Using Facebook pages for marketing is a huge topic, and one that this post won’t try to cover in detail, but luckily, there are others who are already covering it well. Just in the last week or two, I’ve seen some good posts that make the concept of Facebook marketing – and Facebook Pages in particular – a little easier to grasp for the one-person or micro-businesses that many of my readers comprise. So have a look through these and let me know what’s missing. What are you still confused about? What would you like to know more about? I’ll continue to help you find the answers to those questions.

I’d start with understanding the difference between a page and profile on Facebook. Then get a quick tip about using vanity URLs for Facebook pages. Follow that up with a tutorial on creating your Facebook fan page photostrip. And finally, with that background under your belt, immerse yourself in this excellent and comprehensive post, titled, How to Build the Perfect Facebook Fan Page, 2011 Edition.

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Facebook, social media strategy, solo entrepreneur
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Solo entrepreneurs are unique in the sense that they do not have any partners to help with the costs of starting a business. Any entrepreneur that is interested in starting a new business needs to have an arsenal of financial expertise to build – and sustain – their business.

Savvy Marketing

Entrepreneurs should take every effort to make sure that the business is promoted. This can become expensive, but financial savvy business owners will find ways to promote without going broke. A solo entrepreneur realizes the value of doing things on their own. It’s much cheaper to pass out business cards or brochures for a business than it would be for hired help to perform this task. Other things like designing websites and building buzz about a company is a lot less expensive for the professional that takes the self-promotion route.

Smart Inventory Management

Another strong financial tip for the solo entrepreneur is found in Just In Time (JIT) inventory. There may be money to secure a large inventory when multiple partners are involved. Entrepreneurs that go solo do not have this option. It’s much better to hold on to any cash and spend the money only when it is needed. There’s no need to spend a ton of money on products if there are no orders that require these products. It’s better to wait for customers to commit to the order and acquire the inventory just in time to complete the transaction.

Stay On Top of the Details

The role of the entrepreneur is a tedious one. There are lots of major and minor details to be handled. Entrepreneurs that are able to organize well will save themselves lots of time and money. This is important because there are many coupons and discounted opportunities that are available to business owners. Many of them are only available for a limited time, however, so entrepreneurs have to grab the opportunities while they last. An unorganized business owner will miss out on these opportunities if they fail to prioritize their deadlines and manage their schedules effectively.

Solo entrepreneurs must take the time to build their businesses with a lot of self discipline and organization. It requires lots of time, and a large majority of this time is spent trying to save money. It can be done, but it often requires extensive networking. Solo entrepreneurs should realize that their relationships with others can also offer insight on new concepts and different ways to save money.

This article was contributed by Jane Sanders from Debt Management. Get more of Jane’s personal finance advice at her site, such as how to build a great debt management plan.

© guestposter for DazzlinDonna, 2011. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Business_Finance, Debt Management, Jane Sanders, solo entrepreneur
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People and companies still need services and goods during a recession. But now they are looking for “the better deal”. That better deal might come in the form of lower prices – a bargain – or it might come in the form of “getting more bang for the buck”. This is where you step up to the plate and offer added value or bargain pricing. Now is the right time to steal away a new client from an old mega-competitor. Companies pay exorbitant prices for services from companies that love being able to charge “enterprise-level prices”. Often, those “enterprise-level” services aren’t any better than what you can offer for much less.

Now is the time to approach a company that may be paying through the nose for a service you can provide for far less. If feasible, show that your service even offers additional value because you’ll go one step further than the competition by providing an extra service on top of what they’d normally receive.

Reeling in just one new client – especially a corporate account – could leapfrog your business so much that you won’t even notice the recession. The timing couldn’t be better for solo service businesses to jump on stealing away a big client. If you can logistically provide a service to a large client, act soon to land that client. When making your pitch, just be sure to show the benefits of moving from their tired old high-priced service to your new, nimble, value-added service. Then, once you land the big one, get to work!

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: solo entrepreneur
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