The public has been enamored with videos since well before the advent of YouTube. Think about America’s Funniest Home Videos. That show began in 1989 and is now in its 22nd season! But the breakout success of YouTube (which has only been around for six years believe it or not) means more and more people can now shoot a simple video, make it go “live” and experience the amazement of having their video seen by a number of people.

YouTube’s stats are mind-boggling. The site has 3 billion views a day! “That's the equivalent of nearly half the world's population watching a YouTube video each day," notes Google, which owns the video-sharing site. And people aren’t just watching. Google also notes that more than 48 hours of video are uploaded to the site each minute. That’s incredible! And it’s a huge boon to DIY marketers.

Small-business owners are discovering the ...

By now you've hopefully had a chance to browse around our newly redesigned, fantastically wonderful cool website (at least we think it is!). With the new website, we're able to provide more interactivity with all our visitors (did you see the RSS feeds and the Like buttons?), and we'll also be able to bring you great new content. Some of that new content comes in the form of our Business and Guest Blogs. We've partnered with some very savvy experts to provide you with their insights in display, finances, social media, marketing, retail and more. Check out the Business Blog under Grow Your Biz to keep on top of the newest tips and advice in different areas of business. And as we all know, we learn just as much from our peers as we do the experts. So under the Gift Industry section, you'll find our Guest Blogs. These blogs ...

That furry little guy in my arms at right is Humphrey. This sweet Yorkie is the four-legged greeter at HiHo Home Market in Gardiner, New York. While Humphrey keeps things lively at the shop (especially when he’s doing his little dance in exchange for a cookie), it’s his owner, Heidi Hill-Haddard, who really brings the shop alive. Heidi’s honed skills and overflowing imagination are responsible for the eye-popping displays (Fruit decorating a light fixture? A garden hose looped overhead? Flowing fabrics stapled to the walls?) and the creative business marketing (Facebook, Twitter, a blog, oh my!) that draws people to this Hudson Valley shop. Heidi is also this year’s Country Business Retailer of the Year.

I first met Heidi at the New York International Gift Fair last summer. We chatted over lunch about retailing, social marketing, gift shows and more. I could tell then that Heidi’s mind was always operating ...

In March, we held our first Great Heartland Display Challenge. It was a fun, exciting event sponsored by Victorian Heart Company and CWI Gifts. It was held at CWI’s warehouse and included product from CWI and VHC. We had a wonderful turnout, with many retailers jumping in their seats hoping to be chosen as one of the three contestants to compete for the prizes. Retailers were given a cache of similar products and were allowed to choose various props to work with. From there, they were given 30 minutes to create a display. Watching three different displays come together in that short time, using essentially the same product, shows that a different perspective can provide different results. And oftentimes, that different perspective is just what we need.

As business owners, many times we go through our day with blinders on. We enter our shop through the same door, walk past ...

When it comes to improving your business, gaining the most customers you can, and turning a tidy profit, is anything game? Some business owners believe so. Yet others say there’s a point where you can go too far. In the business world, do you need to be a bit ruthless to get ahead? And is it being ruthless, or just taking advantage of the situation?

In the past few months, I’ve come across a couple examples of one business using another business’ downfall to its advantage. One example is how a chain grocery store in our area handled a nearby grocery store closing its doors. At this particular corner, there were three large grocery stores. Although we are in a growing community, it’s not hard to see how three grocery stores (that essentially sell the same things) would have a hard time competing on the same corner. As would eventually ...