I’m writing a book on my approach to building a business with referrals as the primary marketing strategy. I post on the topic of referrals more than any other subject because it is such a strong way for small business owners to grow the business. I’ve found that that while people get that idea, there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about how to actually do it. Hint: It involves more than asking.

So, the subtitle might be something like: “How to be that company that everyone thinks of first.”

Help me choose a name to go with the idea.

10:00:02 PM    

Google Reader is an RSS reader that allows you to subscribe to and read RSS feeds (blogs) in one place. There are lots of ways to do this, but I like the way Google Reader has grown. (really nice iPhone interface on the mobile site too.)

My advice to anyone who wants to be better marketer is to read - lots - Google Reader makes it easy and automatic - a big plus for the time strapped small business marketer.

• If you want write a blog, you should read blogs
• If you want to be an expert, you should read experts
• If you want to be a better sales person, you should read sales advice
• If you want to educate others, educate yourself

Webware, a CNET publication, produced this Newbie Guide to Google Reader, but I’ve been a user for a while and learned some power tips.

Then, step it up a bit with . . .

• 19 tips to Improve Google Reader
• Quick Tips for Google Reader Power Users
• Become a Knowledge Management Ninja with Google Reader

Happy reading - you’ll thank me one day!

10:00:01 PM