There’s so much to know about websites and online marketing, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. This is especially true in the building and remodeling world. Where a lot of people are way behind the curve. So — in the spirit of helping you learn what every small business owner should know about online marketing — I’m going to point you to a really helpful article on the subject. Here it is: How to Optimize Your Site for Search. This is a really good newsletter. also recommend subscribing to Today’s Small Business News. It’s where I found the article. MORE >>

I’m a fan of WIRED. It’s about technology, mostly, but they often include features about the intersection of technology, design, entertainment, economics, business, etc. So technology is their “lens&# for looking at the world. While finishing my lunch today, this makeover caught my eye. Click on the picture to make it bigger. Now ask yourself: how interesting would this story be without the text? Not very. And yet, this is exactly how many businesses in the industry present their work — online and in printed sales tools. Pictures. No text. No captions. No context. MORE >>

Gaining Market Share: To penetrate, or geographically expand? Definition of penetrate:  Deepen your awareness, volume per client, repeat & referral business, and the types of services you sell within your own backyard. Definition of geographically expand: “self explanatory,” outside your core market. picked up a publication today in Hudson, Wisconsin that marketed to women in the area.  What caught my attention was a building firm that has been known to dominate Edina, Minnesota, was advertising with a full page ad, nearly 40 miles from their home base.  Filed under: branding , strategy. MORE >>

Researching an article on networking for NARI Remodeler’s Journal, I was wondering: Do referrals come from weak connections? So I  Googled “referrals weak connections&# and came upon this terrific post by Peppers and Rogers Group: Harnessing the power of your weak ties. The research confirms my intuition – yes, referrals and opportunities come not just from strong relationships, but very often from “weak ties&# — friends of friends, acquaintances, people outside your primary network. For example, if I’m an artist, I’ll know a lot of other artists very well. MORE >>

As an avid kayaker, I have spent hundreds of hours on the water.  On certain occasions, unique things occur.  Recently, as a paddled, a Bald Eagle started flying back and forth (up and down river).  He circled looking for fish nearly 100 feet above the water. few minutes later, I noticed a Heron on the rock bank also attempting the same task (catch dinner!), but the technique was different.  This heron is built to fish from the shore vs. the sky.  I quickly snapped a photo with my phone as I paddled by.  The body language is what really caught my attention.  MORE >>