Addoptions.org

Why Is Business Writing So Awful?

john — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:09:59 +0000

Inc magazine has an interesting article on Business Writing. One of the examples that they use is for woot.com. If you have never visited Woot, then you are in for a treat. It has some of the best writing to keep people interested.

Website Creation & Management Class

john — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:03:57 +0000

Right now I’m in the bestest class ever that I have ever had the blessing and opportunity to teach ever. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask my students who are watching me type this message. We talked earlier about Commission Junction. There are 16 of us in this room and we are all just thrilled and ecstatic to be here witnessing this event.

37 "Signals" From 37 Signals

john — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:39:49 +0000

OnStartups has a great post on 37 quick lessons learned by 37 Signals. They are simple truths that all entrepreneurs would do well to remember. Give it a look and let’s discuss what you think.

Business Plans vs Business Models

john — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 23:53:20 +0000

Ever wondered what the difference between business plans and models was? Plans are great for letting others know about your business. Models are how your business actually works. All to often we forget that our best source of information is our customers and that most of our assumptions need to be based on what they will do. A great discussion can be found at No Plan Survives First Contact With Customers from Steve Blank’s blog on this very subject.

Ten Ways for Small Businesses to Use LinkedIn

john — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:29:03 +0000

This link has two of my favorite business information resources. First it is the Open Forum hosted by American Express. Second, the article on how small businesses can use LinkedIn to improve their businesses is by Guy Kawasaki. I would recommend you read the link and join LinkedIn if you haven’t already. I’ve been a member for several years now and find it useful for staying in contact with businesspeople and asking questions I have. Try it out for yourself.

The 50 Best Inventions of 2009

john — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:45:46 +0000

According to Time Magazine…that is.

The full list of inventions includes the $10 million dollar light bulb, Tank-Bred Tuna, Teleportation, The AIDS Vaccine, Dandelion Rubber, and The Edible Race Car. It’s an interesting list full of potential that might change your life someday. If you are an entrepreneur looking for an idea for a technology to commercialize into your own successful business, it might be a great start for you. For more patents, check out http://www.google.com/patents. It’s a great place to find ideas past and present.

Trends for 2010

john — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:35:34 +0000

It’s always interesting to see what people think will happen in the coming year. The predictions are coming out and they are about as useful as they ever are. Nobody knows for sure, but here are some ideas.

Let’s start with Entrepreneur Magazine’s predictions. Leading off they predict Economic Turmoil, Green Power, and The Senior Market are going to be important. It’s probably a safe bet you would have picked these as well. They also threw in Health and Wellness too. If you have been watching the news lately, then the only real surprise is number 9. Read the whole list and you will see what I mean. But it’s a good reminder of what is going on in case you have been too busy working to notice.

For consumer trends, TrendWatching.com predicts their Top 10. Things like Business As Usual, Urbany, (F)luxury, and Mass Mingling cause me to wonder if the people that come up with these lists have ever left the Urban Jungle. I guess if that’s where you are doing business, then the list makes sense. My prediction is that you are going to assess what the market for whatever you are selling is doing and react to them. It’s not rocket science, but pay attention anyway. You may find something that strikes your fancy.

Entrepreneurs are the real trend setters. We create the things that others write about. Don’t forget that new products and services can’t always be predicted. Whatever 2010 brings, it promises to be an adventure. Enjoy it.

An Entrepreneurial Life

john — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:43:49 +0000

An article about being the boss by entrepreneur Jay Gould in the New York Times on what it’s like to lead the life of an entrepreneur. Often we get so busy thinking about what we want to build and dealing with crises that we miss out on things. This is a great read and reminder that we need to put the same amount of effort into planning and organizing our personal lives as we do our professional ones.

Marketing Strategy vs. Tactics

john — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:05:45 +0000

Ever wondered what the difference between a strategy and a tactic is? How do goals relate to strategy and tactics? Understanding the top down vs bottom up nature of marketing will help you figure it out. And sometimes tactics can turn into a strategy. I’ve asked this question of dozens of web marketing “experts” and you would be surprised how many of them just don’t know the difference. Most internet marketing strategies are actually just tactics. It’s true.

Well if you find the definitions out there confusing, then the post on Strategy vs Tactics by John Furgurson on the Brand Insight Blog is the perfect explanation. I especially like the “what-if” test as a way to tell the difference. It’s a great way to understand goals, strategies, and tactics. Read it and never make that mistake again.

How to Ask for Help — Without Looking Stupid

john — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:08:24 +0000

Entrepreneurs often agree to do things they have no idea how to do. The automatic answer of “Yes” comes out before we even know what we agreed to. Then we have to go figure out how to do what we said we would do and how to still make a profit from it.

Knowing how to ask for help without giving away that you have no idea what is going on is a key entrepreneurial skill. HarvardBusiness.org has an article by Jodi Glickman Brown on how to ask for help the smart way.

She states that there are three key principles: 1) start with what you know, 2) state the direction you want to take and ask for feedback, and 3) ask for tangible guidance if you don’t know where to go. Read the rest of her post to understand how this works. It’s great advice.