“Another way to get the word out about your product service? Post content online that catches on with potential customers and prompts them to share it. We all have stories to tell. As a small business owner, your story is a valuable asset, a differentiator, and the key to shaping your brand.” Read on

Carmine Gallo BusinessWeek

Tags: Online

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Although most designers don’t have a finance or economics degree, or (perhaps like the rest of us)  don’t have a clear understanding of the complex elements influencing the global economy, many may be interested in this video. Los-Angeles based designer Jonathan Jarvis has created this entertaining animated video that explains in simple terms the complex origins of the current credit crisis. View

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“So you have distributed your media release, it’s attracted some interest from journalists and now a couple of them have called you for an interview. What do you do? Before you panic and run for cover, the most important thing to remember is that it’s an opportunity to get your messages to your customers via the journalist. You are in control of the interview.” Read on

Catriona Pollard Australian Anthill

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“Half technical, half intuitive, the design process is tough to explain. But that’s my job — I’m a design writer. I write so you don’t have to, putting into words the work that you’d rather do than write about. But write you must—website copy, proposals, captions, emails to clients—and though the worse designers are at it, the more work I get, in the spirit of collaboration I’m going to share my secrets.” Read on

William Bostwick Core77

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“Being online levels the playing field. Big or small, everyone has the same chance to attract and convert customers. By following some basic principles, you can receive the same coverage as major players and see your business take off using savvy, affordable marketing techniques.” Read on

Fred Schebesta Australian Anthill

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“One of the hardest parts of running a business is tackling deadbeats. Some clients dither and wriggle as long as possible. The money will arrive in your account or in the post any moment now, they say. Alternatively, they plead that the delay will end just as soon as a flood of new business materialises or Mercury is aligned with Jupiter. Since business revolves around cash flow, no SME operator can afford to hear excuses indefinitely… So how do you avoid being stiffed and coax money owed?” Read on

David Wilson Small Business, The Age

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“When times are tough and business may be dwindling it’s easy to sit back woefully, but remember the chain of command: customers buy from shops what they love, shops buy from you what they love, you make what they love. How easy was that? From my experience as a sales rep I’ve been with small and large brands as they surf the tough times. Here are the tricks I’ve seen in action and apply to my own business.” Read on

Karen Benn Design*Sponge

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“Wholesaling is yet another factor to consider as you price your work. Wholesaling is when a boutique or another reseller approaches you to purchase your items in bulk, usually expecting a discount for the large order. The expected discounts are between 30% and 60%, most often settling around 50%. These discounts are large, which is why it is so important to carefully consider how wholesaling could work for you before you price your items.” Read on

The Storque, Etsy.com

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Arts Queensland is accepting applications from Queensland artists and designers for their Career Development Grants program. The grants provide up to A$5,000 to assist artists and arts workers to pursue professional development opportunities that hone their craft and expand their horizons at national and international levels.

The grants are available as part of Arts Queensland’s professional development program. Artists can apply for a Career Development Grant at any time throughout the year and are generally notified between five and eight weeks of receipt of submission. Applications must be received at least five weeks before the project start date to be considered.

The following are examples of Queensland designers and craftspeople that were funded within this grant category in 2008:

– Mel Robson received funding towards travel expenses that were used to attend an international symposium on ceramics and print at a ceramics studio in Hungary as a guest artist, and to undertake a one month residency as part of the symposium.
– Julie Shepherd received funding towards travel to China to study and work in an artist residency, to research traditional and contemporary porcelain techniques and forms, to develop prototypes of new work in porcelain and to attend the International Ceramic Fair in Jingdezhen.
– Linda Carroli received funding towards attending the CABE Urban Design Summer School in Newcastle, United Kingdom.
– Jacqueline Orme Ward received funding to be used towards exhibiting a collection of shoe designs at the Design Fiesta in Tokyo and in order to visit the Tokyo Shoe Fair.

This is an ongoing opportunity.

For more information, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au/funding/career-dev-grant.html.

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In addition to the New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development’s (DSRD) program of group missions to selected overseas markets, support is available to companies to undertake an independent market visit to target particular markets.

The Independent Market Visit Program is designed to assist small and medium sized companies to assess their prospects in new markets through a visit program individually tailored to their export needs and objectives.

A well prepared market visit is essential to eventually making sales in a new market. A market visit can help exporters acquire first hand knowledge of culture, customs, business practices, prices, customers and distribution systems, all of which are critical to export success.

Companies meeting eligibility criteria under the Independent Market Visit program may qualify for financial assistance up to A$3,000 to offset fees paid to an approved service provider for such things as in market business matching and appointment scheduling. Financial assistance is not provided for travel, accommodation, meals and other personal expenses.

There is a limit of two independent market visits in any 12 month period and maximum levels of financial assistance also apply, in relation to the total support from DSRD programs.

This is an ongoing opportunity.

For further information and details of the program including eligibility criteria, visit here.

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