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Sites of Interest

Resources and ideas to start a business

Interesting sites 

In our travels we have come across a number of interesting sites relevant to small business owners and those who want to start a business. If you are looking for business ideas and opportunities, take time to visit the sites below. Enjoy!

Ted - Technology, Design Entertainment

Teds is an event like no other, it brings together more than 1,000 thought leaders, movers and shakers from all over the globe. Teds runs over a course of 4 days a ticket to this amazing event will set you back $4,000. Don’t despair if you can’t afford a ticket, this site allows you to listen and download the speakers from past Ted’s, simply click on the tab "Past Ted's".  One of my favourite speakers is Richard St.John, to listen to Richard, click here.

Richard St.John Bio:
Why do people succeed? Because they're smart? Or lucky? How about: Neither. Richard St. John compacts seven years of research on successful people into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success (Hint: passion, persistence, and pushy mothers help). Richard St. John is author of, Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH: What really leads to success -- and it's not smarts, looks, or luck.

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Catapult

If your looking for a little inspiration try Catapult, the ABC Online's website for good ideas, inventions and innovations. Catapult interview a number of aspiring entrepreneurs, you can listen to their stories, if you click on the tab, "stories", alternative most interviews are broadcasted on Tripple J, during weekdays. Catapult also provides up to date news and practical information on how you can get started. Catapult is funded through the National Innovation Awareness Strategy (NIAS), which is administered by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR).Z

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Australian Anthill

Australian Anthill has distinguished itself from other business magazines by taking an irreverent and often ‘edgy’ approach to business reporting, to reflect the youthful mindset of its readers — entrepreneurs , private company investors and service providers (the three groups vital to business development).  While Australian business magazines have traditionally focussed on the ‘nuts and bolts’ of business, Australian Anthill addresses the inspiring thrills, spills, trials and tribulations of commercial enterprise and technology breakthrough. The website for Australian Anthill provides interesting articles, resources and contacts to check out Australian Anthill click on the title above.

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MBox

If you don't want to purchase a fax machine out right consider a new age alternative, internet messaging.  mBox is a leader in internet messaging. MBox's internet fax, sms and email services can save you money, increase your producitvity and give you communication options you may not have previously considered for your business.  mBox provides unified messaging and communications services to more than 10,000 customers in Australia, New Zeland and South-East Asia. mBox operate an international network with points of presence in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland and Singapore and a corporate and administrative office located in Perth, Western Australia.

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I'm Boss TV

ImBoss.tv is a destination for small business owners and managers to be inspired, informed and educated with fresh new articles, interviews and segments added to the portal every week. Launched on June 1st 2006 by the Federal Minister for Small Business & Tourism, The Hon. Fran Bailey, ImBoss.tv's sole purpose is to guide Australia's 1.2 million small businesses to a more successful enterprise. I'mBoss.tv is absolutely free to view, and best of all it's available twenty-four hours a day and on-demand. You can watch what you want, when you want!

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Radio 4 Small Business

Radio 4 Small Business is an Internet Radio for Australian businesses. They focus on the production and delivery of high quality and valuable business information. As the leading internet business radio station in Australia they deliver information across a wide range of subjects related to business operations.

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Constant Contact

Its long been known it costs a lot more to attract a new customer than it does to retain a current customer.  To grow your business you should look at ways to develop and maintain relationship with your current customers, consider sending newsletters, monthly updates, make contact on a regularly basis. How can you maintain contact?, consider using the services of  Constant Contact.   More than 90,000 small businesses and associations use Constant Contact®, the leading permission-based email marketing solution for small business. Why? Because they help small businesses build stronger and more profitable relationships with their customers. And that is the single most important factor in helping small businesses grow!

In a recent independent survey from Web Marketing Today®, Constant Contact was voted the most popular email marketing tool by small businesses. Show Mummy the Money has used Constant Contact and found it a very cost effective way to capture visitors email addresses from our web-site, build our database and send out well designed emails and newsletters.  You can trial Constant Contact for 60 days, click here to visit Constant Contact.

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Marketing | Australias Premier Marketing Magazine

Marketing explores the strategic challenges and issues facing businesses large and small. Packed monthly with comprehensive reports and advice from leading industry specialists, Marketing is Australia’s number one resource for information on implementing strategies, maximising campaigns and gaining the competitive advantage.  Marketing includes comprehensive, informative coverage on a diversity of topics including database marketing, sponsorship, PR, sales and advertising. Its mission is to provide information that enables readers to communicate across all media more effectively, in order to affect behavioural change and maximise value.  This website contains a number of great articles, current and past, click here.

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Small Business Big Opportunity

Small Business, Big Opportunity aim to guide and provide assistance to the many small and medium businesses (SMEs) that are the lifeblood of the Australian economy. As a leading Australian service provider for small business, they take their role of supporting the growth and prosperity of this sector very seriously. Small Business, Big Opportunity offers you valuable advice on a variety of marketing and advertising topics including:

• Search engine marketing
• Digital marketing systems
• Media Business image
• Directory and online advertising

Click here to order your FREE copy of Sensis' Small Business, Big Opportunity marketing and advertising guide.

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VistaPrint

Vista Print is making high-quality graphic design and custom printing convenient and affordable for everyone.  With more than 8,000,000 customers worldwide, VistaPrint is a leading online supplier of high-quality graphic design services and customised printed products to small businesses and consumers. We offer high-quality solution for graphic design and full-color printing in small quantities, without the premium price.
Vista Print offer FREE Business Cards:

• 100 full-colour business cards free
• 42 design choices
• Durable, premium grade card stock
• Pay only for Postage and processing

If you looking to cut costs, in the initial stages of starting your business why not consider Vista's offer of free Business Cards? Click here to read more about Vista's offer.  

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Esty

Are you crafty, able to make your own products? We have the site for you!
It is well known consumers are moving away from mass marketed, mass produced to valuing the uniqueness and originality of handmade items.
Etsy is bringing together buyer and sellers of all things hand-made.  Best of all Etsy provides a window to world market for the budding entrepreneur.  Since its launch in 2005 this on line market place for handmade goods has grown to over 26,000 sellers across the world.

To open up your own store on Etsy, simply register on their home page. I suggest you consult the FAQ , and read up on the terms and conditions before you sign up. It usually costs .20 cents per item, however there are restrictions on what is deemed “home-made”.

www.etsy.com

 

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Business Babes

The Body Shop together with the federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) have established a program called “Business Babes” to help the growing number of Mums who are setting up their own home-based business.

American Express and the Red Cross have also recently joined the program. Business Babes offer an 11 day course for Mums under 25 years who have a keen desire to start their own business. Once the successful applicant has developed a business plan, and has begun to establish their business they can apply to the department for small grants to cover initial outlays and materials. They can also apply for interest-free micro-loans of up to $5,000 from American Express.

Currently the program runs in Sydney and Melbourne.

For more information, please click here.  Business Babes also featured in The Australian, click here to read the full article.

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