As we've discussed in the past, your logo is the face of your business. It’s how outsiders recognize or remember your brand. What do you think of when you see a “swoosh,” an apple, or two golden arches? Probably Nike, Apple,...

If you are a local business owner, you might be looking forward to attending a local event for business owners like you. Luckily, following these tips for how to make the best out of a local business exhibition or expo may...

Contact marketing has been discussed a lot this past year among businesses as a great way to establish their brand online, and it’s arguably going to be even more important for 2016. We get comments from small business owners saying they...

A Wharton Research Center study conducted by Lynn Oppenheim (Oppenheim, 1981) has shown that the retention rate of verbal only presentations is approximately 10 percent. Yet when you combine visual messages with verbal communication, an approximate 400% increase is evident as...

If you want to build your business online, content marketing is an important part of the marketing mix. However, finding the resources to create a blog, e-newsletters, a how-to video or other types of content is a common obstacle. In a...

Marketing has changed over the years and it continues to evolve as technology offers new, exciting ways to reach your market. Many small businesses today struggle to stand out in the business scene, especially with larger competitors who inevitably have a...

According to Nicole Fallen Taylor, Business News Daily Assistant Editor, "a 2015 survey by small business credit provider Headway Capital found that although 57 percent of small business owners anticipated growth this year, nearly 19 percent expressed concern about how unexpected...

For a small business owner, time is literally money. Solutions that can increase speed, eliminate duplication, or allow you and your employees to maximize time are invaluable. Below, we discuss three free or low cost productivity apps for Android and Apple...

Once you've made the decision to develop or redesign a website for your small business, many key points must be considered; budget, choosing a host site, determining the target audience, etc. One of the most important questions to ask is: do you...

Staff Fall Retreat So far, the Igniting Business team has had a great start to the fall season! In mid-October, a few members of the IB staff we're able to meet in Lee's Summit on a Saturday for a day of...

The final step in the email marketing series; email marketing best practices. This post discusses overall best practices, leaving you with open and honest advice that have helped us create successful campaigns. Make it easy for people to subscribe. Add a...

  Google is well known for allowing users to access their multiple web based services all with one account. One account can access Gmail, YouTube, Google+, Google Drive, Google Photos, and more, but what some don't know, is that there is...

Our President of Igniting Business, Ben Seidel has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce. Ben will begin his three year term in January 2016. Ben is excited to be contributing to the...

So you've learned about producing quality and relevant content, now it's time to go into more detail and learn how to get your emails not only opened, but read and even clicked. For many small businesses, email marketing (monthly newsletters, email...

            Ever since Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Office suite in 1990, with Apple joining with their iWork suite in 2005, individuals and businesses alike have been using it to enhance their productivity. This includes word processing,...

  SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is an essential investment when seeking a return on your website. Simply having a website is not a guarantee to being successful attracting clients. If you're not attracting new leads or sales with your site,...

As technology advances, devices get smaller and more capable than ever before. The idea of the "ultrabook" first appeared in 2008 with the MacBook Air, and it sparked a wave of new devices, aiming to be extremely portable and convenient for...

Whether you've been using email marketing as an outlet for a while or you're just starting out, we all need a little inspiration for new content. Even if you know exactly what topics you want to talk about, the most challenging...

It's finally here! Windows 10 is available to all users wishing to upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8. Microsoft has addressed many of the problems that people had with 8, while adding plenty of new features with this release. If...

When looking to purchase a new device, common questions include "What kind? What will work best for our employees? What's the difference?" These are all valid questions, and very important when deciding on a computer, especially in the business setting. Tablet...

This article was originally seen in the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce's business magazine called Catalyst.  You can see the original article in their magazine at https://issuu.com/lschamber/docs/julycatalystweb/38?e=0 The number of social media platforms are increasing nearly every day. Usage of these platforms is...