Often small businesses need a picture to help make a point or to break up the expanse of words on a page, letter or newsletter.
Stock images are great … but can be costly for many small businesses to buy.
This is my favourite site for royalty free images – http://www.sxc.hu/home. There are thousands of great photos on the site you can use.
Some photos you need to pay for, some you need to acknowledge the photographer but many many more are totally free to use (as long as you aren’t using them for nefarious purposes).
It is a site worth checking out to make your next blog post or marketing stand out!
Rather than complete a regular blog post, I have decided to add in some video to help give background for my New Years Resolutions this year.
So … what ARE my resolutions for 2008 (all of my feelings and specific details etc are written in my personal diary – so this is just the edited version for public consumption)
I resolve to build my business by 1% each day – to create a business where I can use my skills to add massive value to positive action-focussed clients and where cashflow is constant and strong.
I resolve to write the book that has been playing in my head by 1 August 2008.
I resolve to book and take 2 weeks holiday at a beach with my family Dec/Jan 2008/2009 (if I don’t plan for a holiday now and book it in it doesn’t happen).
OK … I have told you mine – what are your resolutions for 2008? Write them in the comments section of this blog and we can hold each other accountable.
My motto is there are no small businesses … only small ideas.
Recently I was running a planning session for one company who had a great idea for a product … a really great idea. The trouble was their method of distribution was cumbersome, time consuming and would reduce their profits significantly. For them that was the only way they could see to achieve delivery – in their mind that was the way they did things.
I looked at their model and made one suggestion – instead of retail, what about wholesale to a few suppliers and change their approach to supply to the wholesalers to one where they could add massive value and support to their wholesalers.
This one idea meant they went from having to try and provide service to thousands of people a week, to being able to provide exceptional service to just a hundred people a week. Their wholesalers love the new level of service and support they are getting and have all increased their orders.
Their distribution costs plummeted which meant they could invest this money in other things like building their brand, finding new wholesalers and improving their product (…oh yes it tripled their profits in the process).
Often it is the small business ideas that make the most difference. Where are you stuck thinking this is the only way it has to be done. How can you shift your thinking?
One of the most useful sites on the net is Squidoo. It is where you get to showcase your depth of expertise in particular areas. With Squidoo you shine a lens on your niche information in a fun, interactive and informative way.
On the plus it has high rankings when your page is indexed, you can include links to other websites/blogs etc and you can make money linking to products from places like Amazon. Once you get the hang of the design, creating a lens is easy and quite addictive to do (sort of like on-line scrapbooking!)
On the downside it seems to take some time before Google discovers your great new page.
But why would you do it? Because you get to position yourself as an expert in your field, to attract traffic, to promote your business and create additional income streams.
To give you some idea of what a Squidoo lens looks like here are two I have done up so you can get an idea of the sort of thing you can do:
These Proposal Kits help you create winning proposals, contracts and estimates.
I have personally used these kits since 2009 and love them! They are easy to use, customisable and give great ideas on what to include in your next proposal.
Highly recommended products!
Earnings Disclosure: I will receive financial compensation for sales of these products ... enough for a few cups of good coffee
Often small businesses need a picture to help make a point or to break up the expanse of words on a page, letter or newsletter. 
