White House website about Minnesota turkeys works smoothly, sparks misguided concern

Unlike a certain other website his administration has created -- *coughObamacarecough* -- the Obama administration's 2013 National Thanksgiving Turkey one works great!

Visitors to the site are asked to choose between Caramel or Popcorn -- two Minnesota-raised turkeys who are the finalists to become this year's winner. On the site, you can "learn about each bird, listen to their gobble and then make your selection."

"The choice is yours," the website says.

Since presidents are known to pardon just one turkey, some political observers inferred the second-place finisher would be put to death.

For instance, check out this exchange between Huffington Post editor Amanda Terkel and Vaughn Sterling, senior producer of Wolf Blitzer's CNN show:

Sounds eerily similar to those Obamacare death panels some folks have gotten some worked up about, doesn't it? But fear not -- as the White House website makes clear, both turkeys will ultimately be pardoned.

Of course, Caramel and Popcorn's brother wasn't so lucky. He was condemned to death by Governor Mark Dayton during a ceremony at the Capitol earlier this week and will be dinner for needy folks in St. Paul tomorrow night.

The winner of this year's National Thanksgiving Turkey will be announced sometime today, so get on there and make your choice before the voting closes or the website crashes, whichever comes first!

Source: http://citypages.com

Mobile Friendly Website for Smartphones

Rise of the smart phones: Smartphones have become affordable over the past few years. Almost everyone is looking to buy one. These devices are excellent for hand held browsing. Since the sale of smart phones is increasing, it only makes sense for companies to have a site that can be easily browsed through on these devices.

Popularity of mobile internet: According to studies, about 40% of the people who have a mobile phone use it for going online, and half of them will go online at least once every day. This presents a huge opportunity for a business.

Inexpensive option: Because mobile screens are a lot different from computer screens, the site design has to change accordingly. It is a relatively cheap process and not very time consuming either.

Use of GPS: GPS is a very useful technology. It is used by many mobile users to find out necessary things or directions. They also use it to find nearby services or businesses. If there is no mobile site available for your business then you are potentially losing a customer right in your own area.

Don’t get beaten by competition: People love to browse while traveling. However, when they find that sites that they normally used at their PCs are not mobile compatible, they might end up switching to a site which provides similar services and is mobile compatible as well.

SEO: Having a mobile friendly website also helps in SEO as it helps improve rankings on mobile friendly search engines such as Google or Yahoo.

Compatible with all platforms, unlike mobile apps: The alternative to mobile friendly site is producing apps that perform similar functions. Now this can be a very tedious task. Making an app is also quite expensive and apart from that, you would have to make different apps for different platforms. Once you make these apps, they have to fight hundreds of thousands of other apps to get into the spotlight.

2D Bar codes: One great bonus that comes along with mobile friendly websites is the 2D bar code. These appear like regular bar codes, but are capable of so much more. They can be used for discounts. A customer takes a picture of the code with their cell phone and instantly has access to not only the details, but also reviews of the product before they buy it.

Better user experience: Earlier, it might not have been possible to make a mobile site and give the user a good enough experience because of the low bandwidth and server speeds. However, in recent times, this has changed and you can be assured that using a good mobile site will be an enriching experience for a user.

Within a span of three years, the number of people accessing the internet via mobile will be more than those accessing it via a PC. This, more than anything else, should be a clear indication for you to start working on the mobile version of your site. Apart from that, the biggest draw on the internet today are social networking websites. Many people access these websites through there mobile devices. If they come across a link to your site, they would want to view it on their mobile screens.


Source: http://www.imarketingfactory.com

You'll Be Thankful For These Babies Dressed to Impress for Thanksgiving

Are you a parent who encourages dressing up for every holiday, not just Halloween? Have you adorned your baby in the perfect little pilgrim, festive Native American or tiny, stuffed turkey costume for Thanksgiving? If so, you’ll fit right in with this crowd. Check out  to see our viewers’ babies dressed up in their best Thanksgiving duds.

 

May you have a happy turkey day! :)

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com

Sales rates are plummeting again for small business

Small business growth is at its lowest since the recession, according to the financial information company Sageworks. An analysis of private companies with less than $5 million in annual sales reveals that these companies are seeing average sales growth of just 0.3 percent in 2013.

Among four sectors—construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade—private small construction companies are faring best, with year-to-date growth of 1.6 percent. Private small manufacturing firms saw negative growth (-2.9 percent) as did private wholesale trade (-4.7 percent) and private retail trade (-1.9 percent).

To be sure, 2013 rates are far healthier than they were at the recession’s depth in 2009 when small companies’ sales growth plummeted to between -6 and -14 percent. But in 2011 and 2012, businesses seemed to be recovering as the growth rates for all industries was better than 7 percent, and for those four sectors rates ranged from 5.9 percent to 12.8 percent. Sageworks Chairman Brian Hamilton calls the 2013 numbers “especially disturbing” and says “we’re rapidly approaching the tail end of the average expansionary period in the United States.”

Despite the sales slowdown, Sageworks reports that net profit margins are healthy at 10.3 percent (gross profit margins are 64.8 percent), but warns that these margins will be difficult to sustain if sales growth doesn’t increase. The data also bodes poorly for small business hiring, considering that most businesses were reluctant to hire even when their sales rates climbed up to 7 percent.

“If these companies weren’t consistently hiring new employees and taking on overhead when they were seeing double digit sales growth, what’s going to happen now that their rate of sales has cooled off?” Hamilton asks.

Sageworks aggregates data from financial statements from accounting firms, banks, and credit unions.

Source: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com

Exhibit at Hopkins Center for the Arts

About exhibitions at the center

Exhibitions are free and open to the public whenever the building is open.

Hours

• Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
• Saturday, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
• Sunday, 12:00 - 5:00 pm

 Source: http://www.hopkinsartscenter.com

Mobile Marketing for Small Business

Mobile marketing campaigns and small businesses are a match made in heaven. Historically, start-ups and local firms had no way to compete with the marketing clout of big companies. The rise of smartphones has changed all that, with the majority of commercial web searches relating to nearby businesses like restaurants, gas stations or coffee shops. You only have to take a glance at Google's autocomplete function for any type of retailer to see that the phrase 'near me' is the most common suffix.

Take a look at our top mobile advertising tips for small businesses, and start changing the way you
reach out to customers:

Appreciate the Advantages of Mobile Marketing
Just as mailouts, and then email lists were standard practice for growing businesses, SMS lists are now de rigeur. Call it a 'text club' to emphasize exclusivity, and ask customers to opt-in to receive discounts, promotions and other special offers. More than 95% of all text messages are opened and read – compared with less than 20% for most emails. Use QR codes or NFC tags to encourage sign-ups, and to demonstrate your tech-savvy approach to the modern business world.

Be Mobile Optimized
You might have an awesome website, but if it doesn't work on smartphones, you're going to miss out on a lot of traffic. If your site isn't readable and easily-navigable on a mobile device, consumers will plump for the nearest rival with a mobile app. If you use WordPress, you're in luck – the platform offers mobile optimization tools. Acquaint yourself with these tools. If you cannot easily change your settings, change your website. Avoid Flash – they look snazzy on a desktop, but usually won't work on smartphones. The same goes for drop down menus, which are tricky to work on small screens. Use a larger font size (14 is about right) and make sure the pertinent information like your address and click-to-call phone number is placed at the top of the page.

Make Sure You Can Be Found
On your app or website, include a thumbnail of your location at GoogleMaps to help consumers find your store. Even more important is your search visibility. Optimize your website with keyword-rich content, and build other websites with links to your main domain. Provide industry-related content that work as indirect mobile marketing solutions.

Budget Mobile Marketing Campaigns Separately
The features of mobile marketing strategies are different to web search marketing. Instead of competing for real estate in the morass of information online, you should look to build opt-in SMS contact lists so you can target existing business. Allocate a separate budget for mobile advertising and mobile marketing. If you're a small business, text messaging services are a lot cheaper and more effective than SEO campaigns.

For inquires visit: http://howivyworks.com

Source: http://eztexting.com

2013-2014 Open Houses!

At our Open Houses, you can tour the school, meet teachers and students, get answers to questions, and see for yourself why hundreds of families from the Twin Cities area have made Bethany Academy their school home! Open Houses are scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, 9 am-1 pm, and Thursday, January 23, 7-9 pm.

Almost any day can be an Open House Day at Bethany Academy! Prospective students and their families are encouraged to visit, as this is the very best way to find out why so many students have decided to "Make this place their home." Monday -Friday  school-day visits can be scheduled. Please contact us to tour the school or set up a shadow day. It is a great opportunity to meet students and teachers, and get answers to your questions.

Contact Kelli for more details: admissions@bethanyacademy.org

Source: http://www.bethanyacademy.org

Should Your Business Open On Thanksgiving And Christmas?

Black Friday is right around the corner, and this year it’s Macy’s that is raising the stakes by breaking

Making the right call on how to connect with holiday shoppers is more important than ever. With Thanksgiving on Nov. 28 and Hanukkah starting the same day, the traditional holiday shopping season is truncated this year.

The good news for small businesses is that 35% of consumers say they plan to shop at local businesses this year, up from 27% in 2012, according to the Deluxe Annual Holiday Shopping Survey. Unique merchandise, personalized service and good prices are top draws for shopping small.

Meet Consumers Where They Shop

Although the appeal of Black Friday shopping has hit a five-year high, 30% of consumers plan to do most of their Black Friday shopping online, according to Accenture. Beyond Black Friday, 78% of consumers plan to shop for gifts online this holiday season.

In fact, 36% of consumers are looking to use technology-based services like online purchases with in-store pick-ups–a great way for local and small businesses to offer shoppers both the convenience of online shopping and zero shipping costs.

Target Youth

Online shopping is also a smart way to appeal to “millennials,” who represent $1.3 trillion in consumer spending. Millennials are also more likely than other generations to shop with mobile devices, said 30% of business owners in a survey from Manta.

It’s these 18- to 34-year-olds who are most likely to do the majority of their holiday shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend, reports Deluxe. Many small businesses are updating social media and mobile strategies to strengthen their appeal to this group.

Don’t Wait for Thanksgiving

Companies focusing on Black Friday may actually be missing the larger trend: The shopping season has already started. Nearly three-quarters of consumers have already started their holiday shopping or plan to finish it by the end of November.

Although Black Friday and Cyber Monday are still the most symbolic shopping days of the holiday season, only 15% of consumers actually plan to do the bulk of their holiday shopping on these days, reports Deluxe.

Set Sights on Saturday

In fact, the best day for small businesses to connect with shoppers may be during Small Business Saturday, says the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Consumers spent $5.5 billion at independent retailers on this day last year. And 36% of independent retailers call it the most important shopping day of the holiday season, compared to 24% who say it’s Black Friday.

Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30 this year) lets independent retailers leverage one of their biggest advantages–knowing their customers and communities. It can also provide an alternative shopping experience to the mad crush of Black Friday shopping, especially when small businesses band together to create a local event. In fact, the best news about the ever-extending Christmas Creep may be that the number of ways for small businesses to connect with holiday shoppers keeps growing right along with it.
155 years of tradition to open its doors Thanksgiving night. Should small businesses do the same?

Source: http://www.forbes.com

Discount Cards are not Health Insurance

The Better Business Bureau is joining with state insurance commissioners to caution small businesses about "discount cards" that are marketed as if they are health insurance plans. The advertisements for discount plans appear everywhere – on telephone poles, in elevators, on unsolicited faxes and in spam e-mails. They all boast low monthly rates and provide a contact number for information. Unfortunately, if additional details are provided, they do not always tell the full story.

Judging by complaints received by BBBs, many small business owners mistakenly believe that by signing up for a discount medical plan, they have purchased affordable health insurance for their employees. In fact, discount plans vary significantly from actual insurance and provide different benefits. For instance:

• Discount plans can be sold by anyone at any cost with any benefits. They are not licensed insurance products.
• Health insurance typically covers most or the entire bill for approved services (after deductible, coinsurance and/or co-payments have been paid). By comparison, a discount plan provides only a discount off of a participating health care provider’s full fee; the patient is responsible for paying a majority of the fee at the time of the office visit.
• The protections and rights available to your employees under a health insurance plan may not be available to members of a discount plan.
• Providers in a typical discount plan’s "network" are not bound by contract to participate in the plan and may stop offering the discount at any time. 

 If you are considering enrolling your business in a discount health plan, review the plan carefully. Ask the sales person the following questions before making a decision, and obtain the answers in writing!

Steer clear if you are pressured to "act now" because this is a "one-time offer." Purchasing health insurance for your employees should involve time and attention to details. Also, avoid salespeople or discount card companies that insist on debit card or bank account information. Remember, before making a purchasing decision, contact your BBB and your state insurance department to find out if there have been complaints against the company. 

Source: http://www.bbb.org

5 Lessons For Small Business Owners

You don't need me to tell you that owning a small business is hard! But take it from me, it's incredibly rewarding! Here are some tips for making the most of your business from David Friend, CEO of Carbonite Online Backup.

Don’t Buy Success At A Discount

You can be successful without doing the work, without putting in the time, without a full commitment, and without true dedication to win/win/win.  

But like most things you buy cheaply, it won’t be meaningful or last.

Do the work.

The Maids in Hopkins

The Maids has positioned itself as a leader and expert in home cleaning and maid services. If cleaning your home is too daunting of a task, consider the following house cleaning tips as your ticket to a cleaner, healthier home and learn how to clean your home more efficiently from those in the know.

Tips from the Experts on How to Clean Your Home

Click on the links below to reveal more house cleaning tips and information.

    Are home cleaning products too costly? Consider these healthy, green alternatives for both your home and the environment and learn how to clean your home the eco-friendly way.
    Be prepared for unexpected guests! Keep this checklist handy for impromptu hosting to eliminate messes and clutter quickly when time is of the essence.
    Does your home make you sniffle? Use these home cleaning tips to cope with allergies and prevent sneezing and discomfort.
    Keep your kids clean throughout their messy summer fun! Try these kid-friendly cleaning advice to clean up messes such as bubble gum, crayon marks, dirt and grime, and lipstick stains.
    Get Fido and Fluffy ready for in-home service workers. Prep both your home cleaning team and your pets for the encounter.
    Fight mold growth for a healthy home. Hang the "not welcome" sign with these cleaning tips and learn how to keep windowsills, bathrooms, kitchens, and air conditioners free of mold and mildew.

Source: http://www.maids.com/minnesota-cleaning/hopkins-cleaning-services/

Fantastic Sams Second Location in Hopkins

Consumers in Hopkins are about to get more bang for their buck with a new Fantastic Sams salon opening on November 7 at 525 Blake Road North in Hopkins right across from Knollwood Mall. The popular, full-service salon franchise known for affordable hair care for the whole family has more than 100 locations throughout the state.   There is another Hopkins Fantastic Sams located at 726 Main Street.

The new Hopkins Fantastic Sams location is owned by Saeid Jaberian, who was looking to open a local business with wide appeal to area consumers. He was impressed by the brand’s consistent, growing presence in the metro and its loyal following of guests who are seeking out the full-service salon experience but at more affordable prices.

“Fantastic Sams is a brand that guests can count on to get professional hair at prices that won’t break their budget,” said Jaberian. “We look forward to giving Hopkins area residents another convenient location to stop in and get affordable hair services for the whole family.”

For a limited time, the full-service salon will offer even lower prices on its wide range of hair care services, which include haircuts, color, hair straightening and texturizing, facial waxing and more. The special introductory pricing that goes through the end of the year includes:

    Adult Haircuts: $9.99 
    Kids Haircuts:  $7.99
    Facial Waxing: $6.99
    Color:  $22.99 for 7-foil highlights and $34.99 for all-over color (longer hair may be more)
    Perms: $29.99 for partial perm

 The new Hopkins Fantastic Sams will conveniently be open seven days a week: Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  No appointments are necessary so guests can stop in when it is convenient for them.  The salon’s phone number is 952.229.4238.

    All Fantastic Sams locations are full-service salons that provide haircuts, color, waxing and texturizing (perms) services for the whole family.

    Fantastic Sams gets its stylists from the same talent pool as more expensive salons and provides ongoing training throughout its stylists’ careers so they are up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques in cuts and color. 

    Fantastic Sams offers perks such as a free massaging shampoo and conditioning rinse with every cut to appeal to guests on a budget who still appreciate the overall salon experience.

Source:  http://hopkins.patch.com

SMART Goal Setting 101

What is a SMART Goal?

There are several ways you can define the acronym SMART. This is the definition that is most
appropriate for small business owners:

•     Specific - You have clearly defined what you want to accomplish.
•     Measurable - You have identified targets and milestones to track your progress.
•     Attainable - Your goal is realistic and manageable.
•     Relevant - You have identified a goal that fits with your business model.
•     Time-Based - You have identified a specific period of time for the goal.

Five SMART Goal Setting Tips

Now that you know the basics about SMART goal setting, here are five tips that will help you maximize SMART goal setting in your business.

1. Think About the Big Picture: SMART goal setting is about breaking goals down into validated segments. At the beginning of the process, before you run your goal through the SMART criteria, it can be helpful to start at the end and work backwards. When you have the big picture end goal in mind, it's often easier to stay focused through the process.

2. Get Down to the Nitty Gritty: After you have the big picture in mind, you need to take the opposite approach and focus on the details. When you begin to break your goal down into smaller actions in order to fulfill the "measurable" and "attainable" SMART criteria, include actions that are as small and as specific as possible. The smaller the steps you need to make, the easier it will be to make forward-moving progress and build momentum.

3. Use a Systemized Formula: SMART goal setting is about using a formula that, when completed successfully, will get you from point A to point B efficiently. The more structured you are in the process, the easier it will be to make progress. Use the SMART worksheets, examples and tools I included above to get started. And resist the urge to set goals in your head! Write everything down so you have a record of what you're aiming for and how you intend to achieve it.

4. Track Your Progress: When you are entrenched in your goal and so focused on the daily actions you need to take, it can be easy to forget where you are in the process. Plan regular goal check-ins to gauge your progress, review your next steps and celebrate your successes. This is not only a great way to make sure you're moving in the right direction, but it will also let you revel in your progress and stay motivated to keep moving.

5. Set an End Date: Open-ended goals are dangerous for a number of reasons, one of which is that there is no urgency or time pressure to encourage progress. No end date often means slower progress. That's why the "time-based" part of SMART goal setting is so important. Think through a timeline for your goal when you are first getting started and break it down into smaller targets so you can easily see your success at each milestone.

Source: http://about.com

Family Gardens

For over thirty years, visitors to Valley Park (801 7th Ave S) in Hopkins have been smelling more than freshly cut grass. The Family Gardens are abundant with a wide variety of plants, from dill to dahlias, that offer up an aroma better than your grandma's garden.

The Hopkins Family Gardens feature several 20' by 20' plots that residents line up to register for every March. The most sought-after plots are those closest to the water source, Nine Mile Creek.

The Family Gardens came into existence in the late 1970s and are offered by the City of Hopkins. The City plows, tills, drags, measures and stakes the gardens, which are typically ready to plant by mid-May.

The spirit of cooperation and helping out your neighbor is prevalent throughout the Family Gardens. When their friend went on vacation, Bart and James Jordano took over the duty of watering their friend's plot, as well as their own. According to Bart, produce swapping is also common. He grows broccoli, zucchini, and cabbage, which he trades for zinnias. He also brings much of the produce home to share with neighbors.

The Family Gardens is a place for people from a wide variety of backgrounds to come together, socialize, share gardening techniques, and admire each other’s bounty.

Source: http://thinkhopkins.com