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Here is an interesting article I found on INC.com....

Entrepreneurship clubs help students turn their ideas and passions into businesses and develop future business leaders.

Ryan Allis and Aaron Houghton met at an entrepreneurship club while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Within three days of meeting, the two had the idea for their company iContact that helps small businesses manage their e-mail marketing. iContact now has 63,000 customers and generated $26.5 million in revenue last year. With the creation of entrepreneurship clubs, colleges and universities across the country are becoming small business development incubators.

According to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, over 2100 colleges and universities were offering entrepreneurship education programs by 2006. [continue reading]
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Your Time to Shine This Summer

During the summer months, you can always count on the media to do some type of weather-related stories. This could also be your opportunity to promote yourself and/or your business.

Developing ideas that can help you promote your business in summer doesn't have to take a great deal of time or a large financial investment in order to see positive results. The key to getting the media's attention is to come up with a creative (and fun) campaign that will help them generate a news or weather-related story.

Here are some examples:

Offer cool down treats: Arrange a day with a local ice cream store to have a free ice cream giveaway for anyone who walks in with your business card. You would certainly need a budget for that--especially if you've circulated A LOT of business cards. But you could also limit it to the first 25 or 50 customers and let the media know you're doing this as a Summer Appreciation Event.

Another similar idea is to simply pack some ice cold drinks and take to employees who have to work outside for a living. It's a nice gesture and may not only give you some media exposure but also some additional business.

Host a Pool Party for kids: Contact the local weatherman and invite him to come over and offer some tips on how to stay cool this summer. Certainly, his or her own station will cover the event.

Product giveaways: When I was promoting my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age, I offered a fan as a part of the promotion. If you purchased a copy of the book, you also got a free "hot flash" fan. Find something creative you can give away that would be directly tied into summer.

Sponsor an activity or event in your community: Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, City Hall or your local church for community events and find out how you can get your name or business connected. It would be worth sitting out in the hot sun for a couple of hours if a TV or newspaper crew stopped by to interview you, wouldn't it?

Check the websites of your local stations: Find out what they're up to and see how you can get involved--if only as a volunteer. You can network your way from there.

If all else fails, create your OWN media event and post it on YouTube, Vimeo, UStream, etc. You may find yourself getting even GREATER expsoure.
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Marketing a small business is not limited to print or online media. Using greeting cards in business is still a highly beneficial tool for marketing, promoting and most importantly to show appreciation to your clients.
REAL cards that come addressed, stamped and in the mail, not e-cards are proven effective in securing business relationships, creating referrals and can be used as a tool to generate sales. Unlike sales letters, greeting cards are appreciated and have less chance of ending up in the trash bins.

Some reasons to add greeting cards to your marketing plan-

Adding greeting cards create loyalty. A company that shows appreciation for their clientsis likely to have better business relationships in the long run. Show them that you do thank them for choosing you to provide the product or service they need by sending thank you cards.

Cards are easy to send any time of the year. Another advantage of usinggreeting cards is that you don’t even need special occasions to send them.

You can personalize them making the messages more sincere thus strengthening your relationship with them. You can also include a personal message about the recent product or service that you are promoting. Tell them that you want them to experience what you have to offer and any help that you can give them.

Using a online greeting card system like Send Out Cards can make it easy and affordable for you to send real, high quality cards on an ongoing basis to your customers to keep your business “top of mind” so that they will entrust their loyalty to you!


I extend an invitation to all of you to take a few minutes and send a thank you to your most recent customer or someone whose business you've been after.


Try Send Out Cards- online greeting card and gifting system. Visit my website at www.sendoutcards.com/80793 select option #2 OR for more information on how you can purchase this product contact me at dbjdesigns@gmail.com.


Thank you and stay blessed!

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Proximity Is Power

If you spend most of your time perfecting your products and services and mastering your craft, expecting a huge return on your investment, what I'm about to say might sound unfair. And that is--it's not what you know that will determine your long-term success, but it's who you know and who knows you! The reason I can state this with such conviction is because it wasn't until I wholly embraced this truth did I see my business make an upward spike.


You can have the greatest product in the world and a dozen letters behind your name, but if you're not in the loop with the right people, you're going to be in for a long, slow haul. People are critical to the success of your business-but not just any people. There must be people in your network who are more advanced than you, and have enough influence to give you a leg up. Just keeping it real! I heard Dennis Kimbro say, "If you're the smartest person in your circle, then you're in the wrong circle."


Apart from your broader networking circle, think of two people you would like to meet.
Your agenda shouldn't be for the sole purpose of what you can get from them. There needs to be a
genuine desire to connect and create a mutually beneficial, professional relationship. Here are four guidelines to follow if you're interested in connecting with a specific person:


1. Ask around to determine if there's someone you know who can introduce you to the person. You will be surprised at the connections the people close to you have.

2. Subscribe to their newsletter or blog and interact with them.

3. Purchase their products and services

4. Attend the same events as they attend.


Be patient and look for the right opportunity to reach out to them for help.
If you invest in other people and they feel that you are genuine, and are benefitting from their product and services, they will be more inclined to help give you a leg up.

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Guiding U2 Success

Are you tired of feeling blocked by your own fear? You may know what you really want to do, and how to live, but are afraid you can’t do it. That it is too much for you. That others might laugh, or dissuade you. Or you might fail. Does this sound familiar?

Well, I know how you feel, and have been right where you are. We women often have a hard time dealing with our fear. Certain things are expected of us in life, and we feel pressure to conform, to take the safe path, to chose wisely.

But what if God has something in mind for you? What if you could relax, follow your dream, and achieve what you long for? What if you could just brazen right through that fear?

I have found the solution to eliminating those fears that stop us- to helping you achieve everything you want in your career, in your life, in your relationships.

Contact me now and let me show you how you can achieve your dreams!

www.guidingu2success.com

Schedule your free 30 minute coaching session. http://www.appointmentquest.com/provider/2130055128

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Dorothy Allen Collection

CUSTOMER REQUEST: Can you put Dorothy Allen's artwork in one section of your website?

ANSWER: Done! And we thank you for your request. Gift items with Dorothy Allen's artwork can now be viewed in one section. And yes, items will still be available by theme.

10744050859?profile=originalWhat an honor to enjoy or display the artwork of Dorothy Allen. As one of America's most adorned artist, Ms. Allen's work speaks volumes to many who have come to know and love her art. Her signature phrase Too Blessed to Be Stressed can be found on most gift items today from calendars and Bible covers to journals and even address books. Ms. Allen captures the African American culture in a very unique way. Her vibrant and full of life characters include preachers in the pulpit, and ushers prancing and praising. Inspirational Expressions will be adding to this collection soon.

Thank you Ms. Allen for art that makes us all smile.

Do you have a product or website request or suggestion? You win a free gift if we use it. Send requests to contact@inspirational-expressions.com.
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