PREMIERE ISSUE
2/05
IN THIS ISSUE
What is PR anyway?
Serving the OTHER 90% of Colorado Businesses
Some clairiﬁcation on the topic and how
it can beneﬁt your business
Business Law 101
Forming the right entity for your
business, are you structured properly?
Internet Advertising
How to get the best bang for your buck.
Proﬁling You
Spreading the word and introducing you
to great local businesses and ideas you
may never have known about.
Ask the Answer Man
ROI
Becky’s Cheap Eats
My Biased Opinion
Internet Index
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
1
publisher’s note
Colorado
So I’m sure you’re wondering why. Everyone I know is wondering why
I would all of a sudden publish a business magazine. Well it is a very
simple answer...
Small Biz
BECAUSE!
Because we can publish a digital magazine and offer valuable
information to business owners at a fraction of the cost...
Because small business is what will grow the current economy and
those businesses need to be treated valuably...
Because it takes more than money to have a successful business, and
giving is only the ﬁrst step to receiving...
www.cosmallbiz.com
©2005 Alkemedia Productions All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without the written
consent of the publisher is prohibited.
Publisher
Greg Smith
Editor
Rachael Dalton-Taggart
Contributors
Rachael Dalton-Taggart
Becky Carter
Jeff Brown
Robert Regular
Because advertising and exposure is a key to a successful business,
and we’ve just made that key affordable to everyone...
Because no other publication exists in this marketplace as a resource
to startup, small and medium businesses...
Because I have watched many small businesses fail when all they
needed was an outlet so other businesses knew that they existed...
EDITORIAL & SUBMISSIONS
Editor
[email protected]
Submissions
[email protected]
Press Releases
[email protected]
And as Mom used to say, “Because I said so”...
Colorado Small Biz is a publication that had to be done. With a
possible demographic of up to 100,000 small and home ofﬁce business
in the metro area it is hard to ignore the impact that these people have
on our local economy.
As a local small business owner myself it made sense to take the time
and effort in launching this publication. And with your support and
readership we’ll be able to help just a few more people get back to
work - and that’s good no matter how you slice it.
As a publisher I have much experience in DTP and getting things ready
to present to others. As a businessman I know the value of others and
how their expertise can help a business become a success. As you see
there are numerous others helping to get this magazine off the ground
and take ﬂight. If you have any ideas on how we can make this a better
publication and serve the needs of a larger group of people, please do
send us an email and be sure to note that you will receive a response.
Greg Smith
Publisher
2
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
ADVERTISING
Placement
[email protected]
Classiﬁeds
classiﬁ[email protected]
PRODUCTION
Greg Smith
Renee Harper
DISTRIBUTION
www.cosmallbiz.com
ALKEMEDIA PRODUCTIONS
Alkemedia Productions
7100 N. Broadway • Suite 2LPH
Denver, CO 80221
720.234.4335
What is PR anyway?
by: Rachael Dalton-Taggart
F
irst a Test: Your company wins a nice award for its
technology or customer service.
Do you:
a) Immediately mention it on your company intranet
and customer newsletter?
b) Send out a quick press release?
c) Add the award to your web site?
d) None of the above: we do not have a customer
newsletter and our web site is difﬁcult to update
quickly.
If you answered a, b, and c above, it seems pretty
certain that you have started generating a culture of
public relations in your organization. If you answered
D or something similar, you do not have even the ﬁrst
aspects of building good relations with the people who
buy your products, talk about your products or perhaps
invest in them. And really, sweethearts, you need to be
doing something.
The term PR, or public relations, covers many aspects of
Does your brand
pass this test?
Captivating
Consistent
Compelling
Comprehensive
Competitive
Crystal Clear
True to your vision
dealing with the public – whether they are customers,
potential customers, press, or investors. The evidence
is strong that almost every company and organization
needs to be ‘doing PR’ as a fundamental aspect of its
operation. The sorry fact remains that most companies
do not do anything until very late… often until sometime
after the CEO thinks PR can be afforded.
But PR should not be exploited only when your
organization has spare cash! It is something that should
be a fundamental part of your entire operation. As
important, basic public relations should not cost you
a dime except for the extra couple of hours per week
you may need to devote to it. Once your sales operation
starts to rely on Public Relations as part of its sales
and lead development tools, then it may start costing
you money – and then the cash spending becomes a
worthwhile investment.
Very basic public relations takes nothing more than a
few hours of somebody’s time a week (or even a month)
and some careful thought. Being an acceptable writer
is a beneﬁt but any deﬁciency in that area can often
be solved by bringing in a copy writer on a contract
or ad-hoc basis – or you often ﬁnd that a
talented spouse can bring unknown skills
to help. (And even better the spouse often
tends to be free-of-charge!) This article will
run through some basics of PR that every
company should be doing, as well as helping
you understand what you need to do when
you are investing your hard-earned cash in
PR.
If not, we should talk
Signature Strategies is a one-stop, value-priced
strategic and creative service helping smaller companies
profit from the power of branding.
Go to www.signaturestrategies.biz for branding insights
& aids, then call for your free consultation - 303-796-9458
Signa tureSTRATEGIES
Helping clients profit from the power of branding
Basic PR.
Every company needs to build a customer
base. And typically that customer base comes
to you because they trust you, your products
or your services. The ﬁrst leap is working out
how to get new customers to trust you in the
ﬁrst place and this takes basic PR.
Why is Trust Important?
In the sales process, the customer has to
move into believing that you are providing
what they want. I mean, would you hire a
plumber to ﬁx your pipes that you didn’t
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
3
Serving the OTHER 90% of Colorado Businesses
vol. 1, no. 1 ~ february 2005
3 What is PR anyway?
Some clariﬁcation on the topic and
how it can beneﬁt your business.
7 Business Law 101
Forming the right entity for your
business, are you structured properly?
page 7
19 Internet Advertising
How to get the best bang for your buck using
the power of search advertising.
15 Adventures in Networking
Follow our fearless newbie through her journey
to be a networking goddess.
page 13
Proﬁling You
14 - The Cooking Advantage
16 - Organic Mechanic
10 - Ask the Answer Man
12 - Becky’s Cheap Eats
13 - My Biased Opinion
17 - Return On Investment
23 - Internet Index
page 14
4
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
think had the expertise? Every sales situation is
no different. Building trust means you have to
prove to a customer that your expertise has led
to a great product, that other customers already
trust you and that this person can also start to
trust you. This means that every communication
needs to promote that trust. You can do this
with: customer testimonials; press comments
when editors review your product; information
about awards you have received; professional
organizations you are a member of. And once
you have these all sorted out, you need to use
them. I suggest that they go into:
• your web site
• brochures
• at the end of emails
• direct mail pieces
• letters you may write
��
��
��
��
��
Getting Customer Testimonials
Customer testimonials can be both a joy and a trial to
nail down. The best ones use a full name and company
as a reference point, but in these cases you need to
ensure you have permission (signed if possible) to
use the names. I have found that the easiest way to get
testimonials is to ask people to test your product (free
or at a discount) and in return they have to commit to
releasing their names – assuming they like the product.
Do not be tempted to lie or make up testimonials. If a
new customer wants to check one you may get caught. In
addition, asking people to test the product can provide
you with valuable feedback that may help improve the
product you are offering.
Testimonials can be a few words long, all the way to an
entire ‘case study’. Any length will do as long as you
are allowed to use it to help promote your product. And
once you have it, make sure it goes on your web site,
brochures and other communications.
Occasionally, you may need to provide one-on-one
communication between a potential customer and an
existing customer. Work very hard to ensure that an
existing customer is willing to speak on your behalf and
try not to use the resource too often – however helpful,
these people have work to do too and constant calls
can become annoying.
Case Studies
Getting case studies from customers can be a lot more
taxing and often take more skill. (I often recommend that
��
��
you do pay someone to do them if you can!) There are
multiple beneﬁts to be gained from a good case study,
as long as you focus on how to use it. Try and write
the case study so that the next potential customer can
put themselves into the existing customer’s shoes and
understand the beneﬁts of your product. Then post the
case study on your web site, use it as part of your sales
kit, send it out on your customer newsletter and more.
Once you have material, try and gain the full value from
it in every scenario you can.
Communicating with Customers
You do, of course, have a regular newsletter? Even
a simple email or print letter that goes out to clients
regularly? If not, why not? To communicate with
customers, you do not have to be using sophisticated
HTML emails and blindingly superb 8-page, fullcolor newsletters. Admittedly, it is nice when that
kind of investment makes sense both ﬁnancially and
productively, but does not have to be your starting point.
Simply getting information out to customers, reminding
them that your product is still going strong and is an
incredibly valuable tool. All you need is several (I
would say 4) subjects to share, and then access to a
computer for either email newsletter or print (from
a word processing package). However to make the
newsletter successful follow these rules.
a. Keep customer contact information for every
customer and potential customer
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
5
b. If you are going to send a newsletter via email, ask
their permission to do that
c. Whatever you write, get a ‘good speller’ to check it
d. Do a test run of the newsletter ﬁrst with colleagues or
family. See what they think and what suggestions they
have
e. Always make some sort of offer that may be a ‘grabber’
– something that may get the customer thinking or,
hopefully, picking up the phone to call you
f. Always have some good news – new award, more
customers, etc
g. Don’t get too verbose
ensure that your company can build trust and credibility
with customers, press and investors. They are the ones
that nag about getting a press release on the web site
immediately. They are the ones who obsess about bad
spelling in a brochure. They are the ones who can
communicate with the press in a way (at least if they
are any good) that gets the press interested. These are
things that a small business owner can mostly do him
or herself if the focus is there. However, when it gets
busy and you have to worry about order fulﬁllment,
sales, cash ﬂow, staff turnover, proﬁt and more, doing
PR usually takes a lower priority.
Getting to the Press
Be careful when choosing a PR company. The
ﬁrst thing they often want to do is get you to
invest alarming amounts of money in a press kit
and on improving the web site. Often they have a
valid concern – that the quality of your communication
needs a vigorous clean-up. However, beware of this
being an ‘absolute’ especially when it demands a lot
of cash investment up-front. Often your
communication means can be improved
in small, inexpensive ways, that will be
almost as effective.
Getting your product reviewed, even mentioned, by the
press can be extremely exciting and frustrating at the
same time. This is where PR experts can really help
and where your buck is best spent.
But this does not mean you can’t try it
yourself to some effect. Call up a
local editor who you think
may be interested in your
product. Ask them directly
if they would review it. They
may say yes, and you have made
the start to doing press outreach. If they say No, you
have lost nothing – it simply gives you the opportunity
to call them again a week later and ask all over. Be
prepared for the editor to ask you why they should be
interested. The response should be part of your sales
pitch anyway and if the product is interesting, they will
probably say yes.
Be careful, though, to target who you call. For example,
if you have a sports product, try and go to the sports
editor and so on.
A press release, if you feel up to writing one, is also a
valuable tool. The press release can announce a new
product, a corporate success such as new clients or
increased revenues and more. The press release does
not have to be lengthy, although I recommend good
spelling and grammar! Once written, send it out to a
few target press, as well as post it to your web site. In
addition, don’t forget to put the press release in your
sales kit: anything that increases credibility and trust
can assist toward a sale.
So why go to a PR company?
PR experts focus solely on all the aspects above to
6
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
Beware of the PR ‘black hole’ – that is the
one where you pay lots of money every month on
retainer to a PR company, with no guarantee of results.
Always, always, insist on metrics and results with some
sort of compensation in return. For example, if your
plumber came in to ﬁx the pipes, yet failed to ﬁx them,
would you pay him? I think not. PR agencies have
existed on retainers with small print giving no guarantee
of results. For the client, that’s an insane arrangement,
and avoid it. Be prepared to pay a small retainer with
compensation on agreed results that meet your needs,
targets and sales aims.
Rachael Dalton-Taggart is the president of Strategic Reach PR in Denver.
She has been a leader in new PR ideals
and strategies for the past 13 years.
[email protected]
• Useless Fact •
Sales of antacids increase
by as much as 20% the day
after the Superbowl.
Business Law 101:
What Type of Company Should I Form?
by W. Jeffrey Brown
The information below is intended to be a summary discussion of some of the
legal and business issues to consider when determining what type of business
entity to form. It is not intended to encompass all issues or your speciﬁc
situation or act as a substitute for qualiﬁed professional assistance.
T
here are several basic entity choices for small
businesses. Each of these entities is subject to the
laws of the state in which they are formed. Most
state laws are pretty similar but there can be important
differences. The discussion below pertains to the laws
of the state of Colorado.
Sole Proprietorship
This is an unincorporated
business entity that is owned
by a single person. The
business has no existence
apart from the individual
owner. You become a sole
proprietorship simply by
operating a business by
yourself. The positive aspect
is that there are no required
corporate ﬁlings or records to
maintain. The negative aspect
(and it’s a big one) is that there
is nothing shielding personal
assets and liabilities from
corporate assets and liabilities. Therefore the liabilities
of the business become your personal liabilities.
Partnership
A partnership is any business relationship existing
between 2 or more persons who carry on a trade or
business. Each person contributes money, property,
labor or skill and expects to share in the proﬁts and
losses of the business. There are limited partnerships
and general partnerships. In a general partnership, all
partners remain personally liable for the obligations of
the partnership. In a limited partnership, the individual
limited partners are not personally liable for the
obligations of the partnership (much like stockholders
in a corporation) but there must be at least one general
partner who remains personally liable.
There is no ﬁling required to form a partnership as it
occurs automatically by operation of law (much like
a sole proprietorship discussed above).
However,
Colorado allows the registration of Limited Liability
Partnerships (LLPs) and Limited Liability Limited
Partnerships (LLLPs). By registering your partnership
with the Colorado Dept. of Revenue, you can achieve
the goals of reducing partner liability and establishing
a greater degree of certainty around the operations of
the partnership.
Corporation
A corporation is an entity where the owners
(shareholders) transfer money, property and/or labor
in exchange for shares
in the corporation. The
primary advantage that a
corporation has over other
entities for a small business
is the potential savings
on
self–employment
taxes (“FICA”).
For
example, let’s assume an
accountant has started
his own business. In his
ﬁrst year he earns $85,000
in proﬁts and he pays
himself $45,000 in salary.
If the business is formed as a sole proprietorship or an
LLC, then the entire $85,000 is taxed at 15.3% for FICA
purposes. If the business is formed as a corporation,
then only $45,000 (the portion designated as “salary”) is
subject to FICA. The accountant is free to do whatever
he wishes with the other $40,000 without further FICA
taxation. Depending on your situation, other tax
advantages may exist with regard to employee beneﬁts.
There are 2 basic types of corporations- C corporations
and S corporations.
C Corporation
Although this is the chosen entity formation for most
Fortune 500 companies, it is generally not a good idea
for small businesses. The primary problem with the C
corporation is that it generates double taxation on the
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
7
editors’s note
Owning a Small Business is hard work!
If anyone has ever told you that being the owner of a small business is easy, then they were probably trying to sell
you a small business or else were on some pills that you can only get cheaply from Canada!
The image on the cover of the ﬁrst-ever Colorado Small Biz Magazine probably describes how many small
business owners feel for most of every day. The endless worry about clients, panic about deadlines, and stress
about cash ﬂow is only abated by the occasional high moment of a large check or a new client walking in. It
seems that this roller-coaster of emotion becomes part of our daily lives. Handling it is a key challenge. Daily we
ask ourselves – when will we get to ‘easy street’? When will the stress and panic recede? Am I really doing the
right thing?
Colorado Small Biz Magazine is a publication that is true to the
messages above, because we experience them every day. All the
editors and staff of Colorado Small Biz are small business owners
– Greg Smith, publisher, runs a thriving interactive media business that
employs 3 1⁄2 staff. I, as editor, run a Public Relations Company that has
4 staff. We are all very good at our specialties: bringing quality services
to our customers. But that isn’t enough. The biggest challenge is being
good at running a business – from decisions about saving even a few
dollars on printing, through to choices of telephone provider, dealing
with the bank, keeping payroll tax under control, having cash ﬂow and
more. Part of your business decision-making is whether to take an hour,
a day or a week off to relax, be with your family or simply settle down to
watch CSI.
We have found that owning your own business can be incredibly
satisfying. And like me, you may just have become so addicted to the
stress that anything less would bring on a bad dose of ADHD. But in the 3-plus years we have been handling,
growing and shaping our businesses, we have found ourselves guessing an awful lot – there are simply no
publications and no real resources that focus on what single-owner shops and micro-businesses need. Everything
from ways to print decent, professional business cards cheaply, through to approaching potential clients that are
way larger than you ever thought possible.
And while we are doing this, we are going to be chasing down real-life stories from Colorado Small Business
owners that want to share their experiences.
We hope you’ll enjoy Colorado Small Biz as much as we are enjoying bringing it to you!
Regards
Rachael Dalton-Taggart
editor
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Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
proﬁts it earns. Proﬁts are taxed ﬁrst at the corporate
level on the corporate tax return. Then, an additional
tax (personal income tax) is assessed on any salaries
or dividends paid to the shareholders. In addition to
the double taxation issue, the C corporation presents
other difﬁculties with respect to restructuring and asset
distribution. Because of the difﬁculty of getting out of
a C corporation after it is formed, it is a good idea to
consult with a qualiﬁed attorney prior to forming this
type of entity. There are a couple of good alternatives
in the S corporation and the LLC discussed below.
S Corporation
Much like the C corporation, this entity is formed
by ﬁling Articles of Incorporation with the Colorado
Secretary of State. In fact, an S corporation and a C
corporation are formed in exactly the same manner.
The only difference is that the S corporation must ﬁle
an additional form with the IRS electing S corporation
status. S corporation status means that the corporation
is electing to be taxed as a partnership, thus avoiding
double taxation. All proﬁts and losses will ﬂow through
to the individual shareholders in proportion to their
ownership interests in the corporation. Although S
corporations have certain restrictions on the number
and type of shareholders and the class of shares that
can be issued, this is usually not a signiﬁcant hurdle for
most small businesses.
or LLLP) will provide you with far greater liability
protection than operating as an unregistered company.
In any company you must be careful to follow all
formalities such as: using separate bank accounts,
never commingling funds, keeping adequate corporate
records, etc. Most small businesses would be best
served by forming an LLC or an S corporation, depending
on the need for ﬂexibility (LLC) versus the potential
for self-employment tax savings (S Corp). There are
some fairly limited situations in which a C corporation
or a partnership would make sense for a new business
and you may want to discuss these alternatives with a
qualiﬁed attorney or accountant.
W. Jeffery Brown is a corporate
attorney with J. Brown & Assoc. LLC.
He can be reached at 303.228.2177
[email protected]
• Useless Fact •
Ketchup was sold in
the 1830s as medicine.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
This is a very popular form for new companies.
It involves ﬁling Articles of Organization with
the Colorado Secretary of State. An LLC can be
taxed as a sole proprietorship, a partnership or
as a corporation. A single member LLC will be
taxed as a sole proprietorship (i.e. everything
ﬂows through to the owner’s personal tax
return). A multiple member LLC will be taxed as
a partnership (i.e. the owners are taxed on their
share of the proﬁts and loses in proportion to
their respective ownership interests in the LLC)
unless the LLC notiﬁes the IRS that it elects to be
taxed as a corporation. However, the owners
may, by written agreement agree to divide the
proﬁts and losses in any way they choose.
CONCLUSION
For liability reasons, it is not a good idea to
operate as a sole proprietorship. Any entity
formed with the Secretary of State (corporation
or LLC) or the Department of Revenue (LLP
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
9
Ask da Answer Man!
D
ay to day business throws many curves your way,
many times it happens hourly, and you just can’t
know all the answers. How many times have you
thought, “If I just had someone to ask, I could get an
unbiased answer and then make the right decision.”
Well now you have the ability to Ask the Answer Man.
Everyday people ask me questions and expect me to
know just about everything. In business I have learned
I’m not what I thought I was but the 20th Century version
of the “Shell Answer Man”
So go ahead, ask your questions, and every month we’ll
be publishing answers to the most common questions.
Q. How do I make sure the business name I choose
will be unique and protected nationwide.
Your company’s name can be protected by registering
it as a trademark with the United States Patent and
Trademark Ofﬁce. “ A trademark is a word, phrase,
symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases,
symbols or designs, that identiﬁes and distinguishes
the source of the goods of one party from those of
another.” The name you select for your company must
be distinctive, common words or phrases that are not
offered trademark protection. Examples that would not
be eligible for protection are:
Joe’s Diner, Bill’s Auto, Speedy Delivery,
For information on trademarks visit
http://www.uspto.gov.
Before ﬁnalizing your company name selection, you
should conduct a name search, to determine if the
name selected is protected or being used by another
company. Your search should start with the Secretary
of State.
The yellow pages should also be searched. Check with
your local library to see if they have a collection of
national yellow pages. Also, while at the library check
any trade journals for company names.
Finally, I would suggest that you contact your nearest
Small Business Administration Ofﬁce (SBA) for further
advice and assistance in selecting your company name.
The SBA was established to assist, aid and protect the
10
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
interest of small business. Logon to http://www.sba.gov
to locate an ofﬁce near you. (This topic will be discussed
in greater detail in an upcoming issue.)
Q. How much does a website cost?
I get this question about 5 times each week, and my
standard answer is, “How much is a car?” You see a
website is just like purchasing a car, for a small amount
of money you can get a car to take you from place to
place, or for a large amount of money you can have a
luxury model with all of the bells and whistles getting
you there in style and making everyone stop and stare.
A translation of this is you can get a simple 5-7 page
website for $750 to $1000 dollars, or for a database
driven, e-commerce enabled website can cost from
$3000 on up. My best advice is to get a few different bids
and compare apples to apples to get your best deal.
Q. How do I stop all the junk email I get?
WOW, this is a toughie – the easiest way is to just change
your email address – but that really lacks in the reality
category, so here are a few ways that you can slow down
the ﬂow.
Don’t Answer - Just Delete – First off, never, Never, NEVER
reply or ask a spammer to remove you from their list.
All you’re doing then is conﬁrming they have your valid
email address
and most likely
you’ll
start
getting
even
more
junk.
(Remember
that allowing a
delivery receipt
is the same
as
replying.)
Secondly – disable the preview for new emails, many
spammers have written code that they can track when
an email is viewed, so they know when they have a valid
email without you doing anything but glancing casually
at the message they sent. Lastly, delete the suspicious
emails by selecting them all and deleting them without
ever opening them, this will slowly stop them from
sending emails to your account, usually this takes 36 months. Also, never buy anything from a spammer.
If we all stop buying, perhaps they’ll stop spamming plus you’ll only get even more spam if they know you’re
willing to buy.
Authorized Access – There are a few programs and a
number of services that will stop all email from getting
to your account, unless you have ﬁrst entered the
sender’s email into an approved list of recipients. Now
while these services will surely stop all junk emails and
may be good for home users, business users will ﬁnd
them limiting and not a good choice as new clients will
have a problem contacting you via email since they will
not be in your list and their email to you will be blocked
or deleted.
Filters – Most email programs are equipped with some
sort of email ﬁlter and as newer releases happen the
email application can even learn what is spam by you
deleting it as such. Be sure to set up a ﬁlter or two as
you start receiving spam, and you can easily send many
of the repeat offenders emails directly to the trash.
Q. Why do Wint-O-green Lifesavers spark in the
dark?
It’s called triboluminescence. That’s what happens
when crystals fracture.
Triboluminescence is the light that is the result of
crystals crushing or tearing.
Here’s what happens. Everything around us is made up
of atoms like carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen.
The atoms are made up of tiny particles -- electrons,
protons and neutrons. Atoms cluster together in groups
called molecules. When you crunch the sugar crystals,
electrons break loose and zip around. Invisible nitrogen
molecules that are in the air can detect an opening
where the electrons have broken free, and zoom into
that spot. All this happens very fast. The electrons that
broke off the sugar crystals in the ﬁrst place decide
they want to return to the fold, but since the nitrogen
molecules are already there, the electrons crash into
the nitrogen. They re-combine with a bang. And that
crashing together results in light -- in fact, it’s ultraviolet
radiation. Add the fact that this ultraviolet radiation has
hit the wintergreen ﬂavoring (which is methyl salicylate)
and you get the bluish tinge to the glow. You can actually
get almost all crystal sugar candy to give you a bit of
light when it is crushed. This was ﬁrst noticed in Italy in
the seventeenth century. But for most crystal candy it is
a rather dim light. It takes wintergreen to really light up
your life. It’s probably much more scientiﬁc than you
need to know -- but now you do. The important thing is
that it’s fun. And it is a good party trick too -- just don’t
break your teeth!
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
11
Becky’s Cheap Eats
H
ello and welcome to the ﬁrst edition of cheap
eats. The section that your taste buds will
forever be thankful for. Say good bye to fast food
lines and greasy hands. Each month this section will
feature restaurants, pubs, diners, and the not so typical
fast food joint where you can get a fabulous lunch and
pretty cheap as well.
This month we feature the Off Broadway Café, started
by Chiquita Felitti, who has worked in the restaurant
business for the past 25 years. Off Broadway Café serves
a wide range of snacks, sandwiches, salads, soups and
breakfast items with all breads, bagels, mufﬁns, and
cookies made fresh from scratch.
Breakfast choices include breakfast sandwiches that
are served on a fresh baked bagel or croissant with
your choices of cheeses, bacon, eggs, sausage, or ham.
Specialty, breakfast burritos are also served up and
topped off with their own homemade red or green chili.
They also serve any style egg, bacon, ham, sausage and/
or home fried potatoes individually, if you don’t fancy
sandwiches or burritos early in the morning.
12
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
Lunch choices include a variety of sandwiches or
wraps ranging from the melt away club (turkey, bacon,
Swiss) served on your choice of parmesan, wheat or
plain hoagie and your choice of mayo, lettuce, tomato,
and pickle. I had the chicken salad sandwich served on
whole wheat. It was plenty to eat for lunch and I had
some left over for a mid-afternoon snack. The house
specialty is the sliced steak sandwich. All sandwiches
are served with 6oz. of meat and made fresh to order.
The menu ranges in price from a dollar for two breakfast
eggs through to six dollars for the Colorado Club Salad
(served with your choice of chicken or turkey with
bacon and avocado).
Along with the Off Broadway Café, Felitti runs a catering
company which is ready to help with early morning
meetings or afternoon lunches.
Off Broadway Café is located at 6810 N. Broadway, Unit E,
Denver. They are open 7am – 2:30pm Monday – Friday.
Just ask for the Cheap Eats Special!
My Biased Opinion (and a few facts):
Board up your Windows
I
f I spent as much time and money ﬁxing my car, as
I do to keep my computer running, I would ride my
bicycle to work. Small business owner and Windows
computer user, Denver, CO - 2004
the topic of this magazine I’ll cut the search down a little
to help make your decision easier.
The following software is available for Apple computers
allowing you to seamlessly make the switch.
Spyware, Adware, Viruses and Spam, daily I get people
warning me about these and asking me how to protect
against them. Well it is very easy, and I’m about to tell
you the secret, are you ready?
Word, Excel, Power Point, Entourage, Internet Explorer,
Quickbooks, Quicken, AOL
BUY AN APPLE COMPUTER!!!
Now I’m not going to say all sorts of terrible things
about Windows. Microsoft and Windows have done
a great job of helping to get the entire world using
personal computers. However at this time the Windows
operating system(OS) is so prone to Spyware, Adware
and Viruses that you can spend thousands of dollars
in time and money to keep a computer running. What I
want to share is how an Apple computer can save you
not only time and money, but anxiety as well, because
it is not vulnerable to the nasties that plague Windows
computer users.
How can this be?
Ok, I’ve told you that Apple computers aren’t as
vulnerable as Windows computers and I bet you want
to know why, well it’s simple.
First, most Spyware, Adware and Viruses are written
to exploit vulnerabilities in the Windows OS, since the
Apple OS isn’t Windows it isn’t effected by those nasty
little programs, and few viruses are written for the
Apple OS.
Secondly, the Apple OS is a UNIX operating system,
and any computer expert will tell you that UNIX is the
most secure OS that is currently available, see it’s just
that simple.
You can run your business on an Apple!
Now I’m sure you may have heard that there is no
software available for Apple Computers - but with over
23,000 products available I’m sure that you can ﬁnd the
things you need to run your business. Since business is
Thousands of additional titles are available to help you
with your business needs, databases, PIMs, graphics,
accounting, ﬁnance, marketing and more, just visit
www.apple.com/business/
and
www.apple.com/
business/mac_pc/ to learn more.
More bang for your buck!
For years Apple computers
have been seen as a bit
over priced and didn’t work
with many peripherals.
Well that time is over,
and you can get a great
Apple computer for only
$499, which is loaded
with software to manage
your digital photos, digital
music, digital video, create dvd’s and Apple Works
(word processing, spreadsheet, database, graphics,
presentations). Visit www.apple.com/macmini/ to
learn all the details.
Apple computers now work with most all peripherals
including scanners and printers by HP, Epson, Brother,
Canon and others. Most any USB keyboard and mouse
and any monitor or display can now be connected to
an Apple computer.
Now I’m not saying to throw out the computers you
have, ok, Sure I am! Stop suffering with the annoyances
of a Windows system, and buy an Apple. Not only will
it ease your mind, but with a button click it will play
nicely with your current Windows computers.
For a hands-on experience visit one of the area Apple
Stores, Cherry Creek or Littleton, or see the Apple
section of your local CompUSA.
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
13
Bringing Family Back to the Table
S
occer games, ballet lessons, business meetings,
football, laundry, cheerleading, marching band,
shopping and auto maintenance are just some of
the 101 reasons families do not have enough quality
time together.
However Lori Overton, owner of
The Cooking
Advantage, is helping to ease part of your daily routine
to give you more “family time”. “It gets to be too much...
Daily routines interrupt the time that families spend
together... The dinnertime that we all used to spend
together as we were growing up... That time to share
our day and be together as family”, were some of the
insights that Lori shared with me.
“I was an ofﬁce manager, and by the time I got home
and made dinner, I had little time to spend with my
children”, said Overton. This is when she started
“freezer cooking”, and by cooking ahead she was able
to save about ninety minutes a day, giving her more time
to spend with her children. As friends learned about
what she was doing, more and more of them wanted to
learn these time saving techniques. “So I left my job to
become a personal chef for more family time and my
love of cooking”, said Overton.
Now, after training as a personal chef and being a
member of the American Personal Chef Association
(APCA), Lori is offering the Cook and Carry meal
solution to help parents get back to basics with
more family connect time.
The Cook and Carry solution is similar to a dinner
party with friends, except instead of eating dinner,
up to seven guests enjoy conversation, snacks
and maybe even some wine while assembling 12
delicious entrees to take home to their freezer. Lori
does all the shopping and initial food preparation on
the day of the party, then provides recipes, utensils,
labels, storage containers and cooking instructions
for each entrée on the menu. All a guest needs to
bring is a cooler to take their dinners home in, and
an apron, Lori even cleans up after the guests have
left, making it a fun evening for all.
14
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
These entrees aren’t just your standard fare but
true gourmet dinners such as Chicken Cordon
Bleu, Meatballs Maranara even a Rasberry
Chipotle pork, and each entrée feeds a family
of four so your family can all enjoy a delicious
dinner together.
Business Proﬁle
The Cooking Advantage:
But what if you don’t have the time or don’t want to make
meals for yourself? Well fear not as Lori then comes to
your rescue with her prowess as a personal chef. After
an evaluation of your dietary needs, a menu is designed
speciﬁcally to meet those needs with variety and ﬂavor.
Weather your diet is vegetarian, carbohydrate free or
protein rich, Lori creates not only a variety of meals,
but also marinades and seasonings to help you prepare
fresh dishes for any time of year.
The Cooking Advantage was created by Lori Overton, a
woman looking to spend more time with her family. Her
decision to share her skill with all of us helps to open
up just a bit more time in our lives, and for that Lori we
thank you. To learn more about Lori Overton and The
Cooking advantage visit their website at
www.thecookingadvantage.com
This space
for rent..
Cheap
720.280.2986
Adventures in Networking:
All I Never Wanted to Know.
by Becky Carter
W
hat in the world do I know about networking?
That was my initial thought when I got the
assignment for this article. I am a 24 year-old
public relations account manager and pretty much fresh
out of college. I have always heard that networking could
be a great asset to both my personal and professional
life, but where do I begin to tell others how it can help
them when I barely know myself. Umm, what to do?
After a few adult beverages, a couple of internet searches
and lots of brainstorming it hit me. Why not make this a
learning experience for us all? We can learn from each
other.
First thing on the list, major research on networking and
how I (we) can become seasoned experts (or at least
pretty good at it). I headed to the Denver Public Library
to ﬁnd everything I could on networking. I grabbed all
books that even mentioned the word and happened
upon what seems to be just what we need; a book by
Darcy Rezac, titled The Frog and Prince; Secrets of
Positive Networking... to change your life. Eureka!
As I gathered all the research and pushed my way
through Mr. Rezac’s book, I found that the themes for
successful networking seem to be constant. Networking
and building relationships can help your business grow.
Still, it is sometimes easier said then done. Networking
is a skill that rarely comes naturally and even when it
does, it needs to be maintained and practiced regularly.
Rezac advocates that with a few simple tips, a business
card, and a willingness to try, there is no reason that you
can’t go from a networking wall ﬂower to those chosen
few we all want to meet and work with.
The Business Card
Rezac says that the business card is the keystone of the
networking world. Carry them with you and make a
practice of handing them out. Many people neglect to
continued on page 18
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
15
I
f you can’t smell it, it’s dirt... If you can smell it, it’s
soil, it’s alive, says Greg Dabney, founder of SoilQTM
Inc., and creator of the Dr.Dab’sTM soil products.
“Our products establish health within the soil structure
and provide the nutrients and the food for the plants to
grow.”
SoilQ Inc, a Longmont company, has, over the last
decade, developed proven products that treat all soils
effectively: homeowner’s soils, contaminated soils, ﬁre
stricken soils and problem soils.
SoilQ founder Greg Dabney has demonstrated that he
can restore damaged grounds to grow nutritional crops
without the use of damaging and unnatural chemicals.
In July of 2004, 9News did a segment on SoilQ and how
it is able to reduce the amount of water we put on our
lawns. SoilQ is also providing great results in restoring
damage caused by the Hayman Fire. “SoilQ has put us
approximately 3 to 4 years ahead of even the Forest
Service and other private owners in the Hayman ﬁre
burn,” said Thomas Hedwall Hayman landowner.
SoilQ helps protect today’s water sources, by restoring
damaged soil that ultimately requires less moisture.
”For plants of all kinds to be healthy, whether it is lawn,
trees, vegetables, roses etc., it is critical for the soil they
are in to provide the nutrients they need,” said Greg
Dabney. “SoilQ brings natural, organic matter into the
soil which allows plants to feed. The increased health of
the soil means that water retention is visibly improved,
also reducing your water bill during the summer
months.”
SoilQ brings improved health to us because its all-natural
recipe does not affect the environment around us, is safe
with kids, pets and the water table – and furthermore, it
works wonders with soils of all kinds.
When choosing your next fertilizer, which scenario
would you rather support.
Scenario A: Kids playing, animals relaxing in the sunny
backyard. You place a few ounces of Dr. Dab’s product
into your hose-end sprayer. Turn on water and apply. No
worries about spraying the kids, animals or sidewalks.
16
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
No gloves, no goggles required. An afternoon
with the family and you just made your lawn a
happy family member too.
Business Proﬁle
Organic Mechanic:
Growing Some Green
Scenario B: Kids inside on sunny day, animals
inside with kids causing a lot of noise and
wanting to be outside. You enter your garage put on your
gloves, place goggles over your eyes and pour fertilizer
inside your spray can. You have to mix with it some
herbicide because weeds keep coming up. You apply
the fertilizer making sure it doesn’t get onto the side
walk to stain the concrete. Keep it out of the animals’
drinking water dish and off the toys in the back yard.
Then you have to make sure that the kids and animals
stay in until the fertilizer you’ve applied is dry on the
grass, an additional 3 - 8 hours.
Dr. Dab’s retail products are available for a full-range of
safe, friendly treatments.
“Organic MechanicTM” to restore and revive all soils.
“Zen MasterTM” is for the gardener as a general purpose
soil conditioner.
“Alchemy101TM” is for new home owners and creates
a healthy environment for the new seeds and roots to
live.
“AquaBurstTM” is a houseplant food that balances soil
imbalance from the salts and chlorine from tap water.
Helps restore energy, lush colors and promotes more
buds and ﬂowers.
MoniterTM 12-12-9 is a organic-based fertilizer that is
impregnated into polymers that hold up to 400 times
the water held in soil. The water is slowly released
along with the nutrients and fertilizers needed by the
plants. Can be mixed into potting soil mix and used in
the garden as well.
For additional information and to ﬁnd out which Dr.
Dab’s product ﬁts your needs, visit their website at
www.organicmechanic.net
• Useless Fact •
7-Eleven is the largest
retail chain in the world
Return On Investment:
Getting your money’s worth!
by Greg Smith
your order if needed.
R
eturn on Investment - ROI - a simple statement
meaning get the most from your dollar. However,
if you’re like most people you wonder if you’re
getting the best deal or if there is something better on
the horizon.
In this simple monthly column we’re going to help you
take the guess work out of spending and get the best bang
for your buck. Also if you have or are a great resource
please let us know and we’ll tell everyone about it.
This Month Printing
So with all that out of the way, let’s talk turkey - Prices.
Color Laser Prints 1-250 Qty
Single Sided - 8.5”x11”
$0.42 ea
Double Sided - 8.5”x11”
$0.79 ea
Single w/Black Back - 8.5”x11”
$0.49 ea
Color Laser Prints 251-500 Qty
Single Sided - 8.5”x11”
$0.40 ea
Double Sided - 8.5”x11”
$0.75 ea
Single w/Black Back - 8.5”x11”
$0.45 ea
Ink Jet Printing
Many of us use inkjet printers in our business lives,
but if you’re like me you cringe every time you think
about spending $25 or more for a new inkjet cartridge.
Well now your fear is over. For the past 3 years I have
been getting my ink at www.carrotink.com and saving a
bunch.
(pun intended)
Carrot Ink offers cartridges for most brands including,
Epson, HP, Dell, Lexmark and more. These cartridges
are 30-70% less in cost than manufacturers charge and
come with a 100% no questions asked guarantee. My
Epson Color cartridge costs $13.95, less than half of the
Epson replacement cartridge. Best of all, purchasing
from their website is safe, secure, fast and easy. Give
them a try you won’t be disappointed.
Full Color Business Cards
Getting noticed with full color business cards doesn’t
need to be expensive, if you use Printing for Less
www.printingforless.com.
Located in Montana, Printing for Less has made it a
practice to bring down the high cost of printing. One of
their best deals is on full color glossy business cards,
1000 for $125.95 which includes shipping to your door.
But we’re here to get you the best for your dollars - by
using the promotional code RP18J6WVL you’ll save an
additional $25 - so your total will be $100.95 for 1000 full
color glossy business cards, sure to help you make a
great impression when you hand them out.
Short Run Color Printing
Time and time again you’ve been told that color makes
your presentation materials stand out - but good color
is expensive - well not really. There are many places on
the internet that you can get color laser printing cheap
- well now there is one right here in Englewood that can
give you great color laser prints, for less than half the
cost of Kinkos. That place is All Out Digital
www.alloutdigital.com - 303.225.8380
All Out Digital offers color laser prints for all size orders.
From 1 to 10,000, they can print, cut, collate and fold
• Useless Fact •
Birds have the right of way
on all Utah highways.
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
17
carry business cards: how many times have you heard
‘Oh, I forgot to bring them’ or for those who do remember
they fail to hand them out. Try and hand out your cards
when ﬁrst introducing yourself at a networking event. It
gives people a point of reference and the opportunity
to ask questions. It also ends the guessing game of
wondering when the appropriate time to hand the card
out should be.
Your business card represents you, who you are,
what you do. Because of this it makes sense to have
as professional a card as possible. And creative cards
that stand out among the handful of cards people bring
home with them become memorable and make you
easier to remember. At the very least, make sure your
business cards can be read with ease and include the
appropriate contact information.
Try, setting a goal at each networking event as to how
many cards you want to hand out and in return how
many you would like to receive. Setting this goal helps
keep you moving throughout an event and meeting lots
of new contacts.
Working the room
When attending a networking event be up-to-date on
current events such as news, sports, entertainment
and your industries news. This will help you strike up
conversations and make small talk until the opportunity
arises for you to discuss business.
If you attend an event with fellow coworkers be sure
and break away from the group to meet new contacts.
First, your boss most likely didn’t send you and your
coworkers to an event to simply have dinner together
on the company, instead they want you to get out and
work the room. It is helpful at times though to keep a
coworker or friend with you. Together you can tag-team
meeting new people. You can rescue each other from
difﬁcult and potentially embarrassing situations.
We have all been to industry events or dinners where
everyone seems to know someone and it’s difﬁcult to
know who to approach ﬁrst. It can be intimidating. If
a newbie does approach you or your group ﬁnd a nice
break in the conversation to greet them (and of course
give them your business card).
The Event is Over, My job is Done...
The networking event has ended and you are now
headed home with a pocket full of new contacts’
18
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
business cards. You followed the tips and are conﬁdent
in all your efforts so your work is done, right!?
Not quite yet. You still have the most important step
ahead; follow-up. This step will put all those highly
valued business cards to work. It is time to thank your
new friends and ask them how you can help them. You
can make ﬁrst contact by phone, email or personal note
via snail mail, whichever you prefer. Keep in mind
that some media may not be best in all situations. For
example, a hand written note might be a little overthe-top after only a ﬁrst meeting. However a phone
call could put someone on the spot. None-the-less all
communication is welcome, just do what feels right for
the situation.
The follow up can be as simple as ‘It was nice to meet
you and I look forward to speaking with you again soon.
Take note of who responds and move on from those
who do not.
So don’t just stand there...
Now, you should be ready to take on the world of
networking. Networking holds many opportunities for
those who actively pursue it and continue to build their
skills. It has evolved to include many new “acceptable”
places to make new contacts. Golf, of course, is still
part of the mix, but things like poker or running are
becoming popular not just as pastimes but as a way
to network and make contacts. Volunteering is also a
fabulous way to meet people: Not only do you get to
help out some great causes, but you also get to network.
You can also join a networking group in your local area.
Try doing an internet search and see what comes up.
The options will continue to grow as you become more
involved within your industry and your community.
Following the yellow brick road...
So taking the knowledge we have just gained I will forge
ahead and test these theories. I will be seeking advice
from others in business, ﬁnd out what has helped them,
but most importantly put these ideas into action and
ﬁnd out if it is as easy as everyone says it is. Will my
business card be successful? Will I be shunned as a
newbie? Only the future can tell so watch out for me
at your next social event. I will be lurking, asking
questions, and building my network. Bridget Jones eat
your heart out! :-)
Becky Carter is a smart cute blonde
business chick looking for a date.
Email her at [email protected]
Internet Advertising:
The Power of Search Advertising
by Robert Regular
B
y now you’ve all heard of or used Google, Yahoo
or MSN. Maybe you’ve ‘Googled’ a recent date,
or have done extensive research into a business
need. It’s amazing the type and relevance of the
information the search engines will
provide. The most interesting aspect
of search is how it’s impacting small
businesses and improving the bottom
line. It’s truly changed the world of
information and I don’t know how
we’ve lived without them.
So while you’ve been Googling your
latest curiosity you may have noticed
the sponsored ads sitting quietly
on the side of the page. Those ads
happen to be the most powerful
new marketing opportunity made available for small
businesses since, well, ever. Google, Yahoo and MSN are
generating billions of dollars a year in ad revenue from
those little sponsored ads. It’s amazing how something
so small and unassuming can be so powerful.
So why are these ads such a hit now? It wasn’t so long
ago Internet advertising was equal to leprosy, and now
it’s booming like never before. The reason is simple
and obvious, every advertiser and business craves
relevance and sponsored search ads are extremely
relevant. For example, let’s say your clothes dryer
just stopped getting hot and you need to ﬁgure out the
problem, so instead of calling the local repair guy for
$150 a visit, you Google the problem,“Clothes Dryer”.
After a little research you learn that your thermostat is
busted and you see sponsored links for places you can
buy it online for $20 and a guide to install it yourself. If
you’re a local appliance parts company you could have
bought those sponsored searches for “clothes dryer”
and directed people to click on your web site if they
were interested. Now that’s very relevant advertising.
Relevance is the buzzword of the year because as
a once famous ad exec once said, “I know 50% of my
advertising is ineffective, I just don’t know which 50%.”
The issue with advertising has always been trying to
reach people interested in your product or service. With
targeted search keywords you are assured that people
are looking for your type of offering.
So now that search advertising seems like a good idea
how do you get started? Well, the search companies
have made online advertising so easy Fisher Price looks
like they invented it. Each system
provides a simple online system to
select which search keyword, ie,
“clothes dryer” you want to buy and
then purchase clicks generated from
your ad. So let’s change examples
and assume you own a wedding
dress store in Denver called Denver
Wedding Dresses, and want to
increase your foot trafﬁc to the store
for the upcoming summer weddings
that are being planned. So what are
the steps:
1. Make sure you have a web site that represents you
well, if it isn’t professional looking who’s going to buy
from it? This is a very important part of any business
and still even in 2005 too many businesses neglect their
web site. It’s unfortunate because it can lead to a lot of
business if properly used. And never ever forget to put
your contact info all over it.
2. You are best to start at Google (www.google.com/ads/)
and later with Overture (www.overture.com represents
Yahoo) to set up an account.
3. Once your account is in place you would charge a
budgeted amount on your credit card to do a test, let’s
say $500. You can choose to buy $10 or $1,000,000 of
clicks. There’s really no limit and you can stop it at any
time. The ﬂexibility is incredible. Make sure you don’t
spend more than you’re willing to play with till you’re
familiar with the system. This is a learning experience
so expect to spend some money to do so.
4. Now you need to pick the search keywords related
to your business. It would make sense for you to pick
“Denver Wedding”, “Denver Wedding Dresses”, “Denver
Wedding Planning”, etc.. It’s important to remember that
your goal is to create keywords and phrases that are
continued on page 21
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
19
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Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
very relevant. I wouldn’t recommend that you use a
general phrase like “Wedding dresses” if Denver is your
only market. People from around the country will check
out your site, but you won’t have a solution for them
which results in wasted clicks/visits and money.
5. Now for the fun part. You need to write the copy of your
ad and it better achieve two very important objectives.
First, it must convey your speciﬁc message, ie, “Denver’s
Exclusive Vera Wang Wedding Dress Store.” Second, it
must be aligned with the message on your web site. If
it doesn’t address both of these issues than you will
get wasted non-relevant visits and they will not see the
relevance of your web site to their needs.
6. So once the creative process is done, it’s time for you
to bid for the placement. Search advertising is like an
auction where you put in a bid of what you are willing to
spend per click on your ad. It will show you what others
are paying and you can choose where you would like to
bid. The higher the bid, the higher and more frequent
your placement is seen till you spend your budget. So
you may see that others are paying $.50 per click for
the highest placement, so you choose to bid $.51 to get
the top placement. I will warn you though that the 3rd
placement tends to be the most effective since people
get bored of researching after 3 times.
businesses search advertising offers an easy marketing
opportunity with little ﬁnancial risk and immediate
measurement. If you are slightly sophisticated you will
measure each sale or call that comes from these search
clicks. This will allow you to determine the ROI and
decide if the buy makes sense. Small businesses are
always left out of most marketing opportunities because
of the lack of relevance or cost, search really solves
those issues and ﬁnally gives small businesses a way
to do smart marketing. Hopefully you will put a little
time in and make the most of this revolutionary new
marketing tool. Good Luck!
Robert Regular is the President of
Cydoor Desktop Media NYC
www.cydoor.com
• Useless Fact •
The largest U.S. bill made is
for $100,000
7. The second last step of this experience is to
make sure you measure results. If you have a
web site that sells products than make sure you
co-relate the clicks from Google to your sales to
determine ROI. They have some automated tools
to help you do that. If you have an ofﬂine store
and depend on foot trafﬁc or phone calls, then
make sure you ask people where they heard
of you and review your books to see if you can
see any lift in business. If you depend on phone
calls then set up a separate number dedicated
to people to call online. It won’t cost you much
and will tell you immediately the quantity of
calls coming in.
8. Finally, as you measure results you will come
to some conclusions, good and bad about how
your marketing is going. The joy of measurement
is learning how to improve and make changes to
creative, keywords, and price in order to get a
positive ROI.
Google has nearly 200,000 advertisers now
utilizing the power of search marketing. For small
February 2005 | cosmallbiz.com | Colorado Small Biz
21
Article Submissions & Advertising Rates
Many of the articles in Colorado Small Biz are contributed
by industry professionals. If you believe you have a trading
or market idea that would make a good article for our publication contact us, [email protected].
GENERAL ADVERTISING RATES (in US dollars)
Contributors are strongly encouraged to send a brief outline
of their proposed articles, along with a résumé or short biography, before submitting an article to the magazine.
We are looking for thorough, detailed concepts, not generalities. For example, we are not looking for articles that say it
is important to control risk, we are looking for articles that
provide speciﬁc rules for doing so, and evidence that these
rules have merit.
Note: The above guidelines are supplied for informational
purposes only and do not represent an agreement of any
kind. Colorado Small Biz will supply authors it intends to
publish with detailed editorial guidelines and an Author
Agreement that represents a binding contract.
22
Colorado Small Biz | cosmallbiz.com | February 2005
Full Color
1X
3X
6X
Half Page (8”x5”)
$60
$57
$54
Third Page (4.5”x4.5”)
$35
$33
$31
Classiﬁed 4 Lines
$15
Internet Index
$10
Ad Design and Setup:
$65/hr
Rates subject to change at any time, and are only
considered valid with a signed insertion order.
Contact our advertising department for additional
information and to secure your placement in our
next issue.
Internet Index
It’s a great thing, everyone has there business on the internet - but then wait a minute, if all those businesses are
on the internet, how do you ﬁnd what you’re really looking for, in your area? Well since searching the internet
sometimes isn’t as easy as we would like, we’ve included this index to help you ﬁnd the local products and services you need.
Add your business here for only $10/mo - email [email protected]
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Marketing/Branding/Public Relations
www.bookkeepersplusinc.com
www.greenchairmarketing.com
www.signaturestrategies.biz
www.netgrowth-al.com
www.strategicreachpr.com
Advertising
www.printableimpressionsllc.com
Attorneys
www.jbrownlegal.com
www.kutakrock.com
Audio - Visual
www.allenpro.tv
Auto Repair
www.pickeringsauto.com
Disc Jockey
www.partytunesdj.com
Electrical Wiring
www.wsgsite.com
Embroidery
www.embroiderypluscolorado.com
Handyman Services
www.casehandyman.com
Online Presentations
www.21stcommunications.com
Printing
www.alloutdigital.com
www.printingforless.com
www.carrotink.com
Web Site Design/Redesign
www.alkemedia.com