As an entrepreneur, you should constantly be seeking out new strategies and ideas for growing your business. One excellent resource is ReadWriteWeb.com. Considered one of the most reliable blogs in the industry, it provides information relevant to several different niches. Regardless of your business focus, it is likely that you can benefit from the expansive library of articles found on ReadWriteWeb. I conducted a quick search of the site and found three articles of particular interest to me: 4 Ways Companies Use Twitter for Business, How to Create a Web Content Strategy For Your Company and Top 20 Apps for Business. They are all well-written and contain strategies applicable to my business. 

To help readers get the most from their experience, the blog is divided into four sub-channels: ReadWriteEnterprise, ReadWriteCloud, ReadWriteBiz and ReadWriteStart. These channels allow readers to choose exactly what information they want to focus on. To get a better feel for the blog’s structure, take a few moments to browse through the different channels. You’ll find that certain channels and writers are more helpful than others, enabling you to decide exactly how you’re going to utilize this valuable business resource in the future. 

ReadWriteWeb can be more than just a source of business information. Because they allow articles from guest writers, savvy entrepreneurs can personally contribute to the blog. This is a great opportunity to share niche information and establish yourself as an expert in your field. You’ll find instructions for submission here.

A fascinating article from Alexander Kjerulf tackles the ill-conceived idea that “The customer is always right.” Mr. Kjerulf, the best-selling author of Happy Hour is 9 to 5, offers five reasons why it is wrong to always side with customers. The common thread shared by all of his points is that by refusing to bow to the demands of unreasonable customers, you will actually improve your business and your customer service. 

The article begins with the assertion that siding with unruly customers, rather than your employees, is bad for morale. To illustrate this point, the author quotes from Gordon Bethune’s book, From Worst to First, which details the CEO’s successful strategies for running Continental Airlines. 

“When we run into customers that we can’t reel back in, our loyalty is with our employees. They have to put up with this stuff every day. Just because you buy a ticket does not give you the right to abuse our employees. We run more than 3 million people through our books every month. One or two of those people are going to be unreasonable, demanding jerks. When it’s a choice between supporting your employees, who work with you every day and make your product what it is, or some irate jerk who demands a free ticket to Paris because you ran out of peanuts, whose side are you going to be on? 

You can’t treat your employees like serfs. You have to value them. If they think that you won’t support them when a customer is out of line, even the smallest problem can cause resentment.”

Mr. Bethune maintains that evaluating each situation individually and siding with employees when they are right, establishes an environment of high morale and trust. His impressive results with Continental would appear to validate this idea. 

The article proceeds to identify another problem with “The customer is always right,” which is that it gives unfair advantage to rude and aggressive customers. Mr. Kjerulf points out that if you adhere to “The customer is always right,” abusive customers can demand anything they want and technically be right. This is a terrible position to put your employees in. It’s also counterintuitive, as Mr. Kjerulf points out, because, “it means that abusive people get better treatment and conditions than nice people…It makes much more sense to be nice to the nice customers to keep them coming back.” 

Mr. Kjerulf goes on to refute the mentality of “the more customers the better.” He explains that while this is usually true, there are some customers who are “quite simply bad for business.” He relates the story of a Danish IT company who cancelled a customer’s contract after the customer mistreated one of their service technicians. They may have lost a contract, but they made the right decision by protecting their employee and refusing to do business with someone who mistreated them. 

According to the article, companies who always side with the customer will actually suffer from poorer customer service. This is because if the customer is always right, the employee is always wrong in the cases where there is a disagreement. Employees treated in this way receive a clear message that they aren’t valued, don’t deserve the customers’ respect and must put up with abuse. Employees who have accepted this fate won’t care about customer service. According to Mr. Kjerulf, the best you could hope for from this type of demoralized employee would be superficiality and “fake good service.” 

The conclusion of the article states that, “some customers are just plain wrong, that businesses are better off without them, and that managers siding with unreasonable customers over employees is a very bad idea, that results in worse customer service.” Putting employees first boosts morale and confirms to them that you trust and respect them. It creates a healthy work environment where they’ll respond by putting the customer first, which is a perfect way to improve your business all around.

Rappers have always been great marketers. Their aggressive promotional techniques, such as the use of MySpace and other social media, have blazed the path for mainstream businesses. Regardless of musical tastes, entrepreneurs can learn a lot from the hyper-promotional world of rap. 

Currently, many rappers are utilizing user-generated content to great effect. While old-school corporations zealously guard their intellectual property, rappers often allow their music to be remixed, sampled and cut. A good example of this would be Jay-Z’s “The Black Album.” The “final” studio album from the legendary rapper got off to a great start, debuting at number one on Billboard and selling 463,000 units in its first week. Jay-Z also released an acappella version of “The Black Album” for the express purpose of it being used for remixes by DJs and fans. The resulting remixes and mashups include Kev Brown’s The Brown Album and Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album. While Jay-Z received no payments for these albums, they attracted massive amounts of attention to his music. His fans were able to personally engage with the music and were more likely to spread the word about him and buy his music in the future. 

Jay-Z’s user-generated initiative brings up another important rapper marketing element – partnerships. While business partnerships can be extremely lucrative, many entrepreneurs are reluctant to enter into them. Rappers, on the other hand, collaborate so often that it’s unusual to find a song that doesn’t feature at least one guest-rapper. Songs featuring five or more collaborators are not uncommon. And rappers constantly reference each other in their songs even when they don’t appear on the album. These plugs are freely given to label-mates, strategic partners and friends. It’s an entrepreneurial practice that allows rappers to be introduced to new audiences and assist one another in the climb to the top. 

One final area of marketing where rappers excel is repeating the message. Some studies suggest that people need to see or hear your marketing message up to seven times before they take action, making repetition a crucial key to success. Rap lyrics, often derided for their formulaic structure, are replete with self references. For example, if you listen to a Snoop Dogg album, you’ll constantly be reminded of his name throughout. If a friend were to join you halfway through a song, it wouldn’t take long for them to hear a clear reference to Snoop Dogg and know exactly what rapper you were listening to. By constantly providing their listeners with “brand” references, rappers use this form of promotion to the extreme. 

Even as marketing evolves in our social media-driven world, rappers continue to find innovative ways to reach new audiences. And the aggressive marketing seems to be working; while other genres of music falter due to file sharing and the sour economy, rap and hip/hop have maintained a steady sales and a loyal fanbase.

With over 400 million registered users, Facebook offers entrepreneurs an incredible platform from which to advertise their business. And because Facebook has modified its privacy settings to allow search engine indexing, its scope extends to non-users as well. If you aren’t currently using this advertising giant, now is the time to reconsider. 

One of the best ways to access the Facebook community is to create a group or fan page for your business. Whether you offer products or services, you can customize your own page and begin gathering fans. Your page is an excellent way to spread the word about contests, announce major events and maintain a relationship with your network. Facebook doesn’t allow entrepreneurs to market to groups and fan pages that they did not create, so this is by far the most effective way to get a direct link to a loyal community of fans. Creating a group or fan page is remarkably easy.

On your Facebook homepage, look for Ads and Pages on the left side of the screen. As seen in the example shown to the left, it will be listed about two-thirds of the way down, below your News Feed. After clicking Ads and Pages, click Create Page. You will then be directed to this screen:

Select whether you want to create a page for a local business, brand, product or organization. From this point, just follow the basic prompts and you will soon have your own marketing page. By tapping into the Facebook universe, you’re now better able to get the word out about your business and attract new customers.

Business cards are an absolute necessity for aspiring entrepreneurs. While there are many free templates available, you should carefully consider the design and feel of your card. Think about this – when you hand your card to a person, it becomes their tangible connection to you. After you part ways, it will be the only physical reminder they have of you. For this reason, you’ll want to select a design that not only provides them with all of your contact information, but also with a feel for who you are. 

For example, I know a photographer who is well-known for his fun personality and excellent people skills. He specifically designed his business card to convey this image – the paper is thick and soft, the colors are warm and bright, and the corners are rounded. Contrast that with a standard business card: black and white color scheme and stiff paper with angular corners. His card stands out from the pack and represents him in a memorable way. 

Like this photographer, you’ll want to take the following elements into account when designing your business card:  paper type, paper feel, color and typography. As previously mentioned, there are numerous templates available online. If you want to use a template, take the time to find one that is unique and represents you accurately. One area you should never skimp on is the printing. Whether your card is thin or thick, it needs to be high quality paper. And with internet printing services like Vistaprint and PrintPlace, professional-looking cards are in any entrepreneur’s budget.

It’s likely that this title got your attention. While it may have effectively drawn you into the article, using the same techniques in the subject line of your next marketing email would be a bad idea. Why? Because using ALL CAPS and repeated exclamation points is a quick way to ensure that your email will be quarantined by spam blockers. Using the word “free” can be okay in moderation, as long as it isn’t ALL CAPS or paired with an exclamation point. Here are some other helpful tips to help you get the most out of the subject line of your next marketing email: 

Read the newspaper for inspiration: Just as your email subject lines face a tight character limit, journalists must craft an attention-getting headline in a limited space. Read through your local paper to find effective headlines. Why do particular headlines catch your attention? How do they incorporate the highlights of the story? Answering these questions helps you take the best elements from the newspaper and apply it to your emails. 

Read other emails for inspiration: Go through your inbox and look for the subject lines which catch your attention. More importantly, look through your spam folder for the subjects that catch your eye. Take note of the effective subject lines you receive on a daily basis and apply these same elements to your own work.

Use name recognition: If the people on your email list opted to receive your emails, remind them who you are in the subject line. Name recognition is one of the most powerful elements you can include because it separates you from the unsolicited content they are flooded with each day. 

Be aware of spam filters: In order to reach your users, an email must pass through a series of spam filters. While you want to use catchy words in your subject line, avoid the elements that the filters search for. This includes ALL CAPS and multiple exclamation points!!! Subject lines with this kind of writing never look professional anyway, so the spam filters are mainly just picking up on amateurish efforts. It’s always a good idea to run your email through a spam checker before you send it, just to make sure there aren’t any potential problems. 

Test it repeatedly: Before sending an email, conduct a subject line test. Come up with four different subject lines for your email and send these four different versions out to a small portion of your contact list. For example, if you have 5,000 names on your list, you could separate four groups of 50 names and send each group a different subject line. Wait at least a day and then analyze your statistics to find out which one got the best open rate. You may be surprised by what you see!

An increasing number of companies are hiring senior citizens in recent years, causing many employers to rethink their conceptions concerning this portion of the population. The rise of the age 65+ workforce shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise – they are one of the fastest growing demographic segments in the U.S. population and are distributed throughout every region of the nation.

Statistics indicate that nearly a quarter of adults over 65 are currently employed, which is definitely high when compared to previous data. There are many reasons for the recent boom, most of which suggest that the trend won’t be declining in the near future. First of all, the current economic environment has led many mature adults to seek supplemental income that they might not have needed in times past. Likewise, health insurance benefits are a perk bringing adults out of retirement. In other cases, parents who depended on their children for financial assistance now find that source drying up, leading them to seek jobs for themselves.  

A large portion of the 65+ workforce isn’t in dire straits. Rather, they are talented individuals who are eager to put their specialized skills to use. Often referred to as “mature associates,” they offer vast experience and a work ethic not as common in younger generations. As more and more employees recognize the unique benefits of the 65+ demographic, they will continue to comprise a sizeable portion of the national workforce.

Many entrepreneurs face the challenge of balancing their home-based business with the demands of raising a family. Though this arrangement can provide its share of difficulties, it also presents opportunities to teach children the importance of work and get them involved in a positive way.

Start by gathering your family together to discuss the significance of your business. The experts from PMI Education suggest that you explain to your children that your business is how you earn money for their food, clothes and other essentials. Help them understand that the reason you work hard is because you love them. You can then ask them for ideas for ways that they can help contribute. For example, your children could help you clean your office or stuff mailers into envelopes.

If you have small children, it’s also important to establish clear rules for your work time. Set up your home office a room with a door that you can close, which sends them a clear signal that you are busy. Some entrepreneurs find it helpful to hang a picture or sign on the door to indicate to their youngsters that they are working. If a separate room with a door isn’t an option, you should consider using noise-cancelling headphones. In addition to helping you focus, they’ll provide a tangible sign to your family that you are busy with work.

By explaining to your children the purpose of your business, you teach them the value of a strong work ethic. And if they are old enough to help around the office, they can take pride in their work and feel that they are also contributing to the family.

As a small business owner, you have insurance needs just like any other business. In addition to a personal life insurance policy, you should consider a key employee life insurance policy. If your business employees a particularly valuable employee who performs specialized work, you can buy a policy equal to five years of the key employee’s income. This allows you to continue operations and find a replacement in the unfortunate event of your employee’s death.

Liability insurance is another area many small businesses neglect. A Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) policy provides third party coverage for personal injury, medical expense, medical payments, fire legal liability and liability for your premises. If you own a building and lease space to others, insurance of this kind is usually required by law. Even small business owners who operate from home should consider liability insurance if they have customers frequently visiting the premises.

Many home business owners operate with their office equipment uninsured, because they don’t realize that even if they only work part-time from home, it still constitutes a home business. You should check with your insurance company regarding your current policy, because your home office equipment may not be covered unless your insurance company knows that you are operating a business out of your home. Take a moment to think how much money you have invested into your home business. How much would it cost to rebuild and reequip your office in the case of a disaster? Depending on the tally of your investment, you may want to consider additional insurance coverage catered for those who do business from their home.

The decision regarding your home office insurance, life insurance and liability insurance involves many variables at should be explored with your agent. Work with your insurance company to find the best solutions for your needs and make sure that your business is prepared for the future.

Choosing a domain name and establishing a website is definitely a major accomplishment. It takes determination to get through the website creation process and you’ve successfully joined the ranks of online entrepreneurs around the world. So what are you supposed to do now? Many first-time site owners work extremely hard to get their site up and then find themselves unsure of what to next. Here are four quick tips to help you elevate your site’s effectiveness and get the most from your investment.

1. Take it for a test drive. The functionality of your site is crucial to its success. Take the time to browse through your site checking for image and formatting issues. Click on all hyperlinks and place a test order to make sure they execute properly. If you provide an email form for customers to contact you, write yourself a sample email and make sure it gets to you promptly.
2. Lock down the fort. If you conduct e-commerce on your site, it had better be secure. Your customers put their trust in you every time they enter their credit card information, so you must take the steps to ensure that they are safe. Bolster your site’s security with SSL certificates and display each security measure prominently so that prospective customers know they can trust your site.
3. Trim the fat. While intricate graphics and abundant images are fun, they often prevent your website from loading properly or quickly for visitors who have a slow internet connection. Also, a cluttered website confuses and overwhelms potential customers. Focus on keeping your site clear and accessible, telling your visitors exactly what you want them to do.
4. Spot the errors. Carefully review the content of your site and correct all spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. One method that many site owners find helpful is to print out the content and review it as a hardcopy. Providing well-written copy on your site is one of the best ways to demonstrate your professionalism right off the bat.