Google launches Customer Match, Similar Audiences and Universal App Campaigns | Business Insider

September 28, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

On Sunday evening, Google announced two new ad products it hopes will help it gain more share of the mobile advertising market.

The new products are quite similar to a service and a format already available from Facebook. And they’re two of the advertising products marketers love most about the social network.

First up, Google has announced a new product called “Customer Match.” It works in a similar way to Facebook’s popular “Custom Audiences” product, which the social network rolled out to all advertisers back in 2013.

Slow and Steady? 4 Smart Ways to Maintain Business Growth | Business News Daily

September 28, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When entrepreneurs launch their businesses, they often think rapid growth and record-breaking sales numbers equate to success. And with so many media outlets covering startups boasting incredible spikes in their revenue and customer bases, it’s easy to understand why. Companies that don’t see fast expansion may feel discouraged, but is this type of immediate success really sustainable? Business owners who focus on growing quickly may want to take a lesson from the classic “tortoise and hare” fable, in which the slow but steady tortoise won against the hare. Though speed might put you ahead of the competition at first, you’ll likely end up burning out before the race is over.

4 Funding Myths to Stop Believing Now | Entrepreneur

September 28, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Fundraising can be a tricky business, with many factors influencing the outcome. Avoid these funding myths and make sure you have the information and strategies you need to keep your company thriving.

Myth: Funding is synonomous with success.

Reality: Not every successful company seeks funds and not every company that does becomes successful in the long term. Don’t look for outside dollars because you think it’s impressive or could get you press attention. Funds from VCs or angel investors often come with management strings and pressure to perform. Ask yourself if you need money at all and if you’ve exhausted bootstrapping, loans from banks, friends or family, or even funding through revenue.

5 Habits That Cause Entrepreneurs To Fail | Business Tips

September 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Fortunately, as the former U.S. Small Business Administration’s Entrepreneur of the Year (and recovering jackass), I get asked to help grow businesses in nearly every industry. Unfortunately, and sadly as a business owner who once practiced the dark art of “Jackassery,” I can empathize with nearly every poor decision they are making because I used to make the same poor decisions as well. My friend, when banks refer me to a business to help them grow or to “turn the ship around” I often see businesses that are crashing and burning firsthand.

Because I’ve personally witnessed these implosions and explosions so many times, I’ve identified five reasons that can account for every failure I’ve witnessed. In the spirit of full disclosure, I must say that I haven’t had the chance to work with an entrepreneur in the clay pigeon or petting zoo industries, so I cannot speak to these industries from experience. Thus, if you are in those two industries, these five habits that cause entrepreneurs to fail, don’t apply to you. However, for everybody else, as you read these habits and false beliefs, ask yourself which one sounds most like you. What are you going to do to begin improving upon yourself and your mindset today?

4 Brands Whose Creative Approaches to Mobile Marketing Are Getting Big Results | Adweek

September 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Did you know that 67 percent of smartphone shoppers will switch to a competitor’s site if the checkout process takes too long? That’s one of a handful of stats Google is releasing today in a new report about how brands like Walmart and Red Roof Inn are moving the sales needle with mobile marketing.

Here are four of the most interesting case studies in the report. It’s no surprise that mobile budgets keep growing, but if nothing else, the below examples should give brand marketers a better idea of which mobile tactics actually work.

1. Red Roof Inn:

An estimated 90,000 travelers are stranded every day from canceled flights. So the hotel chain and 360i ran a mobile search campaign targeting folks scrambling to find a nearby hotel with creative like, “Stranded at the airport?”

This Adjustable Standing Desk Is So Simple, It Doesn’t Need Nuts Or Bolts | Fast Company

September 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As many people are starting to realize, sitting is the new smoking—it’ll kill you faster than a bowlful of trans fats. But standing still in front of your computer all day isn’t so great either. What you need is a combo sit-stand desk, preferably one that’s easy to adjust, and that doesn’t use a motor.

That’s the Perch. It’s a super-adjustable desk that sits on top of your regular desk, raising your keyboard, mouse computer and even a secondary screen to the correct level.

The design came about after Nick Salisbury got fidgety at his 9-5 desk job. “[I] found myself slipping away from this active lifestyle I loved and falling helplessly into a life of sitting,” he says. Research showed him that existing desks were either too expensive or not easily adjustable, so he got together with friends and set up Perch.

A Few Pointers to Stand Out at The Next Networking Event | Get Entrepreneurial

September 24, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If your company is going to be the next big thing then you’re going to need to get out there in the business world and mingle. Networking events are the perfect platforms to showcase your professionalism and let everyone know about your company brand. You get to mix and mingle with like minded individuals and create serious connections.

If you’ve ever been to a networking event before, then you know full well that there are hundreds of companies being represented in one location. That means in order to get your brand out there, you have to stand out from the crowd. To do this, a bit of research and preparation are necessary. It never hurts to be prepared so that you can rise to the occasion when it’s necessary. Here are some tips that will hopefully help you make a lasting impression:

Do a Bit of Research on the Attendees

Are there certain business connections you intend to meet while at your networking event? If so, then you’re going to want to make sure you know your facts about the individual and their business ahead of time. A little bit of research goes a long way in making a good impression.

Let’s say you’re going into the retail industry for women’s fashion and you’re looking to start your own boutique. You might want to do some research on various companies who sell their products through retailers. For instance, if you’re looking for footwear, you might check out shoes from Marc Fisher to see how profitable the business is and how it might complement your brand.

What Does the Pope Think About Technology? #It’sComplicated | WIRED

September 24, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

HE’S GOT A stunning 7.2 million followers on Twitter but believes digital media “can stop people from learning how to live wisely, to think deeply and to love generously.”

He has posed for selfies in St. Peter’s Square, but has lamented the fact that so much communication online is purely about display, not real connection.

He’s called the Internet a “gift from God.” But he’s also warned that the abundance of data and digital stimulation we all consume each day can amount to a kind of “mental pollution” that harms our relationships and shields us from the real pain and joy that comes with human interaction.

New Bill Would Cut Off Federal Forfeiture Funds For DEA Marijuana Seizures | Forbes

September 23, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A new bipartisan bill would eliminate a controversial source of funding for one federal marijuana seizure program. Last week, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) introduced the “Stop Civil Asset Forfeiture Funding for Marijuana Suppression Act.” The bill is quite simple: It would prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from using federal forfeiture funds to pay for its Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program. Additionally, the bill would ban transferring property to federal, state or local agencies if that property “is used for any purpose pertaining to” the DEA’s marijuana eradication program.

Under this program, the DEA receives federal forfeiture funds ($18 million in 2013), which it then funnels to over 120 local and state agencies to eliminate marijuana grow sites nationwide. Last year, the program was responsible for over 6,300 arrests, eradicating over 4.3 million marijuana plants and seizing $27.3 million in assets. More than half of all plants destroyed were in California, which also accounted for over one-third of seized assets and nearly 40 percent of the arrests.