As you know, local customers already search Google for the products and services that you offer. When you add Google Boost to your business listing, you can advertise your business in the “ads” section on Google.com and Google Maps and attract more visitors to your website or Place page. With Google Boost, simply set up a monthly budget for your ad and we’ll determine what search keywords trigger your ad based on the categories that you select. You’ll only pay for the clicks that your ad actually receives. Best of all, you can create these ads directly from your Places account within minutes and no ongoing management is needed after you sign up – Boost runs the ads for you.

This is a Google Places and Boost Playlist I created for you so you can learn more about how to use this cool tool to drive more foot traffic to your place of business.

Call me at 760-729-6647 or use the Contact Us form and I’ll send you the direct phone number and email for a very cool local Google rep who will get you set up on Places and Boost ASAP!!

North San Diego Business At Large
Show Notes: May 10, 2011

In this episode you’ll learn more about Foursquare and how you can use it to reward people for coming into your business. Foursquare is what’s known as a “check in” site. There are benefits to checking into a site, via your smart phone, and an opportunity for the shopkeeper to build customer loyalty into their online marketing strategies.

Do you use Foursquare? If so, what do you think the benefits are for using it?

North San Diego Business at Large
Show Notes: March 18, 2011

One of the newest digital promotions is to have your own QR Code. Don’t know what a QR Code is? Chet Kent with BridgeFast Promotions will share how you can brand your business through promotional items, including QR Codes.

North San Diego Business at Large
Show Notes: February 25, 2011

Cloud Computing. You’ve probably heard about it, but haven’t got a clue as to what it is. Donald Larson, Newbound is going to share all about cloud computing. This is one episode that you won’t want to miss.

Well there were way too many questions to ask Don, so he’s agreed to come back on March 11th for part two!

If you have questions about cloud computing, contact me and I’ll put them on my list.

North San Diego Business At Large

North San Diego Business At Large
Show Notes: October 8, 2010

Today we are continuing our discussion from last week where you learned about why you want to secure your site visitor’s name and email address.

This week I’ll break down Constant Contact for you. I’ll tell you what you can, and can’t do with Constant Contact. If you want to give Constant Contact a try, they offer a 60 day free trial period.

I’ll share with you how you entice people to sign up for your email list, how you can market you business with your list and how you can create an inviting offer to build your list.

During the second half of the show we’ll be continuing on with the foundational components of your business start up. Barbara Eldridge, Co-Director of Mind Masters Entrepreneur Association will talk about the small business owner’s value statement.

As many of you know I help solopreneurs utilize the internet to market their business. One of the most useful tools I have in my online arsenal is Skype and a valuable extra to Skype, Mikogo.

I’ve set it up for a non-profit organization so they can hold their physical, or as I like to refer to it, terra firma meeting along side a virtual meeting for the attendees that can’t make the terra firma meeting.

Skype, in my humble opinion, is a fantastic tool.  You do need to let the other person finish speaking, but all in all, it’s a great tool. Mikogo only enhances Skpye and extends it one step further.

So, what can you do with Mikogo???

1. Share each others’ screens.
2. Switch presenter – let a meeting participant share their own screen. (awesome feature)
3. Access remote keyboard and mouse control – the current presenter may grant control of their screen to another user at any time.(great for tech support)
4. Transfer files – the organizer and guests can send files of up to 200MB to each other (whooo hoooo so easy)
5. Select applications – Got an open application which is not required for the meeting? Select to hide it.
6. Pause transmission – take a meeting break and suspend the transfer of screen data.

Now, Mikogo has gone one step further and created a fantastic tutorial to help you install and use Mikogo.

Once you have it installed, skype me at northsandiegobusiness so we can play!!

I’ve been using iClipArt for almost a year now and it’s been a great investment. I’ve been able to find clipart, photos, web art and sound at iClipArt to enhance my blog posts.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a visual person and I love seeing some type of graphic. iClipArt has an easy search feature that provides plenty of choices of quality art for your site or printed project.

But, now it’s even better. I went to sign in for some art for a post and…they are having a sale. A year subscription for only $29.95. I highly recommend a subscription there so you have easy access to visuals that will add a little sizzle or enhance your projects.

One step towards taking your business more into cyberspace is the ability to communicate over the web. I’m a Skype user, which allows me to IM my clients and associates, as well as make Skype to Skype calls. Skype also has what they call, extras. Extras extend the functionality of the software. One extra, Mikogo, which allows you to share your desktop with others. I put it to the test last night and will really thrash it tonight. So far, I’m impressed!

I had a total of four users join the meeting. We were able to easily watch the desktop being shared. We used a PowerPoint presentation and the lapse between clicking the slides and them visually changing was 3 seconds. One of the features I particularly liked was the ability for me, through a mouse click, to point to a part of the page that was being discussed. It’s hard to sit and watch someone else’s cursor on your screen, it’s nice to be able to interact to a degree with your cursor. It’s the ability to say, look at this!

Did I mention, it’s free? All you do is go to Mikogo, sign up for an account and download the Mikogo.exe software. You’ll also want to download the connect.exe found by tapping the "Join Meeting" in the header.

It’s an easy application to use and it will support 10 people in the meeting at one time.

As a blog coach, I find the ability to share my desktop to be essential, especially if I’m training my client on a program or task. If you have any need to share your desktop, and are a Skype user, this is one extra you don’t want to be without.

If you try it, or are working with Mikogo, let me know what you think by commenting.

Microsoft Office Live Small Business is providing some great tools for the solorpreneur. Not only can you manage your projects, you can develop your contact database, email marketing, resource center, and you can host your site over there too.

Now you can set up your first site at Microsoft’s Office Live and when you’re ready, bring a designer/programmer in to enhance your site. The most important aspect though is YOU can easily update your site through the web. I’d really encourage you to go over an take a look at Microsoft’s Office Live Small Business.

Go there now and check it out!!