Small Business Trends » David Wallace

Merchant Versus Customer: Both Sides of a Chargeback

David Wallace — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:00:55 +0000

If you are a business owner that accepts credit cards for payment, you may be already familiar with the frustrations of the dreaded chargeback process. This is when a customer contacts their credit card company to dispute a charge or have a charge reversed. But have you ever stopped to look at them from the point of view of your customers?

By gaining a better understanding of why and how they occur, you might be better equipped to prevent these potentially costly situations in the future. In the following infographic, Chargeback.com takes a look at “Two Sides to a Chargeback.”

[Click to view full size version]

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The Psychology of Color in Marketing

David Wallace — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:30:52 +0000

Perhaps no choice is as vital to marketing success as the colors you use. Whether selecting the color for a specific product or for a email marketing campaign, there is no doubt that color has significant effect on all as subconsciously, we associate different colors with different things.

For example, did you know that restaurants use red to stimulate appetite and that blue creates a sense of trust and security in a brand?

The following infographic, created by the folks at WebpageFX, takes a look at the psychology of color and presents some common associations of different colors. It also shows the overall importance of color to consumers and characteristics of many individual colors. The numbers are pretty fascinating.

[Click for full size version]

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Unofficial Facebook Page Post Ads Guide for News Feed

David Wallace — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:00:56 +0000

Page Post Ads are like gold on Facebook. These ads help marketers engage users by pushing rich content to the center of the Facebook experience via the News Feed. Content can include photos, video, text and even links.

The following “The Unofficial Facebook Page Post Ads Guide for News Feed,” created by the folks at Ampush , provides a quick reference for creating effective Facebook ads. It also provides some comparison between Page Post Ads with Page Post Sponsored Stories, another Facebook advertising option.

[Click here for full size version]

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Infographic: The Most Tried and Failed Small Businesses

David Wallace — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:00:47 +0000

If you are running a small business and have been around for any length of time, give yourself a pat on the back. I’ve been running my small business for 16 years now and believe me, I’m thankful each and every day. I especially feel that way after coming across this small business infographic on some of the most tried and failed small businesses.

Did you know that recent studies have shown that 50 percent of small businesses will fail within the first year? How about the fact that a staggering 95 percent will close their doors before they hit their fifth year of operation? That one seems a bit hard to believe but in today’s economy, it could be true. Here are some additional stats that may surprise you:

40% of small businesses are profitable.
30% break even.
30% are continually losing money.
9% have a chance of surviving 10 years.

Now before you get discouraged, keep in mind that many factors go into the success or failure of any small business. A good business plan and strategic marketing and customer service can go a long way toward obtaining success. This infographic by Top Business Degrees seeks to explain why some businesses fail and others flourish.

[Click Image for Full Size Version]

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Young Entrepreneurs Infographic: 10 Entrepreneurs Under 30

David Wallace — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:00:26 +0000

Entrepreneurs are a special breed. They bring innovative solutions to complex problems. While each and every entrepreneur is impressive just by virtue of being an entrepreneur, what is equally impressive is when they are extremely young entrepreneurs. Whoever said that age always needs to accompany wisdom or success?

In this young entrepreneurs infographic published by Masters in Marketing Degree Guide, meet ten impressive young entrepreneurs. All are under 30 years old. Each has a thriving business. All employ others. For example, Spotify founder Daniel Ek is responsible for 500 employees worldwide. Jeremy Johnson, founder of 2tor, is responsible for 400 employees.

Creating a successful company to make millions before your face gets wrinkled and your hairline starts to recede, is what these young entrepreneurs are all about.

[Click here for full size version]

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B2B Businesses and the Potential of Social Media Infographic

David Wallace — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:00:17 +0000

Social media can facilitate customer acquisition and retention for businesses of all sizes. While a good social media marketing strategy promotes credibility and professionalism of a brand, it also offers tremendous potential for networking.

There is nothing better than facts and figures to get an idea about the immense potential of social media and how B2B marketers are tapping into its potential. This B2B social media infographic from Real Business Rescue lays out the case as to why B2B companies should be leveraging the opportunities that social media and social networking offer.

[Click here for full size version]

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Infographic: Top 10 Time Killers Online

David Wallace — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:00:53 +0000

Are you a production monster or do you, like me, find that certain things you do throughout the day end up being time killers online? Maybe Facebook is the culprit? Or possibly all that time spent looking at eBay auctions is cutting into your productivity? You might even be one of those who constantly checks email which can be one of the all time worst time killers online.

No matter how efficient you are, the fact is that we all waste time, at some point or another. This infographic from OfficeTime examines the top 10 ways we kill time every day. Follow the flow chart and see how you can change the way you work.

[Click here for full size version]

Are there ways that you waste time that are not included in this infographic? By all means, share them in the comments below.

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Keyboard Shortcuts That Increase Your Productivity [Infographic]

David Wallace — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:00:49 +0000

The term “life hack” refers to a set of skills, shortcuts and novelty methods employed to increase an individual’s level of productivity. One of the most basic and easy-to-use life hacks is utilizing your most useful keyboard shortcuts. You can greatly increase productivity, more than you might have guessed with just your keyboard. It’s already a medical fact that using the mouse less often can reduce painful strain on muscles, joints and nerves.

I already know some of the most used keyboard shortcuts. For example, I’m constantly using “Ctrl + C” and “Ctrl + V” to cut and paste. But, there are so many more of these kinds of shortcuts. MashGeek has put together a nifty keyboard shortcuts infographic that features many of the time-saving keyboard facts and shortcuts which will help increase your productivity as well as keep computer-related injuries to a minimum.

[Click image for full size version]

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Pinterest Infographic For Small Business

David Wallace — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:00:26 +0000

If you have not heard of Pinterest yet, I’d have to ask you, “where have you been?”

Pinterest is the fastest growing social network in history and as such, has businesses everywhere exploring how they might utilize this virtual pinboard to their advantage. One of the main reasons for Pinterest’s popularity is its ease of use. It essentially allows users to bookmark, organize and share visual ideas found on the Web.

For businesses, Pinterest can also be used as a valuable marketing and sales tool and it’s easy to get started. You probably already have electronic images, brochures and other collateral on hand. So why not pin it? This Pinterest infographic published by Wasp Barcode will show you how to get started.

[Click here for full size version]

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Which Social Network Is Right For Your Business?

David Wallace — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:00:38 +0000

If your business has yet to tap into social media to accomplish essentials such as supporting customer service, promoting your products and/or services, engaging your community and ultimately building your brand, your missing out on a lot of potential. While most of the big brands, with their extensive resources, have already established social media presences on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the like, small business owners may find it difficult to devote the necessary time to create and manage content on this new medium.

With the help of a strategic plan and good marketing sense, any business can successfully set up and manage a social media presence. The key for those with little time to devote to social media is to discover which sites are most beneficial in relation to ones customer base and business model. The following infographic from Purolator is designed to help you decide which social networks are right for you.

[Click here for full size version]

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