In its effort to bring together today’s most dynamic business leaders and entrepreneurs, Business Network Chicago (BNC) is holding a panel discussion on Wednesday morning to help business owners and professionals establish themselves and foster successful relationships in the city’s business community. Entitled “Panel Discussion on What does it take to run a small business”, the event will be held on February 10 at the Wells Fargo Advisors, Adams and Canal, 3F South Riverside Plaza in Chicago. The agenda is to share resources, best practices, and experiences crucial in supporting BNC’s members – startups, small business owners, and solo entrepreneurs, among others – and helping them lead a successful company. The discussion will feature four panelists: Pattie Cagney Sheehan, marketing and advertising professional and cancer recovery advocate; Donald Strzepek, owner of leading Chicago jeweler The Tucker Company; Priscilla Taylor, owner of a Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies franchise; and Lakeshore Branding’s very own Chris Campbell, visionary entrepreneur and SEO – Read the full article
An Internet marketing summit featuring the best talent from the Chicago and Milwaukee areas, and which focuses particularly on search marketing and social media, is poised to become one of the most talked-about events in Wisconsin this February. Dubbed “Think Tank Live!”, the summit brings together several of the most dynamic and talented Internet marketers this side of America, as well as C-level executives, small and medium-size business owners, top branding and communications professionals, and IT and web design experts. “Think Tank Live” will be held February 23 at Country Springs Hotel, Waukesha, WI. Sponsored by Biz Times Media and Mashable and organized by I.M. Think Tank (a collective group of integrated marketing professionals in Chicago and Milwaukee areas), the summit will focus on educating people on utilizing today’s best Internet marketing and social media practices to strategically drive business results, increase profits, and lower costs. “Think Tank Live!” will have a track on Internet marketing strategies that align businesses – Read the full article
Joliet Internet Marketing Company Websites have a unique potential to help brands and businesses grow. Here at Lakeshore Branding, we provide web design and development solutions that help you realize that potential. Our web designers, SEO consultants, and Internet marketing experts are passionate about results, because ultimately that is exactly what great websites are supposed to bring. Lakeshore Branding has helped people, businesses, and organizations stand out from the rest of the pack. Not just with beautifully designed websites, mind you, but with increased opportunities to grow and succeed on the Web. That’s what Lakeshore Branding brings to the table: great design and great business value. Interested to learn more? Reach our friendly team by filling in the form below. (Please complete all the fields marked *) Your name please. * Your Company / Organization Name What’s your phone number? * What’s your e-mail address? * What’s your website address? (if none, leave blank) I need – Read the full article
Just as Microsoft is trying to gain greater foothold in the search engine wars, which Google dominates, Google is trying to do the same in the Windows-controlled OS market. Yes, you heard that right. The company is launching its own operating system early next year: the Google Chrome OS. Google recently previewed Chrome OS, which is an open-source, lightweight system that is based off Google Chrome, the company’s web browser. While the company already has a mobile OS in Android, Chrome OS is primarily targeted at netbooks, at least initially. And why not? Netbooks are enjoying increasing popularity today, as more and more users push for innovation in their mobile computing devices. Google emphasizes that Speed, Simplicity, and Security are the pillars of the Chrome OS. Speed Google is taking out every unnecessary process and optimizing operations and running everything possible in parallel. The goal? To turn on the computer and surf the web in a matter of a few – Read the full article
Hard-pressed for time and money? That doesn’t excuse you from doing SEO. Now that small and medium businesses all over the world are learning the nuances of search engine optimization and paying greater attention to search marketing, you can’t let yourself fall behind. You’ve got to work hard – and work smart. Don’t make these common SEO mistakes that usually cost a lot of time and money. Image via SEO Tips Targeting Too Many Keywords in One Page SEO is not about stuffing; it’s about sharpening your focus. When creating new pages or publishing new content, remember that – while targeting a lot of keywords is a noble intention – targeting a lot of keywords and trying to hit them all with a single dart is not necessary. Create unique content-rich pages, and make each of them target unique keywords. That way, you consolidate the focus of your SEO efforts. And you build the foundation of an optimized site whose – Read the full article
Looking to stretch your advertising dollars? Try implementing a PPC (pay per click) campaign. It’s cheap. It’s ideal for small businesses. It’s not as costly as producing a full-blown advertising or Internet marketing campaign. It’s also can be very effective if executed correctly. Getting your money’s worth on PPC advertising means coming up first with a good strategy. A lot of people think that a PPC campaign can be hastily thrown together – “okay, I’ve chosen my keywords – I’m done!” – and they are the ones who are most prone to making costly mistakes. So, before you go about launching your own PPC campaign, take a look first at these helpful tips. They won’t just help you save money; it will also maximize your money and, subsequently, your sales potential. Keyword Selection Choose keywords wisely, and cast your net broadly. Of course you want a high PPC ranking. But that doesn’t mean you have to get the most popular – Read the full article
Looking to boost local traffic to your site? It’s a must these days, especially if you’re a small business. Getting listed puts you on the online map. Optimizing that listing lets your customers and potentials know where and how to find you. Local SEO: it’s all about getting local consumers in the door and the phone ringing. Here are 6 things that you absolutely must do when optimizing your local business listing. We say ‘must do’; you don’t want to lose out on higher rankings, do you? 1. Claim and submit. List your business at Google Maps. This, you should know already. But it doesn’t end there. Take advantage of other search engines. Claim your listing at Yahoo! Local, Bing Local and Best of the Web. They’re free to submit your information. On top of that, submit your information to major data providers like InfoUSA, Acxiom, and Localeze. The more listings you have in more local business directories, the more – Read the full article
We recently joined the Local First Chicago, a great local membership organization of local owned companies in Chicago. Local First Chicago’s mission is to educate the public on the importance of choosing locally owned, independent businesses. We work primarily through public education, business support, and advocacy. Local First Chicago is a network of locally owned, independent businesses and community organizations joined together to keep money and character in our neighborhoods and build a thriving local living economy. In doing so, we hope to promote the overall social, economic, and environmental health of our economy and communities. Here are 10 Reasons to Shop and Support Chicago businesses like Lakeshore Branding. #1. Keep money in the neighborhood. A recent study in Chicago showed that locally owned, independent businesses put 70% more money back into the local community than chain stores, per square foot occupied. A space filled with a local business rather than a chain puts more dollars back in your neighborhood. – Read the full article
