Spring Webinar lineup announced -

All webinars are scheduled on alternate Thursdays at 12:00 PM (noon). You can join any of the webinars through the MyEntrenet web site at http://www.myentre.net/

Optimizing Your Website on the Cheap- Live from EntreFest!
http://www.myentre.net/
Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Noon (CT)
Presented by Doug Mitchell, Founder & Chief Brand Amplifier, createWOWmedia

So you have a website, but is anyone using it? Can anyone find it? Now that you’ve put the time and money into developing it and filling it with content, is it “find-able”? Mitchell has helped small and medium sized companies become findable and engaging on the web while dispelling common myths about search engine optimization and social media. Doug will share his thoughts and experiences on enhancing your website so that your clients will actually use it.

Doug Mitchell, founder and Chief Brand Amplifier of createWOWmedia has spent the last 11 years in tech startups until he finally fired his own boss in 2007. Doug's firm helps small and medium sized companies become findable and engaging on the web while dispelling common myths about search engine optimization and social media.

Financing your business ideas beyond your friends, family and fools
http://www.myentre.net/
11-Mar at Noon (CT) David James Owner, DJ's Rib Shack
You’ve got a great idea for starting a business, but finding the cash to do it looks impossible. Learn about some new funding sources out there that you may not have thought about previously. David James, owner of DJ’s Rib Shack will share his experiences using the Targeted Small Business, TSB, Program to start his restaurant.

Networking 101: Before Facebook and Twitter
http://www.myentre.net/
25-Mar at Noon (CT) Rob Jensen - Organizer, Highlight Midwest 2009 and Kent Sovern President of the New Iowa Group, Ltd.
In that long forgotten land before Facebook and Twitter, networking was primarily done in an environment where people actually met each other face to face. Learn about this ancient culture and find out why it is still a thriving place to be part of. We’ll learn from two networking gurus on how to weave web 2.0 techniques in with good old fashioned in-person marketing.

Building a Website on the Cheap for the Non-Techie
http://www.myentre.net/
8-Apr at Noon (CT) Dan Beenken Innovation Incubator Manager, University of Northern Iowa
Need a web presence but don’t have the budget or skills to get it done? Are you still waiting for your “techie buddy” to update the site you paid him $500 to build back in 2003? Wait no longer! Learn from our own Dan Beenken as he walks you through the process of building your own site and, possibly more importantly, maintaining it to give your customers a continuous fresh look. The best part is, it’ll all be on the cheap! Dan has pretty much zippo technology skills, so even if you can barely turn your computer on, you won’t be far behind him on the learning curve of the web.

From Rags to T-Shirts: The Raygun Story
22-Apr at Noon (CT) Mike Draper Owner, Raygun
http://www.myentre.net/
Mike Draper, creator and owner of Raygun in Des Moines, will share his experiences of moving back to Iowa and starting his apparel and design stores – Raygun and 8/7 Central. Draper will tell his story of thriving in an economy that hasn’t exactly been friendly to expansion. He’ll share his insights on using guerilla marketing tactics to build a presence that has now been featured in all sorts of national media and publication outlets.

Blogging Bootcamp: How and Why to start Blogging
6-May at Noon (CT) Josh Flemming Interactive Marketing Director, Lessing-Flynn
http://www.myentre.net/
Perhaps you’ve read about the need to blog, but haven’t started yet. Or maybe you do a little blogging, but are pretty sure you may be the only one reading it. Josh Fleming will put you through his Boot Camp on the importance of social media, why to blog, how to blog, and why he is such a fan of “Top Gun”. Josh will share tactics on how to grow your readership to ensure it isn’t just you and your parents reading what you have to say. He’ll also share insights on how to keep your blog looking lively and fresh.

Making Facebook fit for your small business
20-May at Noon (CT) Nathan Wright Founder, Lava Row
http://www.myentre.net/
With well over400 million users world-wide, the Facebook phenomena isn’t going to anywhere any time soon. As you look to start or expand a presence on Facebook, its critical to remember that simply slapping up a fan page and calling it good, simply isn’t good enough. Learn from Nathan T. Wright, founder of Lava Row, how to capitalize on Facebook’s power to grow your own business.

Networking without pressure

By Mary Gottschalk

Networking is a bit like flossing your teeth. You know you should do it every day, but often you don't start until you have a crisis on your hands.

Networking can be useful as a crisis tool for finding the next job or getting a referral. But beware. There's a subtle psychological shift in the balance of power between you and your contact if the purpose of the meeting is to get a job. You go into the meeting needing something and wishing you didn't. Your contact knows he is expected to deliver a job lead, a referral or at least a good idea.

This situation can be awkward. It makes sense to present what you think your contact should know about you, what you think will be most impressive. But whether it works has as much or more to do with a contact's ability to provide a relevant job lead or referral as to the effectiveness of your presentation. And if that contact isn't in a position to offer something, he may try to bring the conversation to a close, to relieve discomfort and avoid creating false hope.

The odds are high that you will walk away from such meetings discouraged, something you don't need if you're out of a job. Even worse, a lot of valuable information - valuable to your contact as well as to you - never gets communicated.

An alternative approach is based on the notion that people love to give advice. Don't say that you're looking for a job, even if you are. Instead, explain that you're exploring your career options ... that you want to learn what other jobs or careers your skills might be suited to ... that you don't plan to make any decisions until you have more information.

That approach takes much of the pressure off, if only because both people go into the meeting expecting nothing more than an interesting conversation. You can present a more honest picture of yourself and explore the career implications of your weaknesses as well as your strengths. The format leaves lots of room for a contact to make suggestions and share personal experiences. It allows him to ask what you think about "X" or how you'd handle "Y," thus learning about you in ways that might never have come up if the purpose of the meeting was to "sell" what you assume are your most important skills.

Because it's a dialogue, a contact will feel freer to talk about opportunities in her firm or industry, long-term opportunities even if they are not available on your current time frame. Because it's a dialogue, you can ask probing questions about the pros and cons of her job or profession, the how and why of her firm's internal decision-making and its biggest challenges. She can see first-hand how your mind works. You get more honest answers. And if your contact sees you as interesting rather than needy, she is far more likely to make referrals.

A significant fringe benefit of this approach - a critical one when you actually need a job - is that you rarely walk away feeling disappointed or discouraged.

The best fringe benefit is that interesting conversations lead to interesting job offers, often from the people you really only approached for advice.

Mary Gottschalk is the owner of MCG Strategic Services, which provides financial services to nonprofit organizations.

Scare Your Kids - Friend them on Facebook!

The Graying of Social Networking Sites

Mark Marich

Facebook, MySpace, and many other social networking websites got their starts as places for college students and other youth to interact online. Today, as a new Pew Internet and American Life report shows, online social networks are regular part of the online experience for all of us.

The study, "Adults and Social Network Websites," shows that the share of adults with a profile on an online social network has quadrupled in the past four years. In 2005, only 8% of adults had such profiles compared to 35% today. Because adults make up a larger part of the population, this share means that adults are now the primary users of online social networks.
MySpace is far-and-away the leader for adults with 50% of that demographic's users. While Facebook currently sits at 22%, my non-data-supported guess (based merely on old friends popping up daily) is that it will narrow that gap before too long.

Given that 89% of all adult users joined these types of sites to stay in touch with friends, it isn't surprising that LinkedIn is in a distant third at 6%. It is, however, the site of choice for those of us fostering business or professional networks. Sixty-seven percent of LinkedIn users use it to 'Make new business or professional contacts'.

The percentage of users who use LinkedIn to flirt?

Zero. Zip. Zilch.

I suppose that isn't a big surprise either.

Check out this short video -

Seth Godin on social networking and small business

Standing Out At Business Holiday Gatherings (for all the right reasons)

This time of the year you will read plenty of advice and cautionary tales about how to make a great impression with clients and business colleagues at holiday parties . I'm guessing that you will want to make a positive and memorable impression.

Here are a few hints to turn the experience to your advantage and really stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Plan. Plan to attend and expect to enjoy yourself; and plan who you want to contact and what you want to accomplish at the party.

Check. Make sure you know where the party is located, what attire is appropriate, if spouses/guests are welcome, etc.

Arrive shortly after the event starts. Party goers (especially you) are still fresh and alert.

Seek out the hosts, thank them for the invitation - make a little small talk, then move on so others can do the same.

Mingle. Introduce yourself to someone you don't know. Tell your clients/coworkers how much you have enjoyed working with them and their support during the past year.

Sample a few items from the buffet. Be sure to select things you can eat neatly, with one hand, while standing up.

Moderate what you drink. Keep reminding yourself that this is a business event first and a party second. There is nothing wrong with partying "sans alcohol". No one else will know.

Seek out and speak to the people at the party who can influence your business/career. Talk to the client's employees you normally would not meet. Chat briefly with them about their interests or anything you have in common.

Keep your glass in your left hand so when you shake hands with someone, your hand isn't wet or cold.

As you leave, thank your hosts - if you know the people on the party committee, thank them too.

Followup. If you told someone you would deliver information to them etc. make sure you followup on the next business day and deliver on those promises.

More Tips:
Not the mingling type? Then find someone who looks as miserable as you feel and speak to them. You'll both enjoy the evening more.

Stay away from salty or greasy foods that make you want to drink more. Choose foods high in starch and protein that will help slow the absorption of alcohol.

No Gossip!