Yahoo is Currently Recycling Inactive Email Accounts

Starting back on July 15th and going through August 15, Yahoo is engaging in a deactivation process of email accounts that have received no activity for the last 12 months.

Why is this good?
This is good news because Yahoo will soon make those inactive ID's available to new users.

Why this complicates things?

In a statment made to Wired, Yahoo is taking precautions to securely close these accounts. The actions include:

• Sending bounce back emails to alert senders that the account has been deactivated and no longer exists.
• Automatically unsubscribing deactivated accounts from commercial email databases including newsletters and email alerts.
• Once deactivation is complete, they will send notification of these recycled accounts to merchants, financial institution, email providers, social networks and e-commerce sites.

5 Mistakes Businesses Make in Social Media

Who wants to make the same mistake twice? No one. Wise entrepreneurs learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others...including the wild and crazy world of social media. The following are 5 mistakes that can set your social media campaign back. We don't want that to happen to you so take a moment to "learn" from these tips (we sure wish someone would have mentioned these in the beginning).

Mistake #1 - No Plan
Imagine if you started a business without a mission or business plan. Imagine you didn't know who your potential customer was or what products you were going to sell. Do you think it could be a recipe for disaster? The same goes for your social media. Take the time to plan your strategy BEFORE you dive in to posts and status updates. It will keep you focused in the long run and allow you more success.

Mistake #2 - Picking the Wrong Platforms
You can drive yourself crazy trying to manage twenty different social media sites and the odds are - unless you have a whole social media team - you won't excel at any of them because you are spread too thin. The idea is quality vs. quantity. Part of your Plan (stated above) is to consider where do your potential customers hang out. Is it Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Pinterest, YouTube? Ask your clients  and narrow your focus down to one or two sites.

Facebook Increases Security on Inappropriate Ads

Facebook has been modifying their security and enhancements over the last few months. Now they have updated their advertising guidelines in response to some concerns over the placements of ads.

Facebook posted the following statement - “Beginning [today], we will implement a new review process for determining which pages and groups should feature ads alongside their content. This process will expand the scope of Pages and Groups that should be ad-restricted. By the end of the week, we will remove ads from all Pages and Groups that fall into this new, more expansive restricted list.”

This review in process was made in response to some concerns from larger companies who advertise on Facebook who noticed that their ads were appearing alongside other ads containing inappropriate content. This kind of placement makes users doubt the validity of the company or ads and are less likely to click-through. Facebook will now evaluate and restrict ads that contain sexual, graphic or violent content. They have posted their community guidelines for business' reference which all advertisers are asked to comply.

Every Entrepreneur Can Learn from George Zimmer (and how he was fired!)

"You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it." ~ George Zimmer

Over the last four decades, the founder of Men's Wearhouse has shined in the spotlight with his well priced men's fine clothing and deep bravado signature phrase...until last week when the Board of Directors fired him.

It can be emotional and disheartening to watch an icon of an industry dispelled by his own company. How could something like this happen? How can a brand built by a man who regularly embraces his image (Zimmer was forefront in most of the company's advertising) decide to fire their shining star.

This is where we - as fellow business owners - must take note. We are all striving for growth in our own endeavors. We want our company to be successful and earn recognition. Often one of the biggest struggles for start-ups is financial capital and so many of us are more than thrilled when the opportunity to gain investors appears. But just as there is reward...there is risk when you give away the control of your company. George Zimmer is feeling the pains of those risks now.

Examples of Good, Bad and Ugly Coupons

In followup to our post "Make a Good Coupon to Increase Profits" - we wanted to give you our take on coupons that perform well (and not so well). To keep up good spirits we are just putting the promotions below without naming the company offering the coupon.


Good Coupons are 'Good' because they accomplish a Goal & Increase Sales

• Spend $20 and get a $10 Gift Card - (Gift Shop) Granted ten dollars isn't huge but the amount I have to spend isn't too large either...plus guess what - I have to come back in a second time to spend my ten dollar gift card. Two visits for the price of one.
• Everything Ships for $2.99 - (Online Box Store) This might not be such a big discount if I'm buying jewelry or a scarf but the company also sells furniture and appliances. Granted I'm sure they have built in shipping costs in their prices but the point is - it catches your attention that you could have a couch shipped for under three dollars.
• 25% Off - No Exclusions - (Department Store) This is a big eye catcher for me because it says there is no fine print. It's a coupon they only offer twice a year but you can bet I am looking for it every time and ready to shop when it hits.
• Free Regular Maintenance Included for 2 Years - (Car Dealer) If I do an estimation that regular car check ups and oil changes usually runs from $300 to $500 depending on the brand, this is enticing especially because I know that I will be comfortable getting the car looked at regularly which increases re-sale value.
• Family Plan - Flat Rate for Up to 5 People - (Chiropractor) I included this because if you are the type of business that can give group discounts - go for it! Its a great incentive to get the whole family to shop with you which will only instill more buyer loyalty.

Increase Sales With Video on Your Business Website

As a business owner, new leads are valuable assets that drive your bottom line in the right direction.  Every lead in your pipeline (or store) arrived as a result of a variety of marketing avenues used to get them to your door.

Using video on your website effectively can  maximize your business marketing and followup process for new leads so you can make more $$$.

According to Business.com, there are 8 steps to earning and converting a sale:

1. Prospecting
2. Planning
3. Approach
4. Need Assessment
5. Presentation
6. Meeting Objections
7. Gaining Commitment
8. Follow-Up

How to Include Social Icons & Links in Email Signatures

The process of adding social badges and links to your email signature will vary depending on your email provider. This will cover the basic steps but feel free to call us if you have questions.

Step 1 - Gather your social links
You will need to know the URL of the social media pages or website you would like to link to. (hint: URL's start with http:// or https://) Have these handy in a text document so you can copy and paste.

6 MUST READ Tax Tips to Save You Money

Have you filed your taxes yet? The deadline is just around the corner so odds are - the stress is building. Whether you use a popular tax software, file by mail or online or hire a professional tax service - these 6 tips will help save you time and money.

1. Planning Ahead Saves Money - Many business owners put off filing their taxes until the last minute, but procrastinating can cost you extra. As the deadline approaches you may start to notice that tax preparation costs increase. Late filers are often disorganized which can result in extra late fees and missed deductions. Know your standard and corporate tax deadlines so you can plan ahead and be confident with your preparations.

Why Do Customers Lie? How to Get Them to Buy Instead

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Customers....we love 'em right? We're in business to deal with customers and clients (no customers = no business) but sometimes it can be frustrating figuring out exactly what they want. And just when we think we have our customers nailed down...they still don't buy! What's the deal?

Problem: Customers...Lie!
Without sounding too harsh, ask a customer about pricing, competition, satisfaction and what they tell you...is probably not true. Why? As humans, we don't like confrontation and your customer is no different. Put someone on the spot and they are likely to give you the answer you want to hear. Most customers don't want to admit that your product is too expensive or that they like your competitor better or that your specials are on the products they don't need.  They won't say a word but they also won't buy or renew or upgrade. So what do we do?

Facebook Giveaway: 4 Winners Get $50

www.Facebook.com/Qlixite

We wanted to let you know that we are running a contest on Facebook - Our Spring into Green Giveaway! We're giving away four $50 Gift Cards - winners choose their favorite retailer (like Macy's, Target, Cabelas etc.) All you have to do is 'Like' us on Facebook and enter your email to win (winners will be notified by email).

Click Here or Visit us at Facebook.com/Qlixite Click the 'Like' Button and then click on the purple tab that says "Win a $50 Gif Card" - If using a mobile device click here

Get Leads from Your Website with Effective Calls to Action

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I recently visited a website for a potential client who was taking advantage of our website review. She's a dentist who wants to get leads from her site but has not had one call over the last 5 years. It took me less than 5 minutes to figure out her main problem...no call to action.

Problem: Want More Leads from Your Website?
Many websites do not make it easy to do anything more than read. There's usually plenty of text and maybe some pictures but then what? Why should I stick around? How do I get started? Ask yourself these questions when looking at your business' website (specifically your home page) and then think about what kind of elements would make your customer "click." You don't want people to just "hang out" and look at your site. You want people to engage with your business which requires an effective call to action.

Joke: The Odds and Ends of Naming Your Business

This is a joke we thought we'd share. We thought it fully illustrated the difficulties that can come with naming your business...not to mention it's pretty funny too. Not sure who wrote it. Rated PG13

Subject: The Psychiatrist and the Proctologist

Best friends graduating from medical school at the same time decided that in spite of two different specialties, they would open a practice together to share office space and personnel.

Dr. Smith was the psychiatrist and Dr. Jones was the proctologist; they put up a sign reading: Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones: Hysterias and Posteriors.