The One Mistakes That’s Killing Your Business

In this article for Entrepreneur, Alex Banayan explains why focusing on brand building isn’t going to help most small businesses succeed and argues instead that they need to focus on the strategies used by direct marketers. According to Banayan, when marketing a small business you should:

• Always in include an offer
• Give a reason to respond right now
• Give clear instructions
• Focus on tracking, measurement, and accountability
• Only do no-cost brand building
• Always follow up
• Make it look like mail order advertising
• Strengthen your copy
• Focus on results
• Go on a strict direct marketing diet.

To get all of the details, click the article title above.

Go Guerilla! 5 Unorthodox Ways to Market Your Brand

In this article for Entrepreneur, Mike Trigg discusses some of the most successful guerilla marketing campaigns in recent years and how you can utilize some of their strategies to promote your own business. According to Trigg, you should:

• Have a hook
• Be provocative
• Sell an idea, not a product
• Make it tangible
• Take a risk

Click the article title above to get all of the details.

Top Startup Mistakes: Not Properly Handling Money

In this week’s New Venture Mentor article I remind us, yet again, of the importance of properly managing your startup’s or small business’ money if you want to succeed. Click the article title above to see some of the most common money mistakes new entrepreneurs make, so you can avoid them.

The 25 Tools Every Entrepreneur Should Know About

Who doesn’t want to find inexpensive or free tools to make your life as an entrepreneur easier? In this article for Entrepreneur, Sujan Patel shares 25 of his favorites.

The Art of Setting Your Price

Figuring out what to charge for what you have to offer can be one of the most difficult decisions for new entrepreneurs. In this article for Inc., Eric Holtzclaw gives you some pointers for choosing the right price point including:

• Start with your direct costs
• Take into account ALL of your costs
• Ignore your competition
• Cover your opportunity costs
• Evaluate prior projects

To get all of the details, click the article title above.

5 Things You Must Do To Successfully Launch a Business

In this article for Entrepreneur, Christopher Hann reminds us of some of the very basics you need to make sure are covered before you can become a successful startup founder:

• Validate your idea
• Shore up your plan and budget
• Build the right team
• Establish a support system
• Respond to feedback and refine your model

If you’d like to learn more, click the article title above.