Internet Marketing Articles: Noozhawk Reviews Search Engine Pros & SBBE

Craig Allen: Santa Barbara Business Expo a Resource Gold Mine for Business Owners

NOOZHAWK – The Second Annual Santa Barbara Business Expo (SBBE) will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd.

The 2013 expo brought in more than 175 attendees, the majority of whom were local business owners. The overall impression expressed by attendees was the high level of professionalism, the warmth and attentiveness they received from the exhibitors, and how much they learned from the speakers.

This year’s expo is expected to draw more than 500 guests, most of whom will be local business owners, business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to increase their visibility and profitability.

The SBBE is an interactive business convention designed to provide business owners, entrepreneurs, students and consumers the tools and resources to connect, learn and network. The expo has been designed to facilitate this dynamic activity with a careful selection of speakers and exhibitors, as well as the overall expo layout and program. The expo is a Business-to-Business (B2B) event, as well as one that enables the local business community to become aware of the resources that are available.

The SBBE was founded and is directed by Sandy and Gino Goe, local business owners and entrepreneurs who have a vision and mission to bring the business community together by encouraging collaboration, improving profitability and encouraging social responsibility by giving back to the community. The Executive Planning Team consists of local business owners and professionals who share in the vision and desire to serve.

All types of businesses are welcome. Both men and women entrepreneurs and large and small businesses will benefit from the dynamic speakers, the programs and the overall expo floor complete with tables for successful networking with like-minded business owners.

The second annual SBBE will bring together some extraordinary keynote speakers, authors and service providers, all to help business owners improve their online presence, while benefiting Hope Refuge. These keynote speakers will address a wide array of especially challenging topics all business owners face, and will include:

» Sloane Reali (The Power of Voice)

» Gary Kravetz (Executive Search)

» Patty DeDominic (Leadership, Stewardship & Impact)

» Ellen Reid (How to Be an Expert in Independent Publishing)

» Taylor Reaume (How To Rank Your Web Site by Helping Others First)

» Melissa V. Moreno (Start-Up Funding 101)

» Calla Gold (Using Online Networking to Increase Your Off-line Networking Results)

» Nick Cavarra (Effective Social Media: The Five Top Channels)

» Ernie Halter (What Is Crowd Funding and Why Is It Important in Today’s Marketplace?)

» Robin Eschler (Funding Options for Small Business)

» Devon Johnson (Loan Fund Manager — Small Business Loan Fund)

Attendees will find expert solutions for some of the most frustrating aspects of developing an effective online marketing strategy. The expo will, in addition to the featured speakers, provide extensive guidance on key marketing trends; emerging web technologies; best business practices; business services for business owners and entrepreneurs offered by exhibitors; on-site headshots by Linda Blue Photography; professional fashions and accessories; an author’s showcase; growing business relationships in Santa Barbara; local resources for financial, personal and professional needs; and strategies for connecting with prospective clients within the community. Business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs will find actionable intelligence that will directly address some of the most challenging issues we all face when building our online presence.

“Business owners today are struggling with their web strategy, and attending this event will help them take their businesses to the next level,” according to Taylor Reaume, one of the keynote speakers featured at the expo and founder of Search Engine Pros.

“My speech will stress the importance of adding value to others first, and being a helpful resource to others around you. There are many ways to add value to people around you. For example, business owners can create educational top 10 list articles, sharing remarkable statistics and time-saving resources, and connecting their audience with trusted partners.

“Adding value to people will naturally increase the numbers of hyperlinks, or ‘votes,’ for the business owner’s web site. If the business owner can successfully increase the number of hyperlinks pointing into their website each month, they will see a direct correlation with the increase in their Google rankings.”

Admission fees (general admission and students) are $10 per person, and include access to all exhibits, author showcases and the art show. VIP Seminar tickets are $125 per person, or $195 for two. VIP access includes all areas available to general admission ticket-holders, plus entry into the exclusive stage area, which includes keynote speakers, workshop style presentations, refreshments and a VIP gift bag.

Raffle tickets will be sold to benefit Hope Refuge, whose vision is to provide a refuge for American girls rescued out of the sex traffic industry in California. The Goleta-based organization is raising funds to acquire a facility to set up a home. All proceeds from the raffle will be donated to Hope Refuge, and additional donations can be made at the expo.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Business Expo, email Sandy Goe at sandy@wcbn.net, or call 805.452.3632.

— Craig Allen, CFA, CFP, CIMA, is president of Montecito Private Asset Management LLC and founder of Dump That Debt. He has been managing assets for foundations, corporations and high-net worth individuals for more than 20 years and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA charter holder), a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification. He blogs at Finance With Craig Allen and can be contacted at craig@craigdallen.com or 805.898.1400. Click here to read previous columns or follow him on Twitter: @MPAMCraig. The opinions expressed are his own.

Mixing business and pleasure: What is the point of an Expo?

(CNN) -- While the Olympic Games in London steals the world's attention, over 5,000 miles away another global event born from the same ideal of cultural exchange and peaceful rivalry is entering the home stretch.

Rather than competition, Expo 2012 in the city of Yeosu, South Korea, is the latest incarnation of an event that officially is meant to foster international understanding; unofficially it is used for national promotion, boosting trade and providing networking opportunities.

Of the approximately 4 million visitors that will have wandered through the transformed cement port and industrial site before it closes on August 12, most will have been there to enjoy the pavilions hosting interactive displays on ocean conservation and marine exploration -- the theme of this year's event.

But a small but notable minority will not have been there to watch the shows. For them it provides a number of chances to broker deals and reach new contacts where 104 countries can be reached in a day.
There has to be a reason for governments and private companies to be here and spend money on it.
Stine L. Guldmann, director of Denmark Pavilion

"It's government relations really," said Stine L. Guldmann, director of the Denmark pavilion. "South Korea is quite important to Denmark. It's an opportunity to brand your country both in a tourism way but also attract skillful people or showcase our abilities."
Expo 2012 architecture Expo 2012 architecture

Denmark's pavilion is funded by a mix of public and private money, including some Danish companies at the forefront of the renewable energy industry. Lego bricks are on hand to attract the visitors and keep them entertained, but a backroom for more grown-up meetings is regularly used.

"There has to be a reason for them both (government and private companies) to be here and spend money on it," said Guldmann. "It's a success if our private partners are happy with their participation and our political relations are very strong."

The basic principle of Expos is non-commercial and educational, according to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the organizing body that was founded in 1928.

Yet that has not prevented a strong presence from the commercial sector, with a large part of the Yeosu site devoted to temporary pavilions from South Korea's biggest corporations, some of which were built at a cost of more than $1million.

"Expos don't provide concrete benefits for companies," says Lee Joon-hee, Commissioner for Expo 2012. "But is it still relevant... the evidence of why they are still relevant is that a lot of companies and countries want to host Expos."

Participant countries have different reasons to be in Yeosu. Qatar and the U.S, with strong trade and diplomatic ties to South Korea, respectively, have been two of the more popular pavilions.
It's the only place where you can create something that has a critical mass around it.
Andrew Snowhite, CEO, USA Pavilion

Earlier this year a 20-year deal for Qatar to supply South Korea with natural gas was signed between the two countries, but pavilion manager Mona Sulaiti was keen to stress that the reason for their participation at event "is about people, not business relationships."

Andrew Snowhite, CEO of the U.S. Pavilion, believes the event is unique in its scope and potential. "It's the only place where you can create something that has a critical mass around it; it's a very large event. It's a big tourism opportunity for some, for others it's about trade," he said.

For developing countries like Angola, participation is a way to draw attention to a little known country, either as a holiday destination or potential trading partner.

"We don't see it as being old fashioned," said Claudia Santana of Angola's pavilion. "We are building our country since 2002... if you search for an official tourism website in Angola you can't find it, so we have to find other ways to show our country. There's a lot of work ahead for our country and this is part of it."

For all the fostering of relationships and networking over glasses of sweet tea or Lego, ultimately the biggest tangible benefit of the event goes to Yeosu itself.

The city is little known by people within South Korea let alone internationally, but around $2billion spent on operations and facilities from the government, BIE and private investors has completely transformed it.

"This area is relatively backwards and needs a boost," said Lee Joon-hee, saying it is part of a larger project to develop South Korea's southern "Sun Belt". "It will put Yeosu on the map. We have big ambitions to be a famous marine resort area."

Yeosu's infrastructure has been upgraded, with new, marble-smooth roads cutting through the lush hillsides and along the coast, while the train to the capital Seoul now takes half the time it used to.

While it is still undecided what will happen to most of the Expo site when it closes -- conference centers and shopping malls have been mooted -- and tourism to the region develops, there will be an immediate beneficiary of the improved infrastructure: the petrochemical industry. Just a few miles from the Expo is one of South Korea's biggest industrial complexes that dwarfs the Expo site and is the area's largest industry.

"For the moment we just want domestic development," says Lee, "Secondary is marine resort development."

Source: Edition.cnn.com/2012/08/02/business/south-korea-expo-business-travel/index.html

Working as a Sales Professional in NYC Has Changed

Make no mistake, there is a big difference between selling and working at a large, well-known company as opposed to a smaller organization.

This has especially changed with the pickup in the economy and the need for sales representatives from companies of all sizes.

Though, each has it's benefits and downfalls including, but not limited to:

Benefits of Selling for a Smaller Company

- Direct access to senior management, thus able to learn more

- More duties, thus being able to get a good grasp of the business

- Smaller, more cohesive teams which usually translates into an effective learning environment.


Downfalls of Working as a Salesman for a Small Company

- No marketing budget.

- Product may not be as good. Not as much support either.

- Hard to compete on pricing and difficult to convince the potential customer that you can deliver what you say you can.

Source: iReport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-790051

NOOZHAWK HIGHLIGHTS SBBE & SEARCH ENGINE PROS

The 2013 expo brought in more than 175 attendees, the majority of whom were local business owners. The overall impression expressed by attendees was the high level of professionalism, the warmth and attentiveness they received from the exhibitors, and how much they learned from the speakers.

This year’s expo is expected to draw more than 500 guests, most of whom will be local business owners, business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to increase their visibility and profitability.

The SBBE is an interactive business convention designed to provide business owners, entrepreneurs, students and consumers the tools and resources to connect, learn and network. The expo has been designed to facilitate this dynamic activity with a careful selection of speakers and exhibitors, as well as the overall expo layout and program. The expo is a Business-to-Business (B2B) event, as well as one that enables the local business community to become aware of the resources that are available.

The SBBE was founded and is directed by Sandy and Gino Goe, local business owners and entrepreneurs who have a vision and mission to bring the business community together by encouraging collaboration, improving profitability and encouraging social responsibility by giving back to the community. The Executive Planning Team consists of local business owners and professionals who share in the vision and desire to serve.

All types of businesses are welcome. Both men and women entrepreneurs and large and small businesses will benefit from the dynamic speakers, the programs and the overall expo floor complete with tables for successful networking with like-minded business owners.

The second annual SBBE will bring together some extraordinary keynote speakers, authors and service providers, all to help business owners improve their online presence, while benefiting Hope Refuge. These keynote speakers will address a wide array of especially challenging topics all business owners face, and will include:

» Sloane Reali (The Power of Voice)

» Gary Kravetz (Executive Search)

» Patty DeDominic (Leadership, Stewardship & Impact)

» Ellen Reid (How to Be an Expert in Independent Publishing)

» Taylor Reaume (How To Rank Your Web Site by Helping Others First)

» Melissa V. Moreno (Start-Up Funding 101)

» Calla Gold (Using Online Networking to Increase Your Off-line Networking Results)

» Nick Cavarra (Effective Social Media: The Five Top Channels)

» Ernie Halter (What Is Crowd Funding and Why Is It Important in Today’s Marketplace?)

» Robin Eschler (Funding Options for Small Business)

» Devon Johnson (Loan Fund Manager — Small Business Loan Fund)

Attendees will find expert solutions for some of the most frustrating aspects of developing an effective online marketing strategy. The expo will, in addition to the featured speakers, provide extensive guidance on key marketing trends; emerging web technologies; best business practices; business services for business owners and entrepreneurs offered by exhibitors; on-site headshots by Linda Blue Photography; professional fashions and accessories; an author’s showcase; growing business relationships in Santa Barbara; local resources for financial, personal and professional needs; and strategies for connecting with prospective clients within the community. Business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs will find actionable intelligence that will directly address some of the most challenging issues we all face when building our online presence.

“Business owners today are struggling with their web and online marketing strategy, and attending this event will help them take their businesses to the next level,” according to Taylor Reaume, one of the keynote speakers featured at the expo and founder of Search Engine Pros.

“My speech will stress the importance of adding value to others first, and being a helpful resource to others around you. There are many ways to add value to people around you. For example, business owners can create educational top 10 list articles, sharing remarkable statistics and time-saving resources, and connecting their audience with trusted partners.

“Adding value to people will naturally increase the numbers of hyperlinks, or ‘votes,’ for the business owner’s web site. If the business owner can successfully increase the number of hyperlinks pointing into their website each month, they will see a direct correlation with the increase in their Google rankings.”

Admission fees (general admission and students) are $10 per person, and include access to all exhibits, author showcases and the art show. VIP Seminar tickets are $125 per person, or $195 for two. VIP access includes all areas available to general admission ticket-holders, plus entry into the exclusive stage area, which includes keynote speakers, workshop style presentations, refreshments and a VIP gift bag.

Raffle tickets will be sold to benefit Hope Refuge, whose vision is to provide a refuge for American girls rescued out of the sex traffic industry in California. The Goleta-based organization is raising funds to acquire a facility to set up a home. All proceeds from the raffle will be donated to Hope Refuge, and additional donations can be made at the expo.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Business Expo, email Sandy Goe at sandy@wcbn.net, or call 805.452.3632.

— Craig Allen, CFA, CFP, CIMA, is president of Montecito Private Asset Management LLC and founder of Dump That Debt. He has been managing assets for foundations, corporations and high-net worth individuals for more than 20 years and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA charter holder), a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification. He blogs at Finance With Craig Allen and can be contacted at craig@craigdallen.com or 805.898.1400. Click here to read previous columns or follow him on Twitter: @MPAMCraig. The opinions expressed are his own.

Craig Allen: Santa Barbara Business Expo a Resource Gold Mine for Business Owners

The Second Annual Santa Barbara Business Expo (SBBE) will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd.

The 2013 expo brought in more than 175 attendees, the majority of whom were local business owners. The overall impression expressed by attendees was the high level of professionalism, the warmth and attentiveness they received from the exhibitors, and how much they learned from the speakers.

This year’s expo is expected to draw more than 500 guests, most of whom will be local business owners, business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to increase their visibility and profitability.

The SBBE is an interactive business convention designed to provide business owners, entrepreneurs, students and consumers the tools and resources to connect, learn and network. The expo has been designed to facilitate this dynamic activity with a careful selection of speakers and exhibitors, as well as the overall expo layout and program. The expo is a Business-to-Business (B2B) event, as well as one that enables the local business community to become aware of the resources that are available.

The SBBE was founded and is directed by Sandy and Gino Goe, local business owners and entrepreneurs who have a vision and mission to bring the business community together by encouraging collaboration, improving profitability and encouraging social responsibility by giving back to the community. The Executive Planning Team consists of local business owners and professionals who share in the vision and desire to serve.

All types of businesses are welcome. Both men and women entrepreneurs and large and small businesses will benefit from the dynamic speakers, the programs and the overall expo floor complete with tables for successful networking with like-minded business owners.

The second annual SBBE will bring together some extraordinary keynote speakers, authors and service providers, all to help business owners improve their online presence, while benefiting Hope Refuge. These keynote speakers will address a wide array of especially challenging topics all business owners face, and will include:

» Sloane Reali (The Power of Voice)

» Gary Kravetz (Executive Search)

» Patty DeDominic (Leadership, Stewardship & Impact)

» Ellen Reid (How to Be an Expert in Independent Publishing)

» Taylor Reaume (How to Rank Your Web Site by Helping Others First)

» Melissa V. Moreno (Start-Up Funding 101)

» Calla Gold (Using Online Networking to Increase Your Off-line Networking Results)

» Nick Cavarra (Effective Social Media: The Five Top Channels)

» Ernie Halter (What Is Crowd Funding and Why Is It Important in Today’s Marketplace?)

» Robin Eschler (Funding Options for Small Business)

» Devon Johnson (Loan Fund Manager — Small Business Loan Fund)

Attendees will find expert solutions for some of the most frustrating aspects of developing an effective online marketing strategy. The expo will, in addition to the featured speakers, provide extensive guidance on key marketing trends; emerging web technologies; best business practices; business services for business owners and entrepreneurs offered by exhibitors; on-site headshots by Linda Blue Photography; professional fashions and accessories; an author’s showcase; growing businessrelationships in Santa Barbara; local resources for financial, personal and professional needs; and strategies for connecting with prospective clients within the community. Business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs will find actionable intelligence that will directly address some of the most challenging issues we all face when building our online presence.

“Business owners today are struggling with their web strategy, and attending this event will help them take their businesses to the next level,” according to Taylor Reaume, one of the keynote speakers featured at the expo and founder of The Search Engine Pros.

“My speech will stress the importance of adding value to others first, and being a helpful resource to others around you. There are many ways to add value to people around you. For example, business owners can create educational top 10 list articles, sharing remarkable statistics and time-saving resources, and connecting their audience with trusted partners.

“Adding value to people will naturally increase the numbers of hyperlinks, or ‘votes,’ for the business owner’s web site. If the business owner can successfully increase the number of hyperlinks pointing into their website each month, they will see a direct correlation with the increase in their Google rankings.”

Admission fees (general admission and students) are $10 per person, and include access to all exhibits, author showcases and the art show. VIP Seminar tickets are $125 per person, or $195 for two. VIP access includes all areas available to general admission ticket-holders, plus entry into the exclusive stage area, which includes keynote speakers, workshop style presentations, refreshments and a VIP gift bag.

Raffle tickets will be sold to benefit Hope Refuge, whose vision is to provide a refuge for American girls rescued out of the sex traffic industry in California. The Goleta-based organization is raising funds to acquire a facility to set up a home. All proceeds from the raffle will be donated to Hope Refuge, and additional donations can be made at the expo.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Business Expo, email Sandy Goe atsandy@wcbn.net, or call 805.452.3632.

— Craig Allen, CFA, CFP, CIMA, is president of Montecito Private Asset Management LLC and founder of Dump That Debt. He has been managing assets for foundations, corporations and high-net worth individuals for more than 20 years and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA charter holder), a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification. He blogs at Finance With Craig Allen and can be contacted at craig@craigdallen.com or 805.898.1400. Click here to read previous columnsor follow him on Twitter: @MPAMCraig. The opinions expressed are his own.