How Small Businesses Are Using AI Chatbots in 2017 | Business News Daily

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Artificially intelligent chatbots aren’t just for Fortune 500 companies anymore. Thanks to a slew of innovative bot ventures that focus on the user experience, small business owners are now using AI technology to improve daily operations, connect with clients and increase sales. Heavy hitters like Mark Zuckerberg and Satya Nadella have publicly touted the value of AI chatbot technology, and with Google investing in Allo, Facebook’s launch of Messenger, Windows’ rollout of Cortana, and the early success of Operator and Telegram, it’s reasonable to assume that AI chatbots are going to be ubiquitous.

Here’s how early adopters in the small business category are currently engaging with AI chatbot technology through subscription services, custom builds, free services and beta testing.

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5 Effective Signage Tips To Promote Your Business | Getentrepreneurial.com

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In this fast-paced tech-oriented world, more and more people are focusing their advertising efforts towards online and mobile marketing practices. This is perfectly understandable; as more than half of all internet traffic is now coming from a mobile device. However, when it comes to grabbing the people attention, it may be sometimes better to use an old-fashioned, well-thought-out graphic sign. And the design that goes into making a sign can have a substantial influence on the number of new customers your company could potentially acquire. That said, here are 5 signage tips you can use to help better promote your business.

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Apple finally kills off 16GB iPhone SE, now you get 32GB for $399 | TechCrunch

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Rejoice lovers of petite-sized iPhones, for Apple is granting additional storage bounty — announcing today it’s doubling the current storage capacity of the iPhone SE.

The new four-inch display iPhone comes with either 32GB or 128GB on board storage, replacing the prior 16GB and 64GB models — but with only a small price-tag bump for the more capacious model (+ $50, to $499), and no price change for the $399 starter model.

As with all iOS devices there’s no ability for users to expand storage capacity themselves via a removable memory card. You get what you’re given on the storage front — so being given more is very welcome.

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Don’t Choose The Wrong Business!

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Elizabeth and Paris Patt are fine art restorers were looking to change their line of work.  They came to see us about opening a coffee shop in Idyllwild, CA, but didn’t seem committed to the idea.  We suggested they work through the first two sections of Killer Business Plan and it was a real eye opener for them.

In the video above, they talk about their experience.

 

Create a Referral Engine That Works Every Day in Your Business | Duct Tape Marketing

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I’ve written about this topic many times, but it just never get’s old! (Check out the referral marketing archive on Duct Tape Marketing) The fact is, although I’ve been writing about the idea of referral generation for years, it always remains relevant, no matter what marketing trends and technologies come and go.

Getting referrals can often seem like a daunting task for marketers, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve put together a list of recommendations you can use to teach your clients how to build referrals (not to mention teach yourself a thing or two).

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Should you install solar panels on your roof? Ask Google | Mashable

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In 2015, Google launched Project Sunroof, a map that shows which houses have enough sun exposure for solar panels to be a viable energy source. However, the original map was very limited, covering only the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno, California and Boston.

Now, Google has greatly expanded the project to cover all 50 U.S. states, with a total of 60 million buildings in the database.

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The Lawsuits Keep Coming for Johnson and Johnson | Bloomberg

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Johnson & Johnson was hit with six of the seven largest product-defect verdicts of 2016, and 2017 could also wind up costing the company hundreds of millions of dollars, if not more.

The company is facing at least 17 trials in state and federal courts this year in cases blaming five J&J products for injuries and death. They follow trial losses on some of those products, including a $1 billion verdict against the company in December over hip implants and an earlier $72 million verdict over claims its talcum powder causes ovarian cancer.

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How This Bedsheets Startup Figured Out The Right Way To Disrupt Sleep Patterns | Fast Company

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There was a time not that long ago when buying high-quality bedsheets was a major investment. Walk into Nordstrom or Barneys, and you could easily drop $750 or more on sheets from Frette, Sferra, or Loro Piana. But over the last three years, a transformation has begun to democratize the process. Brands like Brooklinen, Parachute, and Boll & Branch are using clever direct-to-consumer business models that bring high-threadcount, long-staple cotton sheets to consumers at prices that start at under $100.

This new flock of bedsheets startups has been growing fast—expanding their product ranges and generating millions of dollars in revenue—and none has seen more impressive stats than Brooklyn-based Brooklinen. On the eve of its third anniversary, the company is only just now taking on its first external funding, a $10 million Series A round led by FirstMark Capital. The brand first came to the market in April 2014 with a Kickstarter campaign that raised $237,000, but after that point, its wife-and-husband cofounders say they were committed to bootstrapping the company.

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How Rachael Ray Grew Her Brand Way Beyond the Kitchen | Entrepreneur

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Even if you’re not a foodie or a fan of talk shows, chances are you’ve heard of Rachael Ray. The everyday cook started promoting her 30-minute meal idea locally at a store in upstate New York. Someone from the Today show happened to stumble upon her work, and as the story goes, a few guest segments on the morning show later, she was offered her own show.

Though adamant she’s not a chef, she’s clearly an expert, and coming up with over 5,000 recipes gave Ray unique insights into tools and products that were missing. This lead to the invention of multiple products, such as the Moppine and the oval Pasta Pot. She now has over 365 SKUs of cookware on the market in partnership with the Meyer Corporation.

Most impressive, though, is how far she has extended her reach outside the kitchen.

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