suggest that your products have low quality, or that your business is failing.

Watch this SmallBusinessNewz report for more on the right and wrong ways to use price promotions.

How to Compete with the BIG Competitors

Videos — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:26:52 +0000

Competition is meant to keep businesses on their toes. However, there are times when it seems like an impossible task to compete with the really large players. For example, many small businesses can feel hopeless when they compete with large corporations.

While being on the short end of the stick is never fun, there are legitimate tactics that small businesses can integrate to obtain an upper hand. As Abby Johnson reports, the underdog has a unique focus that only comes as a result of pressure.

If small businesses apply this focus to making their voice be heard, utilizing the competition’s resources, and looking at the battle with a different perspective, they could very well come out ahead. Find out more about competing against the BIG players, in this SmallBusinessNewz broadcast.

Creating a Daily Destination Website

Videos — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:10:47 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great if your customers visited your site on a daily basis? Fortunately, it is possible, if businesses are willing to put time into communication, commitment, and engagement strategies. In other words, creating a daily destination site is about producing incentives that keep consumers coming back for more.

Businesses can do this through a blog, community building, sharing capabilities, special deals and promotions, and free and paid programs. Each of these areas help to connect with consumers and keep them coming back for information, bargains, and more.

Learn more about how you can turn your website into a daily destination for consumers, by watching this report from Abby Johnson. Check it out, right here on SmallBusinessNewz.

Why Marketing Efforts Need to Be Continuous

Videos — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

As a business owner/manager, what do your marketing efforts consist of after the holidays are over? Unfortunately, some businesses use that time to recuperate from the their elaborate campaigns during the holiday season. Although many consumers use the first few months of the year to recover, businesses do not have that option.

In order to be effective, a business needs to be consistent with its marketing efforts. Now, there will be times that it should increase its promotions, such as during the holidays or other seasonal times, but it should always have a presence.

PromoDirect actually offers some tips to help businesses, which Abby Johnson discussed in this segment. They advise businesses to conduct certain marketing measures on a monthly, weekly, and even daily basis.

Learn what these measures are and how you can apply them, in this SmallBusinessNewz edition.

Social Media Myths for Business Debunked

Videos — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:42:04 +0000

In looking at technology and the trends that come and go, we can see why businesses have been hesitant about embracing it. However, the newness should be wearing off by now and companies can look to other businesses that have used it successfully to reach their goals.

In this SmallBusinessNewz report, Abby Johnson debunks several myths or objections to social media. They include:

- Social media is a fad
- Social media doesn’t have ROI
- No time or money to invest in social media
- No control over message with social media
- No privacy in social media
- Too many legal challenges with social media

Do any of these sound familiar? If so, check out this broadcast to find out why these objections aren’t completely valid when being applied to social media.

Mistakes to Avoid When “Listening” to Your Customers

Videos — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:14:28 +0000

If your business is involved in social media, you know that listening is an important aspect of it. But, why are so many businesses doing it ineffectively? For starters, it’s not as easy as it sounds. It is also very time-consuming and can be difficult to measure.

As Abby Johnson explains in this video report, listening can be very challenging. However, it is critical if you want your business to be successful in its social media endeavors.

Watch this broadcast and find out how your business can implement an effective listening strategy. You’ll also learn about both free and paid tools that could enhance your efforts. Check it all out, right here on SmallBusinessNewz.