You don't have to win the whole world: you just have to become huge in your own niche.  It all comes down to branding.  

What would a person be without a name?  Forgettable! 

They say that 85 percent of small businesses fail: what are some of the reasons?

• Inadequate ongoing training for employees – therefore: inconsistent results.
• Inadequate funding – IE the money was spent on the wrong things.
• Inadequate Branding & Marketing – Insufficient demand was generated before the money ran out.
• Charging to little for goods & services – Lack of Confidence.  With the right marketing you can get what its really worth!

Humans are herd animals.  Whenever you deliver the goods to your customers: they naturally start talking about their good experience.  But what if they have their conversation and can't remember the name of your company?  Or: a listener goes later to look for you on the web: but can't find you in Google?  Or: you have a weird spelling that no-one would get?

We have a great article on creating a total recall name at http://www.RealDreamBrands.com/

This name should be turned into a visual statement: a clean powerful logo that focuses on your dot com name.  Just one glance can create a lifetime impression.  Just seeing your dot com name on the back of your car will enable people to find you: even if they don't have time to write down your number.

If people have seen your logo just once: even if they are not conscious that they saw it: the brain still makes a record.  In the future they are far more likely to select your offer over others due to internal familiarity.

There are casual logo programs that build an attractive design for next to nothing.  And this is not a total waste.  However: it pays to get into the motivations of your market – and visually capture some of that energy and meaning in your logo design.

A great logo-design can be embroidered on shirts, placed in Yellow pages ads, on business cards, back window vehicle decals, trade-show graphics, eBay listings, Craigslist ads etc.

This is the beginning of building your brand on a shoe-string.

When starting business: why blow money on anything that isn't central to the process of making money?   You need a location: but with powerful marketing – your website COULD become your store front.   Even a local business could substitute a convenience-oriented web shopping experience for prime real estate.  The physical location could be a little bit off the beaten track: if 90% of the shopping process happens online.

Powerful marketing can include targeted color post card mailings: which drives the customer to a multimedia webmercial.  Create an emotional connection for your Church,  Custom Gift Baskets, Childcare Center, your Home Improvement Services or a Cosmetic Surgery Practice.

Show case what is DIFFERENT about your product or service.

But for those with highly specialized markets: the web offers unparalleled ability to help your exact target markets find you in the search engines & social media sites.

Let's say you are an author or a product manager.  You are releasing a new book or product.   By pre-positioning on your website: you can already have a built-in market for your release.

Custom Social Media Website features offered by CashBoxoptional Hosting.com enable you to build authority & credibility in your niche.  Create and maintain a following through our Web 2.0 blogging, forum and newsletter features.

Save money & build customer relationships with online customer support.   Don't force your customers to pick up the phone!   Once questions have been asked and answered in your forum: many users prefer to check there first!

As you grow beyond the bounds of your starting position in your home office, basement or garage you may decide to outsource telephones and order fulfillment to specialty houses.

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In the past business was done on the golf course and people met each other in places like work, school, church, associations etc.    With virtual social networks you can make contacts and find opportunities without the traditional limitations.

Millions of dollars went into creating these mega online social networks:   However now it has come within reach of anyone to run a private social network on their own website.

Our social networking platform is available from $1599 setup and includes the ability to post an article or news item and instantly launch a forum discussion thread.   You can be the moderator or invite guest commentators.   Your visitors can sign up for an account and create a profile.   You select what information they can include – such as demographics, personal bio and even a user photo.

We offer the ability to feature a business directory, opt-in newsletter and even your own Craigslist-style classifieds.

Establish a private social network that is dedicated to your own niche or topic.  By doing so you become positioned as an authority in your market.  

The more often people come back to your web site, the more likely they are to trust you and buy what you recommend.  

Repeat visitors are at least 10 times more likely to do business with you than a first-time casual stop-in.   It's critical to your long-term to success to have features that motivate the user to bookmark your site.   By creating curiosity and engaging their long-term interest, you can create a permanent relationship.   Every dollar you spend on marketing your web site then begins to earn interest. 

Having a targetted social network provides benefits and opportunities for end-users.   Many times the bait is an opportunity to learn from each other and from you.   By offering valuable information as your "kicker",  you begin to establish your brand as an expert authority and resource in your market.

For those firms with a pre-established client base – this is a mission critical means of KEEPING your own people interested & engaged.   Otherwise they may ultimately be lured elsewhere.   It's also a huge customer service tool.

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As author Seth Godin proved: it doesn't have to cost a pretty penny.

Branding your self is only the beginning.  

Having your own custom social networking website enables you to publish material that targets your readership out on the web.  Proper search engine positioning of your content enables casual visitors to find you by searching for topics related to your subject matter.

Once they arrive at your site: you can interact with them in member forums.

Use our newsletter feature to insure that your guest appearances are well attended by local followers.

Create immediate cash flow by selling works-in-progress & completed works directly from your website: or by linking into the Amazon Market Place.

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We have a big place in our hearts for people with Big Dreams and limited means.  Take a little time to read our articles and you will see how you can start launching your ideas today with even a tiny amount of resources.  

We take world class tools and bring them within reach of small business start-ups.  Now you can be on a level playing field with the big players.

CashBoxoptional Hosting is part of a community of websites that are designed to empower YOUR dreams.

Read Bootstrapping: When All You've Got is a Dream!

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Let's say you placed a low cost classified.   You could even place a free ad on website such as Craigslist.   As long as the ad includes your dot com name – the customer can progress from a low cost black and white text ad to visit your web site.   Once they have arrived at your online business location: you can shape their perceptions and create desire with a high-impact presentation.

Simply handing out business-cards, a small print ad in the Yellow-pages, or sending post-cards to targeted mailing list becomes far more powerful when they propel your potential customer to a media rich web page.  

Some businesses can be benefited by including a full-featured webmercial as part of their website.  Its like having a TV commercial with sights and sounds that create an EMOTIONAL connection with your product or service.

For local companies that take the effort to get noticed on Yahoo, Bing and Google – the pay-off can be big.   Regional search engine listings are much less competitive than global listings.   Your business might be the only one who took the time to get listed.   Many savvy consumers start searching on the Internet whenever they have a need.   They do this before they go and lift up the heavy yellow pages phone book.  It's easier because they can even start looking right from their desk at work.  These customers may also have bigger pocket books and spend the most money.

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