Basic Guide to E-Commerce

http://managementhelp.org/infomgnt/e_cmmrce/e_cmmrce.htm

This website offers the very basics of how to get started. I found that it really covered everything from assessing if your company is ready, to getting started to the legal issues involved with web business. This site even discussed the facts and myths discussed in this chapter. I found the site offered a lot of information.

Heather

Pizza idea...

Small Biz- Going green

nice link to an article on webcommerce

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-e-Commerce---Advantages-and-Drawbacks!&id=241542

Why This Web Site Looks Healthy

taken from Business Week print edition, March 30, page 73.

The article focuses on everydayhealth.com, a source of health information for consumers. After acquiring RevolutionHealth.com last fall, they raced to the head of the pack in providing web-based health info, ahead of WebMD, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. This site is essentially a network to link a wide variety of popluar brands, including South Beach diet, guru Dr. Andrew Weil, pregnancy books and many others.

In addition to publishing many online "magazines" with popular help, Everydayhealth may have another boom coming in online patient information - President Obama has earmarked $19B to create digital health records. Major investor Steve Case, the founder of AOL, sees a lot of interest in this sector and therefore a lot of revenue potential.

1 million tweets

http://www.1milliontweets.com/
This website combines what we talked about regardingthe new popularity of twittering with Alex's idea of selling pixels. This site is acvertising tweets for $1.00. They want fo "make Twitter history" by sending 1 million tweets through a single Twitter account. Tweets are available to anyone that wants to promote a web site, advertise a business or just to "get noticed". Once they sell 1 million tweets, they are also going to publish a book of the tweets. Some of the proceeds will go to charity but I don't know who the owners of the site are.
I do think this is another good idea of how to profit from a simple idea.

In chapter 11 it discusses the benefits and costs of a small business accepting credit cards for payments. In this article it outlines the necessary steps a business must take to set up credit cars processing and some good information on how transactions work, what banks expect from merchants, how to get the best rates, what business are considered high risk, and information on equipment and credit card policy. There is some great info in here for small businesses.

~Angela


http://www.toolkit.com/small_business_guide/sbg.aspx?nid=P06_2500

nice article on pricing.

http://www.gaebler.com/Pricing-Methods.htm

another WEB2.0 tool...GOOGLE DOCS..I use this all the time!

Twitter in Plain English

Internet marketers can profit from superdomain opportunities

http://www.marketingtrends.org/january-2009-marketing-trends-archives/0138-jan-13-2009-marketing-trends-archives.html

This article is about the sale of new domain names. For a fee ($185,000), businesses can buy a domain with an suffix that no one else can ever have. A business may choose a suffix that goes with the type of business (i.e. .hotel, .gym, .cafe) or brand (i.e. .sony, .panasonic) or whatever the business chooses. The main idea is that the suffix will be globally exclusive to the person that bought it. Names will be for sale on a first come, first serve basis.

This concept will enable a company to generate a global identity that is unique to the business. Business may be able to generate huge brand identity and a presence with their marketing strategies.

I think this ideas has exciting possibilities for any business owner. However, like anything else, those with the money to spend will profit the most. I definitely think that if an entrepreneur can come up with the $185,000 cash, it would definitely be something worthwhile to do to lock down a unique name that will be forever identified with the business. I think the creative possibilities are great too - come up with a name that tells people not just your business but maybe also something about your company or its vision.

Nyt article on twitter

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/technology/personaltech/12pogue.html

Great Site for the Sole Proprietor

Great site for those who own a soleproprietor business. Information ranging from advertising to getting loans is avaible on the site. Also, you can get your info through videos and articles. Loaded with a ton of information!

Twittering - the Philly Enquirer

Right on cue - all of our discussions this week about marketing avenues and twittering, and the Inquirer runs a front-page article on twittering and its rampant poplularity. You know that something has hit the mainstream when the Inquirer covers it . . . See http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_stories/20090305_All_a-Twitter__The_Tweet_smell_of_success.html

While the focus on the article is on the rising popluarity of twittering by stars, athletes and politicians (think Ashton Kutcher, Lance Armstrong, Jon Stewart and Obama), Twitter is increasingly an opportunity to find and dissemenate information. And as Angela points out, it's becoming a useful source for small business as well.

Keith

Great Twitter List for Small Businesses

In chapter 10 we talk about Twitter and while searching for some information about it I came across this great list of Twitter contacts for small businesses on the Small Business Trends Web Site. If you have subscribed to Twitter try checking some of these out and if you find more you can always have them added to the list as a bunch of people already have in the comments section at the bottom.

The second link is a great guerillia marketing video for the Twitter website.

~Angela

http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/01/the-ultimate-small-business-twitter-list.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o

Guerrilla marketing campaign for Google Video in Germany

Check out this video about the Guerrilla marketing campaign used for Google Video in Germany. I think it was super clever and really enjoyable.

~Angela

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94UozdncbH0

California Tortilla's guerrilla marketing

I follow a company named California Tortilla, an east coast restaurant chain. I got onto their e-newsletter list and receive an e-mail every week or two from (possibly even a fictitious) lady who calls herself "Pam, aka the lady on the cup." Of the many e-newsletters I get, I probably enjoy this one the most, primarily due to its lighthearted attitude and slightly twisted humor. There's nothing much cheaper than an e-newsletter to get the word out, and I have a very strong positive impression (goodwill) toward them because of this e-letter. I consider it a form of effective guerrilla marketing. Check them out, sign up for the newsletter and get a free taco at www.californiatortilla.com
Keith