When you have a rural small business, your clientele and target customers are clients are likely spread out and difficult to categorize in any one specific group. Marketing with social media to such a wide variety of people can be a challenge, as knowing how to appeal to a diverse group of people is never an easy task. Here are three basic tips to keep in mind when marketing with social media. As you get more familiar with your target market’s presence on social media sites, you will get a better idea of how to tailor these tips for your specific needs. [Read more...]
07
Oct 2010
3 Tips for Marketing with Social Media as a Rural Small Business
October 7, 2010 By 2 Comments
05
Oct 2010
Using social media is not limited to big cities, big brands or big budgets. In fact, taking time to engage in social media marketing an hour a day is all you need to establish your small business as a social media player, engaging with the community and potential clients and customers.
Why make things more complicated when you start?
One hour a day. It doesn’t even have to be a continuous hour. [Read more...]
25
May 2010
Each Time I Teach, I Learn
May 25, 2010 By 1 Comment
It’s no secret that I have a passion for rural Minnesota and helping small businesses. That is why I love traveling around Minnesota, teaching others how to grow businesses or non-profits using technology and the web.
For each hour I spend researching, writing curriculum, driving, and delivering speeches, I bet I get back tri-fold from the experience. Each person I meet has amazing ideas, insights into their industry, questions that challenge me to think, and humor to round off my day. [Read more...]
29
Apr 2010
Stop Wasting Time – Invest in Your Passions
April 29, 2010 By 4 Comments
I was driving home with my 11 year old daughter a few days ago. She was sad that I was going to be going to a conference in Chicago over the weekend. I told her it was a great conference that will give me a new outlook on what and how I blog, use social media, and educate others on building online community.
She said, “Daddy, why do you need to go? You teach this stuff to others.” I never really thought about this from her perspective. [Read more...]
07
Oct 2009
What is working in your sales and marketing process today
October 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
What is working in your sales and marketing process today?
If you are like many businesses, there is one thing that is working very well. Word of Mouth. Recommendations from other people… [Read more...]
02
Aug 2009
Large corporate chains have extremely strict rules, 
regulations and guideli
nes outlining the presentation of their brand. These well-established brand names are designed to engender specific feelings and reactions in their targeted customers. As a small business, social media provides you with the same opportunity to establish a solid and recognizable brand name for your company, with added benefit. As a small company without the stringent requirements handed down by the corporate office, you have the freedom to establish any kind of personality you’d like for your small business. [Read more...]
14
Jul 2009
Are you concerned about revitalizing your local economy? Are you part of an initiative to get more people to “buy local?” Why do these initiatives have to be so complex? [Read more...]
30
Jun 2009
Rural Small Businesses Can Use Social Media to Compete
June 30, 2009 By 2 Comments
Small businesses, especially in rural areas, can struggle with keeping customers loyal when big box and chain stores are opening in the nearest major city. Competing can be tough, but social media for small business can give you the edge that you are looking for. [Read more...]
13
May 2009
1o Minute Social Media Review of Walmart.com
May 13, 2009 By 1 Comment
In just 10 minutes, you can get a really good idea of what a company is doing with Social Media tools – if anything – and the value they put on thier customers. Most businesses that have a strategy should be looking at using social tools to build relationships, extend their reach, broaden their knowledge, or increase their influence. So let’s take a look at a few things that Walmart is doing. [Read more...]
20
Apr 2009
How many passwords do you have? If you are like most of us, you probably have one to log onto your computer network, one for your website, and one for your social network. You probably have a pin number for your bank account and a password that you like to use on your ecommerce websites. Do you use a different password for each? Probably not. Chances are that your passwords are similar and easy for you to remember. That creates a problem….
25 Random Things About Me
Remember the “25 Random Things About Me” that spread like a virus across Facebook? Millions of people saw it and participated in it. I actually learned a lot about my sister-in-law and several of my friends. There are some things that you should never share in a social network. Here are a few of those: [Read more...]
I am President and Chief Evangelist for Vivid Image - a web design and social marketing firm located outside of Minneapolis, MN. 
