Small Business Resources Cafe

The Most Important Values Driving Your Small Business

2012-01-30T05:39:00.000-08:00

The most important part of your business should not be money, but your clients. If you get your client relationships right, the money will flow.

Here are my Guiding Principles:

I am professional in everything I do.
I value teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect.

I will only engage with clients where I believe that I can add genuine value to their enterprise.

I am honest and open in all dealings and value long-term, trusting business relationships over short-term financial results.

The values most important to me are that my fees are reasonable (yes, I value my expertise and must also feel well compensated), that my service is exemplary, that my clients feel valued, supported and confident in my abilities, that I continue learning and providing my clients with the very best techniques and strategies, and that all my business is conducted in an honourable manner.

I choose these values as they reflect my personal values, and I would not conduct my business in any other manner. I am my business, and won't put my name in jeopardy. I also choose colleagues who are similar in their approach and often refer clients whose deadlines I cannot meet to these colleagues. It's the only way to work!

Who ever you are the most important values for your business should be ones that you as an individual will be happy to live up to. People buy people - so it's right saying "integrity" matters - this to me is not so much a value in its own right but the act of truly living your priority values.

I don't believe there is any such thing as a common set of "correct values" - any values can be perfect for any business as long as they are authentic.

What To Ask Before Using Apple Products For Your Small Business

2012-01-26T05:31:00.000-08:00

Some of the recurring questions I've seen others (and occasionally myself) ask over the years....

- Which contact management software should we use and how do we use it?

- Which project/task management software is best and how do we use it?

- Which email/scheduling software works best with MS Exchange and other PC users?

- How do we/share sync calendars, documents, etc. between iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC?

- How well does Parallels or VMWare Fusion work for our needs and should we use it?

- What are the differences between MS Office for Mac and MS Office for PC?

- What are the differences between Apple iWork and MS Office for PC? Compatible?

- What software should we use to create our newsletter and other in-house marketing collateral?

- How can we ensure a smooth transition from Windows to Mac?

- How much "horsepower" (hardware) do we need to buy?

- How do we integrate all our software with mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac)?

- Will Apple Safari work with our corporate intranet?

As I'm sure you realize, you'll get a variety of answers depending on the industry a user is in.

Small Business Marketing Tip .... Not What You Think

2012-01-23T05:23:00.000-08:00

Don't market! Most companies have marketing budgets but few have customer rétention budgets. Focus on what makes your company unique. Be real. Here is a snippet from a blog by Marc Reece .....

Don’t just tell me how important I am to you in your messaging, show me! If customer service is truly your number one priority, make sure that your actions match your printed word and mission statement.

Nothing shows more disrespect and gets me more fired up than listening to a recording stating how important my business is to you so please hold for the next available customer service agent.

My time is as valuable to me as my business is to you, remember that! I want you to remember that everyday you are open for business, you are open for a reason and a purpose.

That reason and purpose is me, remember that!

Tips For Generating Leads From LinkedIn

2012-01-19T05:53:00.000-08:00

The bottom line is that you need to operate on LinkedIn as you would in the real world. Think of LinkedIn as just a business after hours ... one that has millions of people, goes 24-7, and allows you to learn about prospects before you connect. So do the same. Connect with new people. Reconnect with those you already know. But in all cases, find ways to help others. If you do those things (and are patient ... which is key), things will come your way.

To be more specific ......

1) Really understand who your target market is, so you can recognise them when you find them.

2) Really understand what it is you are offering to your target market - in terms of benefits, not features, so that they can recognise you when they find you.

3) Make yourself 'findable' by your target market:

a) Ensure your profile reflects both of these - who you are, what you are about, what you are offering and who you want to work with - with all the technical details Sian gives - keywords, call to action etc.

b) Participate honestly and fully in groups where you are likely to 'meet' your target market, or they are likely to 'meet' you.

3) Go looking for leads yourself. If you really know who you are looking for, and you are confident in what you can offer them, then use LinkedIn search capabilities to find leads for yourself.

Search for companies, find people you know at that company (or who know people you know - this is why you connect with people you 'don't know'), Find the groups they belong to. Make contact, start proper and honest conversations, send them a direct message.

If you show that you are really caring about your prospect and not just spamming them, then this will pay off.

Of course all of this takes effort and more importantly time .... so take the time to get it right.

What Does The American Dream Mean To You?

2012-01-16T05:46:00.000-08:00

Freedom and opportunity to use my talents and skills to provide for myself and my family the basic necessities and comforts that lead to personal happiness.

I think this is best achieved for everyone by this country supporting the goals set out in the Preamble to the Constitution: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity...

When we work together for liberty, when justice serves all of us, when we are safe from corruption and oppression, and supportive of each others' welfare, then we provide each other an opportunity to pursue and achieve the American Dream.

How about you???

Why is social media important to my business

2012-01-15T17:40:00.001-08:00

A couple of statistics are key to understand why online social media are critical for your business:

* 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations
* Only 14% trust ads

If you can establish yourself in the right social media and you have a strategy for

generating positive reviews and ratings, you can dominate your market.

Your presence in social media, like your own YouTube channel or Facebook business page, establishes your business as a social authority

It engages your prospects and customers on their "turf", instead of having to drive them to your Website to establish a relationship

You can communicate with them regularly and offer deals and specials as part of an ongoing conversation, instead of an occasional intrusion. It also personalizes your business and makes it more likeable.

Request information about our Social Media Power Cluster service and how it can help your business get established, and dominating online. Contact us

We also offer $100 gift certificates for new managed adwords accounts.

Benefits Of Cloud Technology For Small Business

2012-01-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Small business is riding the cloud to cost effective operations.

All the fascination about terminal hardware applications will be over in the near future. The "Cloud" and SAS will rock the hardware and software world and make access to technology easier for vast populations. Devices to do so will cost pennies on the current dollar or the will be free.

Like the PC makers, the sun is already setting on cell phone devices, associated applications, OTS packaged software and related products. Even though these products are enjoying current popularity They are expensive and will be rapidly overtaken by tight economics and services competition.

Smart,strategic planners are pointing to the future and it is not a hardware and licensed software market - it is service oriented with low cost access and rates. Volume, free products, advertising and shareware will drive it all.

Possible exceptions for a bit longer period of time are the high-end hardware and software technologies in government contracting, which for security reasons must be cloistered, protected and safeguarded. Your friendly government agency will be the last to boot its PC out the window.

I pack 5G of storage on flash drives in my wallet and work on around 11 different computers from the public library to client locations, coffee shops and meeting places each day.

Someone else has to worry about the hardware that way and the server farms of the foundations I support maintain all my case records.

I have budgeted about $9 for a backup flash drive. Google charges me $10 a year for the web site domain where I maintain my books, articles and reference materials for clients. Box Net and Linked In are free web-based repositories.

Total projected expenditure for 2012, serving a projected 1200 clients based on my history the last 6 years and publishing a new book - under $30; could not be simpler.

Courtesy of Kenneth Larson

Small Business Consulting .... How To Be A Great Success Coach

2012-01-09T05:23:00.000-08:00

The thing is, it's about what you CAN help the business do. Most people ARE risk averse and especially during times like these, they're not willing to go out on a limb to try something completely new or trust the advice of someone with whom they have no rapport. Does running scared in business often mean that people leave money on the table or that they operate in an inefficient manner or that they're not optimizing different aspects of their business? You betcha. But what they're doing is what makes them feel safe and comfortable.

You have to understand that as the underlying need first and alleviate that which people fear before they can take the next step. Take a really hard customer-centric look at your business and your offerings. Are you framing your offering in such a way that it appeals to the new recession-minded entrepreneur? Are you fulfilling a need that they have? If not, can you re-align your business so that it can?

You may want to look at the challenges that small businesses (especially in start up) are facing and present your services in a way that addresses those challenges.

The challenges that come to mind are:

1. Money. Many small businesses and start ups don't have the money to hire a consultant, even if they wanted to. You may be able to overcome this obstacle by guaranteeing results, a commission structure, or deferring payment until the client's business reaches some milestone (revenue, number of customers, etc.)

2. Lack of knowledge. The people that you are trying to help may not know that they need help. Three approaches that might help with this issue are creating a valuable newsletter that goes to target customers, writing articles for local newspapers or newspapers that your target customers read, and speaking to business organizations or teaching relevant classes through a community college or other local organization.

3. Uncertainty about whether you can help them. Every day, small business owners are approached by consultants telling them what they should be doing, shouldn't be doing, and promising solutions that sound or are "too good to be true." To overcome this issue, consultants need to have credibility. This might be done by building a reputation (perhaps using the approaches identified in point 2, above) or by guaranteeing results in a way that creates customer confidence.

4. Competition. Many community colleges and other local resources (RSVP, for example) offer help to start ups and small businesses at very low rates. Can you compete on price, or do you offer some sort of guarantee or additional support that the other options don't provide?

You have to identify what they need and then sell to what they want.

For example if someone says I need more money, sell them a solution that will provide them more freedom. Remember people don't pursue money but they pursue the options that money provides.

See if you can slightly alter your mindset about prospecting and selling. Start by embracing the reality that need and want are in the prospect's mind. Rather than pushing on that river, look for prospects who are (a) open to evaluating the POSSIBILITY your services would have value and then (b) do indeed have want and need for what you offer.

See the development of rapport as something that occurs as you have those sales and other conversations. (Not some sort of emotional bond.)

Create a list of questions to use to uncover a prospect's POSSIBLE need and want for your services. Include questions that help uncover whether the issues of fear, etc. are something to explore or not. However, most questions should help uncover very practical want and need. Those are the things far more people will be willing to talk about.

When you uncover need and want, offer services using consultative-type phrases like, "...may have value." Use benefit statements that loop back to what the prospect him or herself said. Very gently add other issues, or leave them off the table for now.

After describing services, ASK for the business.

I am sure you have lots to offer. All of the above can help open more doors and I hope you find it useful.

What’s the benefit of using paid online services like Adwords

2012-01-08T19:19:00.001-08:00

Paid online advertising like Google Adwords (also known as pay-per-click advertising) can enhance your overall online marketing program but you shouldn’t rely on it exclusively.

Before you go spending money though, get an online marketing expert to help you research the best keywords to focus on for your ads.

Google Adwords Express is another option that works best for the local main street business.

Also, you should consider using Facebook ads, especially if you have a business page set up on

Facebook. You can target specific locations, demographics, likes, etc. on Facebook that you can’t in other online paid ad services.

Let us help you determine the best, most affordable way to integrate paid advertising into your online marketing plan. Contact us

We also offer $100 gift certificates for new adwords accounts.

Huffington Post published the 2012 Online Reputation Checklist - Do you know where you stack up?

2012-01-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

Here’s their 2012 Online Reputation Checklist. How do you stack up?

The new year presents many challenges and opportunities for reputation-observers. If a fortune cookie that could actually tell the future were handed to me this coming New Year's Eve, I'd expect it to reveal the following:

1. Reputation's inflection point is here.Reputation will always continue to matter but for reasons that are less financially-based than in the past. As Geoff Colvin, Fortune's senior editor said, "Previous major scandals were mostly financial; the numbers were lies. Not this time. The damage so far derives entirely from behavior...." How companies behave, act and respond will impact reputations this year more than quarterly numbers. The kind of company behavior that will matter most will, of course, be how leaders manage crises. It will matter even more than the actual crisis itself. Just think about BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill or News Corp.'s phone hacking scandal.

2. Reputation whisperers will outshout traditional channels. Reputations will increasingly be established through customer reviews online, not just through family and friends. These reputation-makers will quietly pass along positive and negative reviews about products and services that will make and break reputations with increasingly greater impact.

3. Reputation blackmail will rear its ugly head. We will hear more in the coming year about threats to reveal private e-mails unless people disclose corporate secrets such as confidential information or network security codes. Reputations of the vulnerable will increasingly become the bargaining chips of the malcontents.

4. Reputation defense goes to the movies. Increasingly, both companies and activists will turn to video, documentaries and even movies to further their goals. Companies will increasingly hire well-known film makers to educate their employees about either corporate culture or a reputation-changing incident in their history. Activists too will increasingly take to the silver screen, video-sharing or social media sites in an attempt to promote change.

5. Forget internal versus external. Reputation goes holistic. Many Fortune 500 companies hire different professionals to handle either internal or external communications. The distinction between the two is practically artificial. What is said internally to employees is now instantly external. What is said externally to the public is now instantly internal.

6. Reputation fixers will be in great demand. Companies as well as individuals are increasingly hiring firms to help cleanse damaged or dinged reputations. The surge in online reputation firms and the number of firms with online defense in their names mounts daily. Even the medical profession has joined the trend. Reputation.com, for example, services medical professionals who want to know what their patients might be saying online about them and their bedside manner.

7. Reputation rankings are not letting up. With the race for reputation red hot and the crush of information tiring us all out, people need fewer choices. Top 10 lists made our lives simpler. They served as filters that let the so-called best product or most reputable company rise to the top. But being among the top 10 is no longer good enough. In the coming year, being among the top three is where companies must be if they want to get on customers' consideration lists.

8. Social contributes to reputation. In our recent research, we learned that nearly one third of a company's reputation is attributable to the quality of its online presence. Perception that a company is interested in communicating and engaging online adds a favorable dimension to how people perceive reputation. Lack of online presence sends a signal that a company's preference is to be anti-social. Business will turn increasingly and impressively social, for sure.

9. Brand and reputation will continue to merge. Companies will increasingly realize that their corporate or enterprise reputations provide credible assurance to consumers that their products are desirable and safe to purchase. As consumers find it easier to learn about a product's lineage, the parent brand or family name will be more critical in the purchase-decision process.

10. Face to Face becomes the precious commodity. As the entire world increasingly interacts online, face to face communications, particularly among CEOs and top executives, will build relationships like never before. Going out of one's way to meet one-on-one will evidence the importance of discussion. It will become the gold standard in building reputations. The more that CEOs engage in person with employees, customers, legislators, investors and top tier media, the more credibility that they will be able to accumulate and the more that they will be able to minimize reputation loss when setbacks inevitably occur.

11. CEOs will be more social. Expect to see more CEOs use video for their websites and corporate YouTube channels. They might not be on Twitter or Facebook, but an increasing number of CEOs will adopt video to humanize their reputations. They will recognize that being social, like the rest of humanity, is a reputation plus.

12. Inoculate or evaporate. Leaders must and will increasingly employ all the resources they have at their disposal to inoculate themselves against crisis or issues that shatter their reputations. They must admit mistakes, build allies, listen to detractors, create great cultures and protect themselves from reputation antagonists that lurk in the shadows. Building a great reputation is not for the faint-hearted.

Learn More about Yours and Your Business online reputation

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Fear Of Risk Can Hurt Your Small Business Growth

2012-01-05T05:03:00.000-08:00

So many people have the opportunity to run their own business, but they are so involved in DOING that they don't take the time to learn how to be a manager as well. The risk of NOT continuing learning and trying new things will mean that they will not have a successful business, but will close their doors without gaining their dream.

If they see the value and open themselves to the possibilities, they gain the ability to grow, expand and flourish. Unfortunately, the environment today biz is one so heavily hit by the recession that people are afraid to step out of their comfort zone and accept the benefits offered through programs such as training/education, networking, masterminding and more.

Hey, not every one is P.T. Barnum...networking doesn't just happen for most.

Small business is as close to a personal experience that a consumer can get today. All this mega conglomerates just takes the "people" out of the picture and make it about profit.

Small business has a unique opportunity to gain and share personal experiences that some people are paying top dollar just to experience again.

You can lead a horse to water...and so on.

But to enable, empower a small business person you kind of have to show them what their vision of success could be and allow them to naturally gravitate to it.

I often get asked. “What is the major cause of failure in business?” The main reason for failure in any business, or in life for that matter, is that people are afraid.

But my question is: afraid of what? Afraid of success? Afraid of failure? To me the greatest failure is not taking action to change.

The only real conflict any of us have is self-conflict…we have conflict with our own comfort zone…our own fears and doubts. That’s the only thing that stops us.

Having the courage to take action…to step out of your comfort zone…or letting fear run your life…well, I suppose that’s the battle we all face in one way or another.

And I think often times the skeptic inside asks other skeptics what to do, and we get talked out of our freedom by someone who isn’t free!

The number one component of being successful in any business, is to investigate possible opportunities, make a decision, take action and then let go of the need to control the outcome.

Bottom line .... be bold not fearful.

The Importance Of A Business Plan

2012-01-02T06:10:00.000-08:00

Having volunteered with SCORE and Micro Mentor in this venue for several years, I am convinced that the value of a business plan as a means to assess and manage risk is the principal answer to "how to be successful".

I urge small business to test the water, and try out the business model before launch by taking it through the proof of concept offered at the links below.

I have heard many critical of business planning say that it is cosmetic, drives more work than it is worth in terms of obtaining financing and similar commentaries.

The fact remains that among the 5,000 plus cases I have handled in the last 7 years the vast majority of those who plan succeed and many who fail to plan do not.

I ask the simple question, "How are you going to do it if you cannot plan it?"

I have not met many small business owners who have enjoyed the business planning process in answering my question but I have not met any who have regretted it once they have completed their plan.

This is especially true when the plan yielded a road map they had confidence in, a communicative vehicle to slide with confidence across the table to a banker or an investor and a risk reduction process of genuine value.

Writing A Business Plan

Sample Business Plans

Courtesy Of Kenneth Larson

Frustrations Of The Female Entrepreneur

2011-12-29T06:51:00.000-08:00

The hard thing about any entrepreneur can be the ability to get your ideas heard and then be taken seriously. My advice would be don't give up - keep going and if you truly believe in your service and product and have an ability to try out innovative ways of promoting them GO FOR IT!

For a female entrepreneur who balances a work and family life there can be the issues of making time for each sector of your life whilst remembering to take some time out for yourself. Its not the easiest juggling act in the world but use your planning skills to prioritise.

There is no space for sexism these days, in any shape or form and this question more than alludes to it. I have hundreds of female clients, all entrepreneurial and most of them are more switched on than their male counterparts but all experiencing the same commercial frustrations.

So, is there really a difference between males and females concerning the frustrations of an entrepreneur?

feel free to leave a comment on the subject. I'm sure our readers would benefit from your insights.

MOJO For Small Business

2011-12-26T06:40:00.000-08:00

Marshall Goldsmith says "Mojo is: that positive spirit--towards what we are doing--now--that starts from the inside--and radiates to the outside. Mojo is at its peak when we are experiencing both happiness and meaning in what we are doing and communicating this experience to the world around us."

How important is this idea for small business? Should they spend a serious amount of time being concerned with it or are there simply more important things to think about?

In my opinion MOJO is not something that you directly work for, and there spending time trying to create it is counter productive. The first, and arguably most important action you can take to have more MOJO is to do the self work you need to in order to find your passion and align it with your business and the team you hire. It’s about knowing and living your personal values, purpose, mission and vision. You can’t directly create MOJO. What you can do is position yourself in an environment where you can more easily have MOJO. You can also practice the necessary skills to that you are prepared to maximize your time with MOJO when it comes forth.

In my experience, most small business owners do possess a significant amount of mojo... it's why they started their business in the first place - they love what they do and want to spend their time doing it. I think the biggest challenge for the business owner is to RETAIN the mojo, even in the day-in, day-out stress of running their business. That's where delegating undesirable tasks, daily planning and narrow focus can really help.

Mojo as Marshall talks about it relates to living your vision and loving your work. If small business owners value having bliss in their business, then getting their mojo flowing is essential. When your mojo is flowing, you can achieve much more with much less. You can create possibilities where others wouldn't see it and you can deliver a much more authentic experience for your clients.

What Is A Micro-Business?

2011-12-22T06:32:00.000-08:00

The European Union makes a general distinction between self-employment, micro,
small and medium sized businesses based on the following criteria:

0 Self-employed
2-9 Micro business
10-49 Small business
50-249 Medium-size business

The US make this difference:

Small Business: The Small Business Association (SBA) has extensive descriptions for what constitutes a small business, but in its simplest terms it’s an organization with 500 or fewer employees. Of the 119.9 million non-farm employees out there, 60.2 million belong to a small business.

Microbusiness: The American Association of Microbusiness considers to micro businesses to consist of five or fewer employees. According to the SBA, we had 21.7 million microbusinesss in 2007. This segment accounts for only 3 percent of revenue in the business world, yet they constitute three-fourths of commerce. Microbusinesss in this context means a firm with no hired employees with net earnings of at least $1,000 ($1 for construction firms) that are subject to federal taxes.

The term microenterprise connotes different entities and sectors depending on the country.

Generally speaking, in developed countries, microenterprises comprise the smallest end (by size) of the small business sector, whereas in developing countries, microenterprises comprise the vast majority of the small business sector—a result of the relative lack of formal sector jobs available for the poor. These microentrepreneurs operate microenterprises not by choice, but out of necessity.

Microenterprises add value to a country's economy by creating jobs, enhancing income, strengthening purchasing power, lowering costs and adding business convenience.

Because microenterprises typically have little to no access to the commercial banking sector, they often rely on "micro-loans" or microcredit in order to be financed. Microfinance institutions often finance these small loans, particularly in the Third World. Those who found microenterprises are usually referred to as entrepreneurs.

The terms microenterprise and microbusiness have the same meaning, though traditionally when referring to a small business financed by microcredit the term microenterprise is used. Similarly when referring to a small, usually legal business that isn't financed by microcredit, the term microbusiness is used.

Small Business Quotes For Your Desk

2011-12-19T06:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a few quotes that won't be out of place prominently displayed on your desk. Feel free to offer your own suggestions as a comment reply .....

"Success is just a matter of luck. Ask any failure." ~ Earl Nightingale

Run faster and Faster to remain in same place- Philip Kotler

"For whatever is seen is temporary, but whatever is unseen is eternal"

BREATHE!

Luck is where Opportunity Meets Preparation...

If you want something done, give it to a busy Man (or Woman).

"Your future depends on so many things; but mostly on you"

There are those who work and those who take credit for the work.
It is better to be of the kind that works because the competition is less.

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.”

** " I skate to where the puck will be,not to where it has been”
Wayne Gretzky - Hockey Great

Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun

Make a Customer, Not a Sale

Intellectuals Solve Problems, Geniuses Prevent Them

"Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor."
- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Always remember that when dealing with people..visualize an invisible sign hanging around their neck saying MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT

"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and less minds simply talk about people"

"Think big, think fast and think ahead".....D. Ambani

The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities. These may for the most part be summed in these two: common-sense and perseverance.
Owen Feltham

The future depends on what we do in the present. Mahatma Gandhi

"Always do what you are afraid to do." Ralph Waldo Emerson

If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.
Destitutus ventis, remos adhibe
Latin Proverb

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

He who enters into a dispute with a fool can be comforted by the knowledge that his opponent has done the same.

Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.

Connecting With Customers Via Social Media

2011-12-15T06:13:00.000-08:00

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer a great opportunity for small business to connect with new and potential customers. Not to mention, they are free to set up, so they offer a great way for companies to cut their costs.

Facebook fanpages present a forum for customers and businesses to communicate. Consumers can post about their experience with a product or service, they can even share pictures. Businesses can post about promotions, contests, updates, and based on the content the post, they can draw in new fans.

For small businesses that don't have the means to advertise on a wide scale, Facebook allows companies to tailor the audience who receives their internet advertising. Companies can focus on relevant demographics for their ads. By doing so, their ads gain value, without spending money on print or television ads that may not reach their target market.

Twitter acts as a live conversation. Messages of 140 characters or less are very focused. Twitter is especially beneficial for small business internet marketing, because small business can directly connect to customers who are tweeting about their products and services. It's also beneficial for small businesses looking to connect with larger business in it's relevant field. Twitter presents small business with the opportunity to build direct connections across physical boundaries.

Tips For Generating Sales Leads

2011-12-12T06:10:00.000-08:00

Do you have a marketing budget? That will help you separate the 'possible' from the 'probable'.

Bear in mind that you don't need leads; you need customers. If you just want leads, go to the library and get a local business directory. That'll have lots of names, positions and telephone numbers - there's your leads, now hit the phone and call them.

If you want customers, the first thing you should do is define who your customer is - and who he isn't. For example, we get a lot of calls from people who have an idea for starting a business, and want us to develop their website. We pass on those - our customer profile is a small/medium marketing agency with third-party clients.

We know who we want to contact, so we go to the places they congregate. If you want to hunt ducks, you go to a duckpond, not a local zoo; if you want to find a lion, don't bother looking around the duckpond. Guess what you'll find at a local Chamber of Commerce?

Talk to your customers about things that interest them - giving your spin on it, of course. Get involved in the general conversation, get known for being the expert in your field, and the customers will come.

Generating Leads For A Small Business

2011-12-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

Generating qualified leads is one of the most challenging processes you can go through in sales. It can be frustrating.

here's a few ideas to mull over for generating leads for your small business ....

• Website - Keep your business website clean, working correctly, and the content fresh. Make sure your Contact Us function works well. Test it. Test it again and regularly. Your website is your business face to the world. Keep it fresh and clean.

• SEO – Make sure to stay up on Search Engine Optimization techniques, which seem to shift over time. Keep your webmaster up-to-date on the latest industry key words that might drive leads on your website. Check your web pages for position in a Google search every so often. Don’t let SEO go stale.

• Conferences – Face-to-face discussions at tradeshows can generate some of the most qualified leads possible. But this can be expensive and is limited to the people you can attract to your booth. Booth graphics, give-aways, and pre-show marketing can help drive those leads. It’s also important to pick the appropriate venue and audience for your product.

• Linked-In – LI is ripe with leads. If you link-in with the right contact in an industry his or her contacts can be just the leads you’re looking for. This requires looking through your connections’ connection lists (if its public.) Pay attention to who’s linking with whom. Occasionally go through the suggested connection list. And you can join groups on LinkedIn that share common business interests. These group notifications can get overwhelming so develop as system to use them to your advantage. There is also an Answers feature that lets you create and publish interesting questions that might develop leads. Make sure your LI profile has key words that reflect your products, services, and target markets. Always keep your profile clean, professional, and with pertinent content to attract potential leads.

• Buy Lists - Purchase an email or direct mail list in an industry. This process has many variations, because privacy is of primary concern to people on-line. Usually these vendors handle your direct or email messaging for you, so you don’t actually get to keep the list unless someone responds to your message.

• News - Pay attention to news articles related to your customers, products, market or key issues within your industry. Many of these articles will note companies or even decision makers at companies that you may want to target. Get in the habit of quickly scanning articles for key contacts.

• Search Engine - Google or use other search engines to uncover lists of names. Attendee lists, target industry group memberships, or other sources. Google key customers to determine their competitors – your future customers. Use Google Alerts to comb the web news for key business issues.

• Network – Call key players in your target industries and ask them about their business. Tell them what you doing or thinking about and take notes. Usually, if you’re gentle and respectful, they will share some key nuggets and perhaps even list some key contacts. Call or email people you know to share key pieces of information about common business issues. You end up getting more than you give. And always recommend the good service people you know because the favor will be returned. Go to social media events for b2b crowds. Bring business cards, introduce yourself, and have a conversation. Follow-up with everyone you meet with a thank you email and a LinkedIn invitation.

• Advertise – Emailing or direct mailing a list is one way. Banner ads on target industry web sites can work. Make sure you have a viable, comfortable landing page that makes lead feel like they’ve come to the right place – instantly. Collect key contact info at all costs. Print Ads may be effective, but they are very expensive and difficult, if not impossible to track.

If you have other suggestions please feel to reply as a comment ....

Does Intuition Have A Place In The Business World?

2011-12-05T05:54:00.000-08:00

Intuition is like finding a needle in a...wait...not one but 20 haystacks. A single needle. It will give you the direction you should search but until you actually have the needle in hand it's not as useful.

Similarly, intuition will give you ideas but business still operate on the principle that their sole purpose is to increase top line revenues while maintaining or widening the operating margins (as a percentage of revenues). Therefore, you need hard data to justify your intuition (or be able to absorb the risk to the business if you're wrong due to a lack of data).

As the idea in question becomes more strategic to the company, the risk / impact to the business of failure is proportionally greater so having hard data becomes similarly more important.

Weak business leaders wait until they have all the facts before making a decision.

However, in any worthwhile, often fast-moving, business opportunity, we never have all the facts, so weak business people wait and wait and wait, hoping that the next bit of information will allow them to make the "perfect" decision.

But as Voltaire said, "Perfect is the enemy of the good" and as George Patton said more recently "A good decision today is better than a great one made tomorrow."

Making good decisions necessarily relies on intuition because all the facts aren't yet known. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" largely defines intution as the sum total of all one's knowledge and experiences leading up to a decision. That is, you're not "winging it" but rather allowing your subsconcious mind to process at light speed a lot of disparate, often incomplete, information to make exactly the right decision most of the time.

So I would say that intuition not only has a place in the business world but is a core competency that needs only your trust in it to let it be a valuable guide in building value. After all, you can always make a new, different, good decision tomorrow. ;-)

Nielson Survey says 63% Check Consumer Ratings before going any farther in the buy or contact you process – Do you know how your business stacks up in this process?

2011-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

Technorati Tags: reputation management,social media tools,online,online reputation

Why incorporating proactive online reviews / reputation monitoring & management into your online sales and marketing initiatives is no longer something to be ignored.

The stats show that target audiences, consumers and potential clients not only think about looking at online reputation and reviews, they use it widely in their buying-contacting decision making process

Don't take my word for it!

Look at these global stats revealed in an independent study done by NM Incite, a Neilsen McKinsey Company, the top survey company in the world

* Check Consumer ratings - 63% do before going any farther in the buy or contact process

* Consumer Reviews - 62% check them before they go any farther in the buy or contact process

* Company Facebook - 15% check it before they decide to buy or contact.

And why do folks post online reviews and comments?

The same study shows:
* 58% do so to protect others !

These stats show that ignoring proactive monitoring, management, protection, promotion and repair of the online reviews / reputation side of your online presence equation is no longer a safe option for any size business.

Reputation911 has a free "how does the Internet reveal, see and show you online and where" analysis . Please contact us for this free analysis and know precisely where you stand in the online reputation area and how to take charge of it.

Neil Licht, ndlicht@reputation911.com 1-508-481-8567 direct line

What Is A REAL Entrepreneur?

2011-12-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

According to my own experience (and the experience of many others) 80% of all business owners and CEOs are NOT entrepreneurs.

15% (of the remaining 20%) are what I call "lame duck" entrepreneurs. These "lame ducks" are usually fairly successful and sometimes even very successful in their business (as measured by their industry's standards).

Only 5% of all business owners and CEOs are REAL entrepreneurs.

However, real entrepreneurs can also be temporarily broke (even after years of great success). So, just looking at the current state of a business doesn't necessarily tell if the business owner/CEO is a REAL entrepreneur or not.

What are, in your opinion, the traits of a REAL entrepreneur?

What is a REAL entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurs will risk almost, if not everything they have on an idea that they are passionate about.

They are passionate about what they do and cut out any naysayers or negativity and not let it stop them.

They will work around the clock on something they believe in and not even think they are working:)

It's not about the money and more about the sense of achievement.

They are constantly thinking of new ideas and also ideas to improve their existing business or project.

They love networking with other likeminded entrepreneurs because they know that networking is a HUGE key to their success.

They have charisma and can persuade most people to go their way on things.

They feel that literally NOTHING is impossible...

There are too many traits to name but these are just a few.....

10 Tips On Impressing Your Customers And Growing Your Business

2011-11-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

1. Do not promise what you cannot deliver

2. Do not overextend your resources and get a reputation for poor performance.

3. Do not tell the customer what he or she wants to hear. Tell them what they need to know. They will respect you for it.

4. Network constantly on professional sites such as Linked In. Hit the "Answers" feature and accumulate an "Expert" rating from your peers in your field.

5. Blog like there is no tomorrow. A blog is quite different than a web site. Provide good, solid information free of charge and use blog searches for synergistic businesses to team with. Teaming is an absolute necessity these days.

6. Be prepared to provide information, samples and valuable service gratis as a marketing tool. Introduce yourself and then immediately engage the client with your presentation tools available to bring your expertise to whatever topic they are interested in. Let them take you where they want to go with their concerns and their needs. Apply your presentation tools and expertise dynamically on the fly in a sincere manner to those concerns and needs and you will be in demand for follow up business.

7. Quote and bill what the client can afford and grow with him (in content and resources).

8. Be dedicated to working yourself out of a job with a specific customer and having your client take over by training him. He will remember you and recommend you to 10 others.

9. Remember growth is a function of persistence and foresight. Know where your market is headed and get their first - then write and speak about your success indirectly by helping others. Demonstrate humility and a satisfaction in helping others succeed. They will find ways to give you credit. There are ways of tooting your horn without making peoples' lights go out.

10. Word of mouth advertising from pleased clients is a sure ticket to success.

Entrepreneur Connect Groups: Marketing Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

2011-11-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

Marketing Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

1. Resting on your laurels. Just because you have what you think is a good marketing plan in place today doesn't mean it'll be right tomorrow. The pace today is so accelerated, you must stay ahead of the game. Constantly research what your competition is doing. Surf the Internet to see what's new out there.

2. Hype. Sooner or later hype will catch up with you. Being superficial and underestimating the consumer is first of all poor taste, and second of all, it's bad business. Avoid the jargon and the pat phrases and give substance.

3. Not having an R&D Team, focus group or feedback source. Test your ideas on others. There are some absolutely wonderful ads out there that people remember, but they don't remember the name of the product/company. For example, there was a great ad out awhile ago that talked about the Bank of the Northern Hemisphere. Very clever; everyone remembered it. The problem was, they didn't remember the name of the bank you were supposed to use instead.

4. Not trusting your marketing person. If you hire someone to do your marketing, hire someone you trust and then let them do their job. With 20 years marketing experience, I had many interesting jobs and some interesting job interviews. One corporation asked me, "Can you stick with a plan once it's in place?" Red flag. Any marketing campaign must be constantly monitored and you need to be able to switch on a dime. An experienced marketing person can titer what's working and what isn't. It becomes almost a sixth sense. Why would you throw good money after bad just because changing it is an inconvenience?

5. Not giving it time to work. It's an adage in marketing that if you're going to say it, say it at least three times. I've consulted with individuals, particularly, who send out a brochure, no one bites, and they want to abandon it. Generally it takes three "hits." People run through their emails rapidly and delete things they wish they hadn't. Make their wish come true! Give them a second, third, fourth chance. The formula is--when you're sick and tired of it, the public is just beginning to hear it.

6. Being timid. There really is no such thing as bad publicity, and things will happen. You have to have been through this to know. Several years ago I was marketing an apartment complex and the manager miscommunicated an "early bird special." The whole unfortunate event made the front page of the local newspaper with stories about parents not being able to buy school clothes for their children, because... 6 months later the apartment complex was filled to capacity. People remembered the name of the apartment and nothing else. Carry on!

7. Not being curious. If you have an ezine edition that had a large number of click-throughs, don't just pat yourself on the back, ask yourself why. Figure out what was different about it. Was it on a special day? Was there something different? More graphics, no graphics? A catchy subject line? A new layout? Don't forget, you can always ask someone who clicked-through!

8. Thinking you have to pay for marketing. Use the free options liberally. Establish yourself as an expert on a subject and let the press know you're willing to be interviewed. When a national news event breaks, make it local. For instance, I'm a coach, and when 9/11 happened, I contacted the press to let them know what coaches had to offer at such a time.

9. Leaving it at home. Prosaic, but we all do it. Your business cards and brochures do absolutely no good sitting in the office. Take them with you!

10. Following the rules. Be as thorough as you need to be. The rule is 'be brief,' but say what you need to say. One of the most effective mailers USAA ever did was a 5-page letter. Know the rules. Then break them.

Entrepreneur Connect Groups: Marketing Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

Technology For Small Business

2011-11-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

Let's deal with the basics:

Every small business owner should have a CRM, a customer relationship management software platform. This software gives the ability to schedule e-mail to respond to essentially manage every customer and prospect that the company has. It's a fundamental. If you don't manage your customers effectively you don't have an effective business.

Secondarily, every small business owner should be on QuickBooks at least, with a professional advisor helping them set up their chart of accounts and linking this to their payroll and tax reporting. It is very simple to set up in the early stages. It's a total pain in the butt to do after the fact.

Thirdly, every business in today's world needs a website, and with the website it needs good analytic tools, the basic analytic tools are from Google,

Fourth, communication is essential in every business. Google apps are great for this.

Fifth, many early-stage businesses operate virtually. Two technologies stand out; free conference call.com, and GoToMeeting.com, which allow for virtual organization management and communication.

Sixth, VoIP, allows management of communications in a way that was not available years ago. Google voice is effective, and many of the providers now have the ability to have one telephone call routed via the Internet to whomever is appropriate.

Seventh: use guru.com, a place to find freelancers to get done all of the things that you think you can't get down at a reasonable price. It accesses the vendors from all over the world where you can receive quotes for things like logos and business cards and copywriting etc. it comes with guarantees, etc.

All of these technologies are easy to access and use.

Courtesy of Stewart Borie

Technology Tips For Small Business

2011-11-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

Before talking technology I think it is imperative that all small business owners develop basic computer literacy. As a small business coach, I never fail to be amazed at the number of business owners who wear their ignorance of technology as a badge of courage! Statements like "I only use the Net when my kids force me to" are shockingly common. Yikes.

Being able to keyboard, surf the net and manage e-mails are the "3r's" for us the way reading, writing & 'rithmetic were for our parents.

That being said, I think the field is pretty wide open. As some others have suggested, technology needs are largely driven by the industry sector you work in.

Most of my clients are in the professional and consumer service delivery arena so the technology I'm most familiar with has a strong marketing component to it. I find that cloud services like Dropbox and Smilebox are extremely helpful for many.

Dropbox, for example, means that I can keep all my working files 'in the cloud' so that no matter where I travel I always have access to the most up-to-date versions. It also allows me to share large files with files & vendors (i.e. my PDF'd e-book is massive yet I can readily have clients download it via Dropbox).

Smilebox allows me to develop great visuals to support my retreat business and stay in touch with clients/prospects. I've got a client about to start using it to provide highly customized real estate packages for his clients.

On-line newsletter services such as offered by ConstantContact also make a huge difference in their ability to stay connected with clients.

Send-out cards ended up not working for me; I'm not that well organized. But I know several clients who love the service and use it very effectively as part of their marketing mix. I think it is definitely worth consideration by any business owner who has a need to acknowledge customers and stay connected at a fairly personal level.

On-line services like VistaPrint are not only timesavers, but for microbusinesses they can save the budget by providing high quality, low cost marketing and sales materials.

I could go on and on . . .and I haven't even addressed the social media technologies! But like someone else said, I think that we small business owners need to be ALWAYS keeping abreast of new things coming into the marketplace. It can be daunting but is absolutely essential in today's world. That's where I find that services like Twitter are extremely helpful. I follow a number of technology/social media/business specialists and their posts help me stay on top of new technology and market shifts.

Courtesy Of Gwen McCauley

Insight On Technology Tools For Small Business

2011-11-17T05:12:00.000-08:00

It's very astute using the term "Tools". That is indeed what they are and they are proliferating. I embrace these assets and use them myself.

But as a small business counselor I always ask one strategic question of my clients "How to you select the tools to work on your car (simile for business)?"

Answer: One needs to know the make, model, the part of the auto that needs the work and the ultimate objective in working on the vehicle at all.

There is a new kind of monkey these days the technology monkey. That sucker will bury us if we don't learn to deal with him. We are so busy tending our gadgets that we lose site of priorities, get wound up in minutia and end up with a meaningless zoo.

I have noticed the symptoms of the technology monkey, particularly among the younger (Generation X and Y) entrepreneurs.

There seems to be a belief that automation, the Internet and social networking can make the business succeed when in fact the real design of the enterprise itself is lacking (niche, market base, business plan, competitive analysis and financial forecasting)

I hear from many clients who ask, "What Now?" having launched an enterprise that is going nowhere because they are driving the tools and not the car.

I take them back to the garage, design the auto to see if it can run and then apply the wrenches retroactively if that is possible. It is usually a traumatic experience and could have been avoided with strategic and business planning before launch.

Courtesy of Kenneth Larson, SCORE Advisor

High Tech vs High Touch Marketing For Small Business

2011-11-14T05:08:00.000-08:00

There's an app for high tech, not high touch

"There's an app for that."

This marketing slogan refers to a mobile app. A mobile app converts content and resources that otherwise would have been consumed through a browser on a computer desktop, to the much smaller and variably shaped screens on the many different kinds of hand-held devices. Mobile apps are proliferating because they are almost always handier and sexier than their website counterparts.

In 1998, broadband Internet connection was in less than 4% of households and almost no businesses. Reporting on this emerging capability, I made the macro prediction that the world would change when broadband Internet became ubiquitous and broadly adopted. Well, broadband ubiquity, today thy name is mobile. The proliferation of WiFi and mobile networks we know as 3G and 4G, has spawned mobile apps which are at once exciting and disruptive.

A generation before my broadband prognostication, a real prophet, John Naisbitt, published his landmark book, Megatrends, in which he prophesied, "The more high tech we have, the more high touch we will want." In the 21st century, Naisbitt's Law, balance technology and humanity, must be the North Star for any successful small business strategy.

So, how does a small business maintain a competitive advantage in the face of pressure from high tech innovation and the primordial human desire for high touch connection? The answer, as with so many 21st century questions, is not either/or, but both/and.

If you want customers to keep your business at their fingertips wherever they are, there's an app for that. If a customer relationship would benefit from a welcoming smile, there is no app for that.

If a product tutorial video posted on your YouTube channel would help a customer in the field, there's an app for that. To be able to interpret the troubled look on the face of a customer as a clue that you haven't yet healed their pain, there is no app for that.

If customers want to check the status of an order they placed with you, whenever and wherever they are, a mobile app can be built for that. If customers do business with you because you remember their face, name and what they like, there is no app for that.

Remember Naisbitt's Law: Blend and balance the power of high-tech with the humanity of high-touch.

There's an app for high tech, but there isn't one for high touch.

Top 3 Pain Points When It Comes To Marketing Your Small Business

2011-11-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

If you have to narrow it down to three points I would suggest the following ....

1. All good marketing starts with the customer. You must have a solid understanding of the needs of your customer and how you can deliver value to them. To get to this point you need to engage in marketing research and segmentation efforts. While these are basic tenants of marketing they are tough to do well.

2. Once you have an understanding of the customer you must have an understanding of the market. The vast majority of companies never do manage to put together a market map. A market map details the relationships and values found within your market. The market map plays an important role in helping to identify market segments, positioning, and competitive presence. All of these elements need to be understood in addition to the customer knowledge noted in point one. Completion of the first two steps helps to build a situational analysis. Basically you cannot go forward until you understand where you are.

3. With an understanding of the customer and the market in place as a startup the final piece of the puzzle is your people. Understanding where you are and where you want to go is terrific but you need the right people to get there. Hiring the right people to lead your marketing efforts is a challenge that must be met in order to be successful.

What Frustrates You The Most As A Female Entrepreneur?

2011-11-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

I'm the female half of my company and I often find that though most clients have no problem taking me seriously and they understand my areas of expertise and I quickly prove that I know what I'm talking about, some still pull stunts like seeing how far they can push me and how much they can get for free when dealing with me, but wouldn't dare do that when they speak to my partner/husband.

It feels like they assume I will be a softie - a pushover - just because I'm a woman and I *do* go out of my way to make sure they are well-taken care of.

I just get frustrated when some clients try to manipulate me and I see it coming from a mile away, but they don't realize I know what they are doing.

That or they think I'm merely the secretary!! (sigh)

So perhaps you could help women find creative ways (that suit their personalities and positions), to empower themselves and to subtly keep that power when dealing with certain types of clients - while at the same time still being of service and bringing relief to the client. Sadly, they don't teach this in schools - and experience can be a painful and embarrassing teacher!

Courtesy Of Michele O'Riley Eliseon.com

Small Business Opinion On The Obama And Liberal Democrats Agenda ... "They Told Us"

2011-11-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

We at Small Business Resources Cafe represent all corners of America. That said we are all fed up with the incessant over regulating, big goverment, unconstitutional, incursion into both our business and personal lives by the liberal progressive Democrat "agenda". They told us lies ... and it's time to call them on it.

They Told Us

They told us that allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons would turn our streets into rivers of blood.

They told us that taking trillions of dollars and giving it to those “who truly needed it” would cure poverty.

They told us that giving home loans to those who couldn’t afford them would make the American dream achievable for all.

They told us that paying into the Social Security “Trust Fund” would guarantee a comfortable retirement for everyone.

They told us that allowing teachers to unionize in public schools would help inner city students reach for the stars.

They told us that the federal government could run a guaranteed, affordable health care program for seniors forever.

They told us that the new employment paradigm consisted of millions of “green jobs”.

They told us that their support for immoral and criminal behavior wouldn’t result in the breakdown of the two-parent family.

They told us that spending trillions on Stimulus programs would heal a damaged economy.

They told us that raising taxes on corporations and “the rich” would create more jobs.

They told us that our borders were “as secure as they’ve ever been”.

They told us that intentionally restricting access to our own sources of energy would reduce dependence on foreign oil.

They told us that spreading unemployment benefits and food stamps far and wide would help the economy.

They told us that, despite other failed government health care programs, they could successfully take over the entire medical system.

They told us that their record-breaking borrowing could never result in a downgrade of the United States’ AAA credit rating.

They told us that “the Constitution doesn’t matter”.

They told us that anyone who opposes their unconstitutional, un-American, reckless and failed policies are racists.

Well ....Everything they told us was a lie.

Everything they told us was wrong.

Intentionally, diabolically, criminally wrong.

How To Get Your New Small Business Off To A Good Start

2011-10-31T06:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips:

TASTE, TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY
What does your research indicate is the trend in your field? Will it stay the way you are currently offering supplies and services or will it change? This item covers the developments you expect for the next few years. Evan a 'perfect' business can become obsolete overnight due to future developments. Specify a 5 year forecast of your field in your area.

SALES REVENUE FORECAST
Have you developed these targets? This section shows your estimates of future sales revenue for your business. Your strategic plan, needs to spell out the specific actions you will take to achieve your forecast sales revenues.

DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE COMPETITION
How does your business differ from the competition's strong and weak points. Again, remember to carefully look at your business from the customer's perspective. If you're not sure how your pricing policies compare to the competition, here are some guidelines. Most people associate high prices with high quality and extra service, while they associate low prices with low or average quality and minimum service. Make sure you provide extra quality and service if your prices are higher than your competition or make sure that your prices are lower if your quality is average and your service is minimum.

DECIDE HOW TO REACH CUSTOMERS
Once you describe your target customer, it's easier to create a list of possible ways to reach that person. One of your jobs as a businessperson is to decide which of all the possible methods of communication will give you the most exposure for the least cost in money or time.

EVALUATE THE RISKS FACING YOUR BUSINESS

COMPETITION: Most businesses have competition. How will your business differ in significant and positive ways from your competition? If your competition is strong, don't minimize that fact, but figure out ways you will adjust to or use that strength. For example, if you plan to open a restaurant next to an extremely popular one, part of your strategy might be to cater to the overflow. Another might be to open on days or evenings when the other restaurant is closed.

PIONEERING: If you anticipate no direct competition, your business probably involves selling a new product or service, or one that is new to your area. How will you avoid going broke trying to develop a market?

CYCLES AND TRENDS: Many businesses have cycles of growth and decline often based on outside factors such as taste, trends or technology. What is your forecast of the cycles and trends in your business? For example, if your forecast tells you that the new electronic product you plan to manufacture may decline in three years when the market is saturated, can you earn enough money in the meantime to make the venture worthwhile?

SLOW TIMES: Every business experiences ups and downs. Is your business small and simple enough, or capitalized adequately enough, to ride out slow times? Or do you have some other strategy, such as staying open long hours in the busy season and closing during times of the year when business is ?

OWNERS EXPERTISE: Nobody knows everything. How do you plan to compensate for the knowledge you're short on?
Write your risk analysis by first thinking of the main dangers your business faces. This shouldn't be hard, as you have probably been concerned about them for some time. Some of these may be on the list set out above; others will be unique to your business. Once you have identified the principal risks facing your business, write out a plan to counter each. But don't bog yourself down worrying about all sorts of unlikely disasters.

Above contribution By Kenneth Larson

Which Type Of Lead Generation Is Best For Small Business? - - Part III

2011-10-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

There are 101 different methods of lead generation and what works for you and your business depends on the products and services you offer, your target market and sometimes personal preferences. (There's little point in cold-calling if you absolutely hate it - and let's face it most people don't like doing it and even more importantly, don't like being on the receiving end.)

Essentially, people do business with people (or businesses) they know, like and trust and that can take time to build.

They can get to know, like and trust you from meeting you face-to-face at networking meetings, seeing your expertise through articles, demonstrations, blogs, referrals and recommendations, a regular newsletter ... etc.

Leaflets, advertising, email and direct mail campaigns, free offers, events, workshops can also work. Pick half a dozen and try them out - test which ones work best and stick with those. If something doesn't work, adapt, modify or change it to see if you can improve your response rate or find something that works.

For a web designer or internet marketer - I would choose someone I know or who was recommended to me. I certainly wouldn't pick someone from the many emails I receive, on an almost daily basis, offering their services.

I've gained most of my business from networking - both online and offline. Social media has widened the opportunities and the audience but can be a slower, more long-term method.

I can recommend the Ultimate Small Business Marketing Book - by Dee Blick which has great tips for small businesses and more importantly practical examples.

Above contibution by Clare Evans

Which Type Of Lead Generation Is Best For Small Business? - - Part II

2011-10-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

For more than 10 years now, there has been a powerful trend for people to search the internet for the products and services they want. Not only is this the current trend, but it is accelerating.

The consequences, for offline marketers, have been brutal, with them increasingly fighting over a shrinking piece of the pie. They are in the unhappy position of investing an increasing amount of resources (both time and money) for a constantly shrinking return, while online marketers dine on their lost market share.

Ask anyone who has been doing it for a while how hard it is to get a new client, or sale, from networking, telemarketing, cold email campaigns, direct mail and a host of others. Especially compared to 5 years ago.

Regularly, on LinkedIn Q&A, there are questions from traditional marketers, that reveal the strain of trying to adjust to the tectonic shift from offline to online.

At the risk of mixing metaphors, the online marketers are catching the wave. The offline marketers are pushing a rope. Naturally, there are exceptions to both of these, i.e. successful offline marketers and failed online marketers, but that is exactly what they are, the exceptions.

As I say, the trend is accelerating. There is still plenty of time to catch the wave. You don't have to plunge in with a big budget. You can baby-step into it at a pace you can digest. A year or two down the road, you will be glad you did.

There is tons of free information available if you search 'Inbound Marketing'. If you want to accelerate the learning curve, there are plenty of people out there you can hire to help out.

The big winners here, will be the ones who learn how to substitute website visitors for sales calls.

Above contribution from Carl Diamond

Clean Up Your Online Profile

2011-10-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

October 21, 2011 BY Neil Licht, VP Online Reputation Management for Reputation911

Your online image arrives before you do these days and makes an incredible first impression to employers, dating partners, business partners and anyone else who knows how to turn on a computer or use a mobile device.

Welcome to the digital age !

To make matters worse your online image is often created by others who might tag you on inappropriate photos, post about you on facebook or review you or your business on yelp all in an effort to tarnish your online image.

Reputation Management Products from Reputation911 like My Online Privacy will help you analyze your online profile, giving you a full report with a free online reputation score just like employers and insurance companies now use to rank and judge you.

By taking the appropriate actions Reputation911′s online image team will help you raise your online reputation score by deleting the negatives and building on the positives. Here are just some of the areas we have recently work with clients.

Online Dating Profiles – Searching and deleting old online dating profiles and conversations that may be hurting your online reputation score and making current profiles private or invisible to search engines.
Facebook Accounts – Deleting or complete privacy option, only allowing access to friends and family that you add and everyone else will just see your picture, so opt for the fully-clothed shot !
Find My Old Accounts – Searching and deleting all old accounts that may be sitting idle in cyberspace waiting for an employer or stranger to find.
Blogger Post – Searching and removing any negative or inflammatory metion of you in a blog or micro blog post.
Video and Photo Sharing Sites – Searching and removing racy photos and or inappropriate video content that you did not wish to have posted.
Professional Social Networking Sites – Deleting and or completing privacy options for old or new sites you may have online.
Private Personal Information – Deleting and protecting your private information from where you live to your income, marital status etc.

To learn more about how to clean up your online profile you can contact Reputation911 directly at 1-866-MY-REP-911 ext 201 Neil Licht ndlicht@reputation911.com

shareshare

FILED UNDER: CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE PROFILE TAGGED WITH: CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE PROFIL

Which Type Of Lead Generation Is Best For Small Business? - - Part I

2011-10-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

Remember that if you're looking to do service-based client work that it's always about relationships: with clients, with prospects, with leads, with referring sources, etc.

Online can make building those relationships easier and more accessible more often. Honestly, I would combine on and off line. Just be sure that anyone you meet offline you also find and connect with online to nurture the relationship you've started.

There's tons of ways to generate leads online. Just keep in mind that they all flow back to people having access to you. I've been designing websites and coaching/teaching my clients all about marketing and converting online for more than a decade and I've not once had a client who came to my website, found a 'buy now' button for my services and paid me without first talking to me.

Marketing/selling a service is different than a product. With products your conversion is list signup and buying - that's it. And the list signup leads to buying.

But with services you have two conversion points - one from marketing and a second from sales. The first, from marketing, gets people to engage with you - email, phone, in person, etc. They get to meet you and sense for themselves whether they want to work with you. Then, the second conversion point is the sale. That's when you work through a conversation toward a purchasing decision.

Service providers have to do both - build leads and then convert the leads into paying clients. So don't shortcut either process. And be clear that something like a website isn't there to 'sell' your services. Rather, it's there to generate leads. You, on your sales calls, will be the one who generates sales.

Along with all this, it's really helpful to read a couple of good books about selling if you have any confusion around it. I'm one of those sort of naturals at it but even so I've read a ton on sales and negotiation. The bottom line is be comfortable with the sales process and know that the biggest secret to sales isn't in what you say it's in how well you listen.

Above contributed by Dawud Miracle

3 Areas Today's Small Business Must Embrace Now To Survive & Grow

2011-10-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

1. UNDERSTANDING THE NEW NORMAL

Higher interest rates
Slower economic growth
Increasing numbers of retirees
Less consumption; more saving
A more diverse population
A shift in the balance between private and public sectors
More uncertainty in our personal & national futures

2. APPRECIATING NEW CONDITIONS AND HOW THEY EFFECT SMALL BUSINESS

Chronic government deficits & cuts in service
Worries about how to pay for past promises
Creative destruction/disruptive innovation will change the way we deliver services

3. RECOGNIZING A WHOLE NEW WAY OF LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES

Future economic growth will depend increasingly on increasing productivity and less on labor force size.

Education has been the key to productivity and prosperity.

Future productivity increases will depend on decisions and the investments we make now. Public sector productivity growth will be essential.

"I skate to where the puck will be,not to where it has been." - Wayne Gretzky

As A Small Business Owner ... What Keeps You Awake At Night?

2011-10-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

Well, to be honest, as a small business owner I have to admit that nothing keeps me up at night, I have learned that worrying accomplishes nothing, and I do my problem solving and strategic thinking during the day then let it go at night.

There will always be difficult situations or problems that arise that cause distress and need to be dealt with, issues with clients or customers that are way beyond the norm, like if you are being sued or you are suing someone.

Anything to do with money, revenues, taxes, payroll, cash flow and the like if there are problems in that area and that tends to be dependent on existing and new business. For without customers you have no revenue.

The other thing is your employee satisfaction, productivity, loyalty and camaraderie. If there is dissent or friction in the office, if employees are sabotaging another, it can be hell on earth. When employee issues arise, they can cause big headaches.

So these are the areas that would be the cause for consideration if they are not going well.

If Small Businesses Are Economic Engines Of The US ... What Changes Are Needed To Re-ignite The Passion Of Innovation And Entrepreneurship?

2011-10-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

Small business needs to be freed of excessive and punitive taxation and regulation. If you have an environment hostile to business, then there is no incentive to seek success.

If small businesses are successful, the economy benefits, America enjoys higher rates of employment, better conditions for workers and a better market for the consumer. But government has got to free it's grip first.

Most small businesses are taxed as individuals. In every case if you want to drive hypergrowth of our economy you ought to be considering a change from income taxation which punishes productive behavior to end use only consumption taxation, which taxes people only on the amount they choose to consume from our economy. The whooshing sound you would hear would be investment dollars and seed money pouring into the US to fund productive businesses that can now compete on price due to the removal of all or part of the embedded taxation inherent in the price of goods and services in an economy where income and/or value added activity is taxed.

The passion for entrepreneurship and innovation burn brightly, as always. Government just needs to get out of the way.

Small businesses pay ten times more proportionally than do large corporations to comply with regulations and tax codes, according to my friend Charles Wilson, a risk management consultant. If compliance costs a big company 1% of revenues, it costs us 10%. And that’s just doing the paperwork, not paying the taxes, fees, and premiums.

The time and money it takes a small business to deal with taxes (fed, state, payroll, local), insurance (health, liability, workers comp), employment compliance, etc. adds up to a sizable proportion of our annual hours. Every hour we’re answering a query from the IRS or the payroll tax people is an hour we’re not being productive, generating profits, creating jobs, providing products and services wanted by our clients.

All these government agencies pay lip service to the importance of small business as the engine of job creation and innovation in our economy, but their policies toward small business say just the opposite.

The cost: tax revenue lost on the profits we don’t earn, and payroll taxes on the jobs we don’t create. Multiply this by millions of small businesses, and I bet it’s a double-digit hit to the nation’s productivity.

While discussing the challenges of small business ownership with a friend and advisor, he equated the challenge of limited access to capital with starting a fire. He said, "To start a fire, you need two things: A spark and some wood. Unfortunately, in today's world, the higher value perception is placed on providing the wood."

The passion of U.S. innovation and entrepreneurship is not dead. It never even dimmed, despite the current economy. The challenges facing entrepreneurs are more centered in limited education, access to relationships and the costs of customer acquisition than in a downward facing economy.

While passion and innovation may fuel a business, they are rarely sufficient to grow and sustain a business. Experience, capability, quality products and services and the ability to compete - and to win - are essential to business success.

Sure, favorable tax policies would certainly help but they would also dramatically increase the number of competitor companies. What's needed are policies that do not punish the small business owner for being small and provide for a "period of sustainment" during which the small business owner is freed from excessive capital gains or other taxes that result from successful execution of business fundamentals.

I also think that we, as entrepreneurs, need to learn some lessons from our big business counterparts:

1. We need to band together and partner more often.

2. We need to seek out alternative means of financing, including bartering of products and services. Starting off with or acquiring huge debt means having to make a lot more money before you can turn a profit.

3. We need to work more closely with local Chambers of Commerce, elected officials and the media to bring more attention to small business issues.

4. We need to arrive at the discussion with real and achievable solutions that are applicable to a broad range of business types. After all, we don't want to necessarily remain small forever.

5. Finally, we have to learn when it is appropriate to set passion aside and apply old-fashioned common sense to the situation. One of the hardest things for a passionate business owner to do is to accept when we're in over our head, close up shop and try again.

Should Obama Continue To Use Warren Buffett As His Symbol To Raise Taxes?

2011-10-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

Sure ... it's the best symbol because the President's logic on the taxing issue is flawed.

Mr. Buffett should continue to be the symbol of why he and the President are calling for higher taxes - don't ask someone to do something you're not willing to do yourself. Asking someone to pay higher taxes - yet fighting tooth and nail when you / your company is asked to pay higher taxes - doesn't make sense.

Instead, the folks in Washington should be following the Constitution, getting rid of job crushing regulations, providing certainty in the private sector and tax incentives for work ethic, success, savings, marriage and charitable contributions in the private sector. But do not take my word for it, read up on Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman.

In the end Mr. Buffet made himself and many people very rich by careful investment in business in his country. A lot of tax was paid on that money and what was not paid in tax was re-invested into businesses in his country - creating jobs and more income and more taxes.

It is easy for a politician to point fingers. And often those who are simply envious of a man's success start to sound like jackals as they complain about his success.

Picking on the rich tends to drive money and investment out of the country.

If Obama wanted to make things start happening maybe he should actually start looking at how successful business becomes and stays successful.

No government can give to someone without taking from someone else.

When the well goes dry people will go thirsty.

Small Business Debt, Government Stimulus, And Priming The Pump

2011-10-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

A kid wants a college education because they know their future career will produce more income with an education than without an education, but to get a college education the kid must create a major debt in the form of college loans to finance the college education.

A small business owner wants to build the business knowing the soundness of the firm's business plan, but to finance the business plan the small business owner must create a major debt.

Both the kid and the small business owner could play it safe, take no risks, and be content with the fact their future is stuck in park while taking satisfaction in the knowledge they don't have any debt.

The Kingston Trio had a song describing such situations very well. The name of the song is "Desert Pete", and the lyrics are as follows:

=============================
I was travelin' West of Buckskin on my to a cattle run, 'cross a little cactus desert under a hard bargaining sun. Thirsty down to my toenails, I stopped to rest me on a stump, but I tell you I just couldn't believe it when I saw that water pump. I took it to be a mirage at first. It'll fool a thirsty man. Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin' powder can. "This pump is old," the note began, "but she works. So give'er a try. I put a new sucker washer in 'er. You may find the leather dry.

[Chorus:]
You've got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe. You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive.
Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face to your feet. Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete.

Yeah, you'll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there's a fire. Under the rock you'll find some water left there in a bitter's jar. Now there's just enough to prime it with, so don't you go drinkin' first. Just pour it in and pump like mad and, buddy, you'll quench your thirst.

[Chorus]

Well, I found the jar, and I tell you, nothin' was ever prettier to my eye and I was tempted strong to drink it because that pump looked mighty dry, but the note went on, "Have faith, my friend, there's water down below. You've got to give to really get. I'm the one who ought to know."

So I poured in the jar and started pumpin' and I heard a beautiful sound of water bubblin' 'n' splashin' up out of that hole in the ground. Then I took off my shoes and drunk my fill of that cold refreshin' treat. Tthen I thanked the Lord, and I thanked the pump, and I thanked old Desert Pete.

[Chorus]
=============================

It takes priming the pump to get what you want and need. Desert Pete and his mason jar are the government and the stimulus while we are the desert traveler and the pump is the economy. If we drink what is in the mason jar, the pump remains out of commission.

Who Is AccuConference?

2011-09-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

AccuConference offers a broad array of tools to meet business needs, from audio conferencing to web and video.

What You Should Know About AccuConference

AccuConference hosts all of their services in house, from sales to technical support, as well as the conferencing products used on a daily basis.

AccuConference has been featured in Forbes Magazine as well as Businessweek and was the 2008 winner of the Telecom Association Member’s Choice for Overall Excellence in Conferencing.

AccuConference product features:

* Multiple Access Codes - Create customized moderator, speaker and participant codes for your conference.

* Multiple Conferences - Setup multiple "rooms" to host different conferences simultaneously and stay organized.

* Call Security/PIN options - Create custom pin codes to increase security and track caller ID's.

* Event Planning - We'll schedule your conference, create custom registration pages, and send email reminders.

* Recording - Digital recording with immediate download, including auto-record options.

* Live call screen - View callers and access moderator controls via the Internet.

* Pre-Conference/ Green Room - Review last-minute details in a private "green room" before starting your conference.

* Lecture Mode - This feature allows you to mute all participants on your call.

* Q & A Controls - Moderate a Question & Answer session when participants "raise their hand."

* Web Conferencing - Share PowerPoint, host a poll and text-chat with participants.

* Blast Dial / Web Out-dial - Invite callers from all over the world to join your call live.

To take advantage of all that AccuConfernce has to offer your business ... simply request more information here:

Audio, Web, and Video Conferencing

Strategic Agility For Small Business

2011-09-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

Strategic agility is what makes your business a success story.. . being quick on your feet, nimble, responsive, always alert. Change is a constant in the business world, don’t just learn to live with it, learn to make it work for you. Opportunities pop up like images on a fast-moving video game….but do you see them or are you blinded by the old trap of ‘ the past’? To succeed, avoid being blinkered by past, its people, processes and procedures.

What was a robust business model and worked in its day might not now be appropriate for the times we find ourselves in. We must always question. We must always challenge. We must always ask ‘why?’ My business is constantly growing, changing, adapting and modifying. It is nothing like the organisation I started 7 years ago with a loan of £500. It is now a multimillion pound enterprise comprising two global companies. From personal experience I know that if we constantly hang on to the past we leave no room for the new and it is the new that will build our businesses and our lives and the lives of those we employ and those we come into contact with.

It is the New which excites me; the opportunities to work with organisations and people which were not even on my radar 18 months ago. Innovation, innovation, innovation is a key success factor. If we don’t evolve and constantly re-create ourselves, we die.

To succeed look outside; look to the future. Examine the world, your organization and your partnerships, your competitors and your operating environment. Be aware of opportunities, trends and emerging markets. If you don’t see a solution, create one.

Never switch off, keep your business antennae alert…. and yes it does require energy. If you are already thinking you don’t have the energy or the time then that tells me you are one of the blinkered rather than one of the brave.

We all have the energy and the time. But it is a question of choice. It is choice not chance which determines our destiny. I choose what I do with my time and my energy. The activities and people I choose to engage with all help me and my business grow and develop. Have a look at a typical day. Remember this is my choice:

www.steviekidd.co.uk/stevie/a-day-in-the-life-of-stevie-kidd/

The question is where are you expending your energy? Are you hungry enough for success to question the status quo, to look beyond the ‘obvious’ and to overcome the challenges ? Remember:

‘The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."
~Randy Pausch

Do you have what it takes to scale the brick walls?

To be Bigger, Better and Bolder you need to position yourself to face what might be a turbulent ride into the future. You cannot do that by facing backwards. If you have not already done so you need to get in training now and start your mental kickboxing programme. Strategic agility will separate the winners from the losers.

Why Do Tech Start-Ups Fail?

2011-09-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

Generally because it is very risky and hard to start a new business. Tech is very competitive and big companies or other start-ups can beat you.

Specifically, timing is off, product is not right, product is too buggy, didn't get it to market fast enough, executed the plan the wrong way, employees won't work as a team, team doesn't understand underlying market space, money runs out, etc.

Above all you need a little luck. This being said good entrepreneurs can have success after success.

It always gets down to the executive team. The right team has the right ideas, works together well, etc.

Another problem has been solely building a company to IPO or get acquired because if it takes more time you can run out of cash. Focus should be to build a company that becomes profitable. Once this happens IPO, acquisition or just running a profitable company is the end result.

When VCs overfund a space, as they often do, this tends to ruin the entire space even if you have the right tech.

An inferior tech can beat you if they are very well funded by dropping pricing too much.

An entrepreneur recently asked me why startups fail. Startups fail because they run out of money. You’re probably thinking, “Tell me something I don’t already know!” Read on and you’ll see that statement is deceptive in its simplicity

This post is based both on my experience as an investor and as entrepreneur (when I’ve boot-strapped and venture-funded).

They spend too much on sales and marketing before they’re ready. Many venture companies move to a high burn rate too quickly and it’s hard to go back. Sometimes even a frugal entrepreneur winds up spending too much either because he doesn’t manage the money or is tempted by having money in the bank. This often happens when a startup raises too much money too early.

Other times, this occurs with entrepreneurs who are accustomed to having lots of resources. They ramp up sales before the product is ready. Of course, there’s a lot of work required to get sales early on. But a product with a truly great value proposition that delivers in a measurable way will practically sell itself. Companies that ramp sales and marketing too soon waste a lot of money.

Sometimes even when the product is great, the sales process itself isn’t understood to a point where it can be scaled: who are you selling to, how much will they really spend, and what profile of sales person does the company need to hire who will succeed at selling that particular product. All of this has to be understood before sales can efficiently scale.

Spending on the sales and marketing operations means there is no return if customers don’t bite. When you spend money on the product that work can be leveraged in future versions. (In fact, the key to effective product delivery is to try a lot of things and see what sticks.) For every venture dollar invested, I estimate that more than two-thirds go into sales costs and only a third into product development. Once you up the burn rate, there’s no easy way back.

More Time Management Tips

2011-09-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Time management seems to be hard for small business owners to get a grasp of. But it doesn't have to be. Here's a few tips to help you along ....

"Eat the Frog!" by Brian Tracy
Simply put, do the hardest thing first!

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important things!

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least" Goethe!

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing"
(Stephen Covey)

In other words: prioritise - set goals - and check whether you are actually achieving your goals.

And recognise, that you simply cannot do everything.

Oh, and finally, don't try and schedule every single minute of your time. Do allow time for interruptions.

The Secret To Time Management

2011-09-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

You can do 3 types of tasks:

Tasks you are bad at, good at, and love to do.

It's about task management, not time management.

We all know how well we do with tasks we do not like to do. Terrible! Nobody wants to do things they hate to do on the weekend, but we do it in business and think it's all going to work out fine. That's crazy!

But, what's the difference between things we are good at versus things we love to do?

The more we do things we are good at, the more we are drained of our energy.

The more we do things we love to do, the more we are rejuvenated. That's when we are at our peak energy level.

So, time management is really about task management and being at your highest energy level most of the time. Think about how much you get done and how excited and rejuvenated you are when you are doing something you really love to do. That's the secret!

Ode To Obama (To Green Eggs & Ham)

2011-09-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

This is for all the small business owners, fiscal conservatives, Tea Party Patriots, common sense Americans, and "We The People".

=======================

I do not like this Uncle Sam, I do not like the health care scam.

I do not like these dirty crooks, or how they lie and cook the books.

I do not like when Congress steals, I do not like their secret deals.

I do not like this man, I do not like this "YES WE CAN".

I do not like this spending spree, I'm smart, I know nothing's free.

I do not like their smug replies, when I complain about their lies.

I do not like this kind of hope, I do not like it ... nope, nope, nope!

======

2012 can't get here fast enough. We need to restore fiscal sanity and remove the yoke of over regulation on businesses.

Make Obama a 1 term president .... and clean out Congress of all the Liberals, Progressives, and RINOs!!

The Secret To Small Business Being Busy In Lean Times

2011-09-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of the biggest problems small businesses face. When times are good they revel in it and don't create a strategy that can and should be used at ALL times. So when times get lean, they find themselves without a plan.

Get out the door! Create a sales plan that you can implement immediately and that includes networking, social media marketing, prospect research, and sometimes, cold calling. You have to generate activity and energy around your business. Sitting back waiting for the phone to ring is a death sentence.

You can't ever rest on current client business and incoming calls. You HAVE to get out and create the business. Building relationships takes time which is why you have to be doing it all the time. Now while it's quiet - get out and build those relationships. Find out how you can help others succeed. Attend events with the goal of meeting people and starting the relationship process. Do some marketing. You have to get your message out to the people or businesses who need what you offer. And it has to be a message they can hear.

If sales isn't your forte, take a training course while you implement the ideas above. Read a sales book, take a webinar, do whatever you need to do to build your client base.

Or go get a job. Ok ... that's alittle sarcasm for those frozen with fear or too lazy to do what it takes.

Above all if you haven't already - - develop a marketing plan. Here are some tips:

TASTE, TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY ....

What does your research indicate is the trend in your field? Will it stay the way you are currently offering supplies and services or will it change? This item covers the developments you expect for the next few years. Evan a 'perfect' business can become obsolete overnight due to future developments. Specify a 5 year forecast of your field in your area.

SALES REVENUE FORECAST ....

Have you developed these targets? This section shows your estimates of future sales revenue for your business. Your strategic plan, needs to spell out the specific actions you will take to achieve your forecast sales revenues.

DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE COMPETITION ....

How does your business differ from the competition's strong and weak points. Again, remember to carefully look at your business from the customer's perspective. If you're not sure how your pricing policies compare to the competition, here are some guidelines. Most people associate high prices with high quality and extra service, while they associate low prices with low or average quality and minimum service. Make sure you provide extra quality and service if your prices are higher than your competition or make sure that your prices are lower if your quality is average and your service is minimum.

DECIDE HOW TO REACH CUSTOMERS .....

Once you describe your target customer, it's easier to create a list of possible ways to reach that person. One of your jobs as a businessperson is to decide which of all the possible methods of communication will give you the most exposure for the least cost in money or time.

EVALUATE THE RISKS FACING YOUR BUSINESS .....

COMPETITION: Most businesses have competition. How will your business differ in significant and positive ways from your competition? If your competition is strong, don't minimize that fact, but figure out ways you will adjust to or use that strength. For example, if you plan to open a restaurant next to an extremely popular one, part of your strategy might be to cater to the overflow. Another might be to open on days or evenings when the other restaurant is closed.

PIONEERING: If you anticipate no direct competition, your business probably involves selling a new product or service, or one that is new to your area. How will you avoid going broke trying to develop a market?

CYCLES AND TRENDS: Many businesses have cycles of growth and decline often based on outside factors such as taste, trends or technology. What is your forecast of the cycles and trends in your business? For example, if your forecast tells you that the new electronic product you plan to manufacture may decline in three years when the market is saturated, can you earn enough money in the meantime to make the venture worthwhile?

SLOW TIMES: Every business experiences ups and downs. Is your business small and simple enough, or capitalized adequately enough, to ride out slow times? Or do you have some other strategy, such as staying open long hours in the busy season and closing during times of the year when business is ?

OWNERS EXPERTISE: Nobody knows everything. How do you plan to compensate for the knowledge you're short on?

Write your risk analysis by first thinking of the main dangers your business faces. This shouldn't be hard, as you have probably been concerned about them for some time. Some of these may be on the list set out above; others will be unique to your business. Once you have identified the principal risks facing your business, write out a plan to counter each. But don't bog yourself down worrying about all sorts of unlikely disasters.

Internet Business Reputation Management-Why and how to do it by Neil Licht, VP Of Online Reputation Management for Reputation911

2011-09-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Your online reviews are now a key element in how a buying decision is made. If left unmanaged they can drive people away from you and not to you.

So what can you do to protect your online reputation? by Neil Licht, VP Of Online Reputation Management for Reputation 911

_________________________

90% of consumers say they find online reviews a trustworthy source for product and services.

89% of consumers say online reviews have the power to make or break a buying decision.

4 out of 5 consumers have changed their minds about purchasing a recommended product or service based solely on negative information they found online.

This is up from just 67 percent of consumers who said the same in 2010 according to the new 2011 Online Influence Trend Tracker from Cone Inc.

A positive online review can do more then just make or break a customers buying decision !

Google knows that people are influenced more by what customers say than what your website says and now uses business reviews as part of its methodology in determining search rankings.

Business reviews have now become an important part of local search strategies for many businesses and why Reputation Companies like Reputation911 who can monitor online reviews in real-time are in such high demand.

Restoring, Protecting and Promoting a clients Online Image is how Reputation911 gains a competitive edge for it’s clients in this new digital age.

My Online Reviews - Business Reputation Product Highlights:

Analyze your online business image
See what is being said about you
Identify online threats & opportunities
Remove negative reviews and online threats
Publishing positive reviews across all social media sites
Increase site traffic
Create a high level of authenticity and visibility
24/7 real-time monitoring
Dedicated Reputation Manager
Guaranteed Results

Managing an effective Online Review Campaign is more then just flooding the Internet with “Business Approved” reviews that only accumulate on one or two 3rd party sites which customers are now starting to see as being Fake.

A client doing it this way may think they have a great reputation online via a single site, but then disproportionately negative reviews on all other sites still prominently show up.

That makes the Approved Site look suspicious and fake to customers. Thus, protecting and managing your online presence really needs the 24/7 attentention from a company that does nothing but that.

To learn more about how we can build an online Internet Reputation Management campaign for your business call us today for a confidential consultation Online Reputation Managers at 1-866-MY-REP-911 x201

What You Need To Know About Managing Cash Flow

2011-09-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

One area every small business must keep a close eye on or risk losing control is management of cash flow. What follows are some important tips to help you stay on top of managing your cash flow.

Track your cash flow monthly on an Excel spreadsheet so you can see trouble before it arrives and those annual expenses like insurance, taxes, licenses, etc. that bite a big sudden hole in the cash flow.

Manage your customer credit carefully, a full-blown credit application that you then get a credit report on to see their payment practices is very helpful and without it you'll guess wrong a lot.

Give clients a reason to pay on time, whether it's the classic 2% discount for payment within 10 days of billing or 1.5% monthly interest on balances over 60 days is helpful. Making sure bills go out in a timely fashion (tougher than it sounds) and are accurate as well as detailed enough to show the customer value received.

Keep evaluating your pricing, underpricing or not charging at all for very real costs is a classic reason for bad cash flow but very hard to spot.

Watch how you pay your suppliers closely. The classic tip is to stretch them out until they scream but antagonizing or harming your business partners is just stupid when you think it through. Being the client who pays fully and promptly is huge leverage, being the slow-pay/no-pay is a terrible negotiating position for getting anything done.

Continually evaluate your overhead costs, consider them "broken" instead of "fixed". It's amazing what waste creeps in there and gets paid without further analysis. Meaningful value to what you're actually doing is key, paying for capacity you're not using is a common trap.

Watch for people who balance convenience vs cost the wrong way (and it can go either direction, wasting hours to save pennies is common enough too.)

How Important Is Attitude To Business Success?

2011-09-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I had lunch with a young guy in the banking industry. I met about 4 years ago when he was just a teller and hadn’t seen him since then. Today he pulled up to the restaurant in a gorgeous new car, had on a stunning suit and is now the community director of a very powerful bank. I knew little about what had transpired for him in those last four years – but I do know he’s in an industry that has been struggling and has a whole lot of people who have been let go.

However, it was easy to observe why this guy has excelled. Every encounter was courteous and affirming for the other person. From the greeter to the servers to the random people walking by, each one received a great smile and a sincere “thank you” for their contribution, no matter how small or insignificant. I didn’t have to ask about additional degrees, certifications, or inside favors to understand why his career has soared. He doesn’t have to “game” his way to keeping his job. In fact, he told me of the constant offers he has coming his way from competitors who have seen his success. And he’s making more money than he ever dreamed of a few years ago.

He has guaranteed his position, not through manipulation or asserting his rights or having a contract, but by being a person everyone wants on their team.

That sounds strangely familiar – like it’s right out of a book written in 1937, right after the Great Depression.

I have no idea if he has a college degree. But I know how his value would rank against most MBA graduates.

By Patrick McFadden

5 Ways to Attract Customers with Social Media

2011-08-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Business owners are always looking for new ways to attract customers. Newspaper, radio, and television absorbed media budgets until the advent of online marketing roughly ten years ago. At Web4Retail (an online marketing firm), we educate and inspire small businesses on the benefits of social media and how it can attract new customers if managed correctly. Below are some first steps into the world of social media:

1. Create a Facebook Fan Page

There are lots of ways to get creative and engage your customers, and then their friends become your fans and customers too. It’s best to ask an expert to help you set up your page and manage the day to day maintenance.

2. Tweet Special Offers or Advice Daily Via Twitter
Sprinkles Cupcakes is just one business that encourages customers in its stores and on its Web site to follow the company on Twitter. Every few days, the company sends out messages such as “Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day! The first 50 people to whisper “rich” at each Sprinkles receive a free dark chocolate cupcake.” That gets people into the shop — and most times they buy another cupcake and a drink.

3. Encourage Customer Reviews on Yelp

Some 90 percent of consumers say they trust recommendations from people they know, and 70 percent say they trust consumer opinions posted online, according to a Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey. A Web4Retail client, Bedderbuy, utilizes Yelp beautifully for new customers and reviews. I encourage all furniture retailers to make Yelp a part of their online marketing effort.

4. List Your Business on Google and Yahoo

When we want to find anything, we turn to Google or Yahoo to search — and you can’t get any bigger in terms of Web sites than these. Google has a Local Business Directory where you can register your business absolutely free. And here’s what’s most interesting: You don’t even need a site to have a strong Web presence. It’s open to all types of small businesses — with hundreds of thousands posted. (Yahoo offers a similar service.) There’s no reason not list your business on both sites — whether you own a mom and pop hardware store or a bar, you want to leverage the extraordinary reach of these search engines. Check out Google’s tutorialto help you get started.

5. Be Your Own Publicist

Finally, the Web site ”Help A Reporter” is a free daily email service that delivers media queries three times a day right to your inbox from among some 70,000 bloggers, authors, TV reporters, and radio producers. Often the requests are for small business owners — recent listings seek smallbusiness owners to discuss creative financing in this economy; other queries are for gardening experts, jewelry makers; the needs are very diverse. This is a way for you to do your own publicity without the expense of a publicist to get your business mentioned in the media.

Web4Retail had designed and manages more than 100 Facebook pages for businesses. If you would like more information visit our website @ www.facebookyourbusiness.net or call 877-536-4786

Tips On Developing The Marketing Section Of Your Business Plan

2011-08-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here's some tips on how to develop the marketing section of the business plan for your small business .......

I suggest that you evolve demographics for your anticipated customer base that allow you to develop a marketing plan from the customers you wish to reach with your product information. Demographics are generally available at web sites such as the US Census Bureau and other links below.

Seek information about individuals who are likely to buy your product, such as age, location, lifestyle, and similar information that would allow you to gear a marketing plan toward a population of buyers you wish to impress.

When researching on web sites I recommend that you change your search key words. Here is a list of preface words that you should consider followed by words identifying your product when searching on Google or like sites: Financial Forecast **Anticipated Revenue ** Future Market **Sales and Revenue **Market Coverage **Industry Forecast **Market Trends **Market Data **Forecast Data **Outlook **Others you may think of implying data and information in the past, present or future.

Sometimes the information doesn't jump right out of the page at you. You have to give some thought to how you are going to use the data and be willing to look at it at face value and think about potential underlying support it may be providing to your premises. You may have to change your focus from a technical one to a business one and elevate your view of information, then interpolate downward.

Give the best you can to preparation of all the other elements of the plan except the financial section and then use them as a springboard to complete your expense and revenue forecasts in the finance area to complete your business plan.

Online resources ....

* Entrepreneur Resource Center

* Ecom

* Fact Finder

* SEC EDGAR

The Key Elements For Success Of A Small Business In Overseas Markets

2011-08-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a few things to ensure are addressed if you are intending to expose your Small Business to overseas markets .....

Make sure you are versed in their customs and know the costs of start up. You should already have a business plan but if you don't I strongly suggest getting one. How will you fund the expansion into the new market? What type of entity will you operate as (LLC, Incorporation, Corp, S-corp etc). Find out the international tax rules. What will your sales forecasts be? What about initial costs and operating costs? Who will represent you over seas? All this boils down to is there are market for your business in the Asian markets. When will you be profitable? Who are your competitors? What is your marketing strategy? The answers to these questions and many more will allow you come up with your key strategies as well as contingency planning. Having a great accountant who specializes in international accounting will help tremendously as well. You may seek some legal services as well.

Spearheading a campaign into an overseas market requires an incredible amount of detail and cultural/custom/legal specific knowledge. It would also be highly beneficial to transfer someone from your management team directly ahead of your startup - that way you have a source you can rely on to negotiate on your behalf and ensure everything is prepared smoothly before you invest further ahead. They can also be responsible for sourcing local talent for succession management with an excellent background in your industry.

What's The Best "Simple" Advice For A Small Business Person?

2011-08-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few examples gathered from friends .... feel free to add your own as a reply comment.

==============

1. Be impeccable with your words (speak with integrity, don't gossip or talk bad about others; it will come to haunt you).

2. Don't make any assumptions (ask questions and expres what you really want; communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings).

3. Don't take anything personal (nothing others do is because of you; what others say or do is a projection of their own reality and issues).

4. Always do your best (your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy or sick. Simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment and regret).

==================

Always be on-time
Anticipate what can go wrong
Be proactive
Don't bad mouth colleagues
Find responsible people to whom you can delegate
Don't lose your temper (it's OK to swear in private)
Learn to take very deep breaths.

===============

Don't stop working at a problem until it is solved.

The customer is your partner and treat each engagement with the customer as such - a win/win for all.

================

Focus on your strengths.

Acknowledge what you have accomplished rather then what haven't.

It is okay to question yourself but never doubt yourself.

====================

Never underestimate yourself and others won't either.

=====================

Never, ever disappoint a customer.

What A Small Business Should Look For In A Vendor

2011-08-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

The first three qualifications I would look for when selecting a vendor are ...

1. Can they do what we want them to do? That may not be as simple as it sounds; you may want to include all the very subtle qualifications such as do they really know "about your business" (what you do, why, to/for who, what makes you tick). Building something merely to meet my cold, hard, written requirements, and building something that meets my written requirements but also includes knowing WHY I wanted it built can be the difference between a mediocre product and a great product.

2. Can they do it in the manner that we want them to do it? Can they and will they comply with all of our flow-down process and regulatory requirements (as Norbert Kubilus discussed)? If we have been contracted to build a product for a highly-demanding client (and/or one that operates in a strictly-regulated industry), the client will flow down process and regulatory requirements (e.g. "do it this way", "maintain these records as proof of compliance", "assess your work practices on a regular basis to prove that you are constantly in compliance", etc.) to us. Any vendors I sub-contract will also have to meet these requirements.

3. Can they be trusted? Will they provide the product or service on time? Will they provide services in compliance with flow-down process requirements? Will they promise not to use or pass on any intellectual knowledge that has been transferred to them (other than in our contracted business)?

Entrepreneurs .... Whats On Your Book Shelf?

2011-08-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

The best books to read are those that are entertaining , informative and well written, including novels, histories, biographies, books of general knowledge and finally books relevant to the particular type of interests your entreprenuership involves. Well rounded is the key, IMHO.

One of my favorites is "BEE-ing Attraction: What Love Has to Do with Business and Marketing" by Jan Stringer and Alan Hickman. This book reveals unusual methods for attracting what you want for your business while living an authentic life. If you're a conscious entrepreneur seeking ways to enjoy your work life more, this book is a must.

Nearly any of the books by Alan Weiss for running a business are good - including:

* Million Dollar Consulting Toolkit
* Process Consulting
* Value Based Fees

And...Peter Block's - Flawless Consulting
And...Phillips - The Consultant's Scorecard

And...Jim Collins' Good to Great, Daniel Pink's Drive, and Martin's The Design of Business.

Here's more - - -

Jim Collins ... Good to Great
Arbringer Institute .... Leadership and self-deception
James Gleick .... Chaos
Howard Schultz .... Pour Your Heart Into It

And ....

* "Enchantment" by Guy Kawasaki.
* "Selling the Invisible" by Harry Beckwith. Indispensable reading!!
* "Social Marketing to the Business Customer" by Paul Gillin and Eric Schwartzman. All about B2B social media marketing, which is different than B2C
* "The Thank You Economy" by Gary Vaynerchuk.
Sun Zu .... The Art of War

Plus these ....

* How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success - Frank Bettger. A great book on selling, including how to put a value on every phone call you make, whether you get business from it or not.

* How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie. The lessons in this book still work today.

* The Art of SEO - Enge, Spencer, Fishkin, Stricchiola. A great read even for people who don't work in the SEO arena. Even if you do, there are lots of great snippets here.

* Most books by Tom Peters. A management consultant who knows that to get useful things done, you have to do useful things.

And don't forget this one ....

The Art of Start by Guy Kawasaki teaches everything about entrepreneurship

How To Leverage Facebook To Grow Sales And Your Market

2011-08-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, Facebook is a brilliant tool for networking and growing customer/brand awareness.

One of the key ingredients you'll need to establish a successful following, is persistence. The worst thing any business or company can do, is to create a presence on a social media site like Facebook, put in the early effort of a brilliant profile/product page... and then leave it sitting there. In essence it becomes nothing more than a glorified business card.

If you want to unleash the power of digital social marketing to push your product, then ensure you keep the 'peddle to the metal' and drive your page. Keep your followers entertained... add some personality, alittle humor, and update them on your projects. Offer your Facebook army a discount or extra product/item if they place an order with their username as a reference, better yet, offer them a VIP discount for an add-on purchase (just make sure it doesn’t come across as a ‘would you like fries with that?’ sales pitch – make it a heartfelt, genuine offer to the buyer)... or an 'introduce your friend' incentive.

The ability to profitably drive your business or product/service through Facebook is phenomenal - trick is to keep your information updated and constant. Start putting your FB contact details on the back of business cards and paper media, so curious people can jump online and sign up to your growing network. Maybe sell the concept as a VIP Club... and offer advanced specials or sneak previews of products etc. Give them the incentive and people generally can't help themselves - they have to know what’s going on, especially if they can benefit from being associated in some way.

Insurance For A Start-Up Small Business

2011-08-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

A good way to compare small business insurances it to compare their online "quotes". A couple of good websites to compare those are listed below.

Make a "risk assessment" of your business before buying an insurance policy. Appoint a business advisor to get complete risk assessment done.

Inquire from local agents or go online to find out which companies provide business insurance.

Request quotes based on actual cost values of your assets. Valuation done for the sole purposes of lowering insurance premium is not a good idea.

Get coverage for inflation and changes in policies and regulations that may affect your business.

Choose the quote from the best-rated and -reviewed insurance company that gives you the cheapest rates against an optimum cover.

Maintain total disclosure with your insurance company and agent regarding past events or incidents that might affect your future policy. In other words, be honest and upfront.

Get insurance quotes for the "minimum level of security." The quotes for this level are likely to be higher.

Request that the company or agent send an appraiser for recommending improvements that will lower your premium.

Examine all the terms and conditions of the insurance policy, and inquire about "exclusion" clauses in the policy.

Here's some resources to help .....

Review Center

SBHI

Insurance Comparison

Using a Dashboard to Monitor Your Business

2011-08-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

I consider the development and use of a dashboard as a best practice because it really helps you to keep your finger on the pulse of your business. Many small businesses don’t check in on their operation often. Granted, if you’re checking your financials and marketing results at least quarterly, that’s a big improvement over doing an annual checkup. A better practice is to monitor it monthly however, and there are some elements of your business that you may want to monitor weekly. After watching the changes from month to month, or week to week, take a step back at the six month mark and look strategically and objectively at what all the monthly incremental changes might mean.

What’s a dashboard? Dashboards are used by many large businesses to monitor their business throughout the year. Dashboards strive for simplicity of presentation of data related to your Key Performance Indicators, or KPI. Key Performance Indicators include areas such as: Marketing, Sales, Financials, and Operations. The data is often presented as trend lines, charts, and other visuals. This is how they came to be known as dashboards – when driving your car your dashboard provides at-a-glance insight into critical areas of the car’s operation. And so it is with your business dashboard also. Some of the dashboard software that’s available even prepares the data to look like gauges that look like they would be found on your car’s dashboard. These gauges can be superfluous, as long as you have the trend lines. Recognizing trends improves your ability to strategize and your decision-making as you grow your business. You’ll also notice areas requiring more attention. This timely recognition allows you to consider an intervention when an issue is small and easier to resolve.

What are key areas to include in your dashboard? I’ve already identified several possible categories to include, and this can be variable depending on the nature of your business. If you are a solopreneur, you might not need to use the Operations/HR category, for example. It can be helpful to work with a business advisor or consultant to develop your dashboard as these professionals provide objectivity and other perspectives that can be hard for a business owner to achieve. Within each category you will choose the elements that you feel are important to monitor. Take some time to look at your business strategically. This is how you will determine what the key categories are. From there you’ll drill down into more specific items to monitor. You can see that this means you are evaluating and analyzing your business – a mindset that you want as an active part of your business.

What specific items would you monitor in each category? I’ll make suggestions here, and you are not limited to these. You may have others that have more meaning and greater impact on your business and so those are the ones you should use. Again, this gets back to thinking strategically.

Marketing – What do you use as marketing tools to build your customer base? What do you use as tools to maintain your customer base? Total marketing cost?
Website analytics – search engine rank, number of unique visitors, amount of time visitors spend on your site, blog subscribers
Social media – for each channel that you use you might track friends, likes, followers, connections etc.; you would also want to include a measure of engagement such as post feedback, tweets, comments etc.; you might include a measure of the time you spend interacting on social media; advertising using social media channels (Facebook ads for example)
Print advertising – dollars spent; contacts from print advertising
Newsletter – number of subscribers; number of unsubscribes

Sales – Where is your income coming from? What offerings are strong and which are weak? Is your sales funnel effective?
Prospects, Conversions, Retention – how many calls, emails and other requests for information about your business have you had; out of those, how many have become customers; and out of those how many have stayed for a specified timeframe? The specified timeframe comes from your determination of how long means that they are a loyal customer
Products, Services

Financials – You may be monitoring these regularly through your accounting software.
Income, Expense, Profit/Loss, Long-term debt, Short-term debt, Assets, Net worth, Ratios

Operations – Is your business operating efficiently?
Facilities – Is your business space being used to its maximum
Human Resources – Number of employees, employee hours, employee cost

By taking a look at these categories and suggested elements, you can see the value of having all this information in one place. These are elements that we know we should monitor, and probably even know where to collect some of it. Through developing your dashboard you will learn exactly where to collect it all and now will have it in one location. You will be able to see the inter-related issues more quickly and may come to additional possible actions to take as a result.

How do I build my dashboard? You can build your dashboard by using Excel, and there are also software dashboards available. Many of these are for large corporate ventures and not as appropriate for micro-enterprise. Mr. Dashboard is one product that provides an easy to use excel interface that transfers itself automatically into charts and graphs that visually display the numbers that you’ve entered. It provides for 25 metrics, though if you are monitoring more than 25 items you can use more than one chart of 25. In this case you can separate categories out from each other. When you’re first starting out you’ll want to get your feet wet with your dashboard before getting highly detailed.

Are you using a dashboard? What do you include on yours? Do you have favorite software for this, and if so, please share with us here.

How Do You Motivate Your Staff?

2011-08-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Motivating your staff doesn't have to be an exhausting process, or very costly. One of the biggest mistakes made by leaders is to implement a recognition or incentive program without truly knowing what motivates their staff. You would not be looked upon as incompetent if you simply ASKED your staff what motivates them! As a matter of fact, they would probably value and appreciate you even more for asking. Try to find out first what motivates your staff, and then see what you can do about making it happen, or at least coming close to it.

Second, make a concentrated effort to notice what your employees do correctly and acknowledge them. This can be as simple as leaving a sticky note on a computer monitor, or recognizing them publicly in a meeting. I know it seems minuscule, but it always surprises me how few leaders take advantage of this little nugget. When an employee sees that you value their work efforts, they are more likely to repeat the process. Recognition is a jewel in the motivation and engagement of your staff if you use it correctly.

Here's 3 specific leadership traits you can cultivate in yourself to increase your ability to motivate no matter what motivational approach you take or method(s) you employ.

1. Know how much leadership to offer and how much to let the individuals grow on their own.

2. Strike the right balance between specific and generic guidance so the unique individual traits of the workers come through in the business model and solutions to problems, system design and success of the firm are derived from the people running the enterprise and not from the leader.

3. Manage constructively by fostering an environment respectful of all points of view but driving to fulfilling progressive objectives as a first priority and blend differences of opinion decisively.

Here's a final thought that may perk your strategy antennae .....

Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks once said that he gets employees to smile by only hiring people who smile. He built a company culture around that idea.

So follow Mr. Schultz's rule. Only hire people who are motivated. Only keep people who are motivated. Attempting to change personalty traits is pointless.

What Is The Biggest Obstacle Standing In The Way Of Small Business Growth?

2011-08-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

I think the biggest problem that small business are facing these days is the cost of doing business altogether. Generally, prices are rising, regulations are increasing in number and negative impact on doing business, purchasing power is decreasing, and uncertainty due to Goverment (sic Obama Administration) actions is increasing. Right now, the overall economy is playing an integral part in most of the small business' failure. It leads to lower revenues and lower profit margins and thus they have to go out of the business.

One other thing that most of the small entrepreneurs face is lack of skills, knowledge, know-how and customs for the specific industry they're working in. Although being innovative has its advantage sometimes when you're taking on national level companies, you need to either know or quickly learn the rules of the games.

Failures are also a big problems for small businesses. Motivation is a great factor against it. How well you take the failures whether small or big and so on. You'd hardly find any business without any setbacks. All those garage dreams didn't became multinational corporate giants overnight. They had setbacks and failures. The abilities, skills and unyielding attitude of these successful entrepreneurs led them to what they are now.

The Main Problem Faced By Small Businesses In Managing Their Finances

2011-07-28T05:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few .....

Lack of skill. I've friends who are continually training entrepreneurs on the difference between gross profit and net profit, or between direct costs and overhead, and why these matter so much.

Inadequate support. Their bookkeepers -- and often their CPAs -- are focused on tax accounting, not management accounting. They need someone with a CFO mentality.

Poor systems. Inflexible software, hard to get the reports they need.

Intimidated by numbers. They look at a P&L spreadsheet and their eyes glaze over.

They don't know how to ask for reports that give them the handful of numbers they need to keep track of performance daily.

Or they are good at it, and do it themselves. This is a poor use of their time, and they don't get an objective outside perspective on their numbers.

They run their business to minimize profit so they don't have to pay taxes, then wonder why they can't get a bank loan.

They try to finance growth out of cash flow rather than obtaining capital from a bank or investor.

They fear debt and are reluctant to invest in their own business growth.

And finally they run the business to maximize revenue and neglect profit. They need to adopt a revenue AND profit perspective.

An Amazing Deal for Small Business Owners

2011-07-25T07:10:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing deal for small business owners that I just had to share. Here is the deal:

For a limited time only Siglat Mobile Apps is offering free iPhone app development for small businesses. 50 businesses who respond to the offer, will receive a FREE marketing iPhone app. Siglat Mobile Applications allows your customers to purchase your product directly from their mobile device.

Simply create a Video or Power Point explaining how your business could use an iphone app!

Siglat Mobile Apps specializes in providing custom Direct Purchase iPhone Apps for small businesses using PayPal's Mobile In-App purchasing API. We currently have two application templates to choose from depending on your product type.

The basic template is a grid display similar to the one used by the Mimosa iPhone app. Mimosa features custom images of your product that the user can touch to get more detailed information before a purchase.

The second template is a display which lists your products by category and allows users to "drill down" until they find the product they need. Your customers are then presented with an image of your item, detailed product information, and the option to purchase.

We recommend using the first template for customers with up to 15 items, and the second template for customers with more than 15 items. Using these templates allows for Rapid-Application Development of your app. The process usually takes less than 1 month – including the wait for App Store acceptance. Specialized applications can also be arranged for businesses with products that require a different purchasing format.

For this promotion Siglat is also waving its normal purchase charge of 30% per item to only to 10% per item! So not only will you get a free app in the App Store, but the purchase fee on what you sell will be decreased for the life of your app. Create your video and act now before this offer expires!

Visit http://siglat.com/.

Siglat Mobile Apps
2351 Sunset Blvd. STE 170
Rocklin CA 95765
Phone: (916) 672-8134

iphoneapp@siglat.com

Key Challenges Faced By Women Entrepreneurs

2011-07-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

Women entrepreneurs face all of the same challenges faced by male entrepreneurs, with some additional obstacles. For example:

1. In most cultures, women are the primary caregivers for children. They face additional pressures when they become entrepreneurs - how do they balance business ownership vs. motherhood?

2. As a female entrepreneur, depending on the type of business, they may still face some stereotypes. Women may have to still be better and smarter than their male counterpart in order to get the contract.

These are a few challenges. To all men, please do not think that I am saying that you do not face challenges that are particular to men. These are just some specific challenges that some women many face.

Women-owned businesses are growing and home-based businesses are growing because of stay-at-home Moms! SBA shows that 50% of start-up businesses are women-owned businesses!

In fact .... State of Women-Owned Businesses Report Executive Summary from American Express - March 2011

• As of 2011, it is estimated that there are over 8.1 million women-owned businesses in the United States, generating nearly $1.3 trillion in revenues and employing nearly 7.7 million people.

• Between 1997 and 2011, when the number of businesses in the United States increased by 34%, the number of women-owned firms increased by 50%— a rate 1½ times the national average.

How To Be A Democrat .... Warning - Honest 1st Hand Observations On The State Of America

2011-07-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a little respite from our normal tips, tools, and news for the small business community. I warn you it is an honest 1st hand observation of the state of America. If it offends anyone .... too - damn - bad.

How to be a Democrat ....

1. You must believe that the way to eliminate the national debt is for the government to spend more money.

2. You must believe that the rich, who pay 86% of the federal tax revenue, are not paying their “fair share,” while the 50% or Americans who pay no taxes at all are paying their “fair share”.

3. You must believe that there is absolutely no connection between welfare payments and the soaring illegitimacy rate.

3. You must believe that the Democrats, who decided it was more important to shove Obamacare down the nation’s collective throat than to pass a budget, are blameless in the latest fiscal debacle.

4. You must believe that there is some kind of noble virtue in living here as an illegal alien while draining the taxpayer dry by collecting entitlements.

5. You must believe that capital punishment is abhorrent but abortion is benign.

6. You must believe that PBS is fair and balanced, while Fox is biased.

7. You must believe that you know best how to raise other people’s children, how to live other people’s lives, and how to spend other people’s money.

8. You must believe that Christians are a threat but MusIims are simply misunderstood victims of prejudice.

9. You must believe that the party of Alan West, Herman Cain, and Marco Rubio is racist, while the party of Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton is tolerant.

10. You must believe that the only reason socialism has not been an unqualified success is because it has not been tried by anyone as smart as America’s modern Democrats.

11. You must believe that minorities are not smart enough to be successful without affirmative action.

There ... I got that off my chest. Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like. Be aware that liberal trolls and brain dead progressives need not reply. We already know you can't handle the truth.

One more thing. GOD BLESS AMERICA ..... in 2012 we'll get her back.

What Are Your Favorite Business Tips From Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich"?

2011-07-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

I thought the title was a bit of a misnomer and would be a better fit for The Secret. Actually, I read about 3 pages of the Secret and couldn't go any further. What I liked about Hill's book, is that it focused on goal setting, leadership and good ol' hard work. In the book it states, when you find what you love, stop at nothing to make it happen. Hard work and perseverance pay off.

What were your favorite business tips from the book ... that you personally use towards your business efforts?

Do You Have a Passion For Your Success?

2011-07-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

I've just opened a store in a "new" town -- the town's not new, but I am new to the town. I'm trying to get to know the other merchants, so I took a walk around the main street the other day, talking to some of the business owners. It was an interesting experience. Right away a picture started to emerge: there were those that were serious entrepreneurs and then there were those that were ... no so much shall we say.

One store I visited started out the conversation by telling me how much they hated the downtown and that they had security cameras everywhere due to a "dangerous element". Another store informed me that I had no right to park on the city street -- that was for HER customers. Okay. Where do my customers park I asked. She simply shrugged. Many of the stores are only open part-time: by appointment only, and catch me when you can.

Then, I found several other businesses who "get it". They are open 7 days a week, from early in the morning until well past 5 pm. They give other merchants discounts to keep them coming back to the downtown area instead of going out on the highway to the big box stores. They get to know you, calling you by name when you walk by. They are active in the merchant's association and plan events and activities throughout the year. The Chamber works with these businesses and helps promote their events, their sales, whatever is needed. It's a good group. I hope I can be part of that group.

All too often I see business people that don't really seem to want new, or repeat, business. Seems they just like to have someplace to go or something to do when they get up in the morning. I story about customer service -- bad customer service -- that I often tell happened to me several years ago when I was still in big city world (versus small town country). I went into a sign shop to order vinyl banners for my storefront. I ordered black banners with yellow lettering. I placed the order 3 weeks before my grand opening and was told that they would be ready a week before I needed them. On the assigned day, I went to pick up my order; I was really excited because this was my first storefront. I had been homebased prior to this. When I got there, the banners were yellow, with black lettering. I was devastated. I must have let out an involuntary groan of "oh no!" -- and immediately realized I had to duck as a pair of vinyl cutting shears (with very long, and very sharp blades) went flying past me, the owner of the company screaming that I had no right to question her choices. I had already paid a great deal of money for these (and there was NO return coming my way), so I wound up taking the signs and going. Do you think I went back there again? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More recently I have been consulting and training small business people on marketing, customer service, creating value in their businesses and growth for their companies. Most people have told me that what they learn has helped them and they are grateful for the services. However, I also have come across a few who say things like, I've been doing this for over 20 years. I don't need anyone to tell me what I should do -- I've done it all already. But when I ask them what they are looking for for their businesses, they reply "More customers." OR "more money". My response then is, but you're doing everything the right way? Guess nobody wants what you have to offer. I"m sure if they've been doing this for 20 years, and making money at it, someone has wanted what they offered. But perhaps they need to look at new ways and new technologies to "grow with the flow". You think maybe?

Entrepreneur Magazine a few months ago had a discussion about the difference between an entrepreneur and a small business. It was interesting to read what they had to say: a true entrepreneur has passion for what they are doing and the willingness to see it through (http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/article190986.html). A small business person, however, is someone that perhaps is not a risktaker, or someone who is more prone to consider themselves a worker (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/83764).

I think that for someone to truly succeed, they need to have the characteristics discussed above and be willing to "be in it for the long-haul." I plan on being there -- what about you?

The Coming Brick Wall in Venture Capital & Why This is Good for US Innovation

2011-07-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

The author of the below article (see link) argues that the venture capital business itself is going through an even more fundamental change than just the entry of a new category at the earliest stage. That the industry is shrinking back to a mid-90′s level in terms of both dollars and numbers of firms. What do you think of that argument?

Here is a link to the article I am talking about: Brick Wall

A couple of thoughts around that:

1. The economies of starting a company today are different than what they were in the mid-90's. Cost of acquisition is lower and technologies such as cloud computing and methodologies as A/B testing and agile development brought down the cost of development & IT. Given that comparing the total capital available is not necessarily the right metric.

2. Given that economies have change and given that we are starting to see more medium size acquisitions(<$40M) (and sometimes quick talent acquisitions), large funds (north to $150M) are struggling. There are fewer blockbusters and the good deal flow for growth stage rounds is centered about the top 5-6 VC (Accel, Sequoia, DFJ etc.). The rest settle for lower quality deal flow which is expected to impact their ability to achieve target returns and raise another fund.

A $250M VC fund trying to target a 20% IRR in 5 years needs to reach $500M of exits. If they have 20% of each exit then they need to target total exits of $2.5B. If you are invested in Facebook, LinkedIn or GroupOn then you are set. Otherwise it is challenging to meet those returns.

3. Like with any industry, you need to keep an eye on the market and change constantly. The VCs that noticed the change early on (USV, First Round Capital) changed their investment strategy & fund size. The ones that failed to recognize the change, might struggle.

Mark Suster wrote a nice article summarizing these trends: Venture Capital

How Not To Hear “Sorry - No Sale”

2011-07-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

In the globally syndicated BNET blog Sales Machine, Geoffrey James, the author, featured an article called A Roadmap to Winning That "Yes!”

He said it “contains a very clear step-by-step roadmap for developing an initial B2B contact”

Here’s the post By Geoffrey James | July 15, 2011

“My friend (and frequent Sales Machine commentor) Neil Licht recently posted a comment that I think contains a very clear step-by-step roadmap for developing an initial B2B contact. I’ve minimally edited and reformatted his content, which appears below:”

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Here’s a way to create a path to “Yes!”, based upon my experience in sales and with many clients:

STEP #1. Do some research and understand the target company, especially how and why your product or solution can help.

STEP #2. Next, make a short 30 second commercial based on your findings that can quickly and succinctly say what you do, create a reason for listening, relate pertinent issues, benefits and problems solved and let you ask if its something that the prospect needs or would adopt.

STEP #3. Next find and define who would be right to hear that commercial at the highest level of responsibility and authority, relate to it and give you a true assessment of need/value on the spot. Note: that’s usually not the CEO because the CEO is not focused on running their divisions or departments. Other folks are and can relate to what you have because of that fact.

STEP #4. Make the phone call to that person and use the 30 second commercial. After the commercial, ask for and qualify the possibility of need or value for what you have explained from the person you are speaking with. Ask it this way “Is this an idea that can benefit you and your company.” (While this is a “yes or no” question, its what you must know at this stage.)

STEP #5. If the answer is “no” skip to Step 6. If the answer is “yes,” start a brief discussion about how, why, reason, problems solved, impact, etc. This creates a link between you and the person that you have called for the sales process to begin that, if pursued properly, you have the basis of selling value/ROI and not cost and you know it has possibilities to yield a sale based on those criterion. Skip to step 7.

STEP #6. If no, or you get a weak maybe, stop selling, say thanks and move on to the next prospect. Don’t waste sales time on this one. Say: “Thanks for your time and your honesty. I can see that our solution isn’t applicable to you.” Then ask “Do you know of a colleague that could use my solution.” You might get a great prospect to call or even an introduction. If so, go back to Step 1 and start over.

STEP #7. Ask about the process for moving forward. Find out who else needs to be involved. Ask: “If we do have a worthwhile solution for you, who along with you would need to be involved in evaluating, adopting and purchasing.” Since your idea or solution has already been acknowledged as worthwhile by the prospect. using this question also lets you ask them for help in moving forward. IMPORTANT: Don’t ask: “Who is the decision maker?” That’s an insulting question because it says to your suspect that you consider him or her a peon.

STEP #8. After you have found out that they may want to buy your offering, state a rough cost right then to your suspect for the solution and ask if there is a budget for implementing the concept if it’s a worthwhile idea. Don’t even think of continuing the sales process without knowing the answer to this question. It tells you if you can proceed with your idea and also lets you ask and understand the company’s usual process for evaluating and ultimately purchasing your idea is.

STEP 9: Set up the next step, which will probably involve meeting (in person or on the phone) with other individuals involved in the decision or purchasing process.

Neil Licht CEO HereWeAre, Chief adviser, Acquiring Paying Customers Consultancy Group
callhereweare@verizon.net
http://www.wix.com/ndlicht/hereweare

Youtube video tutorial http://www.youtube.com/user/ndlicht

====

READERS: Huge vote of thanks to Neil for sharing this. (Note: his original comment is in the post “The Fallacy of Calling High.“)

Using Social Media To Market Your Small Business

2011-07-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

Especially for a small (and medium-sized) business enterprise, a good way to promote the business would be through Social Media channels. Apart from this, one needs to be well networked and have friends and contacts who can pass the word through a viral "chain".

Coming to specifics, one needs to develop a comprehensive strategy for harnessing the full capabilities of Social Media. A mere presence on Facebook and getting a large number of "Likes" for the posts doesn't really translate into actual Sales. The idea behind Social Media is primarily to {i} continuously engage with potential customers as well as "converts", {ii} provide them with timely info about services, offers, and latest updates, and {iii} have a response mechanism for queries and questions / complaints from customers and fans.

In addition to a presence on Facebook, suggest you to also explore other channels of Social Media, including Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Facebook, Twitter. Linkedin and Youtube marketing are all very powerful and the capabilities of Social Media can actually be fully tapped when you have an integrated strategy for all these channels.

I would suggest the following Social Media strategies:

1. Create a Facebook Fan Page
2. Create a Twitter account
3. Promote your business on Linkedin
4. Create an Youtube account

Now, for the things you should do:

1. Create a blog on your website and write about your items. Once done, Tweet the URL, share the URL on Facebook and on Linkedin. Encourage people to LIKE your blog post or ReTweet.

2. Make a video about your items, you can try www.animoto.com and create one for free. Once done, upload the video to Youtube and share to friends in FB and Twitter.

3. Have an ongoing promotion to attract new customers and post this on your FB fan page, Linkedin, Twitter and Youtube. You can also create another video about your promotion.

4. Suggest your fan page to all your friends and contacts on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Don't forget to promote it on Youtube as well.

5. Constantly update your site with blog posts or helpful tips to share to your fans and friends. Provide a link back to your site at all times.

6. You can submit a press release to free press release sites to tell others what your store is about.

7.Give something out for free - may be an instructional ebook, a recipe, a free screensaver, etc. and tell people about it.

8. Constantly establish new connections through social media platforms to establish credibility.

9. Keep on making new friends and expand your network as well.

10. Update your site weekly and your social media sites daily.

11. Equally important, have a response mechanism ready in place to handle all inquiries / questions / complaints in a timely manner.

Successful Strategy For Marketing A Small Business

2011-07-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

Simply Put .... develop a marketing plan. Here are some tips:

TASTE, TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY

What does your research indicate is the trend in your field? Will it stay the way you are currently offering supplies and services or will it change? This item covers the developments you expect for the next few years. Evan a 'perfect' business can become obsolete overnight due to future developments. Specify a 5 year forecast of your field in your area.

SALES REVENUE FORECAST

Have you developed these targets? This section shows your estimates of future sales revenue for your business. Your strategic plan, needs to spell out the specific actions you will take to achieve your forecast sales revenues.

DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE COMPETITION

How does your business differ from the competition's strong and weak points. Again, remember to carefully look at your business from the customer's perspective. If you're not sure how your pricing policies compare to the competition, here are some guidelines. Most people associate high prices with high quality and extra service, while they associate low prices with low or average quality and minimum service. Make sure you provide extra quality and service if your prices are higher than your competition or make sure that your prices are lower if your quality is average and your service is minimum.

DECIDE HOW TO REACH CUSTOMERS

Once you describe your target customer, it's easier to create a list of possible ways to reach that person. One of your jobs as a businessperson is to decide which of all the possible methods of communication will give you the most exposure for the least cost in money or time.

EVALUATE THE RISKS FACING YOUR BUSINESS

COMPETITION: Most businesses have competition. How will your business differ in significant and positive ways from your competition? If your competition is strong, don't minimize that fact, but figure out ways you will adjust to or use that strength. For example, if you plan to open a restaurant next to an extremely popular one, part of your strategy might be to cater to the overflow. Another might be to open on days or evenings when the other restaurant is closed.

PIONEERING: If you anticipate no direct competition, your business probably involves selling a new product or service, or one that is new to your area. How will you avoid going broke trying to develop a market?

CYCLES AND TRENDS: Many businesses have cycles of growth and decline often based on outside factors such as taste, trends or technology. What is your forecast of the cycles and trends in your business? For example, if your forecast tells you that the new electronic product you plan to manufacture may decline in three years when the market is saturated, can you earn enough money in the meantime to make the venture worthwhile?

SLOW TIMES: Every business experiences ups and downs. Is your business small and simple enough, or capitalized adequately enough, to ride out slow times? Or do you have some other strategy, such as staying open long hours in the busy season and closing during times of the year when business is ?

OWNERS EXPERTISE: Nobody knows everything. How do you plan to compensate for the knowledge you're short on?

Write your risk analysis by first thinking of the main dangers your business faces. This shouldn't be hard, as you have probably been concerned about them for some time. Some of these may be on the list set out above; others will be unique to your business. Once you have identified the principal risks facing your business, write out a plan to counter each. But don't bog yourself down worrying about all sorts of unlikely disaster.

The Biggest Mistake That Small Business Owners Make

2011-07-07T06:04:00.000-07:00

I know that there are a lot of options here. But if you had to narrow it down to just one mistake that is keeping small business owners from reaching their potential what would it be?

Her's one take ....

Before becoming a small business owner most of them are directed by society through schooling and the corporate business world. In both there is orientation, training, a boss (a teacher or a supervisor), rules and regulations, policies and procedures, evaluations; in essence there is a structure they must conform to. They are told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.

Then they go into the world of the entrepreneur. There is no orientation, training, rules and regulations, etc. There is no structure. They do not have a boss. Nobody tells them what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Instead of everything being created for them, they have to create it themselves.

Unfortunately the direction they received in school and in the corporate business world is very limited in it's value of helping them to be successful as a small business owner. Everything in school and the corporate business world is based on linear processes happening one after the other. In the entrepreneurial world things don't happen in a linear fashion and everything is happening simultaneously. They also are responsible for everything instead of just their cubical. This creates confusion and overwhelm to the small business owner and they end up being in a constant stage of reaction instead of planning.

The difference in being an entrepreneur is that the business is them and they are the business, unlike the corporate world where they are just a cog in the machine.

Those that try to help the small business owner get this situation under control through methods of consultation, etc. usually come from the same background and push the expertise they gained in their cubical in the corporate business world. Again, very limiting.

If there is a silver bullet to how to be a successful small business owner why do we have thousands of books on the subject? Why isn't there only one? Because it's how each author was able to make-it but that doesn't mean everyone can make-it in the same way. Everyone is looking outside of themselves to find the answer.

The answer is inside of each of us. Whatever is going on inside of each of the small business owners will manifest in their businesses. For example, you usually don't find a very disorganized business owner having a very organized business.

Before we went into society, when we were little children, we knew what we liked and we knew what we didn't like. In fact, if someone tried to make us do something we didn't like, we got very upset. We also worked in a way that was natural to us. We didn't have to ask how to do something, we just went and did it.

Then we went into the Borg. Remember the Borg in the TV series Startrek, The Next Generation? The Borg was the gigantic cube that went around the universe sucking everyone into it and in doing so, they lost all of their individuality. That's what happens to all of us when we go to school and the corporate business world.

In the world of the entrepreneur the business owner has to know who they are, why they want to play the game, and why they want to win. They can not hide in a cubical. They have to really dig deep and find what they are passionate about, what really matters to them, where they get their energy from and be doing what they would be doing, even if they won the lottery.

Without this awareness and being able to harness the energy and power from that awareness, they are like a lost ball in tall weeds.

So the biggest mistake they are making is not finding their authentic self. This is not easy to do by yourself. They need to find someone that has done it and can help them as well.

An entrepreneurial business is created from the inside of the business owner out into the business. In a corporate business it is created from the outside in.

"Believe that things will work somehow out... follow your intuition  and curiosity... trust your heart even when it leads you off the  well-worn path... You have to trust that the dots will somehow  connect in your future... The only way to do great work is to love  what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't  settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find  it... Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They  somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else  is secondary." - Steve Jobs, Apple

Which Social Media Site Is Best For Small Business?

2011-07-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

The answer is ... it depends! What is your objective for using a social media site? Who are your customers and which social media sites do they use?

There is no "best" site - each site has different features and benefits which work differently according to the sector you are in, what kind of customers you have and your specific objectives for using social media.

Furthermore it depends upon your employees. If someone tells you Facebook is the best, yet your staff hate it, no amount of encouragement from you will get them to use it to benefit your business.

So you need to find out more about your customers and how they use social media, more about the preferences of your staff and focus in on some clear objectives for using social media.

Simply being told a particular site is the best will not take into account the specific and individual circumstances at your company I'm afraid.

Working Together

2011-07-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

Working Together

How Do You Work ON Your Small Business?

2011-06-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

It's often said that one of the keys to business success is to work ON your business, not just IN it. This makes sense as a concept, but in your experience, what does it mean in terms of specific, tangible and achievable actions?

In my simplistic view or interpretation of it is working IN the business is doing the day to day operational functions to keep the business turning over.

Working ON the business working on the direction of the business, strategic initiatives, business planning, forecasting etc. Basically providing a goal and reason for working IN the business.

To me, working IN my business is about working with clients and working ON my business is about doing things to attract clients - e.g. marketing, product development and ensure long term business viability.

I understand that in order to grow, we need to work ON the business but for small biz particularly, working IN the business often means generating income and working ON the business means expenditure (time and or dollars).

Although every company is different some similar hurdles come up time and time again.

1) In your business what comes first, strategy or people? A bit of a chicken and egg situation but many business owners fall into the trap of pushing their own agenda / self indulgence rather than listening to their clients feedback and empowering their employees to find solutions to problems.

2) When was the last time you stepped away from your business for a few days and took an objective helicopter view? an interesting question when posed to business owners the provides the ability to understand the dangers and opportunities they face.

In small businesses (ie owner-managed) it is important that the owner(s) have clarity about what drives them as individuals as well as the goals they set in the business.

In specific, tangible terms this means regularly checking you are leading the company in a way which will work for you, long and short term. Everyone will have their own way of doing this - eg: working with a coach/mentor, time away from the office to plan (much underestimated and under utilized), training refresher courses, feedback from others.

The other thing that really helps is consistency of follow-up. Life has a habit of throwing new things at you so doing this regularly - and expecting things to change, - is really important.

3) It is surprising how many small companies do not set an end goal and work towards it. It great having a business plan but a business plan drives the behavior of working IN the business especially if times are tough. A driving goal will always drive the behaviour of finding time to work ON the business and achieve the goal.

4) And finally, Time is a big issue, the amount of times I hear "I don’t have time to work ON the business" is staggering. Even setting aside 1 day a month to brainstorm, develop strategy and implement tactical plans will go a long way to working ON the business rather than IN it.

Critical Questions To Ask When Creating A Business Strategy

2011-06-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

The best guidance on this topic can be found in an article entitled, "Are Your Prepared to Succeed in Business" from the Biz Info Library.

The article can be downloaded in its entirety free of charge at the second, vertical Box Net "References" cube in the left margin of this resource ....

SmalltoFeds

Here is an excerpt .....

"How should you plan strategically? First of all, a distinction must be made. Business planning and strategic planning are not one and the same.

A good strategic plan will cover all areas of business, focusing on ....

Why a particular market, product, or service makes sense.

How a business might unfold and how its industry will react to it.

A good business plan will incorporate strategic thinking and planning emphasizing:

What the business will do.

How and when the business will deploy resources to generate revenues and profits."

I've seen a lot of businesses large and small with BAD or neglected strategies, but most people try and have some kind of overall plan.....

You need to have the standard approach:

- Vision
- Mission
- Goals
- Market and Competition Analysis
- SWOT
- Overall strategic approach
- Methods
- Implementation management plan (inc. sales and marketing)

Very standard, loads of templates around to download.

A Business Plan should be a "living document" in the sense of an interactive set of documents or even emails or intra-sites that let the plan evolve over time. It must NOT be a static document, written by a consultant and parked on a shelf and forgotten. The management plan needs to link directly to budgeting and into accounts in order that strategy and what follows is amended by interaction with real results.

Remember, "winging it" leads you straight down the tube ........

What's The Toughest Part Of Being An Entrepreneur?

2011-06-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

The toughest part of being an entrepreneur?

Maintaining a consistent, positive mental attitude. To be a successful entrepreneur, you must train your mind to see each challenge or failure as a step along a greater path. It comes down to recognizing the seeds of your next success in the ashes of last failure. Now to be clear, failure means nothing unless you stop trying. When you stop trying that is defeat,

Napoleon Hill is in my opinion one of the best sources for anyone wishing to be an entrepreneur. His classic Think and Grow Rich can be read and studied for 20+ years. That is my experience - each time I read the book, or listen to it on audio, I learn a little more and it lifts the spirits to help keep on the path and keep a positive mental attitude.

More Secrets To Business Success

2011-06-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Here are more tips on "secrets" to business success .....

1. Make friends everywhere. Friends will support you when times are good and when they're bad. Also friends buy from friends. There are different levels of friendship, of course.

2. Only ever go into partnership with someone you trust with everything you have. Be certain about that.

3. Set clear goals and focus on them. Remind yourself and your team of them often.

4. Check that you're on track. Fix it if you're not.

5. Be clear about what your business is. Avoid getting involved with activities that are shiny but don't have anything to do with your business. That's what spare time is for.

6. Work harder than anyone else. Make sure your clients know that you're working hard for them.

7. Work at being better. Better than your competitors, better than you were yesterday. Quality shows & no-one recommends the second-best.

8. Care more than everyone else. If you really care, it helps all of the above.

9. Be inspired; be inspiring. Nobody wants to be involved with a pointless activity.

What is the secret to business success?

"Find a hungry crowd and give them what they want"

OR more precisely....

Find a hungry crowd (enabled with disposable income - B2C /or generous budgets - B2B) and give them what they need while selling them emotionally on the benefits as something they want.

The hardest skills to harness in that simple statement is the ability to do so at enough of a profit to make it sustainable, and without sacrificing your personal moral and ethical standing to chase the 'almighty dollar'.

To put it another way .....

Providing more value to enough people that they'll pay you to cover your costs with something left over.

I told them why they should buy but nobody bought-Why?

2011-06-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

What you think folks want and the reasons you offer to attract paying customers are often incorrect and unfortunately fail in its objective because of those assumptions you have made.

Missing this mark is preventable as is getting it right very probable with a little up front homework. You can, with a few easy steps and ways of thinking get your messaging right so it does connect with and gain customers.

Try these steps and ways of thinking so you can,when reaching out, get paying Customers

1. People do things for their reason's not yours

If you have not done the in depth homework to see how a target audience thinks, what it cares about and how to link what you want to what they want so joining in makes sense, you probably will be disappointed in your results.

2. Its hard to “hear” folks with a background in messaging and connecting for getting results trying to tell you that.

That's because your Belief in your direction is so strong in you that you think that everyone will agree and want to join in. You get blinded by that belief and it prevents you from being objective about how best to get followers and participants.

Even hearing the communication "experts" saying things like "folks just do not care about that" referring to your pet project, being so caught up in the value of your idea, you resist their expert advice.

Its just too hard on you and your deep seeded beliefs, values to accept what they say.

3. You can not just wish things into reality

If the audience has or sees no real buy in nor reason that, to them, resonates and says "that's me-that's exactly what I need to do and I am doing it" your message and recruiting efforts will fail.

There's just to many "you need to do this" messages bombarding us so its critical that you do what is suggested in this step in the way you reach out to folks.

4. Looking at our core traits and what we are really good at, we should see what we are good at and not good at and accept it. Then farm out what we are not good at to someone who is.

If we are not marketing types and we want our idea to connect, get the marketing type to figure out how to do that.

5. Its not ego, its pragmatism that should govern how you and your strengths and weaknesses are played out in trying to make something happen.

Why go it alone when you don't have to?

Why risk failure trying to do what you know you are not good at, especially something as important as gaining willing participants?

This is especially true when you want to influence people, their thoughts, manage your messaging so you do gain traction for your idea or project amongst the many different types of audiences out there.

Knowing precisely how to do this with differing approaches that resonate with differing target audiences is how you get to "yes, that's exactly what I need and I want to do it" from the members of the target audiences you have identified as folks who could benefit from participating.

If you are not good at that, be brutally honest and let someone who is great at that help you by doing that part for you.

Failure is a learning experience but you can, especially if you want to create active participation in something, avoid failure if you can adopt the thinking of what's been suggested here in this post.

And remember very simple but useful way of thinking as you try to go and gain joiners and participants:

1."People do things for their reason's not yours
2. Imagine the prospect or target audience has a sign on their forehead that says so what!" ( copywrite-Neil Licht, Axioms for success in selling, motivating and getting to yes)

Living those two axioms when charting connecting, influencing and getting participants goes a long way to realizing success for gaining acceptance of your idea,event It goes a long way for you in getting folks to participate and willingly join in with your "vision" and, for their reasons, not yours, make it theirs as well.

For more insights from colleagues and others just like you who "sit in your seat" Please join into the discussion and group on this site called "acquiring Paying Customers"

http://www.mentrepreneurs.com/groups/acquiring-paying-customers

Acquiring Paying Customers: Discussion and suggestions from folks who sell for a living http://linkd.in/mHpGcW and also http://linkd.in/irU5uo

Blog: "Here We Are" - Your Sales-Marketing OPERATOR'S MANUAL for our new on line-connected business world http://ucanpreventbadhires.blogspot.com/

and lets share thoughts on how to do this in the face of our on line, web and social media "everything's a commodity" sourcing mentality.

Regards, Neil Licht. CEO Hereweare, Chief Advisor Acquiring Paying Customers group

Web Page http://www.wix.com/ndlicht/hereweare

Technorati Tags: account,manager.management.close,customers,decision,decision maker,heweweare,ndlicht,neil licht,prospects,economy,selling,sales,buy,bought,acquiring,paying,acquiring customers,acquiring paying customers

What Is The Secret To Business Success?

2011-06-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Truthfully ... there is no "secret". But here's some tips to point you in the right direction. The rest is up to you.

Focus, work hard, sell hard, market constantly, expand as fast as you can - success breeds success and it's easy to get stuck small and enjoyable rather than big and profitable.

Work with people smarter than you. Pay them well; as a rule you get more work out of fewer well paid people cuz you get better people and more motivated. Lean to trust them too. Let them do their thing while you concentrate on growth.

Most businesses fail eventually thru cash flow and insufficient capital - not profits. Be nice to your bank from day one. Make the manager a 'friend of the company'. Have other friends of the company and use their connections and knowhow mercilessly.

Success leaves clues. Follow them, but don't forget to take your brain along.

Gather people smarter then you.

Have focus.

Protect your integrity. It is the most valuable asset you have.

Stay hungry.

How To Fail In Business

2011-06-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

This is a bit tongue in cheek .... from Geoff Quartermaine Bastin.

I haven't succeeded, so here's the reasons why I haven't:

1. I'm a bad judge of character. The most successful venture I invested in (fish farm in Thailand) we selected a manager who fried his brains with ganja... what a lousy choice.

2. I have daft ideas about what's interesting as opposed to what makes money... follow the $$$$$$$$$

3. I read all the "self help books" and bios of people like Richard Branson - what works on paper actually doesn't in real life... I can write ALL the success methods you want... but life has a habit of not conforming

4. I got "educated" at Oxford University - it's taken me 40 years to unlearn all that rubbish. Run fast away from academics!

5. I trusted my business partners (See 1 above)... don' have partners.

6. I'm too clever by half (see 4)..... be humble (or pretend to be)

7. No access to capital and my wife keeps the savings - she's smart and I can't touch them:) LoL

8. Most of my clients are in the public sector - 'nuff said

9. I've enjoyed myself too much failing to succeed... But man HAVE I HAD FUN!!!!!

10. I believed LinkedIn actually made a difference to business success.

Sorry for this.... tongue in cheek.... actually I've done OK. But these gung ho BE POSITIVE formulas for success drive me up the wall!

The real secret is be prepared (have basic skills, networks and experience), work hard, work for the right people (fire clients who are an emotional or financial drag or professional drag), work with the right people (who are smarter than you are), defend your reputation at all costs ....and have a little luck.

How Do You Achieve Peak Productivity?

2011-06-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

Baseline Management is the answer to the question.

Resources are applied in business to achieve a goal, a task, a quality service, a product that is in demand or similar objectives. To be productive one must have a baseline plan containing the prospective details of the work scope,resources necessary and time frame to achieve the objective(s). The baseline plan is then executed and performance begins.

It is not a perfect world so challenges, unforeseen circumstances and other events ensue which require solutions. The baseline plan must be statused to reflect these events, solutions must be achieved and resources supplemented or realigned to meet the challenges.

A key factor in baseline management is productivity analysis. The extent to which the baseline plan was sound or faulty must be observed and corrective action taken as necessary. The new version of a modified baseline must reflect work scope changes, more funding from a customer if necessary, control of scope creep and other management actions.

Throughout this process, baseline management is the key visibility factor in maintaining productivity.

4 Steps Toward Active Listening

2011-06-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Do you experience conflict in your life? Ever wonder why it happens so often?

Here is the reason....because we have been communicating, literally since we were born, we think we know how. Unfortunately, because communication is extremely complex, most of us are actually not very good at it. Therefore, most conflict begins with poor listening, so the first aspect of effective communication that deserves a careful examination is Active Listening.

Is listening different from hearing?

Actually it is. Hearing is done with our ears. Listening involves our ears, our eyes, our heart and our mind.

Here is how it works:

1. Hearing: pay attention to be sure you heard the message

2. Interpretation: failing to correctly interpret the message can lead to a misunderstanding

3. Evaluation: decide what to do with the message received

4. Respond: provide visual or verbal response that lets speaker know you received the message sent

So if you want less conflict in your life, try more active listening!

How Do You Bring Value To Your Company/Products/To Yourself

2011-06-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Value derives from value systems. Everyone has values. In determining price one must present an idea, a service, a product or other commodity to a known value system from the perspective that buying the item presented, or acceptance of shared ideal will furthering that specific set of values.

Everything has a price - if only the time involved in listening to a presentation, reading an advertisement, engaging in a conversation or attending a meeting. Some of my friends volunteer their assistance to many in the small business realm. It is an investment in the future of this country they value .... and it takes an investment in time on the part of the companies they advise to absorb their guidance and decide whether or not to use it.

Another way to favorably present the item, issue, belief or service is that not buying or accepting the belief will threaten that specific set of values.

Whether selling, preaching, philosophizing, teaching, counseling or mentoring if you find ways to threaten or further your target audience value system they will act.

There are a lot of answers on this question. I would like to just say simply:

Value is [what a company gives to its customers and/or adds on top of existing products] minus [what the customer has to give up or pay to have it].

It is based on actual or perceived value gained.

There are multiple methods of generating value for your customers. From offering more supply output demands (ex. bulk-breaking or offering spatial convenience) to taking on more flows (ex. inventorying or information).

What type of value, and how much of it, depends on the cost borne by the company, as well as the importance of the purchase and/or partnership.

Value is a relative measure. Value comes from being able to supply what is demanded from someone. It is a proposition that satisfies a need. It is a function of demand, supply, perspective, intention & above all integrity & empathy.

Value is a perception of worth. Perceptions change with context.

Give more than you get and you will generally be perceived as valuable.

If you could master one skill in order to succeed in your own Business... What would it be?

2011-06-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

If you could master one skill in order to succeed in your own Business... What would it be?

I think being very honest with yourself re skills, abilities, likes, dislikes and then contracting with folks who, because they are expert in their arena, can do it far better than you is the foremost skill you can have.

Here's a few questions that, if you ask and honestly answer before you go full steam ahead, may make quite a difference towards being successful and probably a lot faster.

A. What business am I in and what is my main focus in that business

B, Given my answers to that, If I am in business for myself, do I want to dilute my time and attention trying to do the parts of running a business that I do not know, I might actually dislike, or I'm really not that good at it?

C. If I partnered with, hired or contracted an expert in Marketing, or finance or the areas that I am not wild about or skilled in who loves doing it and is good at it, could I then focus on my passion in business, deliver better "products and services", Could I actually acquire lots more paying customers if I did that?

There are a lot of variables in defining what skills you would actually have to "acquire" for yourself to be great in business.

You may want to think about measuring acquiring them v "hiring" them and how "hiring" them (consultant, contractor expert, manufacturer's reps for sales etc) can effect getting you lots more time for YOU and your core being abilities to make what you do best gain more business.

And then, there's the success rate of expert v You? Which would yield lots more sales and sales opportunities that are genuine prospects?

Regards, Neil Licht

BTW, Its OK to email me with your concerns re acquiring paying customers callhereweare@verizon.net.

Technorati Tags: customers,acquiring,paying,honesty,question,business,skill,selling,consultant,contract,focus,products,services,finance,marketing,myself,acquire

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What Is Your "30 Second" Elevator Pitch?

2011-06-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

Personally .... I believe there's no single "elevator pitch" that works for all people. Each situation is different and therefore what you "say" should of course be different and be based on the circumstances at the time.

Mike Klassen of Klassen Communications does an excellent job of explaining the point like this .....

"These days, I tend to ask questions, then tailor what I say based on what I'm hearing.

Since there are a few different ways I can help people, I found in the past that I might be spending too much time (even in a quick elevator pitch) talking about something that wasn't as relevant as it could have been had I spent more time asking questions up-front before going into the pitch.

As a rookie networker at the time, I was rushing to try to squeeze that pitch in before the window of opportunity closed and was potentially wasting.

People generally like to talk about themselves and their own situations, so it's pretty easy to get a good feel with where they're at even in a short bit of time, then address their needs more appropriately based on what they've said.

When I'm doing that, the other person is more-often-than-not very happy to extend the conversation because you're able to talk more specifically about their needs. (Back to the idea of people enjoying talking about themselves.)

So while I can sum up what I do in a sentence or two, or 30-seconds, what I'll say is different depending on the answers to the quick questions I'm throwing out."

Email Marketing Best Practices

2011-06-01T05:27:00.001-07:00

I sat through an hour presentation with Hubspot where they shared loads about email marketing best practices. I thought I would save you an hour. Here are the key take aways.

* Businesses are consumers: 88% of people use the same email for business and personal.

* Based on almost 10 billion emails sent Click through rates are much much higher on Saturday and Sunday.

* If you are going to email during the week sending early in the morning increases opens and click throughs.

* Most unsubscribes happen on Tuesday.

* Sending emails late in the evening around 11 pm increases your unsubscribes.

* Over 80% of business to business prospects and clients are reading email on their smart phones. Check your emails on mobile browsers to ensure they are mobile optimized.

* The more links in your email the more click throughs you will receive.

* Include reference information in your emails.

* Magic, reward, raffle are words that will cause unsubscribes. Check your spam folder and look at the subject line to define other words that will get you filtered out.

* You will not believe this but if you are only sending email once or twice per month you will actually increase your unsubscribes. If you are sending good info then send more often so they are familiar with your name.

This is the kind of data small business owners should take to heart to improve their business. Hubspot has a new tool that is in beta and will launch soon that will evaluate your email messages and give you feedback on how to improve. Very similar to their website grader.

Memorial Day Tribute ...."OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A SOLDIER DIED TODAY"

2011-05-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales taken as a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Pass On Patriotism! YOU can make a difference .....

- - Annonymous

What Is Mojo For Small Business?

2011-05-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Executive coach Marshall Goldsmith says "Mojo is: that positive spirit--towards what we are doing--now--that starts from the inside--and radiates to the outside. Mojo is at its peak when we are experiencing both happiness and meaning in what we are doing and communicating this experience to the world around us."

In my experience, most small business owners do possess a significant amount of mojo... it's why they started their business in the first place - they love what they do and want to spend their time doing it. I think the biggest challenge for the business owner is to RETAIN the mojo, even in the day-in, day-out stress of running their business. That's where delegating undesirable tasks, daily planning and narrow focus can really help.

In my opinion MOJO is not something that you directly work for, and therefore spending time trying to create it is counter productive. The first, and arguably most important action you can take to have more MOJO is to do the self work you need to in order to find your passion and align it with your business and the team you hire. It’s about knowing and living your personal values, purpose, mission and vision. You can’t directly create MOJO. What you can do is position yourself in an environment where you can more easily have MOJO. You can also practice the necessary skills so that you are prepared to maximize your time with MOJO when it comes forth.

Acquiring Paying Customers - Whats Your Stumbling Block?

2011-05-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Acquiring Paying Customers - Whats your stumbling block?

1. Post your issues and or your stumbling block
2..Be specific in the description
3. Lets all participate either with an issue and or with a solid suggestion for overcoming what was posted

Neil Licht, CEO, Chief Adviser, HereWeAre
- Managing Change Group - How to Re Tool messaging and sales approaches to Capture Business in our "everything's a commodity" mentality Market Place
(508) 481-8567, Cell (508) 341-9563
callhereweare@verizon.net http://www.wix.com/ndlicht/hereweare
Free Tutorial and road map: http://bin.nu/g2

Social Media Marketing Tips

2011-05-27T17:33:00.001-07:00

Typically when I attend a webinar or teleconference I get bored and begin multitasking, and then I am certain to miss some really good nuggets. However, now I listen with a new purpose: to share what I learn with you, my readers. Here are my takeaways from two webinars I attended recently with some great social media marketing tips.

* When can you get the most retweets? The most retweetable times are late in the day and late in the week. Check your own most retweetable time at www.tweetwhen.com

* Tweet more! Send the same link with different copy multiple times in a day. Guy Kawasaki, says he models CNN or the New York Times, as they report the same story multiple times a day, because not everyone is in front of their television at the same time. Not everyone is in front of their twitter stream at the same time either. Tweet more often and give yourself a great chance of being seen.

* Weekends are best for Facebook sharing.

* Send email very early in the morning. Similar to my "Inspiration to Start Your Day" messages.

* Most business owners should be sending more email. However, that does not mean sending more sales pitches. (On that note I must rant a bit. I am so done with getting the same email message telling me, "my good friend so-and-so has agreed to _____." Now, I don't mind receiving that message from one person, but when I receive the exact same message about the exact same good friend, well, that ticks me off. I too want joint venture partners who will support me in my endeavors, but I would prefer that they be honest in that support and actually have some knowledge of what they are promoting. Okay, I’m done with my rant.) It does mean you need to stay in front of your readers by providing valuable content. Your readers gave you permission to build your reputation when they subscribed to your list. You don’t want to abuse that permission; however, you have an obligation to your business to build your reputation in their eyes.

* Blog on weekends to get the most comments.

* Blog early in the morning for an increased click-through rate on links.

* And finally, the more you blog, the more readers you will attract.

I hope these tips are useful to you in your business.

Business Plan Template .... Resources For Writing Your Own

2011-05-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

Many small business owners needing to prepare a business plan for the first time feel overwhelmed .... a template may be just the thing to get started.

Here's a few resources to look over and see if any are a fit for what you need:

* Score Template Gallery

* To do it on your own you can also go to the Small Business Administration website (www.sba.gov) and enter business plans. They have myriad tools for folks. You can follow the step-by-step instructions to prepare your plan.

It can easily take 100 - 200 hours but you'll find it very worthwhile, short and long term.

* Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto Software. It comes with hundreds of sample plans.

* I would recommend Teach Yourself Business Plans by Alpha

* Free-Plan, which includes section-by section guidance in accompanying help and manual. It is free!!!

* Finally, if you've never done a business plan before ... you NEED to read Guy Kawasaki's "The Art of the Start."

That ought to be enough options to get you started.

Best Small Business Resources ..... "Follow Me" Toll Free 800 Service

2011-05-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

This simple tool makes business easier....AND more profitable for your small business.

What is it? Kall8.

What is Kall8? Kall8 is a toll-free number, but the definition of Kall8 service doesn't stop there. In fact, it only starts there because Kall8 adds a lot more features and capabilities with the toll-free service. Consider for example:

* The user can go online at any time and change where their Kall8 toll-free number rings to. This is ideal for sales reps, real estate agents, etc who need to be always available to their customers.

* The user can setup a schedule, so that the Kall8 number rings in the office during business hours Monday through Friday, and to his cell phone or home phone after business hours.

* Kall8 also will take a voicemail message for you, which you can listen to by calling your voice mailbox from any phone, or have your voicemail emailed to you.

* Calls can be recorded, so that if you are doing a conference call for a great business deal, you can listen to the call afterwards to make sure everything is covered based on exactly what was said. This feature can also be used for training new employees or capturing important weekly training calls.

* If you have multiple locations, Kall8 can route the incoming call to the nearest location, based on where the caller is calling from.

* International toll-free numbers are available for many countries if you have a customer who is trying to create a professional international image.

* Detailed billing is provided every month.

* Vanity numbers are available.

All of these features make the Kall8 service much more than simply a toll-free number, but make this service a true "business partner" to increase productivity. Allow your customers to spend less time playing "voice mail tag" and more time being in touch with you!

For more info .... go to Kall8 Toll Free 800 Service

How Can Small Businesses Beat The Economic Bad Times??

2011-05-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

One of the best things we ... as small businesses ... can do to turn around the economy is work together and share best practices. Doing so creates an environment where those who are struggling can improve, those who are surviving can thrive, and those who are winning can lead and shine.

Some examples of such master mind brainstorming and sharing include; think big - if you are local think regional, if you are regional think national, if you are national think international – there’s customers out there just further afield; go back to basics, call your customers and ask how you can be of more service.

With this goal in mind ... help others and be helped yourself .... what tips would you share?

It's easy .... simply contribute your thoughts as comments to this blog post. Come back .... read .... share some more .... and don't forget to pass it on.

So .... what are your tips???

How Can Government Promote More Small Business Innovation??

2011-05-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

First ask yourself this question .... are US small businesses really innovators? Than ask a much larger question .... is the US staying competitive with other nations?

My personal opinion is the answer to both is ... NO. You may disagree and that's OK. I encourage you to leave a comment.

For my 1st question .....

"Small business innovation" is a myth. Truly innovative businesses are those that grow large very quickly.

Between 1980 and 2005, 7,454 American companies went public. Of these, 2,019 have gone out of business, 5,048 have not reached $1 billion annual revenue threshold, and 387 have reached $1 billion annual revenue threshold and as of 2005, accounted for 56% of employment and 64% of market value in the group. Translation: 5% of all companies in the group created 56% of all employment and 64% of the market value created by the group.

So the answer appears rather obvious. The policymakers need to realize that "small business innovation" is a phantom goal. There are many good things that can be said about small business (and there are many good reasons to support small business), but innovation simply isn't one of them. If you want to support small business, you need to do something about the cost of environmental compliance (which tends to be much heavier on the small business) and the cost of health insurance (which many small businesses can't afford to provide even to owners, not to mention rank-and-file employees).

One problem has been the general reallocation of resources away from investment, accentuated by dramatic reduction of American investment into research and development. This below average innovation and loss of competitiveness has diminished America’s international standing.

To address these losses policymakers could do a couple things. Reducing taxes on or providing grants for R&D/investment at a small business level. This could be an effective avenue to immediately generate growth at a local level.

The reduction of available money (credit) for small US businesses was hampering many and I am glad to see the new administration addressing this.

Now I’m not talking about big sums, millions, for “bigger” small businesses. I propose smaller sums, tens of thousands, for the little small business the mom and pop general store, the construction worker turned contractor, etc…

Those that can afford to invest into their own businesses themselves should be rewarded with tax savings and incentives to do so. Those without the capital should be given direct access to R&D/investment funds or grants.

I know that some programs are out there for the small guy, but we need to overhaul/simplify accessing these and increase public awareness and use of the programs to improve innovation and competition at a local level. This will radiate out and improve the United States standing worldwide.

For my second question .....

I think a major part of the problem is the lack of education at the secondary school level on such things as personal finance and the social skills required for effective marketing.

At one time children could learn frugality and the skills to be frugal from parents or grandparents, but today with instant gratification through easy credit, credit cards, enabling parents and a sophisticated marketing techniques that seduce children into their social purpose as consumers, those skills are being lost.

The reliance on technology to make the kind of calculations to manage and account for money, have produced a generation which has difficulty making change change in simple transaction.

I realize the second point might seem out of place in the world of MySpace and FaceBook, but electronic social skills are very different from face to face interpersonal skills. Marketing and sales require a long range perspective and not just the short range sales cycle perspective.

I have met too many "salespersons" who attempt to sell their product before they have taken the time to sell themselves as trustworthy persons representing a trust worthy company with a trustworthy product. They usually fail more times than they succeed. Yet this is the model most innovators have of the sales process, which is why they fail to move their idea forward to commercialization.

Basic training in interpersonal skills is critical, especially for innovators and entrepreneurs who really have only themselves to sell to an Angel or VC investor. Communication skills (both sending and receiving information) are another part of this. Learning to listen is as much a business skill as pitching a line.

The point here is that we need to start at an earlier age preparing the next generation be become more entrepreneurial and innovative. We can do this by giving them the skills needed to transform an idea into a concept and concept into a business.

It is not just a matter of changing the environment for financing or regulation, it is training those who will depend upon and be subject to them to be better prepared at managing this part of their small business that is important.

At the Federal level, the best I think we can expect is promote attitudinal change on a generational scale which begins with at the secondary school level.

Another equally important point affecting competitiveness is ..... I can tell you requiring US companies to operate under restrictive rules and regs and then encouraging big companies to go to third world companies is crazy. Personally, I think NAFTA and CAFTA were stupid - there have been hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of good paying jobs go to Mexico and Central America. If we want to maintain a standard of living that is the class of the world we can't cut our own throat and let jobs go to Vietnam, China, and Cambodia because of cheap labor that the government ought to raid if it was in this country for labor violations.

Now here's my personal rant (errr editorial comment) .......

Government should abolish most of the business related legislation written after the year 1929. Then go away.

The Feds must stop choking American business for God's sake. Stop the insane taxation, stop moronic regulation, stop telling people how to run their business. I mean, put down your portfolio and step away from the voting button, Mr./Ms. Policymaker!

Innovation Audits

2011-05-16T02:58:00.000-07:00

Whilst it is generally recognised that innovation is important and enhances shareholder value, what is less well understood is how to become more innovative. Innovation audits review current practices enabling the consultant to advise on alternative and additional measures and techniques that companies can adopt to improve and maximise their innovation capabilities. As such, they are designed to assist companies in understanding their current innovation practices, and how these might be improved upon or added to. Indeed, the audit might illuminate some practices which are hindering innovation, and these need to be reduced or stopped. Why? All companies interested in growth will be looking at how they can be innovative and it is increasingly, and widely, recognised that innovation capability is one of the key determinants of long-run profitability and survival. Companies will, therefore, all be wishing to improve their processes to maximise their innovation capabilities and maximise their opportunities for growth.

A summary of the benefits of an innovation audit is as follows:

1) It enhances the company's innovation capability;
2) It identifies the opportunities for increasing innovation;
3) It clarifies where the organisation needs to focus to maximise innovation success;
4) It embeds innovation in the company's processes;
5) It can build on individuals' creativity to be more innovative;
6) It can identify and control the barriers that stifle creativity and innovation;
7) It fosters innovation in the organisation's culture; and
8) It can align the organisation in common purpose and action.

There are different forms of innovation audit, but a common one is to review five principal areas:

1) Innovation strategy - the why, what, where, when. This element performs two vital roles - it provides a direct link with the organisation's corporate strategy, and it provides a framework and guidance within which to direct the organisation's innovation efforts;
2) Idea generation - the creativity. Ideas are the lifeblood of any organisation's innovation effort. It is, therefore, critical that there are processes, procedures and methods in place to capture ideas from a diverse range of sources;
3) Selection - which. Whilst ideas are critical, knowing which projects to pursue can make or break the innovation effort. Resources spent on the wrong projects divert necessary funds and time from those which might prove successful;
4) Implementation - making it happen. Innovation includes the successful commercial exploitation of the idea. Making it happen defines the culmination of the whole innovation process;
5) Organisation - how. Successful innovation requires more than processes. It requires the whole organisation to have an innovative ethos.

In conclusion, organisations need to review their innovation processes in the light of the above comments. Failure to innovate can often lead to failure to grow. Just think about all those great companies of yesteryear which no longer exist today!

2 Simple Ideas .... Ways Of Thinking That Can Open The Many Online Paths To Gaining Great Prospects

2011-05-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

To gain prospects, figuring out how to master the many on line paths to acquire customers & grow is now a must.

Here's 2 simple ideas, ways of thinking to do that without leaving your existing comfort zone:

* continue to use your best, most familiar skills
* not have to change your current favored time proven paths to growth
* stay in your familiar comfort zone
* become quite comfortable with the Web,social media & use it like pros.

1. Perspective, how you view the web & its challenges:

It may be helpful to realize that Its really not a change nor a challenge to our core skills & who we are as business people at all
Its just a new "delivery and connecting" system
It’s not really an unknown, Its the good old connecting with prospects path "wearing different clothes" so to speak.
Your familiar methods for reaching out, are still applicable, usable:
You still can use the same familiar, comfortable skills for getting business, gaining a reputation as the “go to” person, establishing leadership & visibility.

Example1: Selling skills are still selling skills just deployed via different media today

Fact: The media changed, the method of connecting changed, but the core ability of the person who can sell, the process of making an approach & moving through to a "yes" has not changed.

Here's what I mean:

1. As you always have before, search how-where folks source but this time look for their on line routes to information, research decision makers, influencers. Read-participate via blogs, join into "the family" of targeted audience types via networks, where they gain their insights reading on line, where they go for info &use it. Google is great for doing that.

2. So, in reality, you don't have to change your familiar process. You just change the "how" & "where" of how you gain traction, visibility, reputation, prospects, become the "go to" expert by using the paths of the on line media that best connects with the right audiences for you.

Its simply re-tooling our unique ways, paths,outlets of “selling” or delivering our expertise, services, products,solutions into an on line connected world instead of face to face, or via ads, or brochures.

Example 2: Public speaking, featured speaker skills
If we use & are relying on public speaking to gain traction then use webinars, record a you tube. You can reach an audience far greater than speaking at a conference although you still should do that.

Example 3: Writing skills as your route to growing business, a following & an “expert” reputation:
- If writing is how you go after markets & establish yourself as the expert "go to" person, blog on line & participate in blogs that your target audience looks to for ideas, guidance & insights.
- Create an e-zine online magazine of sorts. Invite your target audiences to read your writings.
- Use an on line newsletter. Find your target audience in the same way you would find it before & use their established on line sources for learning-discussion information to post your writings.
- post to the trade journals in their on line magazine versions.

See what I mean.

Web based-online connection-communication concept is not unfamiliar territory.

Its not a change at all from your comfort zone, just in the paths in which you “prospect”, “reach out”, "public speak" or use "article writing" as your way of gaining traction and customers.

Seeing the web & on line tools in this way can take the fear of change away, help us demystify & use our web based world to thrive.
Try some of these ideas and ways of thinking out. As you do, I know your fear of the "rules of the game" change from the impact of the web will evaporate. You will be once again “full speed ahead” on very familiar &comfortable footing to grow,profit, be "great" yet still be “you” without making any drastic changes at all.

Neil Licht CEO, HereWeAre http://www.wix.com/ndlicht/hereweare

How To Improve Your Professional Image ... Get More Customers ... & Make MORE Sales

2011-05-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

If you're a small business owner who - works from home, on the road, or with a dispersed team ... and are looking for a way to instantly upgrade your phone presence (and at the same time make your communication headaches disappear practically overnight) ... then the iTeleCenter Virtual Phone System is for you.

Creating a highly professional phone image couldn't be easier!

Would You Like To .....

* Gain trust and credibility in the marketplace ... stop losing business because of a poor phone image?

* Improve your ability to connect with your customers ... no more missed opportunities because prospects and clients were unable to reach you, or because their messages got lost in the shuffle?

* Increase your efficiency and handle your business calls smoothly and effectively ... a host of communications tools under one convenient roof to save you time and effort ... all at your finger tips 24/7?

* Be backed by proven experience and reliability ... 99.9% uptime rate ... over 260,000,000 calls processed to date?

You'll get all the features of a high-end, robust phone system - features like private toll-free number, voice mail, multiple extensions, send/receive faxes online, enhanced call forwarding, and music-on-hold (to name just a few) - but without the hassle and pain normally associated with such systems ... and at a mere fraction of the cost {how does just $9.95/month to start sound??).

Your existing phones - whether home, office, VOIP, or cell - and current Internet connection provide everything you need to put iTeleCenter to work for you today .... and in less time than it takes to brew a cup of coffee.

No hardware to buy, nothing to install, and a setup so simple even the most diehard technophobe can handle it with ease.

Simply click on this link .... and take advantage of the FREE trial:

iTeleCenter

Here are just a few of the things you'll get when you put iTeleCenter to work for your business today…..

* Your very own toll free number accessible from anywhere in North America

* Unlimited number of incoming calls managed simultaneously ... your customers and clients will never hear a busy signal!

* Multiple extensions you can designate for any purpose you choose - employees, departments, recorded information about your products and services ...

* Call forwarding number(s) for each of your extensions (for example, your "Sales" extension can ring to your cell phone and your "customer Service" extension can ring to your partner's home line).

* Enhanced call screening enables you to talk with whom you want when you want .. send "time wasters" to voicemail.

* Online faxing - send and receive faxes without a fax machine.

* Music-on-hold while your customers are waiting to be connected - choose from a variety of genres such as jazz or classical ... or upload your own custom music or on-hold commercial.

* Entire system easily manageable via convenient online interface ... make changes to your system effortlessly as needed "on the fly".

* Voicemails and faxes quickly converted and emailed as MP3 audio or PDF links.

* Instant notification of new messages by email or cell phone text message.

* 24/7 Informational Mailboxes let you provide information about your products or company 24/7.

* And much, much more. Take advantage of our no cost, 7 day, full-featured trial TODAY ... and find out just what iTleCenter can do to change the way you do business!

No contracts .... Pay Month-to-Month .... Cancel Anytime

A New Way to Market Your Small Business

2011-05-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult challenges small businesses face is making their brand known. Fortunately, technology has created a multitude of ways for small businesses to launch an appealing marketing campaign. Social Media cannot be ignored, and it certainly does not look like it will be going away anytime soon. Businesses do well to take full advantage of the marketing opportunities that can be found through sites like Facebook and Twitter. Owners should also keep their eyes open to a new way to market their small business. The launch of Siglat Mobile Apps is a crucial stepping stone for companies wanting to solidify their brand identity. This is small business news worth spreading: the face of small business marketing is changing.

Siglat Mobile Apps is a unique line of mobile marketing apps that allows small businesses to market their products directly to one of the fastest growing demographics on the planet, the more than 4.6 billion mobile subscribers. If it’s hard to imagine getting that kind of exposure for your business, just think back to how marketing campaigns worked before the internet became a normal part of our everyday lives. Who would’ve thought that so many customers could be reached at one time by only using 140 characters or less? Web sites and internet exposure have brought new life to entrepreneurship.

Mobile applications are expected to grow higher and higher in demand. The thirst for new applications is seemingly unquenchable. Businesses are already expected to have a website, but soon their customers will be searching for a company app as well. With Siglat Mobile Apps, a small business can be on the front end of technology. The first of many mobile applications specifically designed to allow small business owners to market their products directly is Mimosa, an iPhone app available on the iPod touch, iPhone 3GS, or iPhone4.

With unique mobile marketing applications, small businesses like Mimosa Creations can offer direct product purchasing to their customers through PayPal from a mobile device. Feel free to download the free Mimosa app to see how this new small business marketing tool can work for your company.

Siglat Mobile Apps has tested and proven development patterns. They can build a customized application for a business or product in a matter of weeks. Can you imagine giving more than 4.6 billion mobile subscribers the opportunity to purchase your products directly from their mobile device? For more information about how your small business can tap into the mobile device advertising market, visit www.siglat.com. Isn’t it about time your company launched their own app?