It’s time to start seeing that little slip of paper for what it is: the best opportunity you have to market yourself or your business to a targeted and captive audience. After all, you chose to hand it to that person for a reason.

Here are six ways to spiff up your business card so that it collects sales, rather than dust:

1. Give your card a purpose. And we’re not just talking communication. Cards that multi-task will be seen far more frequently than your average business card. Turn it into a bookmark, an event ticket, a note card, scratch card or sticker. Make it a conversation piece and your business will automatically become a part of the conversation.

2. Track it. Include a QR code or SKU on your business card, and whenever you hand it out, give the recipient an incentive like discounts or coupons for checking out your site. This way, you’ll be able to track the rate at which your card compels people to action. If the current design and incentive doesn’t work, you can always try another.

In his years as an advertising executive and copywriter, Ogilvy created some of the world’s most successful and iconic marketing campaigns, including the legendary Man in the Hathaway Shirt, plus notable efforts for Schwepps, Rolls Royce, and the island of Puerto Rico among many others.

As content marketers, we can learn a lot from the legendary Mr. Ogilvy. He was, after all, one of the pioneers of information-rich, “soft sell” ads that didn’t insult the intelligence of the prospect. For example, consider The Guinness Guide to Oysters, an early form of what the kids are now calling native advertising — from 1951.

We can study Ogilvy’s successful advertising campaigns to learn how to persuade prospects, influence readers, and create memorable, evergreen content. But “The Father of Advertising” also has plenty to teach us about productivity, branding, research, and ambition.

Let’s look at some things David Ogilvy had to say, and see what we can learn from each of them.

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Many of those people at the events are extremely accomplished marketing professionals with a ton of creds—don’t get me wrong. But I’ve noticed that many seem to struggle with one topic in particular: How do marketers reach Millennials and successfully engage with them?

I’ve sat in many a packed convention conference hall while guys my dad’s age explain to their peers what Millennials are like. Everyone refers to what those kids these days do with their smartphones, with much chuckling in the audience. (I try to stifle a groan whenever someone makes a joke about how much his teenage son or daughter texts.) To save you the same fate, let me sum up the majority of what the marketing profession thinks about Millennials: They’re stupid.

Like, seriously, pants-on-your-head stupid.

Marketing your small business online isn’t all that tricky. Though there are plenty of things to learn if you’re to get the best results from your efforts, I wouldn’t advise anyone to sit around learning all there is to know about online marketing before jumping in.

First of all, I don’t know any small business owners who have the time to do that. Second, it isn’t necessary. Instead, jump in! Start now… You’ll learn plenty along the way.

An important note: your online marketing efforts will reflect either positively or negatively on your business. Any business owner can start marketing online now, but do take care to put out content and messages that have quality and authenticity.

So, let’s get down to it. Here are seven online marketing activities you can start today.

1. Blog

Blogging is a powerful content marketing activity for any size business. It can help position you as an expert in your industry, bring more traffic to your website, grow a loyal fan base, and generate buzz and interest in what you have to offer.

It does take a time commitment, but the return on investment is generally high.

If you already have a website built with the mega-popular WordPress software, setting up your blog will be very simple and essentially free. If you’re not using a website service that allows you to add a blog to your website, you can host your blog independently of your business website and link to it. However, I highly recommend the all-in-one solution, since it helps enforce your overall brand unity.

Once you have your blog up and running, you can begin publishing helpful articles to attract your target market. You blog shouldn’t be an advertising outlet, it should focus on delivering content that is helpful and engaging. You might feel like you’re giving away some of your best ideas, but doing so will only increase your credibility and community.

Previously, I shared my definitive checklist for startup success, which included the things you needed to accomplish before approaching venture investors in order to increase the odds that they will be interested in funding your business.  In this lesson, I am going to provide the inverse; a definitive list of things a venture investor should offer you, before you take money from them.
 

About the Firm

• What is the firm’s track record of success?  Have them list their best performers.
• Does the firm have a “brand name?”  Some startups are perceived as being better investment/startup opportunities, if a big name firm is involved.  This may help you attract other investors and business partners in the future.  But, there are plenty of great lesser-known investors.
• How big is their current fund overall?  More specifically, how much is still available for future investment?  You want a firm with deep pockets, for this round and the next.
• Is this their first fund or their fifth fund?  The more funds they have raised over the years, the more successful their investments have been, attracting new capital over time.
• What business contacts can the firm introduce to you?  Their Rolodex is often more important than their capital, to help you open doors to business partners more quickly.

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It might be tempting to seal a deal with a handshake. After all, formalities just slow things down and, as a small business owner, you’ve got countless other things to do with your time. However, when you make a contract, proper documentation will give you and your business solid legal protection should the need arise.

While specific business needs vary, below are three common legal contracts you should draw up for your business.

Make a Contract: 3 Contract Agreements You Should Have

1. Partnership Agreement

If you’re starting or running a business with someone else, you need some kind of agreement in writing. Even if your business partner is your spouse, best friend or sibling, having some kind of partnership agreement in place from the start can be a helpful to figure out the inevitable issues that come up during the course of running a business.

The partnership agreement should contain the following:

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