Small Business: studenoga 2007

nedjelja, 18. studenoga 2007.

Small Business

Are you ready to conquer cyberspace? Here are 9 steps to Internet business: 1. Figure out what you can do for a business. Do you have the knack for writing? You can write articles, eBooks, or web content for various website online. Want to sell something online? You can try eBay and other auction sites. Whatever you'd like to get yourself into, internet surely has a slot for you.

2. Create your very own website. Your website will act as your online store where your prospective customers can get more information about the products and services that you are offering and possibly place an order.

3. Get the best domain name. Your domain name can greatly help you generate more traffic and attract more customers online. An effective domain name has these following characteristics: It contains 30 characters or less, it has relevant keywords and it is easy to remember and spell.

4. Find a reliable web hosting service that gives you good value for your rental fees and keep itself operational at all times. You would not want your website shutting down all the time for repairs and frequent maintenance.

5. Drive traffic to your website. Remember, traffic is the backbone of every online business. As such you need to utilize all proven and tested traffic generating techniques to increate the number of your online visitors. You can resort to SEO, link building, article marketing, forum posting, blogging, etc.

6. Advertise your business in whatever way you can as much as possible. Promote your website, products and services through PPC advertising, banner ads or pop-up ads.

7. Offer various payment methods. Accept different payment methods that are convenient for your customers. Paypal, credit card, COD, and money order are the most popular payments methods preferred by more than 80% of online buyers.

8. Offer world class customer service. Make your customer feel special by providing them assistance when they need it. Provide them a phone number or email address for their questions and suggestions.

9. Always keep improving, no matter what. The worst thing a business can do is to grow stale, so keep expanding it to new heights constantly.

Small Business

Reliable Backup Strategies for Small Business

Small Businesses today use technology and rely on the validity of their data just like the big companies do. However, they do not normally have the budgets to have elaborate tape storage or network storage devices to have multiple versions of customer databases, accounting data or any other bits of information that are important to the overall success of their business.

Most small businesses that experience a serious data loss or catastrophe never fully recover or even stay in business. Events in the past few years like Hurricane Katrina or 9/11, have shown the importance of backup and then securely storing your critical business data outside of your office in a secure storage facility.

Here are some basic recommendations so you can sleep at night, knowing that your data is securely backed up and also that you can confidently restore your data when you ever need to. Remember it is not if you need to restore it is when.

Versioning and Saving

One thing that I have found to be effective in my own backup of files, especially this article, is to save versions of the file as you work. If your document or spreadsheet becomes corrupt for some reason, you can always go back to a previous version. Also, ensure you save often. Nothing worse than having a system crash or freeze and you lose hours of work.

Invest in a Server

Most Small Businesses chose consultants or resellers that rarely show the real value that a server can bring to your organization. Microsoft has priced their Small Business Server so that all Small Businesses can put in a server with email services starting around $3,500.00.

What does a server offer?

A server will provide you with a central and secure system to store your corporate data. Permissions can be set on files to prevent unauthorized access, which could lead to data deletion. Most data loss due to deletion comes from accidental deletion or disgruntled employees that are upset with the owner or management.

Also with a server you will have one place to backup your data to tape or disk, your data is not scattered on your computers all over the network. This will also save you consulting dollars due to the ease of administration.

Windows Servers today come with a service called “Volume Shadow Copy” that will take a snapshot of your data periodically throughout the day, giving you yet another level of backup. You can now recover data from your server without paying those expensive IT consulting bills.

Tape or Disk Based Backup Systems

If your company is using tape or disk (hard drive, CD Rom, or DVD) based backup systems, it is important to ensure that you are doing a full backup every evening. This way if you need to restore from tape or disk, you can feel confident that all your data was backed up the night before.

It is important to ensure that you have a GFS (Grandfather, father, and son) backup system in place, you can do this easily with tape based back ups, you need about 10 tapes to make this happen. I recommend have 4 tapes for the Monday to Thursday backups, 4 or 5 more for each Friday of the month, and then 1 tape for your month end. This is a minimum, you can add more tapes if you wish.

Offsite Media Storage

Storing your backup media offsite is critical to the success of your company. I do not recommend taking this home or leaving it in your car, this is not a secure way to store your business data. There are many organizations that have secure vaults and will charge around $60.00 per month for a basic storage plan. I recommend solutions from Iron Mountain, Kestrel or a local organization, in Calgary we recommend Calgary Archives (http://www.calgaryarchives.com)

Electronic Backup

The next level of protection is electronic offsite storage, this is a backup that is done electronically and sends your critical data across the Internet to the service provider’s secure electronic vault. Your data is compressed and encrypted at your office and then securely transmitted to the service providers. We recommend the services provided by eBackup (www.ebackup.biz). Their services will backup your critical corporate data, your mailboxes on your Small Business Server and your critical customer databases.

Conclusion

The most important thing about any successful backup plan is to ensure you can restore from these backups. Proper and frequent testing of your backup plan will ensure that you can restore from backup in the event of a loss of data or catastrophic disaster such as fire, theft or critical system failure. Remember, you can never have enough backups of files or enough types of backup. Better to be safe than sorry.

Small Business

Whatever business you decide to branch out into, the one thing that is guaranteed is that you’re going to need money to start it all up, and no matter how small or simple you think your business may be, it’s not going to be cheap to get started. Thankfully, there is an option called a small business loan grant that can help you out.

What Is A Small Business Loan Grant?

A small business loan grant is exactly what it sounds like, which is a loan that helps small business get started. However, the difference is that instead of it being offered by a bank or similar, the loan is met by private sector companies, should you not be able to get credit through a normal lender.

Obviously, the easiest way to try and start up your new business is to get a loan from your bank, or Savings Company. Yet dependent on what your current line of credit is like, that may be easier said than done. For instance, you may have a large mortgage and little money left over to cover your loan after all your bills are paid. If this is the case, you need to look at a small business loan grant, and for that, you should speak to the Small Business Administration, or SBA for short.

What The SBA Can Do For You

In business for over 50 years, the SBA is a company that arranges small business loan grants between lenders and borrowers (or larger businesses and smaller ones). Since they work mainly with non-profit organizations and state and local governments, they can usually help you find the best solution to your financial needs.

How Much Can I Borrow?

Depending on what lender you go to, the amount of loan you can arrange via an SBA-approved lender varies. Some of the most popular ones include:

· 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program, which offers anything up to $2 million.
· The Microloan Program, which is better suited for the really small start-ups, since it only offers up to $35,000.

What Classifies For A Small Business Loan Grant?

Of course, to get a loan, you need to be applicable for it. To this end, the SBA has set out guidelines for what qualifies as a small business:

· Maximum of 500 employees for manufacturing or mining industry
· Maximum of 100 employees for wholesale trade business
· Turnover ranging from $0.5 million to $17 million, dependent on industry

If you want to know if you qualify, and if you do, for how much, simply visit the SBA website at http://www.sba.gov/ . Also do check out their FAQs at: http://app1.sba.gov/faqs/

Small Business

There are a great many potential buyers out there on the internet and many ways to advertise your small business in America. This article deals exclusively with internet classifieds.

Writing small classifieds is superb training for creating all types of advertising. The internet has developed since the home computer. You can now start a small business from home and produce terrific returns.

Small Business Classifieds, when used effectively, can be one of the quickest and inexpensive ways to increase sales and customers. One or two, well-written small classifieds can generate thousands in sales. Most people in America, don't appreciate the pulling power of classified advertising. They think small classifieds are for selling unwanted items, or finding cheap bargains, not for developing a business. While it's true small classifieds are a good way to sell unwanted items, or find a bargain, it is also true that small classifieds can be used to launch and operate a multi-million dollar corporate or small business.

Many a successful Corporate and Small Business depend totally on small classifieds to generate all their sales. The reason is simple. Once you have discovered how to harness the power of these small classifieds, you really don't need to run expensive display ads.

Creating successful small classifieds is not a job for an amateur. You may become qualified to create killer classifieds, if you study and work hard at it. But without practice, you are unlikely to do a good job. And only good classifieds make money.

How to Write Successful Small Classified Ads

Your small classified ad must compete with other ads for the readers attention. Your small classifieds has no artwork or layout. The whole job of leading readers into and through your classified ad must be done by the first word or words in the advertisement. You must use exciting and interesting words to the potential buyers of your product. The lead words must go to the heart of the product.

Do not deceive people with your small classified ads. What you want are quality names of potential customers... not a large quantity of useless names. It would be easy to promise the stars in your small classified ads. But if it can't deliver, you will not only lose the initial sale, you will have alienated your buyer.

Place your small classified ads under the most appropriate heading. If you were offering something appealing to health, the classifieds heading would be HEALTH. If you're aiming at a specific type of sportsman such as cyclists, swimmers, or bodybuilders, you might find such a classifieds heading.

Small Classified advertising is a powerful tool. You must first become aware of the effective use of classifieds advertising as a business builder. Understand exactly what can be expected from small classifieds advertising and what cannot.

Stir Emotion with your Corporate, or Small Business Classifieds

Your product or service must contain the "emotional appeal" that is the key element of many display ads. This "emotional appeal" must have the power to attract the reader. After the lead words, the good small classified advertisement will contain whatever descriptive words are necessary to tell enough about your product to make your prospect want it and to convince him you are telling the truth and are reliable. Concentrate on benefits, not features. Include your contact details, so that you can follow up on leads from your small classifieds. If you are making direct sales, include the price. Study the small classified advertisements of your successful competitors.

Write the Best Small Classified Ad you can

Include all the classic advertising words: "news", "new", "discovery", "bargain", "free", "save", etc. Hone and polish your small classified ad. Try to use the most powerful and evocative words. Make your small classifieds ad look exciting and big.

Mail Order Classifieds in America make Big Money !!!

Are you ready to make lots of money in your Small Business in America? Do you want to spend little time and money? If you are prepared to fulfill your dreams and realize your goals, mail order classifieds in America are your best bet to success. You have what it takes - right now. Small classifieds in America are the best dollar for-dollar return in advertising, and you can earn a high profit on your product investment.

People in America read small classifieds for a purpose. They aren't interrupted - as in most advertising - and are specifically looking for products, services and information that appeal to them. Well-placed small classifieds in America will bring hundreds - thousands - of replies month after month, year after year.

Don't forget the value of the names of your customers and enquirers. Satisfied customers can later be sold other products and each customer's name can be very valuable.

Small Business

Just where is the business community headed for VoIP technology and applications? The answer is not that simple as it can vary greatly by region of the world. The difference in scale and application between small business networks and enterprise VoIP for larger organizations is also a factor in the equation.

What seems to be the practice in the US is that businesses adopt VOIP because it is budget friendly. Most companies deploy VOIP in new offices because it is cheaper than a new digital phone system. Existing offices are migrated to VOIP as leases on digital equipment expired. Interoffice voice communication occurrs without long distance costs as VOIP traffic travels the corporate WAN (VPN/MPLS/etc.) alongside or parallel to data traffic. I see this trend continuing domestically until digital phone systems are phased out completely.

The next challenge is replacing small business (analog) phone systems because they generally keep pace with consumer technology instead of larger businesses. You currently see VOIP for small business and personal use independent of the ISP. A combined offering of Internet data and voice could easily induce universal acceptance of VOIP in even the smallest business (as well as households).

The only thing left behind is conference equipment in businesses of all sizes. Your desktop phone provider rarely provides your digital/analog tripod conference phone and associated equipment. I expect technology advances for VOIP to be in the conference room as opposed to the desktop. When I hear convergence, I think of the unification of voice and data. The conference room is where you can really take advantage of this union.

Today in India especially; many small, medium & large enterprises are looking forward to VoIP technology as companies become more conscious about spending money on PSTN. With recent changes taking place in VoIP technology, and as it becomes more and more affordable, most organisations are coming forward to adapt these newer technologies to fulfill there communication requirements. To tap the growing requirements and market potential, not only the small phone companies but even the PBX manufacturing giants like Nortel, Avaya, Alcatel and Panasonic are continuously working on providing more advanced features and facilities utilizing the maximum possible technical advancements of VoIP. The current trend of unified communication concept is an example for this.

Australia/New Zealand were early adopters of IP telephony particularly in large enterprise and Government sites. The most likely reason to deploy IP Telephony was office relocation, and large enterprise customers replacing their aging legacy PBX with IP Telephony on the basis of future proofing, Toll-Bypass, and lower maintence cost compared to legacy pbx.

Cisco has sold something like over 5 million IP Phones worldwide. Australia & New Zealand combined sold over 500,000 IP Phones.

VoIP Technology is no longer about making cheaper calls in Australia/New Zealand. Its about optimizing business processes with fully integrated communication options. IM, Video Conferencing, Presence, Unified Messaging, and Mobility. I anticpate Australia and New Zealand to be early adopters to Unified Communication in Asia Pac.

Malaysia is an interesting place because, despite the lack of large "enterprise" sale of IP Telephony compared to Australia, there appears to be a large acceptance of VoIP Technology from open source such as SIPX, Asterisk and OpenSER. In fact, a lot of VoIP innovation coming from Malaysia is based on Open Source (ie. Free to download but you have to put long man hours to get it working). A fascinating application is one where you use your 3G mobile phone's camera to capture a video stream that sends automatically to your blogsite. This application is used also in Insurance companies where members are encouraged to record the "car accident" video clip as part of the process in submitting a claim. Also, the same VoIP technology is used in legal proceedings, in court, where lawyers can access the judge via 3G Mobile phone and IP Video Phone. These applications all use VoIP technology as the foundation.

On another note....the convenience of using the same cable infrastructure, manageability, cost involved maintaining Public Switching Telephone Lines, and quick and easy deployment are just a few parameters which attract most companies to buy the voice communication systems which support VoIP. That's a cottage industry in itself which will only grow as acceptance and deployment of VoIP takes a firmer hold in the business world.

For example, several Soft PBX softwares can be found on the Internet which are freely available for download and usage. This develpoment implies that the requirement for Hardware PBX is decreasing day by day. This also is an early indication that most of the voice communication techniques and products emerging in the future will be based on VoIP......and software aspects.

Lots of improvements are still needed in VoIP no matter where you are in the world.....but they are in the pipeline. For example, SMEs require simple to setup aid rather then technically rich products. An example of an improvement here would be products like the iSpeedBump from Interworking Labs. This goes outside your firewall and looks at your traffic. If it sees VoIP, it prioritizes that traffic over things that can go slower like e-mail. The device has four main settings to match 99% of cases and you just plug it in, set the switch and go. No more. Cleans up garbled VoIP yielding a better quality voice exchange.

Personally I think VoIP still has a long way to go to really compete with the landlines for business customers....particularly for small businesses. Not so much for large enterprises. For most VOIP installations, especially in a small company, though it is significantly cheaper VoIP doesn't work anywhere near as well as a landline. Nor are all the security concerns alleviated. At least yet.

The trick, and VoIP companies seem to have done a pretty good job of this, is to convince people that phone service doesn't always have to be perfect. Sounding like a cell phone is fine, and probably the other end of the conversation will think it is their end anyway. So don't waste your money on a landline. However, as VoIP quality and reliability catches up...no one will really notice a difference (or really care about what little difference there may be). Then the answer will be narrowed down simply to cost....and the most cost effective communication will win out.

Small Business

If you've ever seen one of those "Top 10 Small Business to Start" lists then you probably know that the house painting business opportunity has been a contender for years.

One of the nicest things about owning a painting business is the flexibility it can offer. The income potential is so high that it is quite possible to work just three to four days a week and still make $50-$60000 a year.

House painting is one of those rare business opportunities that is nearly recession proof and can put financial security within reach for a great number of people.

There are no formal education requirements and basic painting and business skills are all that are necessary to succeed. (Most of which can be learned with the right painting business building home study course).

The demands of a house painter are typically only light physical labor, which can be done by men or women, young or old. A painting business can be used as a full time or part time income source.

Being a painting business owner not only offers the potential to quickly earn a professional income it also offers the feeling of fulfillment and pride that comes with being self-employed and self-sufficient.

Not to mention the instant gratification you get every day you complete a job and add another satisfied customer to your list, followed by depositing another large check into your growing bank account. It's a nice gig!

The best advice I can offer the person considering starting their own painting business is to spend some time gathering information from reputable sources about how to market your painting business as well as how to bid and estimate paint jobs, or what I like to call the business side of the painting business.

One question I get asked quite frequently by new painting business owners is "what kind of jobs should I go after..."? This is a marketing question.

The answer I give is always the same. Begin by targeting residential repaints. They are plentiful and by far the easiest jobs to paint, they have incredible profit margins and very low overhead.

The residential repaints niche is insatiable; there is enough work in that segment of the painting industry to stay booked and profitable for a lifetime.

Another wonderful benefit that makes starting a painting business so enticing is that you don't need a large budget to get started. One of the biggest misconceptions about growing a profitable painting business is that you have to spend thousands of dollars on advertising in order to bring in work.

This is simply not true especially if you target residential repaints. It is a fact that you can grow a thriving 100% referral based painting business with next to zero traditional advertising.

With the help of some very simple systems even a person who is starting from scratch can have their painting business up and running and making money in seven days or less on a budget as small as $250.00.

These are just some of the reasons starting a painting business gets so many people excited and why this outstanding opportunity winds up on the list of the best small business to start nearly every year.

Andy Thompson is a successful painting business owner, consultant and the author of "Painting for Profits - A Complete Insider's Guide to Starting and Growing Your Very Own Wildly Profitable Painting Business". Discover how his information can help you by visiting

Small Business

After spending months in meetings, logging a ton of phone calls, and sitting across from a prospective client for days in negotiation, you get the project. The hard part is behind you - or is it? Bringing in your dream deal is a great achievement, but if you cannot deliver on your promises, that dream could turn into a nightmare that buries your company.

Stiff competition exists in pretty much every market niche today, whether product or service. Growing revenues means selling more, which means offering better, faster, cheaper, or, better yet, all three. A tempting trap that snares many salespeople as they race the competition for prospects' business is to make commitments that are beyond the company's ability to deliver, that will stretch available resources to a dangerous extent, or that commit too many resources to a single client.

When you or your sales staff submit a proposal to a prospect, you put a lot on the line - your company, your reputation, even your employees' salaries. Regardless of what you are selling, the only way to justify that kind of investment is to deliver on your promises. Offering the prospect bigger, faster, or cheaper will only work if you can follow through; if you can't, it's only a matter of time before you get replaced by a competitor. Having this happen even once can put your company in jeopardy - negative word of mouth travels almost at the speed of light, and an unhappy client can tarnish a company's reputation beyond recovery.

So you have to be able to beat out the competition and deliver the goods, which is no small feat. How do you motivate prospect to hire you instead of someone else without over promising or making commitments that don't make strategic sense for you? Here are some recommendations for getting the business and staying in business.

Understand exactly and clearly what you are offering. If you have a sales team, train them properly so they can sell what you offer without extra embellishments.

Know your competition. Gather as much intelligence as possible about what they are offering, how they are selling, and why prospects do or don't select them.

Do your homework. Gather as much intelligence about your prospect as possible. The more you know about the customer's company and the challenges they are facing, the better edge you will have.

Have a clear objective framed before you meet the prospect. Stay focused on this objective and avoid improvisation. For example, if your objective is to set up a demo of your product in a second meeting, quell the temptation to make a sale even if the conditions seem conducive.

Be prepared to answer any and all questions about your product and/or service. Rehearse possible scenarios beforehand so that you will be prepared to field a range of issues, queries, or objections.

Demonstrate your belief in what you are selling. Prospects can spot a hard sales pitch a mile off, and they know whether or not the person in front of them really believes in what they are selling.

Stand beside the prospect. Not literally, but in the sense that you see the product or service from their point of view and understand the benefits within their context. This allows you to make a connection beyond the sales pitch.

Be honest with the prospective client. This may not be as easy as it sounds. It takes courage. If the customer asks if you can deliver something that you know is beyond your capability, tell the truth. Focus on presenting solutions if any are available. For example, if the request is outside your capabilities but you know of a company that can fill the bill, offer to include them in your proposal as a sub-contractor that you will manage. Make sure that whatever you propose fits your own company objectives and can be delivered as promised. Analyze your own risks and have back up plans for any occurrence that could jeopardize the successful completion of the proposed project.

Finally, leave the prospect with a positive and accurate memory of how you can help their company. If you have shown them realistic and proven ways of supporting their objectives, they will have realistic view or your product or service, and you will keep their attention and interest long after you've left the room.

Small Business

If you are becoming interested in small business grants for women, then you should know that before you get started, you need all the help and the advices you can get. If you have the right idea and project in mind, plus a little ambition and perseverance, you will definitely make the most out of the small business grants for women. Think about it this way: these loans are actually a unique opportunity for you, as a professional career woman to make a statement in a world that is still dominated and leaded by men - so then, why not grab this change and prove the world what you are capable of?

As you might have expected, there are certain requirements when it comes to being eligible for small business grants for women. Firstly, you need to own a minimum of 51% of your business, in order to be a suitable candidate for one of these minority small business grants. The second most important thing you must be able to present to the government representatives is a clean credit history. Obviously, this is not such an easy thing to achieve, especially since you can not simply "delete" an unclean and flawed history in a few seconds. If you really wish to obtain one of the small business grants for women, repair all you can before applying for the money grants.

The next thing you need to o is to think about a strategy. A very well organized, powerful and impressive business plan; to be more exact. Well, you are a woman, so you should get creative and organized in order to create the best plan ever. A good idea is the best starting point in these situations. If you have a strong and original, worthy idea to begin with, then have high chances to get the desired small business grants for women. But maybe you need some help: which ones are the most desirable concepts and businesses that appeal to the government? Well, the state is willing to allocate money for good causes only. And, for example, education, health or environment protection classify as noble, positive grounds for getting small business grants for women.

Another idea you should definitely take into consideration when conceiving your business plan is the fact that you should take a look in your community and observe its lacks: what does your region or town need? Maybe a center for helping the children or the elder ones - these types of causes always seem to gain the interest of the government and you have great chances to get your small business grants for women. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point, you can start thinking about hiring a specialist to help you create a strong case that would appeal to the committee. Whatever it takes, the small business grants for women are worth the effort.

So - what are you waiting for? Get started today; apply for small business grants for women in order to get your grant money as soon as possible. After obtaining the small business grants for women, your only worries should be spending the funds for your great causes. Good luck with your project!

Small Business

Keeping a regular track of accounting books is not easy on the part of a business owner, as he has to take care of many other business activities. Accounting is one of the most crucial aspects of any business, hence requires lots of expertise to deal with. However, with the introduction of accounting outsourcing, thanks to the accessibility of internet and software solutions that has made things easier. Therefore, speak to an executive immediately to make your business touch the sky.

With the introduction of internet and technologies, maintaining books on accounts have become easy for business owners and their employees. In fact, it is the accountants that determine a company's financial standing. However, due to the shortage of time and energy, many multinationals are hiring firms that provide accounting outsourcing. These outsourcing companies offer a range of methods and strategies that optimizes their account sheets by offering various resources according to clients' needs. Well, the financial department is the backbone of any company and plays a significant role in taking the business or the enterprise to a new height. However, when it comes to accounting records, everyone gets butterflies in their stomachs, as it is a responsible work and no one wants to mess up with accounting records. Once a mistake is committed then the entire accounting scenario is disrupted. Moreover, accounting demands a great deal of time and concentration along with experience.

Accounting outsourcing, here comes into play and offers useful and significant services for maintaining huge records of numbers. It also helps in elevating and enhancing the growth of a business at any given day. The added numbers of the profit earned or expense incurred are the primary aspects of any successful business. It is, therefore, plays an important role in the development of any business organization. However, maintaining endless financial records of any big or small firm is not an easy task and this is one of foremost reasons that many companies are relying on the services of this facility. With the help of such companies, the business owners are able to save a huge amount of money and time too. Accounting outsourcing, however, enables the accountants to maintain and manage regular accounts on a regular basis. In fact, it helps the owner as well as the employee of the company, to know the financial standing of their enterprise in a wider spectrum.

Moreover, accounting outsourcing offers accounting software to execute task efficiently. The accounting strategies are developed in a way that they capture the strengths and advantages of core competence of the business at all levels. However, due to the increase in multitasking and competition, many companies are unable to keep eye on the accounting aspect, though it is a crucial part of the enterprise. Hence, they are hiring the services to enhance their businesses in every possible way. Since, this actually elevates a business in terms of profits and fewer losses, hence it is gaining popularity by heaps and bounds. These outsourcing firms also keep a tab on the incurring expenses on a daily basis. Due to the popularity that it commands along with effective results, more and more companies are hiring this service.

Small Business

There is no doubt that one of the toughest challenges for the small business owner is making the transition from a one-person business to one with several employees. This growth phase is so difficult that many businesses fail at this point, or in frustration, just go back to their original one-person stage. The reason this is so tough is that in order to make the business grow, you must hire other people to do the things that you've been doing all along. You've been the sales rep, the customer service rep, and the technician all by yourself, and you must now replace yourself in those positions with other people. It's not easy letting go!

In order to hire other sales reps, for example, and grow the business, you must eventually stop (or decrease) selling so you can manage your sales people. In other words, you must stop doing what has made your business successful up to this point, and become a manager, which requires learning an entirely new set of skills. That is scary!

Many business owners tell me in frustration that it is impossible to find quality people to hire. After all, "no one will do the job that I can do. No one can care as I much as I care." While that is probably true, a successful business need not be comprised of employees who are as talented and personally invested as you are.

In E-myth, an excellent book by Michael E. Gerber, the author explains that for your business to be successful as a "real" business, you must first develop a "system" in every facet of your business. Having a system means that every task can be easily duplicated by anyone. If I hire a super talented one-of-a-kind person, what happens if that person quits? A business cannot depend on one specific individual. Rather, each job should be able to be duplicated by anyone else. Don't search for the employee who is as special as you are - because not only is she tough to find, but she will be very expensive to employ. Rather, hire good, average people who are teachable.

Gerber goes on to explain that a perfect example of this concept is the franchise. Let's take McDonalds, for example. A McDonalds franchise is made up of a set of guidelines to follow for every aspect of the restaurant - how to greet the customers, how to cook the hamburgers, how long to cook the french fries, how many pickles to put on the hamburger, and so on. Every aspect is systemized so that every single customer can always expect the exact same results when he visits the restaurant.

McDonald's is the most successful franchise, and it has inspired thousands of other businesses to attempt to duplicate its success. As long as your business is comprised of systems which can be taught and carried out by anybody, you can slowly start letting go and delegating your responsibilities to others, leaving you to manage the entire operation.

Small Business

According to a report recently released by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, minority-owned businesses grew more than four times as fast as U.S. firms overall. Since 1992, these businesses have increased from 2.1 million to about 2.8 million firms.

Part of the reason for this unexpected growth is because the government is making more grant money available.

Minority Grant Money is a type of funding given to deserving individuals belonging to a minority. The funds may be for the purpose of fostering education, benefiting a community where most of the population is made of minorities, and generally facilitating development in every avenue.

Grant money may also be given for projects, or for things like research, scholarships, or seed money. A project or a program is a creative plan of action that has a specific goal, usually community-based. Grantors generally want to fund new and innovative programs. So if you have a new program in mind that has never been done before and designed to help forward the cause of minority groups, then its possible for you to get government funding for that program.

However, if you feel that your idea is not innovative enough, take heart. There are instances where grant money is used to fund programs that have already been implemented. The only criteria, in this case, is that all previous programs similar to yours should have proven successful.

Info: Minority small business grants can assist in starting a new business or maturing an existing business. There are several small business grants available that are strictly for the minority population including the disabled, elderly, and women.

If you are an small business owner that is a minority and you are looking to obtain one of the small business grants you need to be able to tell them how your business would survive if you didn't get the grant. The minority small business grants board will be looking for a three to five year business plan from you. They will want to see where you have been and where you plan to take your business.

Small Business

Being your own boss is wonderfully exciting, but running a business isn't for everyone. Starting a business comes with certain challenges.

The most common reasons people decide to start a business is because they want to be self-sufficient, become wealthy, or change their lifestyle.

Many writers would like to use their writing and editing talents to make a living for themselves. Perhaps, that's you! If so, you may be wondering if you are cut out for the endeavor and if you can find enough clients and make enough money to at least pay your mortgage.

What sacrifices and risks will I have to take to be successful? How will I balance family and business? What's going to happen to me if this venture doesn't work out? These are common questions and fears any entrepreneur has to face when looking at self-employment.

To determine whether business ownership is for you, here are some questions you might want to ask yourself. Answer as honestly as possible. This will give you an idea of your level of preparedness.

Am I a leader or a follower? If you are not a self-starter or need someone to tell you what to do next, this could be problematic if you are the only decision maker in your company. It requires self-discipline to operate a business. You have to be able to manage your time well, focus on tasks, and make good decisions.
Do I have social support of family and friends to accomplish my goals? The more support you line up when starting your business, the better off you will be in the long run. Having a family member or close friend to brainstorm with can help take the pressure off the everyday decisions of starting your business. A spouse who is jealous of the time you spend on your business will probably not give you much encouragement to pursue your goals.
Am I physically capable of starting and running a business? Health issues or having an unstable family situation or personal life may worsen if you put yourself under the stress of starting a business.
Am I willing to invest my own money and work long hours for little pay, sacrificing personal time and lifestyle, maybe for years? You may go from working 40 hours a week to 14 hours a day. You will eventually be able to make a living at writing, but the first year or two may not show much of a profit.
Have I made proper provisions for income and insurance (health and life) while waiting to achieve business success? You will need at least one year of income saved up while you launch your business and begin to start turning a profit. Many people start out by writing part-time while keeping their day job. This makes for an easier transition into full-time self-employment. Some companies will allow you to keep your health insurance when you leave the company, but it may be at a higher rate. Check into this before you pull the plug on your day job.
Do I have up-to-date working knowledge of any technology necessary for efficient operation in order to keep pace in the business world? Do I possess the necessary skills and abilities to start a business? Is my current education and experience sufficient? You may need to take classes or purchase office equipment to facilitate your business. Get the logistics in place first. There are many online networking groups that will provide feedback and assistance for writers learning the trade.

Small Business

There is a perception that working for a small to mid-size business (SMBE) provides many advantages in terms of personal and professional growth due to their, well, smaller size.

The trade-off, though, is frequently a reduction in benefits opportunities, either through a lack of funds, HR personnel, or simply awareness of the diversity of low- to no-cost programs out there which can take advantage of significant breaks in the tax code for employees.

Dependent Care Assistance Programs (DeCAPs) and other flexible benefits / Section 125 programs can be set up and administered easily, have almost no direct costs associated with them, and the benefits to employees can be substantial, primarily in the form of income and other tax savings, such as social security.

Employers can also realize some savings on their share of payroll taxes as well. The mechanism for the savings is simple: pre-tax money is withheld from the employee's paycheck for qualified benefit expenditures like DeCAPs, so neither the employee nor employer are taxed on that portion of the employee's income.

Depending on an employee's marginal state and federal tax rates, plus social security, this could result in savings approaching 40-50% on the total amount of the pre-tax set-aside. DeCAPs are limited to $5,000 per year with some qualifications), so the tax benefit here could approach $2,500 for the employee, and a $400 savings for the employer (in the form of reduced SSN payments), with very little set up costs.

For other qualified flexible benefits plans, such as Section 125 withholdings for, say, the employee's share of health plans, the tax benefits can also run into the thousands of dollars.

So what, exactly, is a DeCAP? In short, DeCAPs help employees pay for the costs of dependent care which they are likely already paying for, up to $5,000 if both parents earn at least that much and file a joint return. These costs can include day care programs, nanny care, educational institutions up to kindergarten, before and after school programs, and even summer camp in some cases.

Broad enrollment in the plan is important, both in terms of qualifying for the plan and avoiding the characterization that the plan provides excess benefits to owners or key employees.

From an owner/employer's perspective, employees very quickly realize the value in the programs, and that is a powerful inducement to set them up, especially given their low overhead. As with any employee benefits plan, widespread participation in the plan is important, but given the ease with which it can be established and the immediate benefits received, they are well worth the effort.

Small Business

Starting a bookkeeping business is an extremely financially option. There will always be a great need for professional bookkeeping services specifically for small to medium sized companies. Developing a tight and effective business plan should be one of the first steps you take towards achieving success in your bookkeeping business. By designing this plan you are effectively laying out the strategy and goals you want to achieve within a given time.

The steps in creating a business plan for your bookkeeping business are ideally the same as for any other venture. Firstly market research is key- see what your competitors are doing right, and wrong. Research can be easily performed on the web, or you could call up your competitors feigning interest as a potential client to see what services they offer. Learn from your competitors mistakes so you don't follow the same pitfalls, and improve on the positive aspects of their business.

Potential clients are the key to establishing any successful business; you need to know what the client wants and how to keep them happy. Further to this you need to know how to attract the client in the first place. For a new small bookkeeping business localized pay per click campaigns could be a great method of turning on-line clicks to off-line sales.

In setting up your business plan, you need to know exactly which clientèle you wish to be targeting. Would your bookkeeping business be best suited to dealing with private individuals, small companies or full on corporations? It is advisable to start small and work up to larger clients.

Many smaller scale bookkeeping businesses begin as 'home based' and this should be not seen as a negative in the plan. If you have devised a strong plan, growth of the business will be the key and you can plan to move into an office space when it becomes financially viable and turning a profit. It is worth considering the needs of your potential clientele, and in which location you will be best able to serve them. Further to these needs you should likely decided on the required technology to effectively manage your requirements. Again your needs will most likely develop as your business develops, so starting small is a good idea.

As was touched on earlier in this article, the internet can serve a great deal of use in developing your bookkeeping business plan. Firstly it can provide thorough research on your target market, your competitors, and the needs of your potential clientele. Further to research it will be clear to see the most effective form of internet advertising, which will be more than likely localized pay per click marketing campaigns.

Small Business

While it might be comforting to think that insurance is something that only the big companies need to worry about. Insurance is something that all businesses need to worry about. Indeed, the smaller you are as a business, the more vulnerable you are to a wide array of risks that can only ultimately be dealt with by adequate business insurance protection.

When you run your own business, you take on obligations and responsibilities above and beyond that of the average citizen. In fact, it can be seen as somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you probably go into business hoping to make a profit doing something you love while providing a benefit to others. On the other hand, all those others are affected by what you do — good or bad. It's the latter that can get business owners into trouble if they don't seriously think about serious business insurance protection.

Let's take small business liability insurance as an example. Without this form of insurance protection, a business owner is putting themselves in unneeded and unnecessary financial risk.

Small business liability insurance is that which essentially protects a business from the threat of a lawsuit. It differs from other kids of protection many individuals might already be familiar with because it covers assets from the risk of being attacked by a claim of misconduct carried out by you or your business. If somebody decides to sue your business, not only could you be on the hook for the damages awarded, but the legal fees involved can often be staggering, even if the lawsuit is frivolous. Things like small business liability insurance, as part of a comprehensive business insurance package, are meant to deal with just such instances.

If you don't think that your business is at risk like this, you might want to reconsider. No business is too small or irrelevant to be untouched by the risk of a lawsuit. In fact, the smaller you are, the less you'll be able to count on your own resources to address the crisis of a legal proceeding, or the damages awarded as a result.

Perhaps for no sector of business is this reality more apparent than with small offices providing services of various sorts. While the amount of resources at your disposal is tight, the extent to which you may have an impact on the public is very considerable. And the extent to which that same public can come back and bite you can be similarly considerable, too. This goes for real estate professionals, management consultants, tax preparers, lawyers, doctors, and so on. No one is immune from the threat covered by business insurance that includes things like small business liability.

No matter how competently you think you run your business, how much emphasis you place on customer satisfaction, how well thought of you are in the business community, or the lengths to which you strive for excellence and achievement in your profession, you can be hit by a lawsuit. And, very often, you won't even have seen it coming. Even some service provided as a sub-contractor for someone else can be seen as having done harm to someone. If that someone decides to sue, there are costs that have to be covered. Good business insurance will cover it. More specifically, good small business liability insurance will cover it.

Let's take the management consultant industry as an example of where business insurance that includes small business liability is necessary.

The duties and responsibilities associated with the job of being a management consultant are considerable. In such a capacity, you use your expertise in the field of management to advise people professionally on a whole range of matters related to the proper running of a business. This can includes things as simple as staffing to something more sophisticated like public relations. Good management consultants provide a professional service noted for the extent to which comprehensive solutions are offered to meet challenging business environments.

This is precisely why management consultants need to be covered by good business insurance that includes small business liability insurance.

The extent to which their advice and solutions impact people can be almost limitless. In fact, if you tried to figure out who might sue you for advice you gave a client, you might never be able to do it. There will always exist people who simply perceive themselves to have been hurt by something you did. And they'll sue you for it.

Alternatively, even the best management consultants make mistakes. Sometimes they could have legal ramifications. Other times, they could have professional ramifications. Indeed, things like errors and omissions insurance or professional liability insurance exist because professionals make mistakes. Not only do they make mistakes, but they make mistakes that violate the professional principles involved in their industry. It happens. It's why even management consultants need good business insurance and liability protection.

Of course, whether you're a management consultant, real estate agent, tax lawyer, or healthcare specialist, the specifics might be different, but the insurance risks are much the same. As small business owners with offices that need to be protected from the threat of financial loss, business insurance and small business liability insurance is simply a smart solution to that end. They literally help protect the small guy and gal from the swamp out there that could digest everything they've worked for. And that swamp could include the unwanted lawsuit.

Small Business

I am curious, how much time do you spend thinking about what others in your industry do? How interested are you in what others have? Do you regularly check up on what the competition is doing? Have you really looked to see who the leaders in your industry are? Well consider for a moment that, "that" is exactly what these business leaders in your industry are not doing. They are not comparing because comparing creates things of like kind. This confidence to be themselves is what makes them great leaders.

I look around at industries I know fairly well and the leaders are the ones looking forward, innovating and turning their competitors into road kill. Take Quicken Loans for example. Quicken Loans is the major mortgage anchor on the big web portals, they are successfully doing direct response television marketing and they are touted as one of the best places to work. Did I mention that they aren’t the cheapest place to get a mortgage?

Look to your industry. What company is in the lead? I'd be willing to bet he or she isn’t consumed by what you are doing. As a business coach, I see many entrepreneurs get wrapped up in what their competitors are doing and this retards growth potential because they are working with a bar someone else set.

I look back to grade school and figure it all begins there. Somewhere many of us begin to do what the others are doing as if to camouflage our "self" and keep from getting pecked off from the predators. We choose to subscribe to the bar set by someone else and eventually it becomes another behavior too ingrained in us to even recognize. We get unknowingly trapped in this "comparative syndrome" and fail to reach our personal potential. When a client of mine was asked what his financial goals were by a rather wealthy young man he replied, "to get my kids through college without any debt". The young man replied, "let me tell you one of mine, I want 2 helicopters, one for me and one for my brother." The young man's point was that people set low limits on their potential.

Here is my question to you. Would you be willing to stop comparing yourself to the average uninspired American and carve out your own path - TODAY? If you answer yes, great. If you answer NO, recognize that your "NO" comes from the fear to remove your camouflage and stand out from the pack, possibly even leaving yourself open for public failure. Conversely, you could break the 4 minute mile and lead the pack with a shift in your thinking and the action that comes out of that. I challenge you to set your own standards, develop your own ideas and do something different. Develop your strengths, hammer home your message and create a business that stands out from the pack. Above everything -- DO YOU… don’t do someone else.

Small Business

The coaching industry has blossomed over the last few years in every area of human endeavour from sport through personal life coaching to business and C.E.O. coaching. But is there a need for it, or is this one of those 'New Age' things, or even a solution looking for a problem.

When you're in business do you need someone 'looking over your shoulder' telling you what to do? Or, is that a pessimistic view of what it's about.

Essentially coaching in any sphere encompasses ideas of encouragement, partnership, alliance, prodding, even being a taskmaster. It is different from a teacher - and especially different from the advice of a friend.

But what benefit are they to someone in their own business? Surely, by the very fact that you are in business you would not have any need for a coach? Is it a sign of weakness to work with a coach?

At different stages of our journeys in the business world we have different needs, just as a sports person seeking Olympic status goes through different stages of their development. They seek to excel, not just being satisfied with getting by. So, at at each stage the sports person will defer to their coach.

So, are there are benefits: yes, and they often have to do with being able to 'see the wood for the trees', the benefit of being accountable to someone else, crystallising your ideas and plans and then having someone to bounce these off, and issues of motivation, procrastination, etc.

If it's felt that working in such an alliance would be beneficial, then how to you choose a suitable coach?

The obvious criteria include their expertise and business background, ethics and any appropriate qualifications.

Then having dealt with those criteria, the essence of a good alliance or partnership is compatibility, rapport and trust - and a non-judgemental approach. As you would be working closely with any coach you chose you would need to feel at ease with them: you will be discussing personal and business aspirations. And, of course, this works both ways: your coach needs to feel at ease and have rapport with you.

Small Business

Two of the most challenging endeavors that people can take are marriage and a small business partnership. Combining the two creates a whole new world of potential problems, but done right, a harmonious balance in small business partnership can be struck. Partnerships, both small business partnerships and personal partnerships, can be enhanced. Many of the problems of being in business on your own can be eliminated by having your spouse in a small business partnership. Your spouse can't say they don't spend enough time with you if they're working alongside you in a small business partnership, after all!

In a small business partnership, to help both your business and your marriage thrive, it's best to really think things through before taking the first steps. Take a few weeks to make sure you'll really work well together before putting any significant money into a small business partnership. If your business, your marriage or both are relatively new, you may want to take a little bit more time to assess both situations before making final decisions about a small business partnership.

Keep your business life and personal life separate. You may work together in a small business partnership and live together, but you shouldn't work and live together at the same time. Businesses create stress and relationships create stress especially with a small business partnership. Dealing with both at the same time can be more than one person (or two) can handle.

Make sure that time spent on the small business partnership is dedicated to the business, and time spent together away from the small business partnership is not a forum to discuss business matters. If you're going to spend time together away from the small business partnership, really spend time away from the business.

Small Business

Unsecured business loans are those loans that are not backed by collateral. They are instead, backed only by the integrity or record of the borrower. Collateral are the assets that a borrower typically pledges to secure a loan and they are subject to seizure if a debt goes unpaid.

Credit cards and store credit (in most cases) are examples of unsecured loans. The borrower is not required to back the cash advance or purchase with any belongings. A home equity loan, is a collateral based loan, and requires that the borrowers pledge their home against the loan. If they fail to pay, they may risk seizure of their home.

Unsecured business loans work in much the same way as credit card or store credit in the example- a business owner applies for the loan for working capital or other means and a credit check or scoring process takes place to secure the loan instead of placing the business or other assets against the loan.

Unsecured Small Business Loans

Small businesses are an important part of all communities. Almost all of the major companies and brands that we know and recognize today started as small businesses.

A challenge to small business owners trying to grow their business or brand is financing any changes, additions or purchases they need to make. Often, small business owners do not have anything to use as collateral if they are in need of a loan. Working capital can be difficult to obtain using traditional loan sources.

In these cases, an unsecured small business loan or financing may be the best avenue for the business to fulfill growth desires. With an unsecured small business loan or financing, the small business owners can finance their business based on their credit, reputation or anticipated future sales.

Small Business

As a small business owner, chances are that you will eventually need to address some type of threat against your business. Whereas the threat comes from nature, a burglar, or your products themselves, it is very important for you to have protective measures in place to minimize the effects of such threats. It is very important to have different types of insurance to prepare you business against such threats.

Below are some insurance plans that your business should consider having:

Property Protection: Property insurance should include a broad form of coverage to protect your business from various possible losses. If you own a building, you will be required to have property insurance. However, if you lease your business' space, the landlord should provide this coverage. Generally, this type of insurance should include coverage to protect your business in case of fire, flood, earthquakes, and, if possible, theft
Liability Coverage: Product liability insurance protects your business if one of its products or services injures someone. On the other hand, a General Liability insurance will cover your business in case there is an accident inside of your business (i.e. the typical 'I tripped because you floor was wet ').
Business Interruption: Protects you against losses that your business incurs when it has to close down temporarily due to a fire or other natural disasters. Usually, it provides reimbursement for lost revenue and to cover certain operating expenses.
Umbrella Insurance: This type of insurance offers extra coverage that becomes effective once the limits of your primary policy are reached. They usually provide excess coverage for liability insurance and worker's compensation insurance.
Health Insurance: This type of small business health insurance covers medical expenses if you get sick. It is common for many small businesses not to have this type of insurance, thinking that they cannot afford it. Shop around and you will see that there are many different business health insurance options available at different rates. Remember that health insurance plans might help you to attract new employees and retain talented employees.
Worker's Compensation: If your business has employees, worker's compensation insurance will be mandatory. This insurance covers employees in the case of accidents related to their jobs. Startup businesses usually find that the State Compensation Fund can accommodate their needs; however, as the business grows, remember to 'shop around' to look for better alternatives.

Tip: Always remember to shop around in order to find competitive rates for your insurance needs. Always choose a policy that covers your needs and that insures your assets effectively. Most importantly, once you have found the adequate insurance, be sure to read the policy carefully and understand it fully before signing it.

Small Business

Many small as well as medium sized companies are in need of IT support that includes everything from firewall to VPN installation as well as upgrades and also migration to other computer systems. Some small businesses also require complete network audits and for this a small business IT support provider should have the experience as well as expertise to provide necessary solutions.

A small business needs a range of computer support services and will thus look for unlimited onsite support services from a safe and reliable IT support company. With qualified engineers on hand, small business IT support providers would be able to provide the necessary level of experience in installing firewalls such as Checkpoint, Watchguard as well as Cisco that are ideally suited to small businesses. There may also be entry level firewalls that will ensure that the small business keeps its data safe and along with complete security audits, antivirus & anti spam services, should take care of all of the security requirements of the small business enterprise.

You should also look for disaster recovery of your data when a server fails as well as want upgrades and possibilities to migrate to other improved systems. In addition, small business IT support also means providing resilient backup services (even remotely) and with the help of existing broadband lines and automated services, there should be no need for any tapes being sent back and forth between the client and IT support companies.

There are many IT support service companies that are capable of providing a support service to small businesses and which has a high quality of service and engineers, to ensure that they can provide support to small business networks, complete with a fast response time. You should look for companies that provide a personal touch for your network support needs, and who are proactive and also have a complete range of support packages and systems and you also need a company who can work with existing suppliers to streamline your business.

You need to look at the number of years of experience that the small business IT support company has, particularly in areas such as IT networks, the Internet as well as Network Security and who will provide professional as well as efficient service. Often, small businesses are confronted with a certain amount of difficulty in sourcing a good IT support service provider that will justify not hiring a full-time internal IT support team. This means that in case of a requirement for occasional expert support services during upgrades of networks and installing major IT systems, or even in the case of needing desktop support, you will need to have on hand an IT support service provider that can tailor a service to match your requirements and also help you stay within your budget.

Thus, you should look for a service provider that provides email support, Microsoft Networks, Network Security, network infrastructure and a team of dedicated IT professionals with experience of multiple systems and technologies.

Small Business

When it comes to cost management, it's the everyday expenses that are most often overlooked by small businesses. Experienced cost management consultants like AMK Associates in New York often start with these overlooked items to give their clients an immediate boost to their bottom line. Here are some simple tips for cutting your operational expenses without compromising quality or reducing your staff:

Office Supplies

· Use generic versus brand names whenever possible. Many brand name suppliers make generic versions of their products, so you won't sacrifice quality. Example, use 3M's Highland Self-Stick Notes instead of their Post-It® notes and save more than 50 percent per unit.

· Always ask for a price break. Most vendors will not quote you their best price unless you ask. So ask!

Equipment Leasing vs. Purchasing.

· Buy anything small enough to set on your desk; otherwise, lease it. Leasing gives you the option to upgrade or downgrade, depending on your needs and changes in technology.

· Keep leases under 36 months. Buy smaller equipment such as fax machines and printers (Brother and Epson are great); while their prices constantly drop, the technical capabilities do not change significantly.

Messenger Services.

· Analyze where your packages are being delivered

· Then, negotiate a broader delivery range and pay a fixed price.

Equipment Insurance.

· All leasing equipment companies automatically charge for insurance, even though your current policy may already cover it. Register your leased equipment with your insurance broker so it can be added to your current policy.

· Then request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from your broker, and submit it to the equipment leasing company. Otherwise, you will double your insurance charges.

Shipping.

· Handle shipping costs on a case-by-case basis. Know the shipping policies of each vendor and choose the best vendor for each item to be shipped.

· For instance, if the weight is not stated on a package, some shipping companies will charge customers for a five-pound parcel. To avoid this, preprint air bills with one pound, and most vendors will adjust the poundage if the package weighs more or less.

Printing.

· If your letterhead text won't change the same for a six-month period, print in bulk. It saves both money and time. Don't worry about storage - most printers will store the inventory and ship at no additional cost.

· If your printer won't store it for free, negotiate storage and shipping into the overall price of the print job.

Telecommunication.

· If your total telecom costs for both voice and data are $3,000 or more, consider a T-1 connection. While you will be charged a recurring monthly fee, your per-minute rate will be significantly lower.

· Check to make sure your phone company is charging you in six-second increments. If not, you will pay for a full minute for every fax you send, even though it transmits in seconds.

Service Contracts.

· Don't automatically get costly service contracts for every piece of equipment. You may find it more cost-efficient to simply pay for time and materials - even as much as $175 per hour if repairs are necessary.

· Some service contracts are advisable, but be cautious. For example, most telecommunication contracts include the PBX (console), as well as each individual telephone. Though it is advisable to insure the console, there is little need for insurance coverage on the phones.

The Bottom Line

By making these minor purchasing changes, you can cut your operational expenses significantly. Cost management consultants can uncover additional savings by analyzing other expense items, designing more efficient systems and aggressively negotiating with vendors. It's tedious, meticulous, detailed work that many small business owners and managers would rather avoid (much like filing income taxes). But just like income tax filings, business owners can offload the work to experienced cost management consultants to keep their focus on running their businesses and maximizing their bottom lines.

Small Business

In order to make the best website decision for you, several factors need to be considered. Many entrepreneurs I speak to are ready to spend several thousands of dollars on their websites, without having a clear concept of the internet strategy for their business. They are mainly able to articulate that they want a “professional looking” site, but are unable to clearly define what that means. I have been able to save my clients a considerable amount of money and frustration by walking them through the considerations of a realistic internet strategy.

Entrepreneurs I meet generally want a website for one of two reasons.

Electronic brochure; Even when the majority of their sales are local and face to face, entrepreneurs find that many of their customers ask them for their site rather than take a business card or brochure. Today’s customers have grown accustomed to being able to research businesses online rather than having to ask questions in person. This saves them time and the worry of having to keep track of your business card or brochure. If you fall into this category and lack even a minimal, static website, you could find yourself at a competitive disadvantage.

Lead generation tool; When small businesses plan to attract a large percentage of their customers from the internet, they require a more robust internet strategy. If you fall into this category, you could benefit from a more dynamic website that draws attention from the major search engines. In theory you could pay for search engine optimization (SEO) but there are also lots of low-cost strategies for building traffic. You would definitely benefit from a blog, as well as the ability to add info to the site rapidly and reliably which may not happen if you hire someone else to build the site.

Regardless of the category you fall into, before long you will probably be thinking about making sales online. Even if you are a service provider, you may have a book or CD you want to sell. At the very least, you will probably want to set up a newsletter to keep in touch with your customers. Many entrepreneurs I talk to are intimidated by the idea of setting up a shopping cart, accepting payments or creating a database of customers for their site. However, you should be aware that an entire industry has grown up on the internet in support of small businesses. The services you want are all available as simple plug-ins at a low cost.

The one area I find most entrepreneurs do not even consider is the viability of their domain host provider. The domain host provider provides the physical database servers upon which your website resides. Their capacity and configuration determine things like how often they are unavailable and the speed at which your site is available. They also vary widely in terms of cost and level of customer support. Your can leverage a site like realmetrics to get an unbiased report comparing cost and service without having to have too much technical expertise.

The bottom line is that when it comes to websites, more expensive is not always better. Especially in a startup or low-budget situation, be sure that the website you build is the one you need to support your unique business

Do you want to learn more about overcoming the everyday challenges of building a business? Sign up for my free special report Getting Out of Your Own Way: 7 Steps to Sustainable Success for Women Entrepreneurs: Small Business Success

BEST SMALL BUSINESS

Like a small kid requires extra care and papering so as a small business/company. If you are a small business/company owner then you are the one who will have to struggle the most in making a better market position. Small businesses/companies have to manage every aspect of their operation, most of the time by the business owner themselves.

This is what defines the perfect tactic of doing business i.e. more profit with fewer resources. Business owners that start business with need to be careful about all expenses, incomes and cash flow. To keep a record of each expense and earning, every business, whether it is small or big, operates a particular section, which is the bookkeeping section. Requirement of a small business/company bookkeeping and strategies to fulfill these requirements are very different from large-scale business as resources are the biggest constraint.

But does a small business/company really needs bookkeeping? Yes, the reason behind it is very simple but the task is not. Businesses need bookkeeping because it is the biggest requirement to track the proceedings of business and to keep a record of the cash flow. The term bookkeeping sounds very easy but it includes the most gigantic terminology and procedures than any other section. Small business/company bookkeeping is more tedious task than others as it includes extra calculations and policy making features that are essential for growth of organization. At the time of planning for new financial year these records made by bookkeeping section plays a vital role as they help in assessing profit and loss for the year. By theses small business bookkeeping records a small business owner can easily evaluate the efforts and resources that are needed to put in the strategy for growth.

Due to limited resources an owner of small business cannot afford to hire full time professionals. Reason simply because the workload of a small business does not justify the cost of a full time headcount. Therefore company will have to find any other option. Outsourcing to a business bookkeeping firm is an option. Another option is hiring services of a freelance/part-time bookkeeper to help keeping record of every transaction. They cost relatively low. Business owners can search on internet to get detailed information about such service providers as internet is the best source to know about such service providers.

BEST SMALL BUSINESS

If you are a sole proprietor, you might be considering incorporating your small business. There are many reasons why small businesses turn to incorporation. It is more difficult for a sole proprietor to raise capital because they have no shares of their company to sell. It is also harder to get banks to finance your business venture. Taxes are a huge concern for small business owners, because it is possible to be required to pay the federal tax rate and a self-employment tax, meaning you are being taxed twice. The biggest risk for small business sole proprietors is the unlimited liability they face if their business is sued. This can put your personal assets at risk. It is for these reasons that small business owners need to learn how to incorporate their small businesses.

When you are looking to incorporate, small business solutions can include online incorporation. There are several online services available that provide all of the forms and information needed so that you get the type of incorporation that is appropriate for your business needs.

When you think about how to incorporate, business owners have several options available. You might choose the LLC, or limited liability company structure, an S-Corporation or C-Corporation format, or a non-profit incorporation model. With all of these business structures, there are forms to fill out and fees to pay in each state in which you will do business.

An LLC combines the advantages of being a sole proprietor with the tax and liability protection advantages that come with incorporation. An LLC can be made up of only one person--other structures require a board of directors. In this format you will usually pay self-employment tax on profits you take out of the business. No shareholder meetings are required, and the recordkeeping is easier than in other incorporated business structures.

When you are incorporating, business owners often choose the C-Corporation model. In this format, you will need to elect a board of directors, and a group of shareholders must take major business decisions under consideration. The board of directors handles the daily management of the company. You may sell stock in your company to shareholders, which is a great way to raise money for business purposes, and you can deduct the cost of employee benefits from your business tax obligation. C-Corps are required to hold annual meetings and keep minutes of them. This format often works best for larger businesses.

An S-Corporation is named after the Subchapter S code of the Internal Revenue Service's tax laws. The shareholder/owner can pass corporate earnings and profits straight onto his or her personal tax return, and all workers at an S-Corp must receive "reasonable compensation standards," according to the IRS. S-Corp dividends are required to be distributed to shareholders based the number of shares they own.

BEST SMALL BUSINESS

If you have a small business you know that you have to keep all of your financial records as organized as possible to ensure that you can make payroll accurately as well as file an accurate and timely tax return. There are many different programs for you to choose from, which can make the process of getting organized a bit overwhelming. Most programs today are very easy to use, and once you get the hang of it you can make payroll as well as tax payments very easy to deal with.

If you need help with payroll taxes you might want to look at a program such as QuickBooks. This program is manufactured by Intuit and is one of the leading programs for small businesses that need accounting software. There are several different versions available such as QuickBooks Basic, the QuickBooks Pro, as well as QuickBooks Premier. This online tax program has time tracking software that is nice, and the program is available for both Windows and Macintosh based computers. Many find that this has all of the features that they need because it allows them to do tracking, banking, invoicing, statements, and more all in one program.

Another great small business software is Small Business Money by Microsoft. This software has been created with business in mind and allows for users to create invoices, track spending, manage cash flow, handle payroll and so much more. There are different versions of this software available so that small business owners can find the version that best suits them and their specific needs. Many report that they like Money because it is very easy to use, without all kinds of extra bells and whistles that simply get in the way.

If you need help with payroll taxes and accounting you may also want to check out Peachtree. This is a great accounting software that will allow you to track spending, handle payroll, and do basic account management very easily. The software is meant to be used by small and medium sized companies and works much like Quicken and QuickBooks, though some prefer this program and its small differences that it has.

As you can see, there are many different programs on the market today that can help small and medium sized companies handle their payroll taxes and other day to day business maintenance. Many find that trial and error is the best way to find the program that works for them. Making a list of your basic needs will help you find the program that is best for you.

BEST SMALL BUSINESS

Many smaller businesses find it difficult to match the size and scope of the internet presence that is established by larger, corporately funded, companies. With full staffed IT divisions, the major corporations have the ability to focus a lot of energy and money on the development of their e-business solutions. Setting up a viable small business website is one way that you can establish yourself and begin to reclaim some of the business that you may have lost to the giants. There are a number of service solutions available to small business owners that allow you to improve your web presence without breaking the bank.

Selecting and registering a suitable domain name for your small business website is paramount. There are some services that just sell the domain names and do not host your site. It is recommended for small business owners to get both together. There are a number of service providers who will run a domain name check for you to see if anyone else already owns the address. If not, then you can register for it and then use that provider as the host for your site. It may cost a few dollars a month, but it is worth it to go ahead and register the domain name as soon as you settle on one that you want. Even if you don't think that your site will be live for some time, you don't want another business to take your name idea.

Ideally, you will have minimal turnover in your company. The reality is however, that people are changing jobs and employers more frequently than ever before. As your employees come and go, you need to have administrative access to all of your employees small business website email accounts. This access will allow you to forward email that may be of great value to yourself when an employee leaves. If your top sales rep leaves the company, you don't want to lose business with his contacts just because you missed an email that was sent to his old address.

A third service that you want to be comfortable with when searching for a web site hosting solution is how you deal with content. You need the ability to edit, update and add fresh content to your small business website on a regular basis, sometimes daily. If the website builder and content editor is all built into one package that is powered by the host software, then you have the ability to control the entire web portion of your business from one location. This means you spend less time jumping from one format to another. The less time you spend on administrative IT work, the more time that you have to devote to the real job of running your business and generating income.

Accessibility is the real key when talking about setting up a small business website. Any services solution that you decide on should make your life easier, not more complicated. There are a number of free website host services out there that promise you the world. In reality though, they just fill your inbox with spam. The best hosting sites are advertisement free and are streamlined to make the administration of your website as quick and painless as possible.

David Odell has been a freelance technical writer for over 20 years and is the owner of a small technical documentation business.

BEST SMALL BUSINESS

Free publicity can be a far more powerful business-building tool than advertising.

Why? Well, when it comes to advertising, people are skeptical.

According to the Advertising Media Internet Center (July 22, 2007), we are exposed to an average of 288 ads per day, counting TV, radio, print and Internet ads. If you include the number of brands we are exposed to, let's say on a trip to the supermarket, that number skyrockets to over 2,000.

In order to survive this onslaught, people have become more skeptical - they just don't believe what companies say about themselves anymore. On the other hand, people do believe what they read in the newspapers, or hear on the radio or TV news.

The beauty of free publicity is that it puts the credibility of these trusted news organizations at the center of our marketing equation. If the news names you as an expert, you're an expert!

Best of all, free publicity is... well, free!

Becoming the Local Expert Isn't As Hard As It Seems

If you serve a local market, begin by compiling a list of local media that cover topics in your field. Which local newspapers include articles relevant to what you do? Which reporters usually write those stories? Write these names down.

Which local radio and TV stations cover stories related to your area of expertise? Which reporters usually handle those assignments? Write these names down as well.

Next step?

Simply send these people a letter introducing yourself or give them a call. Let them know who you are and what you do. Let them know you are always available if they need a local reference on a topic in your field.

It can be that easy...

For example, marketing expert David Frey's brother sells hot tubs. He introduced himself to the local reporters and now gets contacted about three times a year to comment on "backyard lifestyle" issues.

To further cement your relationship with your local reporters, consider sending them something on a regular basis. If you find an article in a trade journal that might make an interesting story, pass it on to them.

Remember, though, that the goal of the press is not to build your business through free publicity - it's to provide good information to their audience. Don't be pushy. Instead be helpful and informative. As a result the local media will turn to you and position you as the local expert. It's that exposure that will build your business.

How to Attract a Nationwide Audience

Another way to attract publicity, perhaps even on a national level, would be through a Publicity Referral Service.

An example of a publicity referral service would be Radio and TV Interview Report (RTIR). RTIR is a magazine sent out to radio and TV producers introducing them to potential guests for interviews from a wide variety of fields. These guests are usually authors promoting a book or business owners like you.

While it's not free (there's a fee to advertise), it is a good way to potentially attract nationwide publicity for your business. You can learn more about RTIR at http://www.rtir.com

In addition to advertising (online and offline) and referral generation, free publicity can be another valuable tool to put to use in your quest for maximum growth and profit in your small business.

Dr. Bill O'Shea is a marketing consultant specializing in helping independent professionals and small business owners create maximum growth and profit in their businesses. For more great resources on small business marketing and a free Marketing Plan Development Guide and Special Report on "The Top Ten Advertising Mistakes Most Small Business Owners Make", please visit

Small Business

Many small businesses do not have websites. This baffles me. Quite a bit of small business owners I talk to state they don’t have a website because its a hassle to accept payments online. When we develop websites for clients and if they want to accept payments online, we recommend authorize.net. Not only with authorize_net can you accept payments online, there are many more features than just accepting credit cards.

Take a look below at some great features they offer to their clients:

1. You can manage transactions quickly and easily with their full featured merchant interface.

2. Prevent fraud by easily identifying suspicious and fraudulent activity.

3. Safety, all account information is stored in the secure authorize.net PCI compliant data center.

4. Receive your payments quickly and efficiently.

5. Free Customer Support, – Authorize_net provides live technical and account support to merchants seven days a week, as well as access to online documentation and user guides.

So with this many options you can’t lose. Every online store or ecommerce site we build, autorize.net is recommended to our clients. We can ensure a clean and smooth developmental period and accepting payments online has never been easier. Take a look at our last client IpGlobenet.com. This small business has purchased an ecommerce custom online package. By him having authorize.net in conjunction with his back end admin area. The site we provided to him is a full blown store front. The online difference is the store is selling products online and not in an actual store you can walk in. He still can check transactions, run reports, add products, take products away, run sales and specials, give out discount coupons and keep in touch with his customers by newsletters and announcements.

So if you think its difficult to accept payments and track payments online, you have not seen our ecommerce stores!

We are here to help small business owners get the presence they deserve.

Small Business

When I ask business owners why they are in business, I get one of these answers:

I want to be my own boss and have freedom to do what I am PASSIONATE about.

I want to have TIME freedom.

I have excellent SKILLS and EXPERTISE. I can make more money in less time and do not want the employer to decide how much I can make. However to run a profitable business, having skills/expertise or wanting time freedom alone is not enough. Starting and building a long term profitable business will require the business owner to learn, understand and sometimes teach the following aspects:

Knowing who you are and creating a Simple Business Plan that integrates your personality and business.

Entity Choice

Purchasing Office Equipments and Office supplies that will be required to run the business.

Marketing Plan

Hiring and firing employee/Independent Contractor

Business Insurance

Building a Website

Access to Capital

The knowledge of above aspects requires access to Business Consultants and Attorneys. Initially, a Small Business Owner can use internet for FREE resources and learn. However if a business owner spends his valuable time, energy and money learning the above mentioned important aspects, he will be devoting very little time doing what he is PASSIONATE about. In the process he is neither using his SKILLS/EXPERTISE nor having TIME FREEDOM. As you can see, the very purpose of starting the business is defeated. However if you HAD ACCESS to EXPERIENCED and AFFORDABLE business consultants and attorneys who could reduce YOUR learning time tremendously, you could spend that time in building your business PROFITABLY.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can consider doing:

1. Write down the amount of time YOU spend or spent on researching the answers to your most pressing business and legal questions.

2. Considering YOUR hourly rate, what is the dollar value for the research time?

3. Would it be profitable for your business, if you had EXPERIENCED and AFFORDABLE business consultants and attorneys take care of these questions and you spent YOUR time on YOUR REVENUE PRODUCING activity?

nedjelja, 18. studenoga 2007.

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