small businesses Tagged Articles

How can Outsourcing Help Small Business Grow Fast

Contrary to big businesses that can afford to hire people across different geographical locations and place them in offices across the country, small businesses are limited by their resources and options to look for ‘specialists’ in their locality only; this is when outsourcing becomes a boon; if used correctly, of course.

Running a business successfully.

People use me to help them run their businesses successfully. I'm a professional business coach, have been so for 10 years. I work with about 25 entrepreneurs every month to help them manage their businesses. Most of them are doing extremely well - even in these tough times. Enclosed is a huge document I give them all. When you look at it, you'll probably guess that many small-business owners, eager to get into the part of the business that makes money, skip critical steps that should come first - steps about self-knowledge, mission, vision. And, while small business is the heartbeat of the engine that drives American commerce, 40% of new small businesses are gone in 1 year, 80% in 4 years. So, have a read. See if this makes sense to you. Use it as you please. For conversation, please call.

A Topgrading Tool

What tools can I use to select the best employee?

ARE YOU FANATICAL FOR YOUR CUSTOMER?

Is your customer's best interest at the center of your attention

Buying Help at Discount Pricing

Do you always pay the lowest price for labor?

Cash is King

In small companies, managing cash is critical. Not managing cash is one of the primary reasons that small companies fail, even when they may be making a profit

Dealing with Difficult Employees

Managing people is never easy, and some employees make it even more difficult. These challenging employees can try your patience and take a lot of your time and energy. It requires skillful management to turn these employees around and make them into productive workers.

Develop Alliances

The development of alliance can be one of the most successful ventures a company can make.

Disect Profit, Loss

How do you quickly analyse the profit and loss statement if you are not a financial expert?

Do You Know Your Breakeven

It is critical that all business know their breakeven point and it is even more critical today.

Listen to Your Employees

If you do not listen to your employees, you are probably making a major mistake.

Operations Plans

Why should small companies have an operations plan?

Performance Measurements (KPI's)

Every company must have Key Performance Indicators that they use the manage their company.

Planning and Implementation

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail

Saving Your Way to Success

How many times have you heard small company owners say they can cut costs to save their company?

The Need for Strategic Planning

Every company should have a strategic plan, no matter what the size. In fact, it is often more important for small firms as they tend to lose focus very easily.

Too Much Inventory

Critically managing all your inventory is critical to long term success. You may be surprised at what I classify as inventory.

Topgrading

How do I chose the best employees?

Online Marketing Tools for Small Businesses

Marketing has become affordable for small businesses due largely to the Internet and technology. Those of us who are owners and operators of small businesses can appreciate the fact that nowadays, we don't have to use the unaffordable advertising methods of yesterday. In this article, I will provide a list of online marketing tools that you can use for advertising and marketing your business and, most importantly, they are affordable.

How to run a business successfully

According to most business surveys, one-third of small businesses fail in the first two years and one-half fail within the first five years. Such statistics might discourage even the most determined potential entrepreneurs from trying to realize their business dreams. But avoiding some of the most serious mistakes entrepreneurs can begin to run a business successfully.

How Do I Keep My Business Afloat?

"Plants don't want to die." Doug Maurer, Brian-Kyles Construction I was talking with my good friend Doug Maurer the other day. Doug is the founder and owner of Brian-Kyles Construction, which is a landscaping company based in Northeast Ohio. Doug was talking with me about a plant in my front yard that wasn't doing so well. He was explaining how I should cut the shrub down to its base to re-balance the plant so the roots were larger than the plant itself. And then he said the quote above regarding plants not wanting to die. It got me to thinking about how businesses are a lot like plants. Businesses don't want to die either. This is particularly true of small businesses.

How To Keep Your Business Afloat

I was talking with my good friend Doug Maurer the other day. Doug is the founder and owner of Brian-Kyles Construction, which is a landscaping company based in Northeast Ohio. Doug was talking with me about a plant in my front yard that wasn't doing so well. He was explaining how I should cut the shrub down to its base to re-balance the plant so the roots were larger than the plant itself. And then he said a magical quote, "plants don't want to die." It got me to thinking about how businesses are a lot like plants. Businesses don't want to die either. This is particularly true of small businesses.

Why Do Most Small Businesses Fail?

Depending on what you've read or heard, the failure rate for small businesses in the first 5 years has been estimated to be anywhere from 40% to 90%. Whatever the actual figure, it's higher than it needs to be.

Goals for sales reps in 2010

The downturn in the world economy has forced a lot of companies to rethink their sales plans in the last year or two. While some sectors of business might not be doing as badly as others, the general feeling is one of "things can't go on like this forever." This half-hopeful/ half incredulous outlook is pretty much the norm right now. For the new entrepreneur though, this is an opportunity to compete on a more level playing field. The big players in just about every sector have scaled back in so many areas that the market has opened up for the more streamlined and customer service oriented small businesses. For sales people this is your chance to play ball.

Small business profits – threat or opportunity

Turn-on your television or pick up a newspaper and all that is reported right now, apart from the present swine flu problem, is the "credit crunch" - falling house prices, rising unemployment, businesses going bust, repossessions, bankruptcies and more... So what should small businesses do? Well this depends on whether you see this as an opportunity or a threat. There are no doubt certain businesses that will find these times more difficult than others, for example, only today there are reports about how the number of unemployed lorry drivers has gone up almost 5-fold since this time last year. Where businesses are selling less and therefore resulting in a less of a need for transport, then transport companies will see a dip in demand and as a consequence might need to make redundancies.

Reveal one of the most frequent mistake why thousands of small businesses flop

Everybody who has ever ventured alone on setting up his or her business knows all too well what a tough taks it is to take on. You are probably familiar with data that shows that in excess of one in two small businesses flop in the initial first 12 months of trading and 95% go belly up inside the first 5 years. Yet, that number never alters much from one year to the next. Why is that?

Exploring New Markets - Export

Experience shows that small businesses can and do export successfully. A business does not have to be big to sell in the global marketplace. Finding your niche in the world market is similar to finding it in the U.S. market.

The Smart Alternative to Layoffs

The slowing economy has sent many of my clients back to the drawing board to take a sharp pencil to next year's budget. Small businesses run lean and mean most of the time, so there aren't many significant line items available for reduction… until you get to payroll.

On Your Six, Boss!

The relationship between employer and employee in small businesses is often a very personal one. There is more camaraderie, more trust and more interaction than one typically finds in a large company. Small business employers know the stories behind their employees and see them as people with families, mortgages, college tuitions, etc.

5 Factors to Consider when Choosing the Right Target Market

I often see small businesses making the costly mistake of not having a clearly defined target market. They continually try to please everybody rather than focus on a narrower field to those who really will benefit from the product or service their business has to offer. Trying to please everybody usually ends up in pleasing nobody.

Why Hosted Exchange Makes Sense for Small Businesses

A Microsoft Exchange solution is rapidly becoming a must-have for any business, allowing easy communication and collaboration. But smaller businesses hit a roadblock when they see the costs of having an in-house exchange server. If you own a small business that could benefit from increased efficiency and workforce productivity, Hosted Exchange may be the perfect solution.

Advertising: The Nuts And Bolts Of Making It Work: Step One: Make your Headlines Command Attention

Most of the advertising I see small businesses use is ineffectual, image advertising. By ineffectual, I mean not making the cash register ring. Over the next couple of articles I will show you strategies and tactics which will make your advertising work for you...and by that I mean get you more customers.

How Entrepreneurs Can Thrive During The Recession

Entrepreneurship is the best possible solution not only to survive the recession but to go many steps ahead and thrive in it. However, the need of the hour is sheer survival. It is generally thought that to start a business, a lot of money and manpower is required. This is not true. You can opt for small businesses with minimum investment and staff.

Starting a small business-How to work smart not hard

Are you one of the many who dream about starting a small business? Do you struggle to find the right opportunity? Do you want to earn more money, work less hours and spend more time with your family and friends? If so here is some advice on how to find the best small business opportunity to suit your needs.

Cash Flow Forecasts

Companies with strategic business plans enjoy greater revenue and profit growth than companies that don't have one! In 1993, AT&T commissioned a study of small businesses. The survey found that companies that had a business plan were far more likely to succeed than those that did not. Notably, only 42 percent of the businesses surveyed in the AT&T study had a formal business plan - a statistic that hasn't changed much in the past 10 or so years. Yet according to more recent studies, companies with a strategic plan enjoy greater revenue and profit growth than companies that don't have one, and their failure rate is much lower.

Why Do So Many Businesses Fail?

Since beginning this experiment I've had a lot of time to think about things during my seven mile walks each day. It seems all we hear about in the news lately is how all the mega-corporations are failing. Whether it's a company that is completely destroyed and forced out of business due to corrupt managment, or the government needing to jump in an bail out the automotive companies. The fact that I even know what's going on in the world is amazing, since I boycotted the news back in January and haven't began watching it since that time. Unfortunately I spend a good amount of time with Twitter and see all the doom and gloom headlines each day. THANKS ALOT TWITTER!!!

Internet Marketing Education For Professional Services And Small Businesses

Internet marketing can be simple, effective and inexpensive, if small business owners and professionals take the time to get educated.

Give Your Startup Business the Edge it Needs

Many small businesses go out of business during, or right after, their first year of operation. This is why the advice is commonly given to have enough start-up capital to see the business through two years. Here is some advice to help you give your start-up business the edge it needs to survive into its second year.

More Small Businesses Are Facing the Challenges of Delinquent Payroll Tax Problems

Small businesses and firms make up the backbone of our economy; yet so many of these businesses suffer from the IRS due to delinquent payroll tax problems. Find out how you can solve your IRS payroll tax problems before the IRS puts a payroll tax levy (or worse) on your small business. Follow these tips in this article to protect the future of your business and employees from the IRS.

How Small Businesses Can Build a Big Brand With PR

How can small businesses build a big brand? It’s simple. It’s with PR. As a publicist I’ve known this for years. I’ve seen media exposure launch everything from new medical procedures to special events and inventions. Why does it work? It works because PR is the bridge that connects large audiences with a single person with the big idea. How do you get it? You can do it yourself up to a point or allocate some money for a publicist.

Google Slapped or Slapped by the Hand of God-Which is the Most Effective?

Since I keep hearing the term, I found a definition for “Google slapped”: It is a term used by mainly small businesses that rely on Google AdWords to drive business to their sites. Google AdWords allows people to have their advertisements for their business on pages with keywords that relate to their products. People who hold AdWords accounts pay each time someone clicks on their ad at about 5¢-10¢ per click. If Google decides that the page potential customers visit when they click on the ad is unrelated, of poor quality, or maybe it loads slowly, they may take punitive action in the form of a Google Slap which drives up the price of the pay per click amount, sometimes to $10 per click, which most small vendors cannot afford to pay. Google may also reduce your page ranking which means you have to pay more.

Strategic Internet Marketing Online Advertising Is Apparently the Solution for Small Businesses

Strategic Internet Marketing Online Advertising Has Quickly Become A Solution To Struggling Small Business Owners. The Ability To Increase Their Profits And Customer Base Using The Internet Has Helped To Maintain Not Only Their Doors Open, But Their Employees Employed. Read This Article To Get A Full Understanding How To Increase YOUR Business Using The Net.

Get Ready for Recovery Without Committing Cash Today

Many of the self employed business owners I talk to are skeptical about when, how fast, or how prolonged any coming economic recovery will be. That leaves them reluctant to spend money right now when they are unsure of how soon they’ll be getting a return on that marketing or expansion investment.

Ted Turner Quotes

Ted Turner Quotes

Jim Sinegal Quotes

Jim Sinegal Quotes

The New Power Of Advertising

A website is an island. Advertising is a bridge to that island. Large and small businesses online are discovering that truth in a hurry – or else. Advertising is not what it used to be. The internet has changed its purpose and its strength. Rather than making advertising in the traditional media weaker, the net has made it stronger. That’s why all guerrillas must be aware of the new power of advertising.

Chaos, Confusion & Catastrophe: The Three C’s of Small Business

I just have to get this out of my system. I have had so many negative experiences n the past few weeks with “service companies” who simply have no idea -- none, zilch, completely vacuously zero – of what service is, that I simpl could not restrain myself from writing about it and sharing it with you, given how committed you are to fulfilling the vision of entrepreneurship.

Filling the Gap Between Generation and Conversion

I had a journalist ask me the other day to define the difference between sales and marketing for the typical entrepreneur.

Shopping Online for the Holidays

A recent Yahoo!/Harris poll had some telling results for small business owners.

Guerrilla Planning

The first thing to know is that guerrillas plan backwards, beginning with the attainment of their loftiest goals in the future, then working back to the present. If you can allow yourself to visualize success, the path to it will be easier to find. Most companies see the beginning of the path in front of them, but don't see where it leads in the distance. Their short-sightedness gets them in trouble when change or unforeseen circumstances occur. It even impairs their ability to function when confronted with success.

How Long Should It Take For My Marketing To Work?

I get the question posed in the title of this post often so I have two questions myself to preface the answer - How long do you plan to be in business? and, How long does it take to build a really high quality home?

What Is Guerrilla Marketing?

The first Guerrilla Marketing book was published by Houghton Mifflin in l984. Today there are 35 volumes in 41 languages, and more than 14 million copies have been sold worldwide. The book is required reading in many MBA programs throughout the world. The author taught the topic at the University of California, Berkeley Extension Division. He lectures on it worldwide.

The Hidden World of Bartering

I remember vividly my first experience scuba diving. As soon as I went beneath the surface of the sea, I realized that an entire world existed every day within my own world-and I wasn't at all aware of it. Whether or not I knew of it, that world was still alive and happening.

What's In Your Name?

The name of your company can and should carry some serious marketing weight.

Blurb Books a Great Tool for Telling Your Story

I ran into a service called Blurb at the SXSW Interactive Conference this March and think they have a tool that has some great small business marketing applications. The service lets you take written words and images and turn them into very professional looking hard bound books in small quantities.

I'm just not that kind of person...

Craig writes in with a story about a Dyson vacuum.

Guerrilla Marketing With Technology

Up until a few years ago, technology was not something associated with small business marketing. Perhaps it was connected with databases or inventory control, possibly with electronic spreadsheets and word proccessing. Anyhow, it was complicated and expensive -- and its affect on small business didn't stretch into the arena of marketing.

Business Plan - Charter

Back when I was 21 years old I figured you had to start somewhere. Our business plan started with a “charter statement” which – in hindsight – was roughly equivalent to a vision statement.

Exchanging services for advertising

Large advertisers have been doing it for years - buy our product and get a free t-shirt to wear around and help spread the word about our company.

Want to cut your ad budget?

Advertising is a very effective way to generate leads, but it remains one of those double edge swords type of things for budget crunched small businesses. On the surface, advertising can represent the single greatest marketing expense - on the other hand, it is how most businesses take it to the next level.

Escaping the Entrepreneurial Seizure: Interview with Michael Gerber

Michael Gerber’s name should sound familiar. I recommend his bestseller, The E-Myth Revisited, as the must-read classic on automation. It brief, it discusses how to create scalable businesses that are based on rules and not outstanding employees; and how to become an owner instead of constant micromanager. Michael also had a enormous influence on me as a first-time writer. His words to me were simple during our first lunch:

Should small businesses whine?

I bought some clothes from a merchant via Amazon. The company that I ordered from shipped the wrong item. I sent it back and was told it will take three or four weeks to process my return. A month!

Be the Red Leaf

So I come back from my chilly morning run and am greeted by the site of one lone red leaf popping out of a sea of green ivy and decaying brown leaves - and I can’t help but take notice.

All Tweet and No Cattle

Today I’m going to take on a topic that may not be altogether popular in some social media circles, but it’s a message that small business owners need to wrestle with.

Jedi Mind Tricks: How to Get $250,000 of Advertising for $10,000

In December 2008, well-known marketing consultant John Jantsch asked me what my small business predictions were for 2009. This was my answer:

5 Social Media Tools for Small Businesses

Amber MacArthur provided a list of the five social-media tools that small business should begin with.

4 Reasons Women Entrepreneurs will Thrive in the New Economy

It’s no secret the major shift in the economy has forced us to stop and take stock of our lives, turning our livelihood – including the global business market - on its head. This is especially true for single women and single moms who do not have the luxury of dual-incomes to help soften the blow. With the worst of economic shakedown behind us (so it seems), many women are left to wonder where to go from here? Ideals surrounding traditional careers are changing, if not completely dissolving. Today, women are taking control of their destiny and financial wealth by becoming entrepreneurs. With the focus shifting from Corporate America to Entrepreneur America, it is projected that small businesses will lift the U.S. out of the current recession into a new economy supported by entrepreneurs – not corporations.

How does the 2009 Recovery Act Affect My Small Business?

We all know that the economy has been suffering over the past couple of years. We also know that the government has thrown billions of dollars at the problem. I remember hearing that small businesses were supposed to be a key part of the nation’s economic recovery, but I have not seen any of that money. So I did a little research to see what the Recovery Act could do for my small business. The main, small business provisions of the bill include tax benefits, easier access to capital, and a temporary stop on loan fees for SBA 7(a) and 504 loans.

Introduction to Accounting

As a small business owner I have very little extra money available for extras. For me this includes a highly qualified accountant. Fortunately, for most small businesses hiring an accountant is not necessary. All small business owners should know the basics of accounting so that they can keep accurate records. When every penny counts then every penny should be counted. In essence this the definition of accounting. So, what does every small business owner need to know about accounting?

Guerrilla marketing erects monuments to follow-up, honors it, and practices it.

But effective follow-up is a rarity among small businesses. It pains me to know that over 60% of leads--leads that took a lot of time, energy, imagination and information to generate--will slip through the cracks. What's even more tragic is that a stunning 68 percent of the leads that convert into customers will be ultimately lost after the sale due to poor follow-up.

To expand or not to expand?

While many small businesses are struggling to keep head above water, others are considering expansion to take advantage of the opportunities that are still out there. If this is you, there are a few things to think about before going this route.

Building teams for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs

Building teams for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs can seem like a daunting task. Every businessperson wants that "winning" team of individuals, and each team member wants to feel important to the whole. Therefore, team building teams Small Businesses and Solopreneurs isn't just about finding great potential hires - it's about finding great hires that can also WORK together effectively. To build a successful and effective team, each person on the team must have a healthy level of commitment, an understanding and respect of / for your business culture and a grasp of your vision for your business. If your team is local, having face to face meetings where discussions can take place, helps make that three-fold foundation a reality.

Why Should I Care About the SBA? - Mash Bonigala

Most business owners know that SBA stands for Small Business Administration, but I wonder how many of us know more than that. The SBA mission statement is to “to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters." Well, that sounds all fine and good but how do they accomplish that goal and how can they help me overcome my business challenges? The SBA is organized into many different offices and each of those offices has the directive to complete the mission of the SBA as a whole. Here is a list of the different SBA offices:

Top Reasons Small Businesses Fail - Mash Bonigala

If you are like most small business owners you will pour your heart and soul along with every last penny into your new small business during the first five years of operation. Unfortunately, for the majority of small business owners their businesses will still fail within five years. Why do so many small businesses fail? And what can a prospective owner do to increase their individual odds?

Free Employee Training

Free training for employees often sounds too good to be true. Far too often, it is. In today’s economy, disposable income at most companies is tight, especially smaller businesses. While larger companies may thrive under new economic stimulus packages, small businesses run into trouble when it comes to financing just about anything. Free training becomes a carrot that many small businesses simply will not ignore. But is free training worth the time?

Stretching the Training Budget

With rising costs and changing economies, the constraints on small businesses become even more difficult to manoeuvre. Among the first casualties to resource cuts is the training budget, as many employers consider training their employees to be an avoidable expense. Good training is expensive and many smaller companies purely do not have the capital to afford it. Luckily there are ways to enlarge and extend the training budget so that education can still be considered a part of the business plan.

How to address Consumer Fear

Today consumer fear has replaced consumer confidence. In such times small businesses or home-based businesses are in a better place to come away stronger and better if they know the secret to survival and how to position themselves for the next boom. This article explores these keys to combat consumer fear.

: Network with Strong Leaders for Success

Networking with strong leaders will help your business to excel. It is good to know that we can learn from the mistakes of other small businesses.

Small Businesses That Require Limited Capital

Starting a business can be a daunting task; especially when funds are tight. The great news is that it can be done. Having limited capital does not mean that your business plans have to be put on hold.

Startup Financing for Small Businesses

It is never been very easy to obtain financing for small businesses. The credit crunch that began with the mortgages has now spread to consumer and small business loans. It should be no surprise to small business operators that banks have tightened up their lending requirements. Small business owners now have to become more creative in obtaining financing for their business venture. They now have to look for alternatives.

Why Should I Care About the SBA?

Most business owners know that SBA stands for Small Business Administration, but I wonder how many of us know more than that. The SBA mission statement is to “to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters." Well, that sounds all fine and good but how do they accomplish that goal and how can they help me overcome my business challenges? The SBA is organized into many different offices and each of those offices has the directive to complete the mission of the SBA as a whole. Here is a list of the different SBA offices:

Branding For Small Businesses - Part 1

You don’t need to be a large corporation or franchise to incorporate branding into your business marketing. Many small businesses make the mistake of allowing others to determine the branding of their businesses resulting in mixed message for consumers. If you determine your brand at the start, your marketing communications will be more focused and obtain better results. Here are some branding tips to consider when starting your business.

What's happening to our nation's 27 million small businesses

Meet Karen Mills, 55, Harvard-educated, with both an economics degree and an MBA from her alma mater

New Efforts to Thaw U.S. Credit Markets

A recent press release highlighted some of the key initiatives that are under way to help small businesses who are struggling with existing Government loans as well as get new capital flowing into the market for small businesses.

Disaster Continuity Planning

According to a report by SCORE on the impact of disasters on U.S. small businesses, natural and manmade disasters have increased by 40% over the last 15 years. The likelihood that you'll experience one is too high to ignore. About 25% of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster. You need to plan ahead to make sure you can weather the storm (pun intended) and continue to be profitable.

How To Connect Your Business With Your Local Community

Building a strong connection with the community is vital to the success of new small businesses. Here are some of the methods I used when I opened my tea shop in Coupeville on Washington State's Whidbey Island.

Recession-Proof Your Business

In a recession you face one of two decisions. Do you stay the course "as is" or do you make a big change? Can you reinvent your business and focus squarely on ideas on how to drive revenue? Victor Cheng, author of The Recession-Proof Business, analyzed the last 12 recessions going back 136 years in US economic history. He was looking for examples of companies that had begun as small businesses during a recession, depression or economic panic and generated significant sales in a down economy. He discovered dozens of such cases, and Cheng developed four crucial guidelines to reinvent and recession-proof your business.

The Importance of Training

This article discusses the impact of training as a cost saving to small businesses.

Get Quoted in Major Media Sites with Surveys

Surveys are a great way for consultants and small businesses to get publicity. Why? Because reporters love numbers!

Building Your Unique Brand Identity

For small businesses and entrepreneurs to get clients today, your brand must stand out and be unique. How many times have you heard that message? Probably too many times. Yet, it is true. But most people don’t know how to be unique. Here are a few tips on how to brand yourself properly. Legendary speaker Joe Calloway wrote a book called "Becoming a Category of One." I like that positioning! What he is saying is that when people think of a solution provider, only one name comes to mind. You want that name to be you. Adopt the “category of one” mindset that you and only you can accomplish this task.

You Know Your Sales Process is Outdated When…

Fashions change, seasons change and so do customer needs. So when is the last time your company looked at your sales process to determine it was keeping up to date with the times? The information age has dramatically changed how businesses compete. Small businesses look and act big. New ideas are copied quickly and lead to service and products looking like everyone else. To quote late night host, David Letterman, “You know it’s time to update your sales process when…”

Outsourcing – “Been There, Done That” – But Did You Try “Right Shoring”?

Right Shoring, introduced by MyBusinessAssistant, is not just a new fad that everybody is talking about these days, it is in fact, the most efficient and cost effective ways of outsourcing. You might have tried various types of outsourcing for your small business and you would’ve achieved various levels of success or failures. Well let me tell you, if you are outsourcing your non-core tasks to multiple on-shore vendors – then here’s a better way to get things done. It will not only save you dollars, but also make your work faster and better.

Sales Force Compensation - X Marks the Spot

Compensation is usually simpler than most companies make it. Most companies seem to either over compensate or under compensate on salary. Most companies tend to do the same with commissions.

Web Design & Development - Why the Huge Range in Pricing?

As in any industry where people specialize, the specialists can be costly and the freelancers generally cheaper. This holds true for the web development industry. Unfortunately, paying a higher price is no guarantee that your web site will be developed with the traditional creative and writing skills required for the design portion of the site. On the reverse side, using a freelancer because ‘it’s a great deal’ may get you great design but also a site that hasn’t been developed for user functionality and vice a versa. Design and web development are two distinct skill sets.

The Rising Cost of Healthcare…Can Small Business Keep Up?

Three words. Health Care Reform. Combined, they have become a hot topic in recent months. Although the thought of any reform on America’s health care will affect all Americans, a special group of interest is small business. As Capitol Hill struggles to create a bill that will satisfy all, small businesses face a critical turning point in regards to keeping up with healthcare changes.

The 7 Deadliest Financial Mistakes Self Employed Make Coming Out of Recession

For many of my self employed clients, the sales cycle is already on an upswing. Recovery recession has turned from a deep desire to a slow spiral of reality. Now comes regroup, refocus and rebuild. As you build plans for the rest of this year and into next, avoid these deadly financial mistakes that may kill your business during the next recession. Yes, there will be a next recession; they’re a normal.

Google AdWords

What Google AdWords and PPC (pay per click) advertising is about.

Controlling Chaos During Expansion

Chaos, confusion and catastrophe are what Michael Gerber of Entrepreneur Magazine calls “The Three C’s of Business Failure.” It is not uncommon for a small business to be plagued with chaos. The best advice is to take control before chaos becomes habit. “Most small businesses are a hopeless mess,” Gerber says. Disorganization and confusion are irritating, but worst of all, they cost your business money. Chaos eats away at productivity and, ultimately, profits. How can you steer your business clear of chaos?

How a Business is Learning What Small Businesses Want to Learn

Sampling is a standard strategy in package goods marketing. This project by a training centre shows how the same technique can be used to develop or improve a product and build new business.

Site Speed

As inventive as ever, Google is now launching a new version of its crawling and indexing engine. They’ve even given it a name: Google Caffeine. To the person searching for something, Google Caffeine will seem like plain old Google – the search page looks the same, the results look the same – so what’s so different and why should anyone care?

Marketing Rx

The biggest marketing mistake small businesses make is using hunches to improve their business without first diagnosing their problems.

GIVE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT

Finding out what customers want, and then setting out to meet their needs, provided it can be done at a profit, is what helps prevail in the marketplace. Demonstrating to customers how a product or service can satisfy their wants and desires will strengthen the holding glue between the customer and your business. The wise business owner is always aware of customer wants. Many businesses make the mistake of assuming that a customer’s number one priority is low price. But before price even becomes a factor, the customer wants other things. The customer is looking for ways to improve their quality of life, their productivity, to become more profitable, or to increase their competitive advantage. Meeting one or all of these fundamental wants will add value and move the customer forward.

You Grow in Network Marketing - We Grow - A Partnership That Works!

One great way to grow your business is to partner with other individuals and small businesses. The idea being that as their business grows yours will as well, and likewise as you become more successful they will benefit.

Looking to 2010: Marketing Advice for Small Business Guerrillas

OK, so 2008 and 2009 were not good years for small businesses. Demand was soft, those customers, who could pay, did so slowly, banks and other sources were very stingy with credit. If you made it this far, what should Marketing Guerrillas be doing looking at twentyten? Here are five specific recommendations based on the book, MORE Guerrilla Marketing Research. The key idea in the book is that when Guerrillas have a marketing problem, they should ask their customers and prospects for advice. Doing this will produce a better decision than going it alone--every time.

Funding for Small Businesses

While big banks refuse to loosen their grip on credit, one business consulting firm wants small businesses to know the news is not all bad. In fact, by working with smaller business banks, may provide funding for new and established small businesses in spite of the deepening recession.

Cheap 800 Numbers for Small Business

It used to be that in order to have an 800 number you had to be one of the big boys in the world of business and those with a small business were simply out of luck. Not so these days and now more than ever there are an increasing number of cheap 800 number providers for small businesses to choose from.

When should you send a press release? Here's 25 great reasons.

When deciding whether or not to send a press release, you need a reason. How do you know if your reason is good enough? Well, here's 25 reasons that are.

Improve Your Email ROI with These Four Easy Techniques

According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) small businesses enjoy a $43.52 return on every dollar spent in email marketing. That's the strongest ROI-yielding direct marketing tactic, and it's a result that even small businesses on a small business budget certainly can't ignore.

Local Small Business: The Last Profitable Niche Market

Local Small businesses are responsible for 63% of the US Economy, but the majority don't know how to use the internet for their marketing. Do you know how? Can you help them? You may be their Godsend that will save their business.

How to Enchant Your Customer

I love to do business with small businesses-in-store, online, for myself, for others, for pleasure, for work-it doesn’t matter to me. I love to find great products and services made by entrepreneurs who are trying to change the world. And I love to help small business owners because they aren’t flying around in corporate jets and lunching with investment bankers. American Express’s idea for Small Business Saturday is a marvelous one, and I’d like to help out by them explaining 10 ways that small businesses can enchant their customers.

Don’t Go There-6 Small Business Marketing Mistakes to Avoid Like the Plague

Every promotion you do should give people a good reason to want to know more, and an incentive to do it-right now. Fixing even one of the following 6 mistakes is sure to catapult your marketing results.

When should we appoint a Sales Manager?

For many start ups and small businesses having a full time sales manager in place is not a viable option. Firstly, there is usually no one to lead and manage in the sales function however, the function of sales management should be on your ‘To Do List’ as a business owner/manager even if you are sales managing yourself. Paying attention to your sales activities and results, developing your sales strategy and plan, knowing who to target, etc. all form part of a sales manager's role.

Lifting the Hood of Your Small Business Engine: An Introduction to the Business Diamond Framework

Entrepreneurs need to understand their small businesses in order to fix problems and optimize their companies for greater profitability. However, when most business owners view the engine of their business, they see a complicated mess of moving parts. In this article, you will learn about the Business Diamond Framework, a strategic tool for small business success that helps business owners understand their business.

Have you taken action on your marketing yet?

I had an interesting conversation with someone the other day about our newsletters. He said he received them and I asked him whether he found them useful. He said he did, but mentioned that 70% of what I included, he already knew.

Search Engine Optimization is not always the answer

Most small businesses believe that if they can bring enough traffic to their website, it will be successful. Unfortunately this is not the case. While traffic is important, the ability to convert that traffic into paying customers is more important.

How to use articles to promote your business

Have you ever longed for people to knock on your door wanting to do business with you? Um – doesn’t often happen does it? Actually that’s not quite true. There is a way to get people knocking at your door, but it doesn’t just happen by itself. You need to influence this. And how you do that is to build relationships with people so that they perceive you as an expert and know, like and trust your approach.

Home Based Business Opportunity - For How Long Can We Blame the Recession

These days, people have started making it a habit to blame the global economic meltdown for the poor performances in their home based business opportunity. It has been almost a year since it started and by now we should have learned to manipulate the market to our advantage. The good news is that many people, who had lost their jobs, are doing quite well with their own businesses. As a matter of fact, they are creating new jobs for others. It is quite evident that a strong economy is emerging after a long dry patch. What is your choice? It is up to you!

Why Your Sales Approach Should Aim Small, Miss Small

How would you define your sales approach? More importantly, how effective is it? Are you missing a lot of sales targets or just a few?

Recession-Busting Small Business ((inexpensive) Marketing Tips

A struggling economy offers those that move forward a greater opportunity to reach their market, precisely because their competitors are hiding their heads in the sand. Studies have shown that those that do market in a recession are those that prosper and position their businesses to thrive during the eventual turn-around.

Home Based Business Opportunity - Collaborating will Take It to Greater Heights

All businesses which have been successful in their venture at some point or the other taken help from other businesses or mentors, in other words, collaborated with businesses to compliment their work. There is no reason, why you cannot apply this same formula to your own home based business opportunity no matter what product or service you sell. How can this bennift you?

Home Based Business Opportunity- How to Guard against the Economic Downturn

The current economic recession which started in mid-2008 has made it difficult for many people to sustain their businesses. This is especially true of small businesses that have fewer resources when compared to larger organizations. If your home based business opportunity is one of those which is affected, this article should act as a good starting point for you to explore the options in order to guard it against a financial downfall.

5 Principles of Successful Leadership in Small Business

When we think about leadership,especially in regard to building and growing a successful small business, it's easy to envision the traditional top-down leadership that so often goes along with the term. We often think about leadership along the lines of being a major political leader or being the chief executive of a major Wall Street company. And while this certainly is a respectable vision of leadership, when it comes to small business, we've got to see beyond this traditional view. Following are the top 5 principles of successful leadership that I've found make THE difference in whether your business flies or flops.

Advertising Alone Cannot Generate Profits for Your Home Based Business Opportunity

If you want to build long term profits with any business, you need to develop a relationship with your customers. Inside this article are some ideas on how to maximize your profits.

The Risks And Rewards of Being Self Employed

Some people think of being self employed when they can’t find a job. Others become entrepreneurs out of passion. Regardless, you have to consider both the risk and the reward. The potential benefits are unlimited, yet there’s a 50/50 chance or greater that you’ll fail.

Trying To Go it Alone: Why It Is Less Productive To Work Alone

Trying To Go it Alone: Why It Is Less Productive To Work Alone - When you start your business, it might work out just fine to operate by yourself – doing your administration, your marketing, your selling, your fulfillment, and your customer service. But if you're successful, it won't last for long: You'll need to grow (but you'll realize that you only have 24 hours in the day). In this article, you'll read about two reasons why it is better to bring someone else on-board to work with you. An on-site employee might not be right for you, but there is another possibility!

Tips for Selecting Software for your Small Business

Every business needs software in order to run efficiently, effectively, and productively (accounting, marketing, communication, etc.). Software technologies can be a great enabler and level the playing field for small businesses, but with so many technologies available how do you know that the ones you select for your business will be supported, remain relevant, and be around as long as you are?

SEO is for YOUR Franchise-5 Tips For You Use

Everyone has heard of it by now. Very few know how to use it and I suggest that many franchises are still missing out on a major marketing process by continuing in the dark ages by ignoring it. I am talking about Search Engine Optimization. Search Engine Optimization or SEO is a powerful Internet tool aimed to increase brand, product and service visibility and your business presence on the web. Since the Internet is now the primary source of information and goods for multi-market and Top 100 regional market companies and service providers, it only makes sense to be as visible as possible in order to attract and meet the needs of your prospects, clients and customers.

Market Your Small Business for Free by Harnessing the Power of Online Forums

According to a report on the internet research firm Website eMarketer.com, more than 260,000 small businesses in the U.S and Canada use Social Media marketing tactics. Yet only 28% of them use forums to market their businesses. I believe you should be part of that 28%!

If You’re Serious About Improving Your Cash Flow . . . .

Here are 10 pointers on how to make a dramatic (positive) difference in your businesses cash flow.

Is Your Bank Ready to Call Your Loan?

In today business economy, financing is more difficult than ever to obtain and banks are looking for ways to increase their liquidity by shedding some of their "problem" accounts. Here is an actual story of what happened to one business owner. It will give you insight into your own banking relationship.

Does Marketing Work?

I was at a networking event the other day, explaining to someone what we did. In response, I received a smile back and the comment “well, marketing doesn’t really work anyway does it?” Interesting question! And I can completely understand why he said that. For a lot of small business owners, that’s exactly what they find – that marketing doesn’t work. The result is that many business owners feel frustrated with marketing and give up on the process, choosing to rely instead on referrals and word of mouth.

Small businesses turning to contractors

The number of small businesses looking to hire independent contractors has risen over the past several months, as the recession prompts companies to change the way they manage their workforce.

The Value of Small Businesses

This article discusses how small businesses are the backbone of our economy.

Demise of the Yellow Pages

Yellow page use is declining. If your Yellow Pages leads are drying up, there ar4e two important lessons. You need to have a web site, and customers need to be able to find it in the search engines.

Practice make perfect when learning how to make cold calls.

I am good at making cold calls. I am so good that I stopped buying leads and started calling from the phone book. I made more sales cold calling the phone book than the leads I paid my hard earned dollars for. My dollars were hard earned at that time. I equate cold calling from the phone book with cold calling door to door. Nevertheless, I reached a point in my development that I enjoyed cold calling the phone book. I had a technique and a script that worked. There was one huge problem with this system and yes it was a system. It was not duplicatible.

Alternative Franchise Funding - Check it Our Service Franchises!

The proliferation of B2B franchises - service based franchises - coaching and consulting franchise opportunities has created a whole new category and level of need for financing. It's been hard enough if you were a capital based franchise (we need build-out, equipment, vehicles, etc.) For a time it seemed all small business capital had dried up. It is a bit better but not a lot. Today, non-capital intense businesses whose primary needs are working capital, capital for growth (more territory, expansion of marketing efforts, etc.) and only minor capital expenditures compared to manufacturing and retail types still may require capital in addition to their candidates capabilities. Where do they go? Where does anyone go? Are there alternatives?

Guesses aren't good enough... Evaluating PR

Organisations, whether they are small businesses, not-for-profit bodies, public sector organisations or large corporations, need to have evidence that their PR function is making a real impact. They need to see that they are getting good value for the money they are investing. But it isn't easy and many businesses and practitioners won't know where to start.

It Takes More Than A Resolution to Achieve Your Dreams In the New Year

Business owners you know that New Year’s resolutions don’t last! It’s been proven again and again. So why do we keep setting them? I think we really want each new year to be different, and better than the last for our small businesses. I want this year to be my best year ever. So what can I do to make sure that happens? Setting SMART goals is part of the secret to success, but it is not enough. Add a measurable action plan and partner with a business coach or mentor and your chances of success will hit their peak.

E-mail Marketing For Beginners - Another Way To Reach Your Prospects

Using email marketing can be a great place for online marketing beginners to start. Learn what steps you need to consider before starting this strategy.

Connecting Communities

Organizations encourage consumers to buy local whenever possible to keep money circulating and bring jobs to the local economy.

Survivor Innovation Island

Small businesses that want to have a chance at surviving the recession have to make innovation an integral part of their business strategies.

How A Blog Can Help Your Home Based Business Flourish

Thinking about setting up a blog for your home based business but not sure it really will help? Well, you definitely should consider starting up your own blog. There are a variety of different ways that blogging can enhance and improve your business and many small businesses are jumping on the bandwagon. Here are a few of the great benefits you'll enjoy when you start a blog and how blogging can help your home based business flourish.

Top 5 Reasons To Develop An Employee Handbook

Do I really need an employee handbook? This question comes up so many times, especially from small business owners, and the answer is YES! But the reasons may not be what you think.

Top 10 Ways to Increasing Productivity & Better Time Management

If you feel like you are working harder but still don’t see the results you want or you need to take your business to the next level of success, increasing productivity.

When The Customer Won't Pay

As the recession grinds on, more and more businesses and consumers are feeling the pinch. Some businesses and consumers are trying to solve their cash problems by paying their bills more slowly. And, unfortunately, bills from small businesses are often the ones that businesses and consumers think they can delay paying. That doesn't mean your business should accept this as a fact of business life. There are a number of steps you can take to collect outstanding receivables and to get customers to pay on time.

Better Cash Flow – 11 Ways Small Businesses Conserve Cash

Let’s talk about better cash flow – how to hold onto and conserve the cash you have on hand. This is not about cutting expenses. This is about holding onto your cash for as long as possible.

3 Recession-Proof Marketing Strategies

In the fall of 1974, I got my first real job, with a real paycheck. It was during what historians have come to call the 1973-75 Recession, the worst economic time for the USA since the Great Depression, with record high unemployment and inflation, capped with the oil crisis.

Smart Women Know, Commit and Practice Their Values

This article is about getting clear on what your values are in your life right now. Knowing where you want to spend your time and who you want to spend it with. Practicing them on a regular basis. It empowers you and helps you feel more in control of your life.

Marketing in a recession can really help your small business

The most important thing a business can do in these challenging times is marketing. It is ironic than that this is often the first budget that companies cut when times get tough. Small businesses can really take advantage of this and learn to survive and thrive in these challenging times.

Moments of Truth Are Potential Opportunities for Sales Success

Are you finding moments of truth as potential opportunities or obstacles? How well you handled these experiences can deliver additional sales success.

How to Get Your Name in the Paper Without Advertising

As marketing professionals, one of the most common misconceptions that we run across in our business is that marketing is nothing more than advertising, and that advertising is the only way to get your name in the paper.

Tracking the Return On Investment of Your PR Campaign

There's an old sales adage that says "People buy from people they know, like and trust," and public relations (PR) is one of the most cost-effective ways to build the awareness, goodwill and credibility that help influence buying decisions. Not that we would suggest that small businesses use PR to the exclusion of all other marketing tactics, but a healthy dose of PR, combined with a little advertising, direct mail, or other tactics, can provide a big sales boost for many small businesses.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: The Networking Journey……How networking has changed and where it is heading

May saw me celebrate a ten-year anniversary. On 11th May 1999 I started work for Business Referral Exchange, then a new networking organisation founded six months previously and with just four groups running in London, Hertfordshire and Essex. At the time networking as a formal activity was little known in the UK, with a few independent groups supplementing the networking offered by Chambers of Commerce and community groups such as Rotary. How times have changed! Networking is now a key activity for millions of small business owners across the World and, with the rise of social online networks, is being recognised as a key skill for everyone, from jobseekers to global corporates.

Taxes The Good News and the Bad News For Increasing Business Productivity

Cost to do business extends far beyond the standard fix costs of rent, utilities, insurance, etc. How you address these costs has a direct bearing on your sales to profits to employee retention.

What to do with a "cold" lead

We have a client who has so many requests for quotes on his desk he is way behind on filling them. At first this seems like a problem we would all like to have. So many leads we can’t get to all of them! But there is a down side to this story. Our client has no way of sorting the leads into those that are “hot� and need immediate attention; and those that are “cold�. Maybe these cold leads are from qualified people, but who knows when they are going to close.

Whale Hunting Women by Dr Barbara Weaver Smith

You may be asking what whale hunting has to do with women and why we’re talking about this in the 21st century. I was curious when I first heard the title too – but I can guarantee that this book will surprise you. I’ll share the full time which will give you some insights into the content. This book is titled Whale Hunting Women: How Women Do Big Deals.

Buying An Existing Business Part IX of IX

This is the IX Part of a IX Part series of articles discussing the buying of an existing, small business. In this article we offer some parting advice and tips to buyers seeking to purchase a small, existing business.

Obama Health Care and Your Money!

The US dollar has been in a down trend for years because of our massive deficits and we are already spending money like a 20 year old with their first credit card. There really is no philosophical or ethical debate here. Socialized Health Care will lead to a national bankruptcy.

Talking to Your Kids about Difficult Financial Times

Pick up a newspaper or click to the news reports - or just take a look at your bank statement - and it's evident that finances are tough these days. The crunch has affected many major companies, small businesses, banking institutions, manufacturers and individual households. And if you're feeling the pressure, you can be sure your children are feeling it, too. As a parent, one of your primary roles is to educate your children about how to live in the real world, and money management and problems are about as "real" as it gets. Here are some principles to consider as you enter into this vital discussion with your family.

Is Your Elevator Pitch a Monologue or a Dialogue?

When most people think “elevator pitch�, they think of a paragraph that they can utter in about 15 seconds that tells people what they do. I’ve written previous articles on "how to craft a pitch" and "how to judge your pitch’s effectiveness". But what most people forget is the goal of the elevator pitch - to start a dialogue.

7 Common Mistakes Made By Women in Business...And How You Can Avoid Them

There are many reasons why women with businesses are not successful but here are 7 of the most common mistakes that women in business make. These mistakes may seem obvious but in reality a great deal of businesses fail because of them. Discover how to avoid making these same mistakes and go on to run a successful business.

Buying An Existing Business Part VIII of IX

This is Part VIII of a IX Part series of articles discussing the buying of an existing, small business. In this article we offer some tips for the valuation of a small, existing business or franchise.

Online Home Based Business: Long Tail Keywords Are Much Easier

If there's one thing every webmaster can agree on it's the importance of keywords. But not just any keyword-- long tail keywords. Long tail keywords increase your chances of sending search engine traffic to your online home based business website and the benefits of search engine traffic are example.

Buying An Existing Business Part VII of IX

This is the VII Part of a IX Part series of articles discussing the buying of an existing, small business. In this article we offer suggestions and tips buyers should use when conducting their due diligence of a small, existing business

Access To Alternative Financing for Small Businesses

Many small or startup business owners seeking financing are caught between a rock and a hard place. Are you going to let this stop you? Are you going to give up on your dream of owning your own business or growing the current one?

Why Small Businesses Won’t Double Their Revenue This Year

Here is what we have learned are the biggest reasons why small businesses will not double their business this year (yes, this year—even in the current economic climate):

What Are You Really Buying?

I read with great interest the article “Burt’s Bees, Tom’s of Maine, Naked Juice: Your Favorite Brands? Take Another Look — They May Not Be What They Seem“. Andrea Whitfil does a great job unearthing how many natural and organic brands that we perceive as being produced by small companies are in reality now owned by large multinational corporations. And she’s very bothered by the deception.

USING TRADE SHOWS AS A PR OPPORTUNITY

This article is about using trade shows as a PR tool to promote you, your business and your brand.

PR for Small Businesses

Through public relations, small businesses can compete with the big boys. It’s possible to do an interview in the morning and have a story saturate the nation by lunchtime. Effective media placement and public relations can legitimize, validate, sell products, bring in clients, forge new alliances, bring you in contact with benefactors you never knew existed, and take you into the offices, boardrooms and even bedrooms of the most powerful people in the world.

Buying An Existing Business Part VI of IX

This is the VI Part of a IX Part series of articles discussing the buying of an existing, small business. In this article we offer suggestions and sources the buyer might employ in finding and purchasing a small, existing business.

Small Business Email Marketing - Finding Gold in a Down Economy

These days, small businesses are looking at what they can do to ensure that they are able to grow. Given the down economy, finding additional clients, up-selling to your current customers and ensuring that you are able to get everyone who buys from you to come back for more can be a bit of a challenge.

Internet Marketing For Small Businesses

When one raises the topic of internet marketing there are usually a couple of responses. From the technically gifted, they immediately go off onto an elaborate discussion about the nuances and subtleties of the newest software or services. For small businesses, there is usually a completely different reaction.

The JLARC Review: The Phantom Echoes of Public Sector Supplier Discontent? (Part 1)

“. . . Because we are not reviewing whether eVA is successful or not, but rather how it impacts one group of users and potential users, the questions do not focus so much on the elements of success that are addressed in Yes Virginia! But try to get at small business impact” e-mail from Chief Legislative Analyst, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (April 2009)

Top 10 Reasons You Don't Have Any Clients (And How to Change That)

Having a hard time filling your practice? Or maybe it's more than hard; how about next to impossible!?!? Take a peek at my Top 10 Reasons Why You Don't Have Any Clients (And How to Change That) if you want some real help understanding what's holding you back, and what you can do to get your business moving forward.

More New Clients

Getting more new clients is an ongoing challenge. These marketing tips will help you get prospects interested what you offer and do.

The Entrepreneur's Itch

The is a story of Bill Wolheim, who finally came to the realization that being on his own is the only way to be at peace.

Setting Goals Is Only Half Of The Battle To Achieving The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams With Your Home Business

We hear it all the time... You must set goals in order to be successful in your own business. Its the secret of the wealthy. Its the difference between modest success and explosive success, etc. Do you agree? I'm here to tell you it's only half true...

The Most Important Aspects Of Website Design For Local Small Businesses

There is a rampant tragedy happening today in the local and small business world when it comes to web design. Most businesses are wasting small fortunes on websites designed by big firms that look awesome!

Getting Paid

Getting work is not automatic, and so is getting paid after you've done your work.

Getting Over Getting Fired

Take time to mourn over the loss of your job, and then move on.

Keep Listening After "No!"

How Rick Schilling found his successful, new business after a potential client has just rejected his sales pitch. This article is about the art of keep listening after someone has said "No!" to us.

Are there too many retail stores?

In the past several years, due to the abundance of cheap credit and excess spending, we've seen a massive growth in the size and number of retail outlets. Some say that we are now "over-stored." What does this mean, and how will it affect small retailers?

Ten Tips for Staying Connected

Many of my business clients tell me that what they missed most when they started their businesses was the camaraderie of an office setting. Small businesses often start with the owner as the only employee. To combat this sense of isolation here are some suggestions that allow you to connect and market at the same time

The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy You will Ever Learn

Every business owner is looking for that golden marketing strategy that works like magic to grow their business. Well, I hope you’re sitting down because I am going to tell you the most powerful marketing strategy you will ever learn. The strategy is called split testing.

Five Key Insurance Programs for Small Businesses

Everyone knows you need to have auto insurance to drive a car. Most people know you need homeowners insurance if you own a home. Small-business owners, however, sometimes overlook the importance of insuring their businesses. Here are five key types of insurance you need for your small business.

Are You a Thought Leader

Random Thoughts On Life and Entrepreneurship

Marketing on a Shoestring

Marketing doesn't have to be costly, but it is a necessity. Here are some overall tips for getting the most out of your marketing.

Total Cost of Ownership TCO of IT

Business owners too often don't factor in the total true costs of IT assets. Indirect, or "hidden", costs (lost productivity) are frequently higher than the more obvious direct costs (hardware, software and support). Detailed TCO calculations aren't practical for small businesses, but it's feasible and, we'd argue, critical, to understand and apply the general concepts of TCO. This topic is the first in our 2009 whitepaper series: "Making every IT dollar count!" The full whitepapers are available on our website.

President Obama, Small Businesses & Growing the American Dream during Tough Times

Just as lending institutions need to free more credit to allow small businesses to grow, small business owners in turn are going to have to get much savvier about marketing and promoting their businesses in order to reach their target market and have their businesses grow.

Preparing the annual return for Audit - exempt companies

It’s that time of year. Your tax return form (CT1) has just been filed, and if your Year end is December 31 st, the chances are your Annual Return is also due. This is much better left to an accountant you can trust, but if like me, you want to do it yourself, this article will help you. I thought it was an easy process, ‘till I did it, so I decided to write out the key steps, along with links as to where you can get the appropriate information.It is also worth noting, that late filing, removes small companies from the Audit Exemption.

Small Businesses – the AIG Antidote

No small business would exist or function under the AIG type of framework. Small businesses must function properly and turn a profit in order to survive, much less thrive. That’s why I’m more convinced than ever that small businesses are what can, and hopefully will, turn the economy around and set the country back on course.

Self Assessment...Do You Really Need An Accountant To Deal With This??

This article examines what benefits are gained by using a qualified professional to handle your tax affairs for you. Not using an accountant for your tax matters is akin to doing your own minor surgery on yourself to save the cost of a surgeon. I hope you would never dream of doing that - so why then would you risk getting into strife with the Tax Office just to save a few quid. Any accountant can more than justify his fee and can save you money on your tax bill that you will never have thought of. After all...if you were expert in tax you would be a tax consultant - not running the business that you are.

Be An Orange

When a prospective buyer is looking at your product or service, he or she is really comparing you to the competition. So the question is, are they comparing an apple to an apple or an apple to an orange? It is vitally important in marketing that you find a way to be THE orange! In other words, what is it about you that makes you completely DIFFERENT from your competitor?

Creating Powerful, Promotional Material On A Budget

Nothing saddens me more when I'm out at an event or opening my mail than seeing BRUTAL (that's right, BRUTAL) promotional material. Let me describe it. First, like something out of a horror movie, I find myself staring at a home made business card or worse, the tri-fold brochure (start the creepy music).

Kick Off Spring Time With A Spring Cleaning Small Business Franchise

Spring is fast approaching, and with spring comes the notion of spring cleaning. While most of us consider spring cleaning to be cleaning out the garage or organizing the closets, there are also things around the home and office that need seasonal cleaning that are a bit out of the reach of the average homeowner. Here's a look at some spring cleaning franchise opportunities that can make great money all year long.

Every day I am learning something new about human nature.

Advantages, to small business owners, of todays economy

7 Key Tactics For The Small Business Owner

For most folks, owning your own business is a dream come true. The freedom of being your own boss and succeeding to the best of your ability are facts of life for the small business owner.

Tips for Marketing Your Business Online

Online video ads--short-form commercials that run on Web sites--are proving to be one of the most effective ways to advertise online, with some video ads generating twice the clicks of banner ads. This article provides useful tips for creating online video ads that get results for your business.

Customer Intimacy

Customer Intimacy is going beyond simply building a stronger relationship with your client base to seeking ways to build solid win-win relationships. It means finding COMPLETE solutions not partial ones, for your ideal clients. It means not reacting to every whim of the customer but becoming an indispensable partner. It means moving from a simple transactional mentality to an investor in the customer's success.

Is Your Business Tough Enough to Survive Recession?

The economy is playing havoc with a lot of businesses, but many small businesses are thriving despite the recession. Ask yourself these ten questions and make your business tough enough to survive recession.

Internet Strategy for Small Businesses: Step 1

Step 1 for your new business venture....

The Dirty Secret of Why Many Chambers of Commerce Fail to Increase Sales

Throughout the United States, Chambers of Commerce engaged in annual or even bi-annual membership drives. Yet, the 800# gorilla in the room is this dirty secret. Read on if this is of interest to you.

Whats all the fuss about Twitter

Twitter, it seems is everywhere at the moment. You can’t listen to a radio show or turn on the TV without hearing something about it - and you’d be forgiven for believing that everyone is using it at the moment.

Want to Double Your Sales? Cut Your Market in Half

Two years ago, my firm suffered from split business disorder and as the owner, so did I. Offering marketing services for small business owners, we also offered team building and training services to Fortune 500 firms. Neither segment was large enough to stand alone, so I spent my time split between both. When someone asked me what I did, I was never quite sure how to respond and often said too much. Networking associates overloaded with T.M.I. (Too Much Information) rarely had a good referral for me. How could they? If I didn't know what I did or who I wanted to meet, it was unrealistic to expect others to be able to help me. A drastic change was required!

Heres the fastest way to outdo your competition

Wondering how to get an edge over your competition? By keeping your customers happy. A satisfied customer is a repeat customer. What’s more, they’ll tell all their friends. This article will show you how to keep your customers coming back for more.

Simple, Effective Planning

Business plans... you either love them or hate them. If you love your planning process it is because the process and investment produces results all year long. It keeps you and your team focused, it’s the basis for all significant decisions and everyone knows not only the master plan, but also their piece of it. If your past planning efforts have left you and your team frustrated, you are not alone, it happens far too frequently. The annual planning process does not have to be complicated and time-consuming. Here are some thoughts on how to make planning simple and effective in your company:

Do not neglect Your Accounting Functions

In trouble times, outsourcing is the only solution. Neglect to your accounting functions can bring serious consequences. Not to mention, that the financial aspect is the second (the first one, of course, is the core of your business) most important function of your business. You financial position is view by a set of financial statements that speak for themselves. So, no matter how small or how big you are, it is important to keep all your accounting records straight. The great benefit that you gain is that you know exactly where each penny has been spent.

Here's why you should build creativity in the workplace.

Have you ever wondered if your company could benefit from becoming more creative? Do you long to be the next Apple or Google? Then this article will help you understand how creativity and innovation go hand-in-hand, and why you should start building it into your company

Some important time management tips to help streamline your business and your life.

Small businesses today are under tremendous pressure to do more with less. One of the ways we can stretch our business buck is to work smarter. These practical time management tips can help your company run smoother and more cost-effectively.

Practical money-saving tips for small business.

In today's economic climate, it's more important than ever to save every penny we can in our small businesses. With that in mind, here's some cost-cutting measures you can take to the bank.

How to Turn Your No-Sales into Cash by Turning Your "Features" into "Benefits."

If your advertising and marketing materials are touting your product's or service's "features" instead of its "benefits," you're probably missing out on sales opportunities. Learn how to turn your features into benefits, so you can turn those no-sales into cash.

How guerrilla advertising can build business without breaking the bank.

If you're like most small businesses, you know you need to advertise to build business, but it's hard to advertise when money is tight. That's where guerrilla advertising comes in. Guerrilla advertising (sometimes known as "guerrilla marketing") is about using the resources you have at your disposal to build business. This article gives you some great ideas on how to utilize what you have on hand to help grow your sales.

How should you handle advertising in a recession?

As credit dries up and small businesses tighten their belts around the world, one of the first things that usually gets cut is the advertising and marketing budget. If you’re considering this, read this article first and get helpful advice and ideas on how to keep your business on the grow during a recession.

Must See Work From Home Franchises For The Pet Lover

People that love pets are quickly becoming the majority, and with an increased amount of pet lovers, comes an increased need for businesses that serve pets and their owners. Here's a look at some of the best for anyone that loves pets.

Too much work and not enough workers Here are seven alternatives to hiring

If you're at the point in your small business where you have too much work, but you just aren't sure you have the business to merit it just yet, here are seven ways to get the ob done without making a giant commitment.

What's your one thing? Tips for creating your USP.

Have you ever thought about what sets your service or product apart from your competitors? What's the "one thing" you can say your small business has that no one else can claim? In this article, you'll learn the three essential steps to creating your own unique selling proposition.

5 Must Dos To Grow Your Business Using Email

Few mediums come close to matching email marketing's ability to grow sales and customer relationships. However, doing effective email marketing is hard - VERY hard. If you're a small business using or looking to use email marketing, here are 5 key things you should know.

Small Businesses Get BIG Results With Business Gifts

Owning a small business means wearing a lot of different “hats” – and often serving as your own marketing department as well. That’s where business gifts can have such a big impact.

Going green with your work from home business franchise

It seems like everyone is focuses on the environment more than ever these days. If you want your business to go green, or want to attract more customers by going green, check out these simple ways to be eco-friendly with your own home business.

Small Business Ideas For The Experienced Salesperson

Sales is perhaps the world's older profession, and if you have the skills to make a great salesman, odds are you also have the skills to make a great small business owner. Here's a few tips to make the transition as smooth as possible and be running your own business in no time.

Developing Employees

Steps to Effectively Develop Employees to Grow Your Business

Are things getting (slightly) better?

Are your sales (finally) on the increase?

Make a fortune buying under performing businesses.

The fundamental principle of investing is to buy low and sell high. Every investor seeks to achieve this principle, regardless of what they invest in. Whether you trade stocks, bonds, gold or real estate, everyone seeks to find the diamond in the ruff or “The Bargain”. If you’ve ever read my blogs, or spoken to me on the phone, you know that I look at business ownership as an investment, and just like all the other investments, there are “Bargains” here as well and you could make a fortune buying under performing businesses as long as you know what to look for.

Working at Home vs Getting an Office

This article will help you determine if the timing is right for you to secure an office for your business or to continue to work from home.

Inventory Management - Automated Systems

Inventory Investment is not a game, it is a Business Investment. Even excellent shops (without problems) have an opportunity to become more excellent.

Start Off The New Year With A Low Cost Small Business Franchise

2009 is here, and one thing that nearly every economist can agree on is that it takes a different approach to business to survive in the current market. Here's a look at some low cost ways to start a business that can generate serious profit, even in a tough economy.

The legal and business aspects of franchising

Franchising is a huge and growing part of the nation's economy. More than 300,000 franchised small businesses operating in the United States account for an estimated $1 trillion worth of income each year and provide jobs for some eight million Americans.

A few of THE biggest mistakes made by new businesses

They try to sell something that people don’t NEED! Or even worse They try to sell something that people don’t even really WANT!

How Much Does It Cost To Start An Internet Business?

You’ve read all about how great the internet is for small businesses and decided that you want to put your existing business on the internet or start your own brand new internet business. So how much is going to cost to get a fully functioning internet business set up?

Green Certification for Small Businesses

Alternatives to the costly ISO 14001 programs, put small businesses on a level playing field. The benefits of "Green Certification" are vast and they are growing every day. A simple environmental management program can help drive customers and protect you from rapidly changing regulations.

Designing Your New Business – Setting Up A Design Business

Many small businesses are crying out for good design at a low cost and if you are just starting out as a designer – this is great news for you. This helps them but it also helps you because you not only get experience but you also manage to build up a portfolio, some good references and still get paid!

Business Ownership – Just Like Working But With More Freedom. Isn’t It?

Well actually no it’s not usually but it can be far better if you know what to expect and how to manage your new business. Every new business owner starts off, full of hope, excitement and enthusiasm. How do you make sure that you are not on of the 80% of small businesses that fails in the first few years?

So What Is This Thing Called Coaching?

Without a doubt, one of the most powerful tools to maximize your potential to produce better results is coaching. A client may initially hire a coach to reach a professional goal or they may be looking to make a personal lifestyle change. We live in a fast-paced world with a myriad of changes happening beyond one’s control. However, taking a leap of faith into exploring your own potential puts you in control with more confidence. You already are! Awakening to meet your potential is an invitation to make room for who you are to flow into expression.

Small Business Financing And Why This Is The Time For Low Cost Franchises

There are many financing options for an entrepreneur interested in taking advantage of a small business opportunity, but this is probably not the time to pursue them. If financing is not available to you, consider choosing a cheaper franchise.

How do mums in business get organised and focused...

Getting organised when you are a business mum is a tough ask for many people, especially with kids in tow! Being focused and organised can be done, and with a business to run, it is absolutely essential.

What to keep in your brain.

This article goes back to that first best personal information manager - our brain - and how that should fit in with your personal information management strategy. There are some tasks at which no gadget or app will ever outperform it - so don't waste time trying. And then what to do with the info the brain is not so good at? We suggest some solutions.

The Accidental Ambush Part I

Identifying the perfect franchise opportunity is challenging. Why? Because most people go about the identification process incorrectly. There is the right way and the wrong way to whittle down the choices. This article will help you avoid some very common mistakes.

Call Management Software

Call management software, often referred to as call accounting software, can help businesses allocate costs, track phone calls, and improve employee productivity.

Strike While the Iron is Hot Using the Recession to Your Advantage

These last few weeks of our economic downturn got everyone wound up. From business owners, to CEO’s and back to the consumers – everyone is at a panic about the recession, and the bailout we are in. But what is a recession, really? How is it lack of bailout impacting your life?

What is Social Responsibility and How It Can Work For You

What is social responsibility? The attempt of a business to balance its commitments to groups and individuals in its environment, including customers, other businesses, employees, investors and local communities. Unlike a mission or vision statement, which outlines its commitment to the business’s internal environment and operations. Social Responsibility is in essence your commitment to the external environment of your business.

Small Business loans to help dwindling cashflow

Small businesses in the US are facing an unprecedented cashflow crisis because bank lending has dried up, but now they can loans are still obtainable if they know how to approach lenders. Often business owners must turn to family money, personal loans, or even factoring firms which may charge huge rates, but now they can access an innovative new loan which offers fair and reasonable rates.

Eight Ways NOT To Write a Business Plan

Author Michael D. Jenkins, a CPA and attorney, has some advice to offer on some of the worst errors you should avoid when creating your business plan. Doing so should greatly improve your odds of having your business plan seriously considered and read, and of winning the financing you are seeking to obtain through such a document. The following article, excerpted from his book, "Starting and Operating a Business in California," describes 8 of the most common errors you should avoid when writing your business plan.

What Sets a Small Business Franchise Apart

There are small businesses, there are franchises, and then there are small business franchises. Similar to each of the others but entirely different, small business franchises are absolutely the best of both worlds.

The Fork of Customer Service Can Determine Sales Success

The customer service experience is a great predictor for organizational and sales success. How your employees (internal customers) handle your actual clients (external customers) will either make your day exceptional or a sales nightmare.

Think of Others First If You Want to Increase Sales

Is sales about you or the other guy? Many will say the other guy, but their behaviors are all about them. Read why thinking of others first will increase sales.

Misleading Statistics and Hiring the Wrong Salespeople

Statistics are awesome when they're used in a way that benefits everyone. When they're used to fool people it makes me angry...I'll illustrate my point by using some of our sales selection data. Take the following statistic for example...

Does my small business have employees or independent contractors

Make sure you are doing business right when working with other people.Do you have employees or contractors. Do YOU really know the difference?

Managing Small Business Growth by Balancing Big + Small

Growth presents a real challenge for many small businesses. As your organization grows, how do you avoid compromising the personality and characteristics that helped build your business in the first place?

The Credit Crunch. Is there Light at the end of the Tunnel?

This last month or so has been a depressing and very worrying time for most businesses and business people due to the massive uncertainty caused by the banks financial instability and forecasts of a recession. However, is there now a light at the end of the tunnel?

Your Chamber Of Commerce Can Help Grow Your Business

Getting involved with your local chamber of commerce is definitely a great idea. In fact, these organizations help to make up the business network on a global level, helping to improve business. When you get involved with the chamber of commerce in your area, you'll find that it can help you to grow your own business.

Are Your Sales Lagging Because You Are Failing to Ask for the Business?

Do you want to increase sales? Then possibly, you may need to do a lot more asking.

Why Outsourcing Your Accounts Department Is A Really Good Idea!

Having an independent bookkeeper for any/all businesses has many advantages, not least the fact that the Tax Office approve wholeheartedly with the idea. Why is that??……. Well, the fact that a business owner is not doing his/her own books removes a lot of doubts about the reliability of the records. There have been many proven cases where manipulation of the records can, and has been, done by the owner. Having a different person involved doesn’t remove the general thought that things might not be as they seem, but it certainly helps a great deal.

Why Use A Certified Bookkeeper Instead Of Doing Your Own Bookkeeping?

As a member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers I am often asked why a small business owner needs to use an outside bookkeeping expert, rather than doing the bookkeeping themselves to save money. This is an easy question to answer because it is a “no-brainer”. There are times in your life when only a qualified expert will do. For example, if you are about to undergo brain surgery...

What Bookkeeping Software Package Should You Use?

I am well aware that there are few places for you to go and ask questions about the different accounting packages that are available. Not many of you have an accountant in the early days of business so where do you go for unbiased and expert advice on the choice of bookkeeping package? Do you ask friends and colleagues? Do you wait for months until you find a review in a magazine of 2 or 3 packages and use that? Or do you go to one of the large computer stores and look at what packages they sell and pick one of those?

What Sort Of Business Uses A Bookkeeping Bureau?

There are many possible answers to this question, from ignorance of bookkeeping to the proprietor focusing exclusively on the business growth leaving no time for other activities. However, this article will focus on the size of business - as a rule of thumb. Most of our bookkeeping clients seem to fall into a certain size bracket.

5 Simple Ways To Improve Your Marketing And Boost Your Business Profits

Marketing is the cornerstone of successful business. Without marketing there are no customers, and therefore, no business. In my work I come across many small businesses. Usually, when the owners are asked about their own marketing efforts, the simple reply is they are too busy to devote time to it and anyway, as they are so busy, they do not need to do any marketing anyway! This attitude highlights the one simple truth that stifles any possible growth in a small business, the owner of the business IS the business. What I mean by this is that if the proprietor is on holiday, off sick or even dies, the business immediately stops. No one else is around to pick up the threads and carry on.

How Does Inertia Suck the Life Out of Your Small Business?

Sales are important to every business because revenue is the fuel that drives growth. But in the case of small businesses, there seems to be a greater sense of urgency when it comes to converting every individual sales opportunity. Due to the real or perceived pressure of closing a sale, small businesses sometimes fail to recognize when the grip of inertia has taken hold of a prospect. What is inertia and how does it affect your small business? Are there any strategies to deal with "Prospect Inertia"?

How to Set Up a Low Cost Website For a Small Business

More and more small businesses are now seeing the need to have a presence on the internet. Because they are small, their budget for doing this is also small. So how do small businesses get themselves onto the internet without have to learn web design and without it costing too much?

How Much Is A Three Dollar Customer Worth

Do you really know the value of your existing client base? You can spend a huge amount of money on promoting your business, and still see little result. The best (and cheapest form of advertising for a small business owner is word of mouth. It's reported that if you do the right thing by a client, they'll tell a handful of people. Do the wrong thing, and they'll tell over twenty people. So do you know how much a three dollar customer is really worth?

Plug-In-Profit Site: Discover How To Work From Home

If you want to work from home, you'll be delighted to discover that this is a real option for just about anyone these days including the Plug-In-Profit-Site - with more work from home jobs on offer, as well as numerous kinds of work from home businesses you can start.

Putting the marketing basics in place Part 2

This week is part 2 of my guide on getting your marketing basics in place. Last week, we covered why it was important to know who your customers are; decide on what you actually do and know why your customers buy from you. But, there are three other things that you need to get in place before you’ll be sorted on the marketing basics. They are:

Reasons to Avoid Buying a Franchise

You’ll find an abundance of reasons for buying into a franchise being repeated here and there. Among these reasons of course is the alarmingly high rate of failure among small businesses, the freedom of working in franchising and the benefit of an established brand name and business plan. There’s also the added benefit of not having to start from absolutely nothing and having to claw your way to the top, as in small businesses. This all makes franchising sound like an extremely attractive prospect but not everything about it is as pleasant as you may think.

Thinking of Franchising Your Business?

Being the owner of a small and successful business, you may have considered franchising this business to further enhance its opportunities for growth and expansion, Well, you’re not alone.

Franchise and the Risk of Failure

Failure is definitely a real possibility in franchising no matter how skilled a person is, especially since failure rates for small businesses are rather high, particularly in the United States.

“SEO On A Budget” Tips

It is true small businesses face some challenges that large companies may not. Small businesses typically have smaller budgets, less staff and more pressure as they try to get as much done as they can with a small team. It is true that those things do present a challenge however they do not preclude you from getting top rankings.

Online Income Websites Will Have an Advantage When Using Link Building Programs

Targeting local organic traffic and using local SEO has become a big part of internet marketing over the last couple of years and the main reason for this is because there are so many more businesses around. As a matter of fact it is estimated that there are approximately close to thirty million small businesses just in the United States.

Small Business Tips To Ensure Your Business Survives Christmas

In Australia many small businesses go through a very quiet period from about mid December until the end of January. It is when people go on holidays, focus on Christmas parties and generally do anything except think of work. Many small businesses close down after Christmas because they failed to adequately plan in terms of cash-flow or how to maximise the use of their time. Instead of planning and taking action, they sat and worried about lack of customers.

Small Business Tips: Insuring Your Business Success

Over Easter there was a large fire at Coorparoo in Queensland, where a number of small businesses were burnt out. This is a devastating event for any business, but what made it more so was that a number of the small businesses were not insured. What was the effect? Let me tell you about one small business and the effect this has had on them. This small business was a service business; they were starting to get a brilliant reputation in the industry and had a number of major contracts on the go. They had employed a number of staff to work in the business and things were looking rosy. Insurance was on their to do list, but as things got busier and busier it never seemed to make it to the top of the list. As their information was critical to their business, they regularly backed up all of their computers.

Small Business Tips - Lucky Door Prizes & Competitions

Many small businesses use competitions and lucky door prizes as a way of generating leads or building their data base. But if done incorrectly you will end up losing customers and could even find yourself on the wrong side of the law. So how do you run lucky door prizes or competitions that are legal and get you brilliant results?

Home Office Organization and Design Resources

Do you work from home? Would you like to know how to set up your office so that it functions better for you? Did you know that there are now more home-based businesses than there are "store front" small businesses? Keep reading for some resources and tips on setting up your office.

How Organized is Your Business? Part 2

Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was. Did you consider your answer? Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized. Write Your Processes Down!

How Organized Is Your Business? Part 1

According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees. Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are.

Organized Business! How Organized is Yours?

According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees. Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are. Small Business Owners have a very challenging job. Many small business owners go into an industry because it matches their passion or is something that they are really good at. What many start up business owners do not realize is that it takes a LOT more than being good in a particular industry to successfully run a business.

GREEN Business Practices

RecycleReduce -- Reuse -- Recycle. We have heard those words for quite some time now. Some of us take those words more seriously than others, however, did you know that by going "green" with your business you can: * help the environment * market to a different segment of the population, and * help your bottom line? In, Saving money and the planet - green can be good for bottom line, AllBusiness.com talks about ways that you can easily implement green strategies into your business, office and travel. There were a lot of things we were already doing, but the article gave me a few more that we should consider.

Defeat Procrastination and Make More Cash!

In order for any business to grow, they have to TAKE ACTION! This can be really difficult for some. Procrastination is the #1 reason small businesses stall and do not grow as quickly as they would like. Let's put an end of that today! Here are some great techniques to defeat your procrastination.

Favorite Staffing And Personnel Franchise Business Opportunities

If you've ever been searching for a job, you undoubtedly know the value of a good staffing or personnel business. This article looks at some of the best staffing and personnel franchises available today. These franchises specialize in providing staffing services for all sorts of industries.

SBAs 8a Program Can Help Some Companies Compete

The 8(a) Program (named after the section of the Small Business Act from which it comes) is an SBA program created to help small disadvantaged businesses better compete in the U.S. marketplace and within the arena of government procurement. The SBA provides business development, technical assistance and other services to the small businesses that are accepted into the 8(a) program.

For Entrepreneurs A SIMPLE Plan May Be Best

Let me give you a quick overview of a few of the retirement plans available to small businesses so you at least have an idea of what’s out there before you start your search for a good financial advisor.

Small Business Tips – Focus On The Results!

In this small business tips article we will be covering something that at first glance seems intuitive. In business results matter – if you don’t get results you don’t have a business. It amazes me the number of businesses who do things without stopping to work out if they are getting a result. So here are 5 areas where businesses commonly do things and don’t know if they are getting the right result

Tips on Writing Your Brand In Words

When you think of branding most people think of logos, colours and designs. But the way you write and the words you use are as much a part of your brand as all of the other visual elements. Think about Virgin's Brand – cheeky, taking a poke at the establishment and very fresh. When they write ads or brochures each part of their writing reflects their overall brand. The words they use are fun, not stuffy and say it like it is.

4 Reasons Women Entrepreneurs Thrive

Ideals surrounding traditional careers are changing, if not completely dissolving. Today, women are taking control of their destiny and financial wealth by becoming entrepreneurs. With the focus shifting from Corporate America to Entrepreneur America, it is projected that small businesses will lift the U.S. out of the current recession into a new economy supported by entrepreneurs - not corporations. Let's talk about 4 Reasons Women Entrepreneurs will Thrive in the New Economy.

Social Media – Marketing for Small Business Gets Social

With all of the talk about sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn some small businesses have been asking "Does this mean websites are out these days?" So in the interests of giving everyone a bit of a road map here is your crash course in Web 2.0 marketing for small business, starting with a few society trends to give the REALLY big picture.

Tips on Writing Yellow Pages Ads

When most small businesses start up they automatically think: “If I get a Yellow Pages ad all will be well”. The challenge is that over the past few years the way people search for businesses has changed. It used to be that whenever anyone wanted to find a business they went straight to the big yellow books. Now the majority of people will go to their computer first.

Small Business Tips: Why Keywords Are Critical For Your Website and Business

According to MYOB's recent survey of small businesses in Australia, only 41% of all small businesses have a website. The vast majority of the small businesses with a website wouldn't know whether or not they have any keywords, let alone what they were if they did have them. And yet keywords are the most important element of any website. So what exactly are keywords and why do you need them?

Appointment Letters – Small Business Tips to Get Your Foot in the Door

Many small businesses struggle with writing letters to potential clients trying to get an appointment with them. But it doesn't have to be as difficult as it may seem. As a professional copy writer, here are my top 10 tips for effective appointment letters.

Tips on Writing Features vs. Benefits

Repeat after me – people buy benefits! And yet most small businesses still write their copy as if all someone is interested in are the details about their product. When someone wakes up in the morning and they are feeling cold they think "I need to get warm ". They don't wake up and think "I must go and buy a 5-bar radiant heater."

How to Hire Your First Employee

Many small businesses grow rapidly, to the point where they need to hire their first employee either on a part-time or full time basis. It is an exciting time for your business and sometimes the pressure of extra work can make you leap in before you have everything organized for success.

Small Business Tip: Your Self Esteem Determines Your Profits

Money is the last great taboo in society. These days you can ask someone their political views and you will generally get an answer. You can ask someone their religious affiliation and they will tell you. You can even ask them their favourite sexual position and most people will giggle and then come up with an answer. But ... ask them what their credit card debt is or how much they earnt last year and you will get embarrassed mumblings or silence.

Great Work From Home Small Businesses For The Seasoned Entrepreneur

While many franchise businesses are designed for those with little to no business experience, there are some franchises where an experienced entrepreneur will have a definite advantage. If you're a seasoned entrepreneur, take a look at your best options for a work from home small business.

The Importance of Getting The Right People on the Bus

It's not a stretch to suggest that an organization has a greater chance of achieving success when it employs the right people. Obviously, the goal of any company is to hire well, but many small businesses mis-step during the process of seeking out the right employees. What are the characteristics of the "right" people? As a small business leader, what ideas do you need to understand and embrace in order to get the right people into your organization?

Small Business Interview Series Employee Benefits

Employee benefits are an important topic for many small business owners and managers. In the first installment of an ongoing series, I speak with benefits specialist Rachel von Sturmer, Principal at True Benefits Financial, about employee benefits best practices, trends and challenges.

Reputation Management

One of the most important assets of any small business is its reputation – stakeholder opinion can be a driving force when it comes to establishing the value of your brand in the marketplace. As consumers continue to enjoy unlimited access to information and unprecedented freedom of expression online, it seems that Reputation Management has taken on a heightened level of importance for small business owners. What is “Reputation Management” and how important is it to your small business? What is involved and can small business owners manage the process themselves?

Hello, Is Anybody Home?

I wonder how many companies simply ignore inquiries that arrive via the "info@companyname.com" in-box? In an era of technology and connectivity, there should be no excuse for your small business to miss the opportunity to serve a customer.

Tough Times Call for Decisive Action

In challenging economic times, it's necessary for small business owners to take a proactive position on growth. Here, Jim Donovan, the Turnaround Mentor, shares a simple six step process to move toward greater success.

Medium is Beautiful

Who are your best customers? It’s a question I often ask my clients. And the answers I most often get are either “the big ones” or “the small ones”. But is this really so? My experience has show that in fact, it's often the "medium sized" customers who are the most valuable.

Sales Recruitment and Hiring Process

Find who you want, don't just take who you get. There are plenty of great people out their looking for a place to contribute. Good people are interviewing you, so you need to be prepared, organized and professional in your approach. You can attract top quality people if your company can support them and your hiring process is attractive to them.

Make Time for Sales`

The SBA states that 90% of all businesses fail in their first 5 years. They can blame it on location, credit, competitors, economy-- but the real reason is not enough business. Business owners wear many hats and can easily make excuses for being busy. But they must focus on that top line, or little will make it to the bottom.

Minority Business Certification

This article shares information about the benefits of certifying your business.

10 Items or Less

How to use the customer’s demand for fast service and convenience

Women Business Owners Continue to Thrive

Women Business Owners are impacting the economy as they continue to start twice as many businesses as the overall population.

What do Barbara Streisand and Tiger Woods have in common?

In addition to being at the top of their respective fields, Streisand in music and Woods in golf, they both work with a coach. Why would someone at the top of their chosen profession need a coach?

Get Involved in a Charity

Your community is the foundation of your small business. Giving back to it can be rewarding for both your spirit and your bottom line.

Exit Strategies

Planning on selling up soon? How many times have you heard business people say "my business is my pension"? Unfortunately, too frequently, and unfortunately too many find that their pension isn't worth what they believe it to be.

8 Strategies to Promote Your Work at Home Typing Business on a Budget

Deciding that you want to start a work at home typing job is one thing. Actually starting it and finding people to work for is another. It can become quite costly promoting your services with little or no results. The following information offers tips on how to promote your work at home typing business without breaking the bank.

UK Businesses: Are you getting Mortgage Interest Relief on your Home Office?

The use of parts of residential properties for business purposes is growing and becoming more and more popular, particularly for small businesses. However, many business are not taking advantage of the mortgage interest relief on offer.

Lessons Learned about Planning

Lessons learned about planning.

Home Base Business - The Secret To Successfully Starting A Profitable Business

Who are the ones that succeed in creating a profitable online home business and what are they doing that others fail to do. The road to success is like climbing a mountain. If the mountain was smooth no one would ever get to the top. So what does it take?

Start with the End in Mind

How to Balance Your Business for Success!

The Ten Keys to a Successful Business Plan

If you were to ask twenty experienced business people what it takes to have a successful business plan, chances are you will get many of these answers and more. Here is my view of what a successful business plan is made of.

So You Want To Be an Independent Consultant - Key Issues for New Gray-Hair Consultants

As the baby-boomer generation begins to retire in larger and larger numbers, it is increasingly the case they will seek non-traditional retirement by establishing new careers in their own businesses. One of the frequently chosen businesses is independent consulting. The key issues these new consultants face and some approaches to resolving them are the topics of this paper.

Outsourcing Saves Lives (Your Life)

How every entrepreneur and business can outsource their time-eaters to cheaper, better, and foreign professionals.

Operating from Super Abundance

This is one reason highly successful entrepreneurs hire coaches and consultants. They know that coming from a place of abundance shows up in every word and every action, and ultimately creates more and greater abundance.

The Value of Technology

Invest in appropriate technology and learn to use it to your advantage.

Critical Small Business Mistakes

There are many traps that small business owners can fall into when they are first starting out. However, by recognising these common mistakes, you can avoid them easily and be well on your way to success.

Strategies to Recession Proof Your Business

Every small business needs to take a hard look at the status of their business now to make sure it can withstand an economic downturn. The secret is to have your Plan address spots where you may be vulnerable. Prevention definitely beats fixing things after they become difficult to turn around.

EXPORTER LOANS ARE OFFERED BY HUNDREDS OF LENDERS

Explains use and acquisition of government loans and bank loans for exporting products abroad.

Top Secrets of Successful Couplepreneurs

This article offers valuable insights to couples in business together to maximize their success in both their business and personal relationship. Written by a business and relationship coach who is a coupleprneur and has interviewed scores of successful couplepreneurs to discover the attitudes and behaviors that led to their prosperity. Read this article to learn about prosperity through partnership.

Be Sure Youre Charging Enough Money

Entrepreneurs love to get new clients for their business. You work hard developing your skills and marketing yourself and the payoff comes when someone says, yes, they want to hire you. Then comes the negotiation regarding fees.....

Is your business a kitchen table or barstool?

The most effective way to multiply revenue is to build your business like a solid kitchen table. What are you talking about, you say! Consider that each leg of a kitchen table represents a potential revenue stream; most businesses generate significant from only one, perhaps two legs. If you want to maximize the revenue potential of your business, read on to learn about all four legs.

HR Lessons from the Canucks: What Businesses Can Learn From the Firing of Dave Nonis

The firing of Vancouver Canucks General Manager, Dave Nonis, has catapulted the Canucks and its owners into the glaring light of public scrutiny. The media activity and the public response across the city has highlighted some critical lessons for all companies on how to effectively manage employees. For small businesses, in particular, these lessons can be particularly helpful as they compete for talent in this tight labour market.

4 tips to hire key employees in a small business

Are you looking for talented, trustworthy people who can actually drive the growth of your organization? You have the vision; you also know precisely how to realize that vision; but do you have the right team with you to help you achieve your business goals? Read on to get some hiring tips that will help you build a strong team that is self-motivated and loves to work and grow with your company.

Get On The Phone to Get More Business

It is a marketing flaw of many small businesses that when they are busy with business the marketing efforts get cast aside until it is a slow period. Recognize that if you are consistent in your marketing efforts and simple phone connections there will be no slow periods.

Injecting Internet Marketing Into Your Marketing Mix

A website and online presence is one aspect of the marketing mix for a business. For the small to medium business, there is no reason for a website to be the sole method of marketing – but by integrating a website into your marketing plan you can drive new leads and generate new business that you wouldn't ordinarily reach using a single avenue of advertising.

Hottest Retail Franchise Business Opportunities

If you’re looking for all the advantages of having your own business without the high risk of failure, then take a look at some of the hottest retail franchises available in the U.K.

The eMail Signature - Use it to Promote

Small Businesses usually have very little money for advertising, but one of the simplest way to get free advertising is to use your eMail Signature.

10 mistakes - Why small businesses stay small.

Small businesses are doomed to perpetuial smallness by a series of mistakes. Eliminate the misatkes and youll find immediate growth.

How Will the Debt Ceiling Deal Affect Small Businesses?

What impact will the current debt deal have on small businesses and American citizens?

Home Based Business--Bank Loans To Grow

When a newspaper reporter asked bank robber Willie Sutton why he robbed banks he answered, “Because that’s where the money is.” And Willie was right if you're trying to grow a business too--banks do supply the bulk of the money for small businesses.

Generation Y and Social Media

Social media is taking corporate America by storm. Executives from large and small businesses alike must educate themselves and follow this trend or it is likely they will slowly become more and more obsolete. Being a technology-savvy and change-ready firm is a must in today's world.

Idea Blob: An Infectious Way to Fund Your Green Business

If you’re like many ecopreneurists out there, you have a great idea or three cooking on the back burner right now, that could be a full fledged company, or perhaps a powerfully beneficial invention. And you think, with a little financial push and a lot of advice, it could really do something, becoming more then doodles on a napkin. Or perhaps you’re already up and running (like crazy) and some extra eyes, ears to help finesse what you’ve got going would be helpful. And $10,000 in extra money towards it would be a nice bonus. Where can you find this? One example out there right now is Idea Blob.

Do you reach a global market

It is widely reported that there are 6.5 billion people on the planet spread throughout 194 countries (I only have another 171 to see!) Follow this link to test yourself.

5 Things That New Entrepreneurs Must Do For Consistent Business Growth

As a proud small business owner, are you able to do the balancing act of working IN your business while working ON it? Small businesses usually start when people who are specialist in some field decide to start on their own. Slowly they get so involved in the day-to-day business operations that the business cannot survive without them. This article will help you rise above the non-core business activities and concentrate on what you do best.

Improve your business with key performance indicators (KPIs)

For those of you who are constantly looking for ways to better manage and improve your business, key performance indicators could prove to be a good solution. Key performance indicators, also known as KPI’s, are financial and non-financial measurements that help a business understand how much progress it has made in achieving its goals. Before KPI’s are established, however, a business must clearly establish its mission, goals, and stakeholders.

How to Set up Effective Terms and Conditions Before you Sell on Credit

Setting up effective terms and conditions can be a challenge for many small business owners when they are formulating their payment infrastructure. Extending credit can be an effective small business strategy as it allows your business to establish customer loyalty and to increase sales with customers who would not do business with your company otherwise. Consider the following tips when you are setting up your small business terms and conditions:

What to do when confronted with a "Cease and Desist" Letter

This article gives good basic advice when confronted with a cease and desist letter.

Love Kids? A Children’s Franchise May Be For You!

Do you consider yourself a “kid person” whether or not you are a parent? Would you like the idea of a business opportunity or franchise business that involves a product or service that is fun, exciting, and beneficial for young ones? Then take a look at the countless small businesses and home business franchises for sale that provide kid-centered products and services.

Amendments to Small Business Protections under the Trade Practices Act

Section 51AC of the Trade Practices Act (TPA) protects small business by prohibiting a corporation from engaging in unconscionable conduct when dealing in supply or acquisition of goods or services with any person or corporation, other than a listed company. It is specifically targeted at small business consumers.

Selling Online Is Easier Than Ever!

Selling your products and services online is easier than you think. Begin with these helpful online marketing and development tips.

Consciousness Coaching ® - latest trend 2008

Executive Coaching is a great tool to support the skill and character development – but what do you do if you find your ego simply resists change? Like the body rejects anything that isn’t it’s own, the ego may reject likewise. Where it is not self discovered knowledge, second hand knowledge might be perceived by the ego as foreign like a splinter of wood by the body. The ego then rejects the affirmation, the great formulas and motivational phrases and gets rid of them whether we object to it or not. So many seminar graduates and coaching clients are fighting an impossible battle against their ego; the mind says “I am confident, powerful and charismatic” and the ego says: “Yeah right, you fool!” ...

Leverage Your Time and Energy - Untie Your Shoes!

A while ago, I wrote a short post for small business owners and managers called “Building a Sustainable Infrastructure”. In it, I touched briefly on the idea of leveraging your time and energy by addressing problems and challenges from the standpoint of sustainability, or how to solve problems for good, using the least possible amount of time and energy. This seems to be a topic of great interest and value for many of my clients, so I thought I’d finally give it some of the attention it truly deserves.

Taking Your Business Online : Tips for Launching a Small Business Web Site

The decision to launch a Web site for a business owner has gone from “if” to “when,” in just a decade. However, the expectations of your average site visitor have also changed in that time. Cheap, home-made Web sites are no longer acceptable. The site you create for your business is a stamp on its credibility; therefore the process of designing and launching one must be taken seriously and considered to be an earnest business investment.

New Competition in 2008

Small Businesses who gained profits in 2007, are you ready for your 2008 competition? New competition does not always mean trouble, however competition for the same marketplace can sometimes be tricky. Keeping in mind that competition will allow small businesses to grow and strive in the marketplace. If you are struggling against your competition keep in mind some key principles to help your business strategy.

The Small Business Administration Can Be a Powerful Ally for Franchisees

The Small Business Administration is a market regulator for the franchise industry, providing guarantee for lenders, so that the market flourishes. By guaranteeing loans issued to small business owners -- including franchisees -- the SBA makes it easier to attain these loans. Franchise businesses get special considerations when it comes to attaining these types of loans.

What does 2008 have in store for small businesses?

What does 2008 have in store for small businesses? Helen Dowling from Exceptional Thinking has a look at this topical issue.

How to Build a High-Tech Contracting Business without Loads of Cash.

When it is time to pay the bill it is time to pay the bill. When it is time to make payroll, it is time to make payroll, when it is time to pay taxes, the man does not wait.

Recruit and Hire the Right People for Success

Your people are, without a doubt, your greatest asset. As Jim Collins so eloquently put it in his book, titled Good to Great….”To be successful you have to get the right people on the bus with you”….and as I like to say, you need to be the person with the steering wheel in your hands.Most small businesses get in the habit of hiring people when they need them TOMORROW, rather than recruiting people all the time and having a pool of ready to go prospects...

Leadership Styles - the Ten Top Qualities the Best Leaders Show

Leadership Styles vary enormously, but there is one overriding quality that is vital in all top leaders... "The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves" Ray Kroc - founder of McDonalds There are many sorts of Leadership Styles out there, some of them are brilliant, some less so! Here are the best traits of the best of them:-

Social Media: Marketing Tool or Time Waster?

Is Social Media a useful marketing tool or simply a time waster? This is a tough question for a lot of small businesses today and one I've been asked many times during my presentations recently. As you start to plan and looking at opportunities and trends for the next 12 months here are some thoughts to consider.

How 'Hiring Now' Is A Hint You Have Problems

For your business to really prosper, you have to get deep down and dirty to ensure that really get clear on issues you are facing. And those your people are facing too...

Judy Wawira

An aspiring young entrepreneur from Kenya talks about her businesses and what she sees in store for the future.

How Do You Define Good Business Partners?

Finding good business partners is critical to the success of growing businesses. Businesses, especially small businesses, can live or die based on the success of their partnerships. And as with any kind of partnership you may be judged by the company you keep. So how do we define a good partner?

Promoting Your Products with Organic Search

Organic search results are the most cost effective way to promote your product or service online. Stop spending on search engine marketing and invest in a productive SEO campaign.

The Conference Commando

Do you attend business conferences? How much planning do you do beforehand? Where is the value in the conference for you. Andy Lopata looks at a recent event he attended and how he made it the most rewarding conference of his career.

Interview with John Clark

A master of freebies marketing for retail / consumer packaged good companies. Writing about how free sample marketing can revolutionize retail / CPG companies digitally.

Results: Exploring entrepreneurship in a declining economy

A confirmatory factor analysis of the "reasons leading to start-up" items was performed to ascertain if a resolute set of start-up reasons or outcome factors existed.

YOU Are Your Businesses Greatest Asset:

Whether you're in the early stages of creating a business or have been in business for a decade, it's a good idea to revisit the basics and make sure you have a strong personal foundation for your business to thrive upon. It doesn't matter how good your products or services are if you don't stay in good shape, mentally, emotionally and physically eventually, you're out of business. Statistics tell us that most small businesses fail in the first 5 years due to lack of capital. While this is true, in my experience the other reason businesses fail is from owner burnout!

IV. Introduction - MICROFINANCE IN AFRICA: THE MODEL

The last twenty years have seen significant advances in understanding and providing financial services to better advance development and eradicate poverty. This includes providing the financial means to save, access credit, and start small businesses, with the potential to enhance community development, as well as local and national policy making. When properly harnessed and supported, microfinance can scale-up beyond the micro-level as a sustainable part of the process of economic empowerment by which the poor can lift themselves from poverty.

5.9 Employment and enterprise development: Working Out of Poverty

Analysis of trends in employment to identify sectoral or regional patterns of growth or decline. Improving the information base on where people work and how much they earn, labour force participation and household incomes, disaggregated by sex and age.

4.3 Informal labour markets: Working Out of Poverty

A strategy for improving governance

3.3 Supporting entrepreneurship in micro and small enterprises: Working Out of Poverty

Small enterprises constitute a large and growing share of employment in the developing world, and are generally more labour intensive than larger firms.

1.18 Building bridges: Working Out of Poverty

The majority of people in developing countries live and work in the back alleys of the marketplace, the informal economy, the rural subsistence economy and the care economy.This presents a major challenge.

10 Tips to Grow Your Business Plain and Simple

Is your small business a well-oiled machine or are you tossing and turning all night long? Read on for 10 tips to help you develop a strong, solid, profitable business. Turn your business into the company you know it can be, and get the sleep you deserve.

Financing Your Startup: Some Essential Tips

Step-by-step hints from experts to assist you....

Top 7 reasons to hire a small business marketing consultant

When should your small business hire a small business marketing consultant? Here are the Top 10 conditions for hiring this all important member of your small business team.

Getting Ready for the Transition from an Employee to a Business Owner

Most people nearing retirement age begin to think about what they can do next. Even though you may want to start a small home based business, but you could be stuck wondering if you are too old for entrepreneurship after retirement. You may even think that over 60 is an age that is too old for getting into entrepreneurship.

Small Business Loans for Women

Not only are the number of small businesses on the rise throughout North America, but so too are the number of women-owned small businesses. Female entrepreneurs are rapidly becoming a major playing force in the world economy. In the United States alone, it’s estimated that women-owned small businesses employ more than 27 million people and generate over three and a half trillion dollars for the country’s economy. Taking that into account, one has to then wonder why small business loans for women are still in short supply.

Improving business conditions - Increasing SME Access to Finance: A Four Pronged Approach

Improving business conditions, boosting the capacity of SMEs, expanding the financial sector and strengthening links between firms will permanently increase SMEs’ access to finance.

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