TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Marketing On The Fly	There isn’t a newspaper or magazine that isn't discussing the mess the economy is in.  Despite the scary headlines, if you are a business owner or manager, you have to find a way to market your business despite the downturn in the markets.

For Our Members

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Spreading the Word on the Net	So you have a business that you want to advertise on the Net.  You have heard various stories about spam police and you are sitting their wondering how to start; or maybe you should just give up the idea and stick with print ads.
Competition is Good for the Marketplace	There are, as with all rules, exceptions.  Companies coexisting in a competitive market are suppose to play by the rules.  That includes no unfair pricing policies and deliberately eliminating middle men.  Some do so well they are accused by others who can’t seem to keep up.
The Publishing Industry is Shifting	Last week’s announcement that Ziff Davis is filing for Chapter 11 is a big thing.  It is simply repeating what the world, as a whole, has known for quite awhile.  The publishing industry hasn’t been the same for a long while and there are more dramatic changes ahead.
Monkeying Around With Prices	The basic concept is simple.  You can raise prices on goods and services people really want for awhile without decreasing sales.  The unanswered question, of course, is how long before customers start going elsewhere to get the same thing.
All Business is Selling	I ran across a trade group recently who acted as if they wanted me to write for their publication. When I submitted info on successful ad campaigns, they weren’t interested. In their eyes it didn't apply to their clients. You see their clients were financial planners and such. They were service oriented, not product sellers.
Every Business Needs a Hook	What is so different about your story that the readers are going to want to spend time going through the content.  Readers these days are bombarded with more content than probably in the history of newspapers.  They want something extremely interesting to catch their attention.  In journalism terms, it is called a hook.
Promises, Promises, Promises	We've all experienced folks who can't seem to understand the importance of keeping their word. If they fail to make an appointed date, they don't seem to realize why someone maybe upset because of the wasted time waiting. Somehow, our society has promulgated this as being an accepted societal faux pas.
Marketing Strategies	Before you conclude that no one could say a thing about the subject you haven't heard already, give me a second or two here. My last post showed that even Bill Gates sometimes loses sight of his marketing. Remember, the disaster he had in China.
Hints on Test Marketing	Writing a proper business plan requires that you have done some market research on the baby you want to launch.  This also requires you knowing some info about your closest competitors.  Don't know your competition, go back to the starting gate.
Pricing Strategies	Many small business owners don't realize that they can run their shop with a several tiered pricing structure and still be successful.  This by my definition means profit.  There was a recent article in Business Week that discussed Bill Gates' endeavors to do business in China.
Making a Pricing Decision	This may seem to be a simple concept, but nothing is farther from the truth.  When it comes to economic decisions, there are always two sides to the picture.  Taking the cheaper option may end up costing more later on.
It Isn't That Easy	If you listen to those who are making big money from selling the get-rich-quick books, you will believe that starting a business on the Web is easy enough for a toddler.  Their pitches come along with cheerful pictures of workers now spending family time in lieu of being chained to someone else's desk.