(Written by guest contributor Joel Ownby) Accepting payment online for your products and services sounds like a pretty simple endeavor, and at a low level it is. Understanding what is happening behind the scenes is an entirely different proposition. Understanding the nuts and bolts of payment processing will grant you the ability to provide better customer service, generate more accurate cash flow and projection data, help you to better understand technical issues involving payment processing... Continue Reading

As online marketers, we put a lot of stock in social networking, and rightfully so. There really is no better way to get the word out about your business, its mission, and your brand and to build valuable relationships that will create opportunities and help your business grow. Or is there? Back in the day, before Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and even Friendster, all they could do was network the old-fashioned way: face-to-face and in person... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Ray Edwards) Have you ever noticed that over the years, you tend to do pretty much the same things? If you're a reader, you remain one; if you're a writer, you tend to write; if you're a procrastinator, you tend to keep procrastinating, and so forth. Continue Reading

If you have an online business and are looking to increase traffic to your website and therefore sales, there are some things you should be doing on a regular basis. Call them your daily or weekly online calisthenics. You should be posting articles on other sites, building your list and reaching out to them with pertinent deals and updates, staying active on forums in your niche, taking advantage of the press release resources out there... Continue Reading

The Internet has made life so much easier in so many ways. Think of all the time you save now that you don't have to stand in line at the bank or the post office, or shop in real stores. So what do you do with all of that time that the Internet saves you? Chances are you spend it...on the Internet. Great as the Internet is, it can be quite a time sink. Here... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Sarah Beek) Sometimes the simplest idea is also the best. The winner of the BetaCup Challenge was announced this week. The BetaCup Challenge was a contest sponsored by Starbucks (along with others) to find a sustainable alternative to the ubiquitous disposable paper (or worse) coffee cup. The winning idea wasn't a coffee cup at all, but rather a very simple tool with the goal of motivating people to bring their own... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Joseph A Michelli Ph.D.) Last week we talked about the importance of having a customer-centric business approach. But how exactly do you go about becoming a business like The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company that adds value though service excellence and desired experience? I take my clients through a very systematic process with delivery of that process adapted to the needs of their business. Typically this journey begins with an honest assessment of... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Chris Harper) Have you ever seen a television commercial that just drives you nuts because of the spokesperson they use? I can think of at least two regional companies here in Colorado that fall into that category for me. In both cases, the "actor" has a close tie to the company being advertised. For one it's the owner, and for the other one it's the owner's kid that serves as their... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Joel Ownby) Contactless payments are certainly the wave of the future. They're already a huge trend in Europe and Asia. Contactless payments are poised to revolutionize commerce in the United States. Many of the largest chains have already adopted cashless payment systems and many "touch and go" devices are now available from the largest merchants, credit card companies, and mobile telecommunication service providers. Wikipedia has the following to say about contactless... Continue Reading

Traffic and conversions are the bread and butter of our industry, but if you aren't willing to spend at least a few hours each week generating traffic, your bread is going to be really dry. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor David Nour) In my last several prospective client meetings, a consistent conversation has centered on the need for a social media policy. Whether you work for a progressive organization or a conservative, risk-adverse one, it seems that everyone has an opinion on the best approach. Here are some prevailing camps: Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Jared Newgent) We have all heard of them, and we all know how important it is to keep our computers free from viruses. But what exactly is a computer virus and how does it work? Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Kevin E. Houchin Esq.) In my last article, I introduced The Power of Acceptance, inspired by the following quote: "The most profound choice in life is to either accept things as they exist or to accept the responsibility for changing them." - From The Universal Traveler by Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall Continue Reading

Where Are You Now? Location-based services like Foursquare, Gowalla, and BlockChalk are all the rage these days, possibly because they're still so new, but probably also because they offer users the ability to turn their mobile phone addictions into something that can have very tangible real-world benefits in terms of building and maintaining relationships. And while a lot of the attention has been on how these services can facilitate impromptu run-ins with your friends, there... Continue Reading