Who says SOHO businessses can't shoot for the stars and go after big business? I've got a really fantastic development to tell you about. I also have written two new articles for you. The first is an overview of a communication technology you probably have been hearing about lately, called blogging, and how it relates to business marketing and communication. The second is about getting a registered trademark online, as I did recently. I also have a simple branding idea for you - if you aren't doing it already - and a special offer just for my subscribers.

Blogging for Business
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You've probably been hearing about "blogs" lately - but if you're still not quite sure what one is or why you might care, this short article is for you! Blogs are a form of self publishing, and much like the Web, it has evolved into a commercial tool and a channel of business communications. We'll look at what they are and why you might consider blogging in your business.

Read the article, Blogging for Business

Seeing Stars
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This month, someone I worked with years ago requested that I submit a proposal for the multi-national corporation he works for now. The result was that SOHO It Goes! is now providing web graphic design services for a German company named Infoterra, which is a subsidiary of Astrium, one of the major players in the European geo-information technology market. Infoterra is preparing a web site for TerraSAR-X, a satellite being launched in 2005. SOHO It Goes! is designing the interface for that web site.

I tried to negotiate that a little turtle logo be on the side of the satellite but was denied (I'm kidding but the thought crossed my mind). I'm excited about the long term potential of this business relationship - and its just another reminder that independent professionals and SOHO businesses can be world players!

How the Turtle Got a Trademark (and you can too!)
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This past month, I received notification that I am now the proud owner of a registered trademark for SOHO It Goes! At the request of the small business owners who heard I did it myself, I've written an article about how I did it - and some of the ins and outs of protecting your business name using information on the Web.

Find out how I did it

A simple branding idea - and a special offer for you!
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So, maybe my turtle in outer space was a stretch but I did have another branding idea this month. If you go to www.soho-it-goes.com with Internet Explorer, you'll see that I've created a little tiny turtle logo that shows up when you save the web site to Favorites. That you can do this certainly isn't NEW news - it just suddenly occurred to me that I should do it as part of branding my business! There are a number of icon creators that can be downloaded online. Once the file is created and saved as an icon, all you do it put a line of code in your home page, and put the file at the main root directory of your site.

What is NOT easy is creating something that looks good at a mere 16x16 pixels in size!That's where my special offer comes in. I've been designing icons for almost a decade now and I've got a knack for it. So if you've always wanted to have one as a way to brand your business web site, and need design help, let me know. Subscribers to Increase Your Reach can get a custom icon designed by me for only $39.95, any time in the month of March. Even if you're not sure what you want and need ideas, it can't hurt to email me and we'll cook something up!

Til Next Time!
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Thank you for being an Increase Your Reach subcriber. Be sure to contact me any time to discuss your business marketing plans (at no obligation!) And remember to shoot for the stars!

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© 2004 All Rights Reserved - This newsletter is intended to be read and passed around by entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations interested in electronic communication, design and technology. Please don't reproduce this document or its contents without full credit to Eileen Parzek, SOHO It Goes!