Observations

There are a lot of nice resorts in the Brainerd Lakes area and throughout Minnesota. There is none better than Agate Lake Resort near Gull Lake in Nisswa, MN. Theresa and Bill Garry own and operate this beautifully maintained facility with eleven cabins and tons of amenities. It sits on the shores of crystal clear Agate Lake. They said they needed a new look. It was mid-February when we first met. I knew from other hospitality sites I have that this is a critical time of year for any resort. Website traffic for all resorts and lodging begins to accelerate as people begin their search fo...

Marketing technology is moving so fast it's impossible to keep up with. Here's just some of the opportunities you have to choose from today: Google Places Google Adwords - Online Google advertising Similar Ad programs from the "other" search engines Social media advertising Check-In programs: FourSquare, Facebook Places, etc. SMS - Text messaging advertising, if you are interested in SMS check out SMS reseller white label software for the best prices. QR Codes Mobile Coupons Mobile Ads Reviews What are the key new components that every small local business...

A common problem setting up your business profile is to verify your account. After signing up, you should receive a postcard from BING meant to verify your business address. The following video is a step by step "how-to" set it up. [iframe http://www.screenr.com/embed/OFV 650px 400px]

Video is the hottest thing going on the web. If you’ve been thinking lately about starting a blog or setting up a Twitter account, you’re still slightly behind the curve.  Everyone’s talking about video now… and with good reason.  It’s entertaining, it’s easy to find and consume, and it engages viewers in a way that text simply cannot. Video is on a meteoric rise, and shows no signs of slowing soon.  Along with that trend, there is a growing segment of the online audience that has begun favoring sites that use video over sites that just have text. Additionally, vide...

There’s no doubt that WordPress rocks as a blogging and content-management system. Once installed, you can do amazing things with it right out of the virtual box. 7 Must Have Killer Plugins for WordPress. In this series we will present you some Plugins every pro uses on his blog. You should use them too! Ultimate Search Engine Optimization:  All-In-One-SEO - Pretty much the current standard for allowing page and post individual optimization - a must for a multiple landing page approach to organic rankings. Google Site Map Maker - Be friendly to Google and you will win. Make it easy...

When choosing a payment processor, it's important you fully evaluate their rates. Different payment processors suit different merchants - the questions below will help you find one suited to your needs. What are the discount rates? Discount rates are the percentage of transactions that the processor charges you in order to use their service. Rates will vary between processors and will also depend on your average or expected processing volume. What are the transaction rates? The majority of processors will also charge a set fee for each transaction. Usually this between $0.30 and $0.50....

Merchant account costs: When it comes to choosing a merchant account – and on a merchant account provider – one of the most important considerations is cost. Sure, cost should not be the only thing you consider when choosing a merchant account, but it is very important. After all, you are a business. The idea is to make a profit. High cost merchant accounts can result in lower profits. So cost is a factor. Another way to look at cost is to take it beyond simple numbers. Think of cost in terms of value as well. It's not just paying the smallest amount. Really, your consideration of cost...