Business Tips
Advice to Ignore When Starting a Business
Everyone has advice when starting a business. Here is some advice better ignored. 1. The only way to find freedom is to start a business. Running a business is hard work. Many small business owners find freedom in being their own boss, but just as many don't. Examine your reasons for wanting to start a business and research its potential. The SBDC is a great source for objective feedback. 2. Dream it and it will happen. Just by dreaming doesn't mean anything is going to come of it. Set achievable goals and your dreams will be much more likely to come to fru … Read Full Post »
5 Lessons Your Mother Taught You About Business
It’s the annual rite of spring: the celebration of Mother’s Day. It’s that one day of the year that no matter how busy a small business owner is, they take time out to celebrate the contribution of their mother. Most owners have been influenced by their mothers more than they will ever know. In fact, some of the tried-and-true advice our mothers gave us also contains some valuable business lessons. Here's five pieces of motherly wisdom that no doubt served you well in the business world. 1. “You can do anything.” Not many mothers pro … Read Full Post »
25 Ways to Get Your Business Unstuck
1. Merge your business and professional life, but find an oasis where business never enters daily. 2. Build a business that navigates your “Passion to Pain”. Be able to describe in one sentence what pain your business solves and who has the money to solve that pain. 3. Build a method to systematically stay in touch with your clients, prospects, influencers and connectors on a weekly basis. 4. Each day, pick one critical success factor that you must get done to move your business forward. 5. Filter constant inbound Information like email, voice mails and social me … Read Full Post »
How’s Your Follow Through?
How many times have you gone to a networking event and had great conversations, traded business cards and then never followed up? This happens more times than we care to admit. Here are 3 tips to help get you moving into action after a great networking event. Tip #1: Send an email no later than 24 hours after the event. 97% of people take your card and never follow up. I always like to connect with the person on Linked In. When I finish my conversation I always ask, would it be okay to connect with you on Linked In? … Read Full Post »
Six Steps to a Winning Sales Strategy
1. Overall Goal and Vision for your Sales Strategy • What do you want the product or service to do for your business? • Determine if a need exists for your offering and work to outline a clear Vision and goal for a successful product launch. Create an actionable sales plan that includes packaging, pricing and value message. 2. Target market for your product or service • Who are you selling to? • Profiled your potential customers to understand their needs • Your product or service needs to solve a problem or issu … Read Full Post »
Five Ways to Improve Your Website
You have heard that it is essential as a small business owner to have a website, but did you know your website may be able to save you time? Try these tips to save some valuable time. 1. Add pages.Make sure your website has an FAQ page and a Contact Us page with your business hours. Update your FAQ page regularly to keep up with your latest products and services. 2. Review your website.Does your site work intuitively? Can your customers find what they need and want quickly and easily? 3. Offer Internet-only sales.Do you feel like you are wasting time taking orders on the phone? … Read Full Post »
Six Steps to Successful Strategy
Trying to develop a strategy to deal with an issue in your business? How about a strategy for the future of your company? Here are 6 steps to use anytime you're looking to develop a successful strategy: 1. Define the problem(and any underlying problems) clearly and concisely. 2. Keep your values clear. Focus on intangibles (how a customer feels about your brand) and the potential to deliver. 3. Create alternatives. Stretch beyond your comfort zone while making sure your strategy is doable. Include a comprehensive range of sol … Read Full Post »
Are you SMART About Your Goals?
Have you given thought to your business goals for 2012? Every year, I create my vision board for what I want my business to accomplish in the coming year. My vision board has both business and personal goals. I then post it in my office so I can see it every day. This is a constant reminder for me as to what I am working towards. If we don't know what we are working towards how will we know if we get there or accomplish what we set out to? I create a list of all the goals I want to work on, and then I prioritize the list. What is really important to me and the bigger question is, Why is … Read Full Post »
How to Get a Small Business Loan
Want to get a small business loan? Banks and other lenders are really only concerned about one thing; getting repaid. After all, that is how they still make the bulk of their revenue; making loans and getting repaid both interest and principal. Thus, to qualify for a business loan, you simply have to demonstrate that your business can service the loan request - meaning being able to make the loan payments for the life of the loan. Most lenders will perform the following three analysis calculations to determine if your business has the cash flow to service the proposed new loan. 1) S … Read Full Post »
Is Your E-mail Address Destroying Your Business?
Somewhere along the way, e-mail addresses for small-business owners went haywire, and it's costing their companies revenue! The process of picking a business e-mail address should be a very simple one. Instead, it results in bizarre addresses on business cards and lost e-mails from prospects. This is a dangerous problem since e-mail is one of the most popular forms of communication, and if your prospect can't get yours right, it can significantly impact your bottom line. In some cases, getting multiple "bounced" messages may frustrate the prospect so much that they sto … Read Full Post »
The Positioning Statement: Don't go to Market Without It!
Do you know what business you are in from your customer's perspective? If you do, and you also know how you want your company to be perceived in the market, then a well-crafted positioning statement should provide the focus and direction needed to produce an effective marketing communications effort to grow your business. A positioning statement communicates how you want your target market to perceive you; it is a promise that you, and you alone, will provide your customers with the benefits that they care about the most. A positioning statement includes these points: •&n … Read Full Post »
Who are your Clients Really?
If you were given five minutes to write down everything you knew about your clients how many items could you come up with? The more time we spend with our clients the better we get to know them. Think about the depth of conversations you can have if you knew their likes, dislikes, motivations and goals at a detailed level. This would put you on an inside track for understanding projects and challenges your client may face. Now you can position your product or services to help prevent or solve your customers' issues. Finding out more about what drives your clients requires the abilit … Read Full Post »
Safeguarding Your Business for Today's Economy
It's something we hear about all the time - today's economy. Here are some tips to safeguard your business from becoming a casualty of the economy. 1. Be proactive. Rather than trying to grow, this may be the time to maintain your business. 2. Decrease operating expenses. By tightening your operating budget you don't have to sacrifice quality or service, but may be able to save some money to use for the long term. 3. Get customers to pre-pay. Try selling packages, punch cards or gift cards your customers can use and receive a discount while you have cash up front. … Read Full Post »
Celebrate Your Customers Everyday
Every year there is a Customer Appreciation Day, but I say let's buck the system and celebrate customers every day. Here are some great ways you can tell your customers how much you appreciate them. Send a thank-you note to every customer. Do not attempt to sell them anything, simply thank them for the business. If you don't have a customer database, start one. Loyal customers are created by following up after the sale. Run a "real" customer appreciation promotion. Think about what your customer would really enjoy and find a way to provide it. Do they need a … Read Full Post »
Top Tips to Keep Taxes from Being Taxing
It's a fact of life. Everyone has to pay taxes, and so do businesses. Don't make them taxing. Here are some things to remember to make tax time as easy as possible. 1. Deductions.Keep detailed records of expenses including healthcare, salaries and rent. If more than half of your trip was devoted to business, you can deduct your travel expenses, as well as other business-related expenses such as meals or hotel stays. 2. Employee Taxes. Be sure to pay the proper amount of unemployment, FICA, Medicare, Social Security and federal and state taxes. Check with your acco … Read Full Post »
Better Your Business Blog
Have you thought about branching out into the blogging world? Blogs are an excellent marketing tool. With a blog you can establish yourself as an expert within your field, increase your visibility on search engines and give you a marketing boost. Before you begin, put these tips to work. 1. Name it.Be clever with your name and titles, but not too clever. Be clear, concise and descriptive. 2. Tell your readers about you.Use the About Us section to describe your business and establish your credentials as both a business owner and blogger. 3. Provide contact information.Readers wil … Read Full Post »
Places to Look for Small Business Grants
You have probably heard of grants for small businesses. We all like the idea of free money, but don't get too excited yet. Most grants go to states and cities rather than business owners directly. Grants also come with a hearty set of rules or are for a specific type of business (for example, construction). However, there are some grants aimed at saving jobs, communities and industries. Here are two options, in addition to the standard innovation research grants or non-profit grants (programs like SBIR/STTR or grants.gov), that could possibly offer business owners some support: … Read Full Post »
39 Cost-Cutting Tips for Your Small Business
The beginning of a new year is a good time to re-examine your spending and look for ways to trim the fat and increase your bottom line. Here are some cost-cutting tips to get you started. Save on postage by delivering invoices and statements via email. Download free online forms instead of buying them at office supply stores. Offer catalogs and brochures as pdf downloads to save printing and shipping costs. Turn down the heat or turn up the A/C. Turn off unnecessary lights. Set your printer to draft mode to save ink. Re-fill your own printer cartr … Read Full Post »
Top Marketing Trends for 2012
The top marketing trends for 2012 will predominantly revolve around social media and mobile devices.
New mobile and social technologies continue to arise, thus the biggest trends for the year are all vastly interrelated in these two areas. Below are our top five trends for the year.
1. Social Media Marketing
Because social is such a big focus for the year, we have broken social down into additional sub-categories.
Social Mobile- With smart phone sales expected to surpass computer sales in 2012 (more than 450 million smart phones are expected to be sold this year …
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Four Tips to Beat the Feast or Famine Syndrome
You've probably heard the saying, "When it rains, it pours." Most consultants would love to be that busy-with clients lined up waiting for their services. The reality is, though, that consultants are more likely to experience the feast or famine syndrome: streaks of challenging, profitable work, followed by stretches of the doldrums with no work in sight. Here are four tips to help you strike a balance between serving your existing clients and marketing your practice. 1. Allocate Marketing Resources Effectively Without question, your best source for new consulting wo … Read Full Post »
12 Free (Or Almost Free) Tools To Grow Your Business In 2012
Whoever said nothing in life is free didn't do their research. It turns out there's a wide selection of free tools and solutions out there to get your business off the ground. This list of 12 free -- or almost free -- online tools will help you take your plan from the table napkin to the growth stage without breaking the bank. Of course, your business may eventually grow out of these free services, so be sure to check out all the affordable upgrade options, which allow the basic packages to remain free for the cash-strapped entrepreneurs who will follow in your footsteps. HuffPo … Read Full Post »
Attention Food Entrepreneurs: Food Network is Looking for You!
A new Food Network series is looking for FOOD ENTREPRENEURS. Specifically, people who have left their previous career to start a new restaurant (or similar business).
Must have little-to-no prior professional culinary experience
Must be planning to open a brick-and-mortar space where there will be walk-in customers (restaurant, bakery, sandwich shop, etc.).
Must be aiming to open between now and autumn 2012.
Those chosen will receive culinary & business coaching from Bobby Flay (a chef, restauranteur, and fixture on the Food Network) as well as inva …
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Create a Referral Attitude
Think about what would be different for you if you received all or most of your business from referrals. This could be the the optimal result for you. Having raving fans that knew exactly what you did, that your customer experience was world-class beyond all others and your best clients told everyone they knew. The sooner you can feel good about the process of getting referrals, the sooner you will become highly referable. Incorporate these seven concepts into your daily activities to create a referral attitude: Realize that the purpose of your business is to grow the referral … Read Full Post »
Make Your Small Business ADA Compliant
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has finally published the long awaited implementation regulations to the ADA (referred to as the ADAAA). Designed to simplify the determination of who has a "disability," these regulations make it easier for people to establish that they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Based on the statutory requirements, the regulations set forth a list of principles to guide the determination of whether a person has a disability. For example, the principles provide that an impairment need not prevent or sever … Read Full Post »
5 Ways to Use Your Website to Attract More Clients
Is your website bringing you new clients? When is the last time you took a long hard look at exactly how your website helps you attract clients? Implementing the following five tips will transform your website into a client attraction tool. If you do all of them the likelihood of converting people who visit your website to clients will increase greatly. 1) Very Visible and Clear Invitation to Take Action Your call to action, the one action you want prospective clients to take, should be very visible on your home page. It needs to appear 'above the fold' meaning th … Read Full Post »
Holiday Business Tips
The sound of jingle bells isn't far off! If you are a retailer or look to holiday sales to boost your bottom line you know the holiday season is already in full swing. Here are some tips to boost your sales during this year's holiday season. 1. See the spirit.It's true. People buy more during the holidays, not just in malls or on official shopping trips. They may see something at a gas station or somewhere else and be prone to buying it. Take advantage of that spirit and create a holiday display, marketing campaign or offer special holiday items, deals and packages. … Read Full Post »
Things Not to Say to Your Customers
With Black Friday just days away, here are a few things you don't want to get caught saying to your customers. Otherwise, you may watch them walk out the door and never come back. 1. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about our product."Instead, offer to explain your product or answer some questions. 2. "That's not my job."Instead, find someone who can help the customer or find a solution. 3. "Sorry, it's closing time, so I can't talk with you now."Instead, offer to stay just a few minutes late to tend to the customer. … Read Full Post »
Five Will Get You 10 - Time Management Tips
Time management has always been important to me. It seems, everywhere I go, people are trying to discover how to fit more into their days, myself included. I know that managing my time will save me hours in the long run, but is the opposite also true? Does rushing around cost me time? When I'm running late, I often feel like I end up behind slow drivers and hit every red light. Running late seems to perpetuate itself.
At my house recently we tried an experiment. We tried setting our alarms for 5 minutes earlier each morning. The next morning, my children gathered in the kitchen with …
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Gain National Recognition For Your Company Through ABC News
ABC World News with Diane Sawyer recently started a new series called "Made in America," designed to recognize products that are made in the United States and the companies that make them.
As a part of the initiative, ABC News has created an interactive map on their website to recognize manufacturers and their products by the state their located in. Currently, Colorado only has 21 companies being featured. Meanwhile, California has the most companies listed with 82.
If you are interested in having your company and products featured on the map, email infor …
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Getting Exposure for Your Small Business
No matter how wonderful your service or product is, you won't make any money if people don't know about it. With the holidays fast approaching, there are a number of things you can do to get your name out there and many of them won't cost you anything but time. Here are eight tips to get you started. Get listed. List the physical location for your business in Google Places and Yahoo. Use Google Product listings to drive shoppers to your website. Get listed on sites like Yelp!, Citysearch, Goby and Local.com so people can find your business and review it. Look for websites … Read Full Post »
Exit Planning and Why It's So Important for Small Businesses
How much time do you spend thinking about business exit planning? If you're like many of the small business owners we meet - not much. Now, I know what you are thinking... 'But, I'm not ready to sell my business. Why do I have to think about exit planning for my business now?' Here's Why Exit Planning Is Critical For Your Business Now - And Why You Should Not Delay Thinking About Exit Strategies... An exit plan better prepares you (the business owner) for the inevitable transition of your business - whether it's expected (intended), unexpected or th … Read Full Post »
What You'll Need to Apply for a Small Business Loan
What You'll Need to Apply for a Small Business Loan When it comes to applying for loans, most lenders require the same kinds of information. Each loan program has specific forms you will need to fill out, but for the most part, you'll need to submit the same types of documentation. Here are some of the typical items required for any small business loan application: Loan Application Form Forms vary by program and lending institution, but they all ask for the same information. Either as part of the loan application or as a separate document, you will likely need … Read Full Post »
