Small business advice - Hamilton, ON

Access to Professionals Business Clinics

Our “Access to Professionals” business clinics are presented in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Simpson Wigle and alrux.com.

Location: Small Business Enterprise Centre, Jackson Square

Accounting (PriceWaterhouseCoopers): Tuesday, February 14th
(1:00 pm - 4:00 pm)
Marketing (alrux.com): Wednesday, February 15th
(10:00 pm - 12:15 pm)
Legal (Simpson Wigle LLP): Thursday, February 16th
(1:00 pm - 4:00 pm)

Pre-registration is a must.
Fee: $20 for a 45 minute session

For information call the SBEC at 905-540-6400.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Feb. 6 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
Feb. 13 - Marketing Strategies
Feb. 21 - Insurance and Legal Considerations
Feb. 27 - Financial Planning and Recordkeeping
Pre-registration is required, each session is $30.00 or book for all 4 at the Fee of $100.00. Sessions are hosted at the Hamilton Incubator of Technology from 6:15 to 9:00.

Do you need help with your business?
Join our team of business entrepreneurs and use our experience to make your business work!

Location: Small Business Enterprise Centre, Jackson Square
Date: Wednesday, February 15th, 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Cost: free (registration required).
To register, go to www.teambiz.ca

Business Advisory Group Session

BAG is a not-for-profit incorporated organization of business persons, senior managers and professionals, working together as volunteers. Since 1984, Business Advisory Group (BAG) and its predecessors have assisted over 700 clients to improve their businesses by helping to achieve:
- Higher Profits
- Increased Sales
- Improved Cash Flow and Financing
- Expansion of Product/Services/Markets
- Business, Marketing and Succession Plans
- Improved Management Control and Reporting

Business Advisory Group (BAG) clients have included contractors, distributors, franchisees, manufacturers, publishers, retailers, service providers, wholesalers and home operated businesses.
We work with both start-up and active businesses.

Date: Every Tuesday morning
Cost: $150 per half day session
Call today for an appointment: 905-381-1999

Mon. Jan. 30th:
HAMILTON DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER - Reception 5:30 / Dinner 6:30 p.m. - Convention Centre - Keynote Speaker: RON FOXCROFT

Thurs. Feb. 2nd:
CONNECTIONS (the Chamber’s sales leads generating club) - 7:45 a.m. - Chamber Club (more info: JO-ANN: T: 905 - 522 - 1151 ext. 227).

Sat. Feb. 11th:
VALENTINE’S DINNER BUFFET - Chamber club - Reservations: 905 - 527 - 7241

Thurs. Feb. 16th:
MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS THAT WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS - a Chamber ATHENA COMMITTEE presentation - 5 - 7 p.m. - the Chamber Club

Tues. Feb. 21th:
WILL YOUR COMPANY SURVIVE A PANDEMIC? - a Science & Technology Committee presentation - 7:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - the Chamber Club

Thurs. Feb. 23rd:
BUSINESS after BUSINESS - 5:30 p.m. - Host: SOURCE CABLE LTD. - Location: PHILTHY McNASTIES

Wed. Mar. 1st:
CHAMBER’S ‘ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - Chamber Club

Tues. Mar. 14th:
GOOD MORNING HAMILTON (the Chamber’s FREE Breakfast Networking Event) - Host: CENTENNIAL COMPUTERS - Location: THE CHAMBER CLUB - 7:45 a.m.

Wed. Mar. 29th:
OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - The Chamber’s Premiere Event
Location: Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre - 5:30 p.m.

Fri. April 21st:
2005 ANCASTER ‘ROYAL BANK’ DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & ANCASTER OLD MILL YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER

Fri. April 28th:
2005 DUNDAS ‘ROYAL BANK’ DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & DUNDAS VALLEY COLLISION CENTRE YOUTH VOLUNTEEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER

New Canadian research shows that good or bad web site design is noticed in 1/20th of a second

In an article I first noticed from the BBC and then later at techtree, the amount of time it takes to come to a decision about first impressions of a web site is just 1/20th of a second or 50 milleseconds. This means that if people believe a website looks good, then this good and positive quality will spread to other areas such as the web site’s content. Or if the web site looks 2nd class or of bad design, a person may move on before even reading the content.

A study conducted by Canadian researchers, published in the journal “Behaviour & Information Technology,” were pleasantly surprised by their findings.

“My colleagues believed it would be impossible to really see anything in less than 500 milliseconds ” -Gitte Lindgaard, Carleton University

Fast conclusions
The Canadian team showed volunteers glimpses of websites, lasting for only 50 milliseconds.

The volunteers then had to rate the websites in terms of their aesthetic appeal.

The researchers found that the speedily formed conclusions closely matched with opinions of the websites that had been made after much longer periods of examination.

The Canadian team wrote that visual appeal can be assessed within 50 milliseconds, which means that web designers have only 50 milliseconds to create an impact on users.

Under the guidance of Dr Gitte Lindgaard, Carleton University, Ottawa, the team showed volunteers 50 millisecond glimpses of Web sites, and asked them to rate the sites basis their aesthetic appeal. Users were then asked to examine the site carefully, and provide a second rating. The researchers found the 2 ratings closely tallying.

Dr Lindgaard expressed surprise at the results, adding that her colleagues believed it would be impossible to really see anything in less than 500 milliseconds or 1/2 a second.

And just why do first impressions last? According to the researchers, it is due to what psychologists would call the “halo effect”. This translated in common terms means that if people believe a website looks good, then this positive quality will spread to other areas such as the website’s content.

Also as people like to be right, they will carry on using the website that made a good first impression - further confirming that their initial decision was correct.

Lindgaard warned on basis of the study that unless first impressions are favorable, visitors will ship out of websites even before they can get to know what the website has to offer and that is to your competitors advantage.

If you would like a free web site consultation please visit Office Activate web design services.

re: Canadian and U.S Search Engine Marketing spending statistics for 2005.

Search Marketing spending is up 44% from 2004 compared to 2005.

According to a Jan. 9 report released by the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO) this morning, U.S. and Canadian advertisers spent $5.75 billion on search engine marketing last year. That number is up 44% compared with spending in 2004. The report, �The State of Search Engine Marketing 2005,� also projects that SEM spending in North America will reach $11 billion in 2010.

�This report confirms our belief that Search Engine Marketing has almost single-handedly revived a flagging online advertising marketplace after the stock market crashed in 2000� said Kevin Lee, Chairperson of SEMPO. “As consumers have become increasingly reliant on search engines to navigate the Web, investors have shown a renewed interest in the digital technologies — and in search marketing in particular.”

As usual, pay-per-click advertising led the spending, accounting for 83% of the total spending. Organic search ( searching through the search engines ) , which has not yet become part of the strategy for many large companies, lagged far behind, logging 11% of spending.

The survey also found:

* Google and Yahoo still command the lion�s share of Internet advertising.
* Branding, sales, leads and traffic are the top objectives of paid placement programs.

The report is based on a survey of more than 550 search marketers conducted by Radar Research and Intellisurvey last November and calculated the spend based on payments to search engines, search marketing agencies and in-house search marketing employees.

See other Internet Statistics.

Here is the summary of events for January 2006 for the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

� Tues. Jan. 10th: GOOD MORNING HAMILTON - 8:00 a.m.

This is the first event of the year and it will be held at the MOHAWK 4 ICE CENTRE (Hamilton’s new 4 pad arena) and they encourage us to bring our skates.
The new Ice Centre is part of the MOHAWK SPORTS PARK (corner of Upper Kenilworth & Mohawk Road).
When: Tues. Jan. 10th
Time: 7:45 - 9 a.m.

� Thurs. Jan. 19th: CONNECTIONS - 7:45 a.m. - Chamber Club
� Thurs. Jan 26th: BUSINESS AFTER BUSINESS - 5:30 p.m. - Host: TAYLOR MADE MEMORIES& THE HAMILTON CHAMBER CLUB - Location: Chamber Club
� Mon. Jan. 30th: HAMILTON DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER - Reception 5:30 / Dinner 6:30 p.m. - Convention Centre - Keynote Speaker: RON FOXCROFT
� Wed. Mar. 1st: CHAMBER’S ‘ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING’ - Chamber Club
� Fri. April 21st: 2005 ANCASTER ‘ROYAL BANK’ DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & ANCASTER OLD MILL YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER
� Fri. April 28th: 2005 DUNDAS ‘ROYAL BANK’ DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR & DUNDAS VALLEY COLLISION CENTRE YOUTH VOLUNTEEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER

To register for any of these events email: p.dieryck@hamiltonchamber.on.ca

But normally for Business after Business or Good Morning Hamilton events you can just show up. At least that’s what I do.