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We'd love to help you get through the winter with more green in your pocket once spring rolls around. Increase your cold weather sales by employing all of our guidelines for marketing, SEO, and in-store advertising, and you'll be having a very Happy Holidays, indeed.

Blog posts on Instant Gift Certificates

Help topics (from your BoomTime account) on Link Placement

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Seth Godin's blog had a great post a week ago to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik.

He uses the launch and the example of runner Roger Bannister to talk about some key marketing concepts which might not seem immediately appropriate if you are small business owner, but they are thought-provoking and inspiring at the same time.

Remember, of course, that at one point in time individuals with names like Steve Jobs and Henry Ford also were "small business owners". Making an impression on your clients is important - doing something new and novel or just doing something "old" far better than everyone else is doing it will help you stand out from the crowd.

Have a great week, and keep doing the great work of being a businessperson.

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Technophobia is usually joked about between friends and colleagues when someone is afraid to use a new computer program or some new piece of technology that is all the rage. However, this new fear can be a real problem for your business if your clients are infected by it.

I'm in no way technophobic, but I have an interesting story to tell about a recent encounter I had with a new form of technology that I hadn't run into before. I'm not one to go into my local bank (or in my case, my credit union) to conduct my transactions. I love a smiling, helpful teller just as much as the next guy but the speed and convenience of the ATM is what I normally prefer. Since I use the ATM on a semi-regular basis I keep deposit slips in my car in case I need them. A few weeks ago I needed to make a deposit, so I drove to the ATM near my house only to find that the new ATM machines didn't accept envelope deposits anymore. This new ATM takes your cash and/or checks without an envelope or deposit slip needed! I wish I could say I used the new ATM, but that wouldn't be true. Habit and routine were too strong and I drove another five minutes to find an ATM I knew took envelopes and completed my transactions there.

The same situation occurred this past weekend and this time I was feeling a bit more daring. I decided to try the new ATM to make my deposit. I started the process, making sure to pay close attention to every instruction on the screen. I was amazed at how much faster and simpler this new process was. The ATM scanned my check in seconds and showed me a copy of my check on-screen to confirm that what I had entered was correct. When the transaction was completed a miniature image of my deposited check was printed right on my receipt. The whole process took about half the normal time and saved two pieces of paper, the envelope and the deposit slip. I'll never go back to the old way of depositing at an ATM again!

Habit is human nature. Asking your clients to try a new piece of technology you've added to your business whether it be paperless deposits or Instant Gift Certificates, can be challenging at first. I've included a few easy things you can do to help your clients get over any form of technophobia:

1. Educate - make sure that you spend the time to educate your customers on the new technologies you add to your business. This can be as simple as letting them know that the technology exists to actually walking a customer who might use the new technology frequently through an example so they'll feel comfortable the first time they do it themselves.
2. Anticipate - realize that your customers might naturally fall back into their old habits. Make it a point to walk through the process you are implementing a few times looking at it from your customer's point of view. Doing this will help to identify areas that might create confusion or anxiety for your customers and will allow you an opportunity to make the process better and easier for your customer to use.
3. Communicate - make sure that your staff and customers tell others about the new technology you've implemented. Spreading the word can be the best way to help others become more comfortable using a new technology. They'll probably think "Hey, if they can use it, so can I". Also, having someone tell you about their positive experience with a new technology can help to ease the anxiety of using it yourself.

Posted in Business • 1 Comment »

Business owners are always on the lookout for innovative ways to grow their business. The recent trend to find ways for businesses to operate greener has lead to some interesting business ideas.

A new business that creates a product called EcoHangers has found a creative way to help dry cleaners become more eco-friendly and save money at the same time. EcoHangers are sturdy paper hangers that replace the old wire hangers that most dry cleaners use. These new hangers are made from 100% recycled paper so no trees are harmed, and they are fully recyclable! The best part is that these hangers can be provided to dry cleaners absolutely free because they are paid for by the advertisers whose ads are imprinted on the the hangers themselves. On average this saves the dry cleaner about five cents per hanger which is what they would spend on a normal wire hanger.

We love this idea because everyone wins! The earth, the business owner, the advertiser and the consumer! What are some of the ways your business is being innovative and "green" at the same time?

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