More good news? You don’t need a videographer and the process of getting your video on You Tube is quite inexpensive. Here are some proven tips to get your name on this channel in way that increases the chances of going viral:

The Right Content In The Right Format

Spend some time and thought to come up with an interesting message that can be delivered within four minutes or less – a short, catchy video has a higher chance of capturing your audience’s attention and eventually, going viral. If you have a lot to say, you could consider putting together several videos.

To get up and running quickly, you can put together a slide show and convert it into a stylish
marketing video using inexpensive slide to video conversion services like Animoto. There are of course, professionals and freelancers who can also do this for you at a reasonable cost.

Naming it Right

Once your video is done, you are ready to post it on You Tube. To be found, always post the title of your video properly. In other words, edit the actual filename with keywords and the name of your company or brand. Make sure to capitalize on this useful search engine optimization opportunity.

Consider Building Your Own Channel

Your first step to becoming entrenched on You Tube is to build your own channel. In fact, your channel is automatically generated for you when you sign up for a new YouTube account. You can then create a custom background, where your brand or product images can appear on the left and right sides of the video. As a result, the background becomes a great reminder to viewers of exactly what you sell.

The Right Account Type

When you set up your account, you have several account type choices: Standard, Musician, Comedian and Guru. Pick the one that suits you best. As you may guess, users often search by category, so picking the right category helps you narrow your focus and is also a great way to be found by your target audience more easily.

Position Your Video Effectively

The description area right below the video is a good place to start. A simple yet powerful tip is to include your site information: http://www.reveeka.com in the first 20 or 30 characters of that description block. Don’t forget to include the http:// – it makes the hyperlink clickable! When inputting your category, look for less popular categories that accurately describe you. It is an easy way to distinguish yourself from the competition.

It Pays To Be Social

You Tube is just as social as Facebook or Pinterest! The more you participate in the community, the more engaged people will be in you and your product. And just so you know, You Tube likes you watching other videos and can reward you with better rankings if you are social. Being social on You Tube isn’t just fun, it helps you gain visibility! Besides responding to videos that mean the most to you, also pick ones created by popular posters – your responses are more likely to be seen there. Remember to always keep your response content relevant and pleasant!

To calculate your breakeven point, you will need fairly accurate estimates of three key estimates: your fixed costs, your variable costs and your per unit price. Fixed costs are expenses that do not vary with sales volume, such as rent and internet subscription. These expenses must be paid regardless of sales, and are often referred to as overhead costs. If you’re building a business ground up, chances are you don’t have accurate numbers to work with. In such a situation, it is better to not use broad rules of thumb. Precision is important. There are several ways to do this. One is to call a reputable company  and request a real quote based on your expected usage. Trade association are another good source for information on average costs in your industry.

The second component in your breakeven analysis is your Variable costs. These costs fluctuate directly with sales volume, such as purchasing inventory, shipping, and manufacturing a product. Once again, try to get the most accurate estimate that you can. As with fixed costs, spend some time talking to your trade association or mentors from your industry for a good estimate. For a reality check, consider reviewing the annual disclosures of publicly traded companies in your industry. Bear in mind, though, that larger companies will have lower costs due to economies of scale.

The third piece of the puzzle is your pricing, which will drive your revenue estimates. This is tricky because it is difficult to know what price customers will be willing to pay for your product. Looking at your competitors’ price points will give you a reasonable range in within which yours should fall. Where you should be within that range will depend on how your offering is positioned in the market place. At a minimum, your unit price should at least cover your unit Variable cost.

Once you’ve got your Fixed and Variable cost data and a target price, plug them in to this formula:

Breakeven Units = Total Fixed costs / (Average price per unit – average variable cost per unit)

This will tell you your break-even units. That is,  the number of units you need to sell to cover all your costs. Sales levels below the breakeven units means you are making losses, and sales levels above it are profits.

Start up owners often ask what is typical in terms of breakeven timeline. The answer is not straightforward. It varies from industry to industry. A lean, home based service firm, where ongoing business expenses are relatively low, will most likely breakeven  faster than a heavy manufacturing firm. Check with your trade association or web sites such as www.bizstats.comfor information on average costs and breakeven timeline in your industry.

Unlike public relations efforts, you have complete control over your message content, where the message will appear and at what frequency. Advertising also allows you to target your customers precisely by age, tastes and geography. However, costs can escalate quickly, so you need to carefully think through your marketing strategy.

Here are some steps to establishing an appropriate advertising blueprint tailored for your business and your budget:

1. Do Your Homework

• What do you know about your industry, market and target audience? There are many sources of information to help you keep in touch with industry, market and buying trends without conducting expensive market research. Examples include U.S. Government materials from the Census Bureau and Department of Commerce. Public, business or university libraries are also a good option, as are industry associations, trade publications, and professional organizations. You can also quickly and easily learn more about your customers by doing a survey that asks them about themselves, their buying preferences, and media habits. Another (more expensive) alternative is to hire a professional market research firm to conduct your research.

• Know what your competition is doing. It’s important to identify your competitors, their strengths and weaknesses and advertising strategy. Knowing what your competition offers that you lack – and vice versa – helps you show prospects how your product or service is special and why they should do business with you instead of someone else. Knowing your competition will also help you find and communicate your unique offering in the marketplace.

2. The Big Picture

• First figure out the purpose of your advertising program. Start by defining your company’s long-term goals, then work backwards to map out what advertising can help you attain them.

• How much can you afford to invest? Consider your estimated sales, income and expenses to determine how much you can afford to invest. Some companies spend a full 10 percent of their revenue on advertising, others, just 1 percent. Research and experiment to see what works best for your business and budget.

3. Fill in the Details

• List out the features and benefits of your product or service. Next, and more difficult, determine the benefits those features provide to your customers. How does your product or service actually help them?

• Who is your audience? Create a profile of your best customer. Be as specific as possible, as this will be the focus of your ads and media choices. A restaurant may target adults who dine out frequently in the nearby city or suburban area. A computer software manufacturer may aim at information managers in companies with 10-100 employees.

4. Build Your Action Plan

• Your next step is to select the advertising channels you will use to spread your message. In most cases, knowing your audience will help you choose the media that will deliver your sales message most effectively. It is important to strike a balance between reach and expense.

• Then, develop your advertising schedule. Be sure to take advantage of any special editorial or promotional coverage planned in the media you select. Newspapers, for example, often run special sections featuring real estate, investing, home and garden improvement, and tax advice. Magazines also often focus on specific themes in each issue.

5. Extending the Reach of your Advertising

• Advertising extends beyond the media. Other options include imprinting your company name and graphic identity on pens, paper, clocks, calendars and other giveaway items for your customers. Point-of-sale displays, logos and contact information on shopping bags are other easy wins.

• Consider co-sponsoring events with nonprofit organizations and advertise your participation, attend or display at consumer or business trade shows.

• Create tie-in promotions with allied businesses, distribute newsletters, conduct seminars, undertake contests or sweepstakes, send advertising flyers along with billing or develop sales kits with brochures, product samples, and application ideas.

The number of promotional tools used to deliver your message and repeat your name is limited only by your imagination and your budget. However, it does take planning. Advertising works best and costs the least when the planning and preparation are done in advance. For example, you’ll pay less per ad in newspapers and magazines by agreeing to run several ads over time rather than deciding on an issue-by-issue basis. Likewise, you can save money by preparing a number of ads at once.

You will also need to be patient. The effectiveness of your advertising improves gradually over time because it’s impossible for every customer to see every ad. You must repeatedly remind prospects and customers about the benefits of doing business with you. The long-term effort triggers recognition and helps special offers or direct marketing payoff.

Believe it or not, Pinterest is actually still in the beta testing phase, so getting a Pinterest invite is something you’ll have to wait for. But, not long!

Once you sign up, you can usually expect to get an invitation within a week, as of the time of this writing. If you just can’t wait, you can ask anyone you know who already has a Pinterest account to send you one.

So what’s all the madness about? You may be wondering whether it’s worth the trouble to sign up for a Pinterest invite.

Ask yourself thes questions:

• Are you looking for unique and incredibly powerful way to drive traffic to your websites or your clients’ websites?
• Do you like to look at beautiful photos?
•  Is there a part of you that loves to organize the ideas you have into a virtual pinboard? Think hobbies, vacations, projects, but that’s just for starters
• Are you a visual person?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the answer of whether a Pinterest invite is worth waiting for is a huge YES!

Pinterest can be described as a virtual pinboard that lets you organize and share photos that you find on the web. Set up a unique “board” for all of your projects, interests, hobbies and add your favorite photos from the web. You can even browse the boards of other Pinterest users to get ideas and inspiration. What’s not to love?!

Once you’ve snagged your Pinterest invite, head over to get a copy of Reveeka’s Pinterest Primer. You’ll learn the basics of Pinterest and how others are using Pinterest to market their brands and products.

We, at Reveeka, have fallen in love with Pinterest. Once you’re up and running, let us know what you think!

But where do you find a mentor? Here are some ideas for finding and working with a mentor for your new small business venture.

1. Your Own Network: Make a list of whom you know in your professional and personal circle. Rank them based on their knowledge, skills and approachability. Then, contact the one that floats to the top. Tell them why you picked them, your goals and the exact nature of the advice you are seeking. You have nothing to lose, and you will be surprised at how many people are flattered at being asked!

2. Government Agencies: There are a number of free and remarkably useful resources the government offers to support small business owners. Many are available in person, and if you are crunched for time, some are also available online. Examples include:

• SCORE: Offers free counseling to small business owners nationwide via its network of more than 12,400 retired business executives, leaders and volunteers.

• Small Business Development Centers: Provides management assistance to current and prospective small business owners.

• Women’s Business Centers: Gives business training, counseling and other resources to help women start and grow successful businesses.

• Minority Business Development Centers: Encourages the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America.

3. Mentoring for Government Contractors: Effective mentoring can come in handy when you are going through the arduous process of bidding on a government contract. The General Services Administration (GSA) offers a mentor program that is specifically designed to encourage prime contractors to help small businesses enhance their ability to perform successfully on government contracts and subcontracts.

Regardless of where you find your mentor, it is always a good idea to have a mentor/protégé structure in place. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Be organized, prepared and consistent. It will make for a more productive meeting.

• Plan the frequency and content of your mentoring sessions in advance. Topics could include your business goals, how best to tackle business obstacles, efficient business processes, and so on.

• During the meeting, feel free to take notes, identify follow up items and review progress against these items in your next session.

• Chances are, your mentor is a busy person – be very respectful of their time.

• Finally, be communicative about the value the mentor brings to you and your business.

In order to get subscribers, you will need to offer something irresistable, so that potential customers are enticed to sign up. If you are not sure what you can offer, some excellent ideas include a:

• How-to report, related to your niche
• Free mini video course
• Podcast

Basically, you will do well to offer any free product or service that is fairly substantial and one that works for your company.

Once you’ve gotten subscribers, you need to give them plenty of incentive to open up and read your emails. The first thing your subscribers see is the Subject line. Use a catchy title and give your readers a teaser of what they will see once they open up their email.

Finally, make sure to add at least 1 to 3 links back to your website within each email you send out. You’ll need to train your subscribers to click. If you are wondering what they should click on, try:

• Helpful/interesting blog articles
• Related podcasts or videos
• Press releases

Just make sure these are links that go back to your website.

2) Seek Out Speaking Engagements
If you really want to skyrocket your business, plan to marry the online world with the offline world. The best way to get to know your customers is to talk to them in person. Seek out speaking engagements of all kinds. For instance, you can:

• Give a talk or workshop related to your niche
• Reach out to your community to get in touch with producers, news anchors journalists to help spread the word more quickly
• Participate in community events where your product or service makes a nice fit

Once you’ve reached out to your audience, always offer them a way to keep in touch, preferably by email (building your list further).

3) Get Personal
People like to do business with people, not corporations. Reach out to your customers in a personal way, keep them in the loop of what you have been up to. Some ways to engage your customers is to talk about things like:

• Where you’ve traveled
• Interesting conversations you’ve had
• Experiences with experts in a related field
• Anecdotes that your customers can relate to

By applying these three strategies to grow your business, you will be building your foundation and speeding the process along in a great way!

First, according to many studies, a large percentage of consumers are now using internet search
engines to look for information on companies and products before making a purchase. In the
process, they increasingly form their opinions based on what they read online. While you
can’t control everything that is written about your business, product or service, blogging helps
you control some of it. It presents you in the light that you want your existing and potential
customers to see you. Second, thoughtful and regular blogging helps you establish your identity
as a reliable industry authority. This, in turn, impacts your personal image and your company’s
brands. Third, whether you write on a free blogging platform or blog on your own website, you
are better showcased in search engine results. Keep in mind, though, that you should use well
searched and relevant keywords in your blog posts. This helps your rankings and attracts more
traffic to your site.

Sound like a time suck? It doesn’t have to be. As a business blogger you don’t need to post five
blogs a week; you just need consistency, relevance and a little inspiration. Following a few
simple tips will keep your small business blog current and fresh!

1. Know What Works For You – You don’t need to write a long blog post (over 500
words) every time. Keep your posts brief if you need to. A great way of doing this is to
use “fillers” (posting links to other blogs, event pages, YouTube videos, and so on) and
frame them with an introduction. If used in moderation, you can keep content fresh without
spending too much time researching and writing.

2. Get Blog Ideas from Your Customers –Your customers and potential customers are
not just your target audience. They are also a great source for blog topic ideas. When you
communicate with them, listen for their key challenges and worries. Think through how your
skills and expertise can help them with their problem areas. Avoid delving into how your
product helps them; do that and you run the risk of sounding like a sales pitch! Instead, focus
on your area of expertise and write about what is relevant to your customers.

3. Plan Your Blog Entry Well Ahead of Time– This is absolutely critical. Planning
will make or break the consistency and quality of your blog. Use a simple spreadsheet or
calendar to schedule your blog posts and topics – quarterly plans, with monthly or weekly
details work well. Remember, you don’t need to post any more than one or two blogs per
week but having the work pre-planned can help you formulate your ideas in advance. Your
calendar should identify your topic, bullet out your point of view, and designate the date on
which the blog will be posted. Be sure to check for any industry or market updates that might
impact the information or positioning of your blog.

4. Invite Guest Writers– Take the burden off yourself every now and again while also
opening the door to a new voice. Guest bloggers might include a business partner, a vendor,
or an industry expert. Be sure to give them plenty of advance notice to write the blog, and be
prepared to discuss the perspective you want their topic to take. Feel free to edit the guest
post, just make sure to share the edits with the blogger as a courtesy – most guest bloggers
welcome a second pair of eyes to review and polish up their work.

If you are already wondering what a QR code is, you’ve almost surely already noticed them, but might not have understood what they are. QR codes are a little bit like bar codes, in that they are square and look a little like a garbled bar code. QR codes are used to provide customers with additional information about whatever product (or service) you are offering.

So what’s the big deal about QR codes?

Well, besides being cool, they can be the ultimate tool to help consumers make purchasing decisions at the critical moment when buying takes place. When customers are thinking about your offerings, a well-placed QR code with an informational video, product specs, or even ongoing promotions give your brand that extra boost.

When companies like the Gap, Heineken and countless others are using QR codes for marketing and brand recognition, it’s time to take a serious look.

Another often overlooked perk of using QR codes is that it shows your customers that you are willing to embrace new technologies to use these tools in creative ways.

By now you are probably wondering how to use QR codes for your own products and services. Here a are 6 great ways to get you started thinking. Keep in mind, these are just a starting point.

Some great ideas for QR codes are:

On your business card
Print communications going out to your customers
– postcards
= videos
– mailings
T-shirts or other marketing products that you put out
The contact page of your website
Event promotions
Invoices

And you get the idea! Basically, anytime you communicate with would-be or existing customers, have your QR code present. QR codes are here to stay, so make sure you grab this opportunity to get your company’s presence noticed!

1) CRM Software: CRM stands for ‘customer relationship management.’ It helps you do a better
job at satisfying and retaining existing customers, and organizing your sales efforts so that
you can cross-sell them additional products and services. CRM also helps you go after new
customers efficiently. And you spend less money getting sales, because CRM automates routine
functions and takes labor costs out of many activities. According to recent research, it can cost
10 times more to bring in new customers than it is to keep existing ones!

2) Email Marketing Solution: Email marketing is a fantastic way to market to existing
customers – at one-fifth or less of the cost of direct mail (snail mail). There are many email
marketing software solutions on the market today that automate the entire process. However, you
do need customer permission before you can market to them via email.

3) Website Analytics: Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that putting up a website is a one-time
event. You got it launched – great! It is crucial to know about your website traffic, if you want
your website to help get sales. There are a number of good analytics packages out there. Google
Analytics is free and is a solution that many small businesses start with. Regularly examine the
data it generates. It tells you where your traffic is coming from, and most importantly, what
pages are the most effective at converting customers. It’s a goldmine!

Although the above 3 tools are not the only ones, but they are absolutely critical to implement. They
will not only help you sell more, but do so cost effectively and efficiently.