60 Second Ideas

60 Second Ideas - Top 10 Small Business Blogs

It’s that time again. Time for the 60 Second Ideas top 10 small business blogs for the second quarter of 2006. As we did with our first Top 10, “We spanned the blogosphere looking for small business related blogs that offer more than just the tired repetition of the usual ideas. The result is 4 new small business blogs worth your time and 6 from last quarter’s top 10 that still make the grade. Here we go.

Solo Business Marketing – Written by Shirley George Frazier, Solo Business Marketing is loaded with practical advice for the solo small business or home based business owner. Recent posts include Using Solutions to Get More Sales , Make a Decision, Any Decision and one we have been preaching for months now, Press Releases Elevate Your Visibility.

Verusnova  – Produced by Mike Martone, and engineer and IT guy, Verusnova focuses on technology for small business with the goal of providing information and advice for non – technical small and home business owners operate more effectively and efficiently. Recent posts include Important Reminders Just Got Easier, Free Business Start Up Tools, and 8 Lists That I Like.

ProBlogger – Darren Rowse is the guy behind ProBlogger. A 34 year old offers a virtual gold mine of tips, tricks and advice on producing an effective blog for your business. If you don’t already know it, a blog can benefit your business in too many ways to count, but it must be done right and there is a lot to learn to blog right. ProBlogger will teach you everything you need to know and then some. Recent posts include Creating Interest In Your Posts – Persuasive Blogging, Car Salesmen, Preachers and the Art of Persuasion, and The Five Challenges of Communication.

The Long Tail – Written by Chris Anderson, an editor at Wired Magazine, The Long Tail Blog discusses themes around Anderson’s book, which argues that the Internet offers infinite inventory creating opportunity for niche markets that are not likely to ever become blockbusters. While the blog focuses on the music and entertainment industries, there are lessons for small and home based business owners here. Recent posts include What Do People Really Want In Music, A Billion Dollar Question.

The blogs below round out our Top 10 Small Business Blogs and were also included in our 1st Quarter Top 10.

The Entrepreneurial Mind - written by the Director of Belmont University's Center for Entrepreneurship, Jeff Cornwall, this blog looks at everything from how current political issues affect small business mixed in with solid advice for any entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs Journey  - produced by Yaro Starak, an interesting young entrepreneur from Australia. The blog posts useful articles aimed at starting and running an Internet business, interviews with other entrepreneurs and podcasts.

Marketing Experiments Blog - The Blog of Dr. Flint McGlaughlin and his research team at marketingexperiments.com, provides detailed information and research with real life case examples of what really works in the world of Internet Marketing.

Flyte Blog - What Works Online - Rich Brooks who builds and markets websites offers practical tips and techniques in the world of online marketing. Mixed with humorous posts on a variety of topics.

Duct Tape Marketing - John Jantsch gets a lot of rave reviews for his Duct Tape Marketing Blog and we agree. What makes this blog really unique though, is he has pulled together some the best blogs for small and home based business under his Duct Tape umbrella.

60 Second Ideas Blog – Produced by Michael Brooks and Michael Donahue, this unique video format blog produces two shows per week to inspire small business owners, home based business owners, and budding entrepreneurs with proven ideas that be tweaked, copied, borrowed or pilfered to make more money.

Congratulations to all of our Top 10 Small Business Blogs. Take a look at these blogs and let us know what you think. Also, if you have a blog that we should consider for our 60 Second Ideas 3rd Quarter Top 10 Small Business Blogs, let us know. Email us at [email protected].

QuickTime/ITunes Download: Download 60 Second Ideas Top 10 Small Business Blogs.mp4

Pluto Downgraded to Dwarf Planet, Disney Responds - What We Can Learn

Disney had some fun with the news this week that the planet Pluto (and namesake of one of Disney's most beloved characters) was not a real planet at all - just a dwarf planet.

Here's The Disney Press Release...
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24 August 2006

    Despite Planetary Downgrade, Pluto Is Still Disney’s ‘Dog Star’

    BURBANK, CALIF (Thursday, August 24, 2006) – In reaction to news today that Pluto was demoted to the status of “dwarf planet,” the Seven Dwarfs issued their own short statement:

    “Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made  some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at.”

    As Mickey Mouse’s faithful companion, Pluto made his debut in 1930 – the same year that scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet.

    Said a white-gloved, yellow-shoed source close to Disney’s top dog, “I think the whole thing is goofy. Pluto has never been interested in astronomy before, other than maybe an occasional howl at the moon.”

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Not that Disney needs more publicity, but this press release will likely be picked up by media from around the world.

Why?

- It's newsworthy - the Pluto Downgrade was announced just this week.
- It's Fun - It makes people smile and the media is always looking for feel good stories in spite of what it looks like sometimes.

Disney watched for something in the news, and took the opportunity to make it a fun press release   that related to their business. That is very smart. As small business owners or home based business owners we can learn from Disney and do the same thing.

By the way, if you are not using press releases as a part of your marketing strategy, you are missing one of the most effective low or no cost ways of promoting your business. The Internet has made it a whole new ball game. To learn how to get a top Google News Ranking every time you issue a press release and achieve hundreds to thousands of incoming links to your website, take a look at our special report ebook, The Power Press Marketing Strategy.

Note: Monday, we release our 60 Second Ideas 2nd Quarter 2006 Top 10 Small Business Blogs Video Post.

Boomer Space

Here is a perfect example of taking a popular idea and tweaking it for a niche market. Everyone has heard of the social networking site, My Space. My Space and similar sites for the Generation X crowd have proven that they are far more than a fad.

Indeed social networking has evolved beyond hooking up to consumers seeking online connections that land them jobs, find them stuff and keep them entertained. In short, social networking is about marketing too and smart marketers are taking notice.

Well now comes Eons.com - a My Space style social networking site for boomers and matures. Developed by the founder of Monster.com, the site even include a death alert, so members know when online buds have moved on to that space in the great beyond.

According to Eons.com

• A whopping 70% of all new Eons members are between the ages of 50 and 60 years old.
• 45% of new Eons members are women.
• New Eons members are most likely to be from: California, Massachusetts, Alabama, Florida & Illinois.

Eons.com shows us that the possibilities are endless for taking good ideas to new niche markets and as for marketing in general to boomers, Eons makes it a whole new ball game.

Note: We are just a few days away from releasing our Top 10 Small Business Blogs for the 2nd Quarter of 2006. Stay Tuned!

60 Second Ideas - Baby Boomers in Business

In February of 2006 we did a 60 Second Ideas video entitled Boomer Basics talking about the opportunities and pitfalls of marketing to baby boomers.

Did you know, however, that boomers and even seniors are not only buying products and services important to them, but starting their own businesses in big numbers too? For the past 10 years - adults ages 55 to 64 have been the group most likely to start a new business according to a a study released in May by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Indeed, Harlan Sanders started Kentucky Fried Chicken at 65; Lee Iacocca is introducing a line of electric-powered bicycles at 75. Dr. Robert Ross is a commodities broker, founder of Ross University School of Medicine, and the Ross School of Veterinary Medicine, still in the limelight at 87. Just goes to show you are never to old to reach for the stars and achieve your dreams.

Note: We are taking a week or two off from our regular weekly 60 Second Idea Videos to get ready to release our 3rd Quarter Top 10 Small Business Blogs. The 60 Second Ideas Top 10 small Business Blogs is one of our most popular features. If you have a suggestion for a top 10 small business blog that we should consider, please email us at [email protected].