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Image by Jeff-Sheldon from unsplash.com

Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday had some excitement early in the game, and so I watched the last three quarters. (Katy Perry’s half-time show was spectacular!) Regardless of who you wanted to win, the 4th quarter pass strategy by the Seahawks was sad. Because they were so close, passing was just a bad decision at that point in the game. If the pass had succeeded, it might have been a good play or even a spectacular play, but would it really have been a wise play for that point in the game? A better play would probably have been to push through.

And that’s the way it often is for your small business. Sometimes you just have to push through, instead of passing. For me, working on my business is one of those “just push through” areas. Because of that, I’m working to learn more about all aspects of my business this year, and this is some information I’ve learned about U.S. business and informational tax forms.
Read More » about Your U.S. Small Business and Tax Information Forms

There can be many logins, passwords, and credentials associated with your business website, for all the services used to create your website. Some you will set up; some your website designer or developer will set up. But you, as the business owner, need access to all of them; it is your business, after all. You may need quick access to solve a problem or to give access to someone else to work on your site.

At the bottom of this post, you can download a document to help organize all the logins, passwords, and credentials associated with your business website.
Read More » about Logins, Passwords and Credentials for Your Business Website

You have a great idea for an online business. Or you decide you need a website for your business. But where do you start? What do you do?

There are many pieces that go into creating and running a business website. It’s a fairly simple process for a small business website or blog that is used to give clients and customers information. You can usually get started with a domain name, hosting, WordPress and a theme.

If you want to create an e-commerce website, there are more pieces to your website that you need to understand to make wise decisions.
Read More » about Owning a Business Website is Like Owning a House

Have you ever been to a store or business and seen a clipboard with a pen near the checkout for you to sign up to be added to their email newsletter list? Do you sign up? Does the business email their list?

Since I like frequenting small local businesses (from gift shops to the gym), and want to stay in touch, I sign the clipboard with my email address. Sometimes I sign up more than once. For one small gift shop, I’ve signed up three times in the last year. Do you know how many emails I’ve received? None. I rarely receive an email from any small business with a clipboard.

So do you have an email list for your business? Are you using it? Because if you aren’t emailing your list, you don’t really have an email newsletter list. As a small business owner, whether your business is online or brick and mortar, you need to stay in touch with your clients and customers.
Read More » about If You Never Email Your List, You Don’t Have a Newsletter List

Your About Us Page

Your About page is probably one of the most important and most viewed pages on your blog or business website. And yet many bloggers and small business owners don’t have one. That’s understandable because it can be one of the most difficult pages to write. You see the page as “about you”; you’re putting yourself out there. And a lot of us find that writing about ourselves is not easy. We want to get it right. So we procrastinate and leave the page blank, which is really the very worst thing we can do.

This tutorial will help you get started on your About page, and it will help you finish.
Read More » about How to Write An About Page for Your Blog or Website

You’ve heard it before. “Your small business needs to build an email list for marketing. Without an email list, you have no business.” But you’re working with a very small budget right now, so what are your options?

Here are three easy-to-use, no cost email newsletter services to use to build your small business email list. All work with a WordPress website, and two work with any website. All can use double opt-in, so that you comply with CAN-SPAM Act. And you do need to comply, so that your business newsletter is not marked as spam, and also so that more of your email newsletters reach your client’s inbox, rather than being delivered to their spam folders. You can read more about the “why” for using an email newsletter service. Also be sure to read the Terms of Service before you choose a service because the no-cost plan may not be available for your type of business.

• Jetpack Plugin Subscriptions
• Mad Mimi
• Mail Chimp

Read More » about No Cost Email Newsletter Services for Small Business

Saturday, November 24th is Small Business Saturday®, a day to celebrate and support the local small businesses that boost the economy and help neighborhoods across the country. I encourage you to take a break from online and big box shopping today, and support a local small business. Shop Small® today! I’ll be shopping for gifts for my sisters and sisters-in-law at a small business in my neighborhood today!

Amethyst Website Design is proud to take part in Small Business Saturday. I have discounts on all blog and website design packages of up to 25%. For all the details, you can view my offers here. Discounts are in effect for a full week. They include:

• Basic Blog Package – $325
  Now $255 until Dec. 1 (Save 21%)
• Basic Website Package – $625
  Now $475 until Dec. 1 (Save 24%)
• Custom Websites and Other Services
  Now 24% off until Dec. 1
• Blog or Website Maintenance Package
  Now $90 for 6 hours until Dec. 1 (Save 25%)

~ Marcy
PS. Click to see my offers!

You love what you find time to do
~ Anonymous

Read More » about Do You Find Time For Your Business?