Would you like a website for your small business, but you just have no idea how to go about creating one? Well, this article will share 2 different strategies that you can take to create a website for your small business.
1. Build one yourself. Yes, you can really create a website yourself - even if you do not have any technical experience. It just may take you a little bit longer to put together a website.
Websites like BlinkWeb and Weebly allow you to create simple websites fairly easily. You might also want to take a look at blogging platforms, such as Blogger and WordPress, to see if blogs fit your needs better.
One of the main benefits of creating your own website is that it will save you money (as opposed to spending hundreds or thousands of dollars for someone else to build you one). Another benefit is that you will start to become acclimated to website design.
2. Hire someone to create one for you. Obviously, this option will be a little more costly to you, but it very well may be worth it, especially if you are an extremely busy individual who does not have the time into learning how to build a website.
To hire someone to create a website for you, you can take a look at larger website design and development companies or you can outsource the work to a freelancer. You can find freelancers on websites, such as Elance, Guru, and Odesk. Prior to hiring a freelancer though, you should check his or her previous work.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Getting Loans For a Small Business By Joe Daley
Raising capital for a small business can be a nightmare. Banks and financial institutions don't look upon a small businessman with high regard. This is due to the fact that the income of small business is uncertain and if the business doesn't pick up in a particular month, the business man may default on his loan payment. Therefore, a small business enterprise may have difficulty in getting loan from banks or financial institutions.
Fortunately, there are lenders who want to en-cash the opportunity by lending money to small business entrepreneurs. This loan is termed as small business loan. This loan can be availed for various uses such as business expansion, purchasing state of the art technology, for buying plant and machinery, raw material, reimbursement of salaries and wages.
While funding small businesses loan, the lenders are cautious and use the maxim of limited risk, which is similar to the normal loans. This means the lender provides for enough security before lending. The rate of interest charged in this type of business loan is comparatively higher than that charged on a normal loan. Secondly, you cannot avail huge sums of loan in a small business loan. Thus, the lenders try to protect themselves from any risks arising in future.
What are the advantages of this loan to the borrower?
The biggest advantage of a small business loan is that you need not pay a fixed amount every month, nor is the loan period decided beforehand. Depending upon the quantum of income in each month, you can make your repayment schedule. Thus, if the business is good in a particular month, repay more amounts, and pay less, when the business didn't fare well, or you may even not pay any amount in a particular month. You can decide the period when you will pay more or pay less or not pay at all. The time you choose for not paying the loan is called payment holiday.
It should be noted that all the lenders may not be able to meet your financial requirement of repaying the loan in flexible amount. Therefore, to avail a loan with facility of flexible loan, you will need to contact a broker, who can fetch you lenders for small business loan, which meet your criteria. Such brokers are found in plenty in UK. These brokers have links with many lenders. They will pursue your application, to the lender who may be able to fit in your requirements. The broker will connect you to many lenders. You can simply choose a lender that meets your criteria to the fullest. These brokers also help to find you lenders who accept flexible repayments and in case you have any other special requirement with regards to loan, that too, can be met. The brokers would charge you a fee, but for the services provided, it is worth paying the fee.
You can avail a small business loan for short duration or for longer duration. A short term loan can be for a few months or for one year. You can get a long term loan for up to 25 years. Based on your needs, you can choose from either loan and decide the mode of repayment as well as other specifications of the business loan.
Fortunately, there are lenders who want to en-cash the opportunity by lending money to small business entrepreneurs. This loan is termed as small business loan. This loan can be availed for various uses such as business expansion, purchasing state of the art technology, for buying plant and machinery, raw material, reimbursement of salaries and wages.
While funding small businesses loan, the lenders are cautious and use the maxim of limited risk, which is similar to the normal loans. This means the lender provides for enough security before lending. The rate of interest charged in this type of business loan is comparatively higher than that charged on a normal loan. Secondly, you cannot avail huge sums of loan in a small business loan. Thus, the lenders try to protect themselves from any risks arising in future.
What are the advantages of this loan to the borrower?
The biggest advantage of a small business loan is that you need not pay a fixed amount every month, nor is the loan period decided beforehand. Depending upon the quantum of income in each month, you can make your repayment schedule. Thus, if the business is good in a particular month, repay more amounts, and pay less, when the business didn't fare well, or you may even not pay any amount in a particular month. You can decide the period when you will pay more or pay less or not pay at all. The time you choose for not paying the loan is called payment holiday.
It should be noted that all the lenders may not be able to meet your financial requirement of repaying the loan in flexible amount. Therefore, to avail a loan with facility of flexible loan, you will need to contact a broker, who can fetch you lenders for small business loan, which meet your criteria. Such brokers are found in plenty in UK. These brokers have links with many lenders. They will pursue your application, to the lender who may be able to fit in your requirements. The broker will connect you to many lenders. You can simply choose a lender that meets your criteria to the fullest. These brokers also help to find you lenders who accept flexible repayments and in case you have any other special requirement with regards to loan, that too, can be met. The brokers would charge you a fee, but for the services provided, it is worth paying the fee.
You can avail a small business loan for short duration or for longer duration. A short term loan can be for a few months or for one year. You can get a long term loan for up to 25 years. Based on your needs, you can choose from either loan and decide the mode of repayment as well as other specifications of the business loan.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
20 Small Business Survival Strategies By Donald Harper
How to survive tough economic times without laying off employees.
As a business owner or manager, during the last 18 months you have been faced with shrinking profit margins and fewer customers lining up to purchase your once thought to be "hot products or services." The question of how to survive these seemingly tough times usually results in answers such as..."we have to lay off more workers" or, "...let's close the office located in Suburbia".
The problem with this approach is that...when the economy rebounds, you will be looking to re-hire those very people you laid off in the first place. Unfortunately, you may discover that they have moved on to other jobs, gone back to school, or start their own businesses. You have then put yourself in a situation where you have to now hire and train a new employee or hire a more experienced worker who can "hit the ground running".
Laying off employees during economic downturns should be a "last resort". Well, at least not until you have explored all other avenues, namely trying the strategies I have outlined below. I will even go one step further. If you have already implemented some (if not all) of these strategies, or have made them an integral part of your company's operating culture, chances are you have not cancelled your long-planned vacation to the Bahamas.
Additionally, although these key strategies can be adopted by businesses regardless of size, they are primarily geared towards Small Businesses. The definition of a small business will obviously vary by industry and, more importantly, it may depend on the business owner's personal assessment. Regardless, you can find out the classification of your business as defined by the Small Business Association (SBA) by going to www.sba.gov
Survival Strategies
1. Schedule Weekly Budget Meetings. The assumption is that you have a budget. You may be surprised at how many small businesses either (a) don't spend the time to develop a proper budget or, (b) don't have a regular budget review process. Use the meeting to challenge managers and supervisors to find ways to reduce expenses in their respective departments (and reward them). Have the managers call in via conference calls if you have satellite offices in various parts of the country or globally. Make sure they are prepared with arguments to justify the budgets of their various departments and plans on how to cut costs.
2. Set up a Profit Committee/Task Force. This should be employee-driven. Challenge them to contribute ideas but, more importantly, reward them for good ideas that actually get implemented.
3. Revamp your performance reviews. Are the employees (especially Senior Managers) objectives aligned with company goals (i.e. increase sales, reduce expenses, improve customer service)? Are the goals more than simply rhetoric or "feel good" words? Simply put, are the objectives specific enough and...can you really "MEASURE" the progress?
4. Review your "Turnover" ratios. Profits are quickly eaten up by idle inventory a late-paying customers. Incorporate these items as a part of your budget review process. Work closely with your vendors to reduce case packs, or get simply get rid of items that don't sell! Offer to settle with your late-paying customers or arrange for installment payments on outstanding receivables. Getting something is better than nothing in tough economic times.
5. Rely on the leverage you have with your vendors. Partnerships should be more than just "talk". Negotiate better terms, i.e. try to increase "days to pay" for your invoices. Even taking an extra 5 days per month on a base of business valued at $1 million annually can earn your business extra interest of over $3,000, after taxes. That's real money!
6. Change your Payroll Cycle. If you are on a weekly payroll cycle, consider moving to bi-weekly. If you are paying bi-weekly, consider moving to semi-monthly (15th and 30th). Perform a cost-benefit analysis to make sure this makes sense for your business. You can reduce payroll processing costs which can be significant especially if you have a fairly large employee base.
7. Get on the "green" bandwagon early. Become more energy efficient. Who knows...you may even qualify for tax breaks. Get employees in the habit of turning off lights when they leave conference rooms. Installing sensors for rooms or areas used infrequently may be something to think about. Turn off computers and unplug office equipment at the end of each day. According to the government's ENERGY STAR program, 40% of the electricity that home electronics use is consumed while the products are turned off. I would imagine this applies to office equipment as well.
8. Meet with your banker. Set up a meeting right away. Not only will you be building a critical relationship (one that too many managers neglect), but ask them for ideas. They have the benefit of seeing what works (or doesn't) for other businesses so feel free to pick their brain. Best of all...it's free advice! Discuss things like...putting extra cash in Money Market accounts, CD's etc. See if you can move your operating account to an interest bearing checking account. While the interest earned may not be "earth shattering", it is still money earned without doing anything different. If there is a limit on the amount of checks that can be written in such an account, analyze the fees that the bank may charge vs. the interest that can be earned. Pay bills electronically and offer direct deposit for your employees to reduce any check writing fees. Also, are you carrying too high balance of a balance in your checking account? Work with your accountant and take a look at your cash flow to see if some of that idle money can be earning interest elsewhere.
9. Trim your travel budget (if you still have one). Telephone and/or Video Conference will save you tons of cash. Also, are the seminars and conferences you attend every year really paying off? Maybe attending 2 instead of 4 will reap the same benefits.
10. Renegotiate contracts. Bring in service providers (telephone, software, etc,) and consultants to discuss current contracts and reduce fees. Take a look at your leases (office equipment, rent, etc.). Also, are you taking full advantage of any "hidden deals" and/or discounts? Have you been paying attention to the invoices in an effort to avoid "overcharges"? Take advantage of the economic downturn. No one wants to lose a customer at this point. Where appropriate, bring other providers in to bid for your business. Caution: don't hire them simply because they are cheap!
11. Tax strategies. If you invest a lot in equipment and are incurring high business equipment taxes Explore states with business-friendly tax codes. There are benefits to setting up an "equipment holding" company in a low tax state. Business losses and write-offs may also result in your business qualifying for various tax breaks and deductions. Talk to a good tax attorney about how to maximize these and other tax deductions for your business.
12. Budget for "reserves". In other words, have a "contingency" or "miscellaneous" account as a line item in your budget. A good starting point would be to set aside 5% - 10% of all your total expenses for unforeseen circumstances. Keep in mind, if we could predict the future, we would all be millionaires. Incorporating the "reserve" account as an "expense" item is simply good business policy.
13. Look at your health insurance benefits. If you haven't spoken to your Insurance Rep in a while, now would be a good time. You should be reviewing your policy every six months anyway. A slight change in your workforce level can have a significant impact on the employer (and employee) is your contract coming up for renewal? Can you break the contract without incurring any fees? You may be able to find a good deal out there without sacrificing coverage.
14. Conduct annual invoice audits. Look closely at the invoices received from your vendors. If you don't have a good system for monitoring the invoices before they are paid, you may be surprised at the number of duplicate or erroneous payments that can occur. An extra "0" added to a $1,000 invoice results in a $10,000 payment and a $9,000 mistake. Incentivize your employees when they discover these errors. For example, if they recover monies, split it with them. It's a "win-win" deal!
15. Go after abandoned customers. If a competitor closed its doors, that should spell "O P P O R T U N I T Y". The customer may be cutting back, but when things get better or they find a new job, they will be back. You will want to make sure you are well positioned to fill the gap left by your competitor.
16. Explore new sales markets. As strange as it may seem, an economic downturn is the perfect time to look for opportunities in new markets. Territories once shunned (especially overseas) now deserve a second or third look. Again, get ideas from your employees.
17. Stay involved in your community. Don't cut back on your sponsorship of community events and charitable donations. The money spent on the uniforms for the Little League Baseball team is "big deal". People remember this stuff. Those people are potential customers or good referral sources. Actually, its worth much more than the tons of money you spent for the sign at your local Major League Baseball stadium. You know...the one that nobody notices!
18. Do you twitter? Do you have a presence on the social networking sites? Yes, I do mean Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. Are your employees set up on LinkedIn? Even if you are a "Mom and Pop" type businesses, consider paying one of your tech savvy employees 15 or 20 cents extra a week to post updates and monitor these sites for you if you do not have the "know how."
19. Part-time and Independent Contractors. Before you consider laying off, explore the possibility of reducing hours or changing the status of an employee to "Independent Contractor". The employees will still appreciate having an income and, at the same time, you will save money on payroll taxes and/or health insurance contributions you were obligated to.
20. Finally...be honest with employees. Don't tell them today things are great, and then tomorrow start laying off. On the other hand, if things are really tough, let them know. If you build an honest relationship and take the time to let you know how much you appreciate their effort, they will "go to bat" for you during the tough times. If you do have to resort to laying them off, they will understand even if it hurts. Chances are, if you have implemented the other 19 strategies mentioned her and made them an integral part of your company's culture, your employees will be the ones saving your company from going under in an economic downturn.
As a business owner or manager, during the last 18 months you have been faced with shrinking profit margins and fewer customers lining up to purchase your once thought to be "hot products or services." The question of how to survive these seemingly tough times usually results in answers such as..."we have to lay off more workers" or, "...let's close the office located in Suburbia".
The problem with this approach is that...when the economy rebounds, you will be looking to re-hire those very people you laid off in the first place. Unfortunately, you may discover that they have moved on to other jobs, gone back to school, or start their own businesses. You have then put yourself in a situation where you have to now hire and train a new employee or hire a more experienced worker who can "hit the ground running".
Laying off employees during economic downturns should be a "last resort". Well, at least not until you have explored all other avenues, namely trying the strategies I have outlined below. I will even go one step further. If you have already implemented some (if not all) of these strategies, or have made them an integral part of your company's operating culture, chances are you have not cancelled your long-planned vacation to the Bahamas.
Additionally, although these key strategies can be adopted by businesses regardless of size, they are primarily geared towards Small Businesses. The definition of a small business will obviously vary by industry and, more importantly, it may depend on the business owner's personal assessment. Regardless, you can find out the classification of your business as defined by the Small Business Association (SBA) by going to www.sba.gov
Survival Strategies
1. Schedule Weekly Budget Meetings. The assumption is that you have a budget. You may be surprised at how many small businesses either (a) don't spend the time to develop a proper budget or, (b) don't have a regular budget review process. Use the meeting to challenge managers and supervisors to find ways to reduce expenses in their respective departments (and reward them). Have the managers call in via conference calls if you have satellite offices in various parts of the country or globally. Make sure they are prepared with arguments to justify the budgets of their various departments and plans on how to cut costs.
2. Set up a Profit Committee/Task Force. This should be employee-driven. Challenge them to contribute ideas but, more importantly, reward them for good ideas that actually get implemented.
3. Revamp your performance reviews. Are the employees (especially Senior Managers) objectives aligned with company goals (i.e. increase sales, reduce expenses, improve customer service)? Are the goals more than simply rhetoric or "feel good" words? Simply put, are the objectives specific enough and...can you really "MEASURE" the progress?
4. Review your "Turnover" ratios. Profits are quickly eaten up by idle inventory a late-paying customers. Incorporate these items as a part of your budget review process. Work closely with your vendors to reduce case packs, or get simply get rid of items that don't sell! Offer to settle with your late-paying customers or arrange for installment payments on outstanding receivables. Getting something is better than nothing in tough economic times.
5. Rely on the leverage you have with your vendors. Partnerships should be more than just "talk". Negotiate better terms, i.e. try to increase "days to pay" for your invoices. Even taking an extra 5 days per month on a base of business valued at $1 million annually can earn your business extra interest of over $3,000, after taxes. That's real money!
6. Change your Payroll Cycle. If you are on a weekly payroll cycle, consider moving to bi-weekly. If you are paying bi-weekly, consider moving to semi-monthly (15th and 30th). Perform a cost-benefit analysis to make sure this makes sense for your business. You can reduce payroll processing costs which can be significant especially if you have a fairly large employee base.
7. Get on the "green" bandwagon early. Become more energy efficient. Who knows...you may even qualify for tax breaks. Get employees in the habit of turning off lights when they leave conference rooms. Installing sensors for rooms or areas used infrequently may be something to think about. Turn off computers and unplug office equipment at the end of each day. According to the government's ENERGY STAR program, 40% of the electricity that home electronics use is consumed while the products are turned off. I would imagine this applies to office equipment as well.
8. Meet with your banker. Set up a meeting right away. Not only will you be building a critical relationship (one that too many managers neglect), but ask them for ideas. They have the benefit of seeing what works (or doesn't) for other businesses so feel free to pick their brain. Best of all...it's free advice! Discuss things like...putting extra cash in Money Market accounts, CD's etc. See if you can move your operating account to an interest bearing checking account. While the interest earned may not be "earth shattering", it is still money earned without doing anything different. If there is a limit on the amount of checks that can be written in such an account, analyze the fees that the bank may charge vs. the interest that can be earned. Pay bills electronically and offer direct deposit for your employees to reduce any check writing fees. Also, are you carrying too high balance of a balance in your checking account? Work with your accountant and take a look at your cash flow to see if some of that idle money can be earning interest elsewhere.
9. Trim your travel budget (if you still have one). Telephone and/or Video Conference will save you tons of cash. Also, are the seminars and conferences you attend every year really paying off? Maybe attending 2 instead of 4 will reap the same benefits.
10. Renegotiate contracts. Bring in service providers (telephone, software, etc,) and consultants to discuss current contracts and reduce fees. Take a look at your leases (office equipment, rent, etc.). Also, are you taking full advantage of any "hidden deals" and/or discounts? Have you been paying attention to the invoices in an effort to avoid "overcharges"? Take advantage of the economic downturn. No one wants to lose a customer at this point. Where appropriate, bring other providers in to bid for your business. Caution: don't hire them simply because they are cheap!
11. Tax strategies. If you invest a lot in equipment and are incurring high business equipment taxes Explore states with business-friendly tax codes. There are benefits to setting up an "equipment holding" company in a low tax state. Business losses and write-offs may also result in your business qualifying for various tax breaks and deductions. Talk to a good tax attorney about how to maximize these and other tax deductions for your business.
12. Budget for "reserves". In other words, have a "contingency" or "miscellaneous" account as a line item in your budget. A good starting point would be to set aside 5% - 10% of all your total expenses for unforeseen circumstances. Keep in mind, if we could predict the future, we would all be millionaires. Incorporating the "reserve" account as an "expense" item is simply good business policy.
13. Look at your health insurance benefits. If you haven't spoken to your Insurance Rep in a while, now would be a good time. You should be reviewing your policy every six months anyway. A slight change in your workforce level can have a significant impact on the employer (and employee) is your contract coming up for renewal? Can you break the contract without incurring any fees? You may be able to find a good deal out there without sacrificing coverage.
14. Conduct annual invoice audits. Look closely at the invoices received from your vendors. If you don't have a good system for monitoring the invoices before they are paid, you may be surprised at the number of duplicate or erroneous payments that can occur. An extra "0" added to a $1,000 invoice results in a $10,000 payment and a $9,000 mistake. Incentivize your employees when they discover these errors. For example, if they recover monies, split it with them. It's a "win-win" deal!
15. Go after abandoned customers. If a competitor closed its doors, that should spell "O P P O R T U N I T Y". The customer may be cutting back, but when things get better or they find a new job, they will be back. You will want to make sure you are well positioned to fill the gap left by your competitor.
16. Explore new sales markets. As strange as it may seem, an economic downturn is the perfect time to look for opportunities in new markets. Territories once shunned (especially overseas) now deserve a second or third look. Again, get ideas from your employees.
17. Stay involved in your community. Don't cut back on your sponsorship of community events and charitable donations. The money spent on the uniforms for the Little League Baseball team is "big deal". People remember this stuff. Those people are potential customers or good referral sources. Actually, its worth much more than the tons of money you spent for the sign at your local Major League Baseball stadium. You know...the one that nobody notices!
18. Do you twitter? Do you have a presence on the social networking sites? Yes, I do mean Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. Are your employees set up on LinkedIn? Even if you are a "Mom and Pop" type businesses, consider paying one of your tech savvy employees 15 or 20 cents extra a week to post updates and monitor these sites for you if you do not have the "know how."
19. Part-time and Independent Contractors. Before you consider laying off, explore the possibility of reducing hours or changing the status of an employee to "Independent Contractor". The employees will still appreciate having an income and, at the same time, you will save money on payroll taxes and/or health insurance contributions you were obligated to.
20. Finally...be honest with employees. Don't tell them today things are great, and then tomorrow start laying off. On the other hand, if things are really tough, let them know. If you build an honest relationship and take the time to let you know how much you appreciate their effort, they will "go to bat" for you during the tough times. If you do have to resort to laying them off, they will understand even if it hurts. Chances are, if you have implemented the other 19 strategies mentioned her and made them an integral part of your company's culture, your employees will be the ones saving your company from going under in an economic downturn.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Choosing Small Business Health Insurance Plans By Caressa Waechter
Running a small business can have its ups and downs. Sometimes you're raking in the dough and sometimes you're barely making ends meet. What's important though is to have healthcare coverage for you and your employee's. There are a plethora of small business health insurance plans to go around.
Choosing the right one can sometimes be difficult. Balancing cost and protection is an important thing for any owner to do. If you get the cheapest, chances are you're going to regret it down the line. If you get the most coverage, chances are you're going to be broke. It is quite the balancing act between needs and affordability.
After you've decided what you want to get, it's time to go looking for who provides it. There are many companies that promise the lowest rates and quality services. You need to thoroughly check out the company you are planning to purchase insurance from to make sure they are right for your situation.
Insurance companies have definitely been under the microscope as of late with the recent economic collapse. This is why it is wise to fully understand what you are spending your money on before you pick a certain insurance carrier and the associated insurance product.
When choosing a small business insurance carrier you have to investigate what is available and go with the best plan that you can afford from the most reliable company. Your health plan needs to be there for you when you need it most, so carefully choose whom you do business with.
Small business health insurance plans can be tricky to find and figure out. But once you find a decent company and get the right plan it is a very good thing to have. Do your research and choose the right plan and insurance carrier for you and your employees.
By researching small business health insurance plans online, you can save a great deal of time. Everything you need to research and purchase small business health insurance is right at your fingertips, so jump online and get started!
Choosing the right one can sometimes be difficult. Balancing cost and protection is an important thing for any owner to do. If you get the cheapest, chances are you're going to regret it down the line. If you get the most coverage, chances are you're going to be broke. It is quite the balancing act between needs and affordability.
After you've decided what you want to get, it's time to go looking for who provides it. There are many companies that promise the lowest rates and quality services. You need to thoroughly check out the company you are planning to purchase insurance from to make sure they are right for your situation.
Insurance companies have definitely been under the microscope as of late with the recent economic collapse. This is why it is wise to fully understand what you are spending your money on before you pick a certain insurance carrier and the associated insurance product.
When choosing a small business insurance carrier you have to investigate what is available and go with the best plan that you can afford from the most reliable company. Your health plan needs to be there for you when you need it most, so carefully choose whom you do business with.
Small business health insurance plans can be tricky to find and figure out. But once you find a decent company and get the right plan it is a very good thing to have. Do your research and choose the right plan and insurance carrier for you and your employees.
By researching small business health insurance plans online, you can save a great deal of time. Everything you need to research and purchase small business health insurance is right at your fingertips, so jump online and get started!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Best Small Business Idea -- It's All About You By: Michael Clark
Getting More Focused -- It’s All About You
Jeanna Pool from Catalyst Creative writes a great ezine on marketing each month. In January she shared 5 Great Marketing Tips for 2006. Number 1 was “Stop Focusing on You”. She declares 2006 the year of the client and exhorts you to focus totally on your clients and their needs. I think she’s right on. And I think she’s completely wrong. Why right and wrong?
Because if you’ve been in business for awhile and have great products and great services and aren’t getting the results you want, you may be too focused on your clients and not focused enough on yourself. Last week, I encouraged your to revisit your vision of your business and ask yourself why you started your business in the first place. Now I want you to focus even more on what you want. What exactly do you want out of your business? Do you want more money? If so, how much? Write down a number. Do you want more flexible hours? If so, write out exactly the schedule you’d like. Do you want to change the world? If so, write out specifically how that would look.
Why all this focus on you? Because if you aren’t absolutely clear on what you want, how are you going to know if you are successful? How are you going help your clients if you aren’t taking care of yourself as well. Maybe you need to be making $150,000 a year to provide your family with the life that you wanted. You want to send your kids to college. You want to retire while you are still in active and in good health. Or maybe you want to just make an extra $20,000 a year working part-time while you take care of your children until they are in school. Or perhaps your goal is to make a million dollars a year and live a really incredible life. Defining this is very important. Why?
Because what you want will shape your business. It will determine who your customers are and how you will help them. If you want $5,000,000 in sales, your products and methods are going to be a whole lot different than if you want $50,000 in sales. If you want to work only afternoons, that is going to shape your business as well. If you want to sell your business and retire in five years, that’s going to affect your decisions as well. So right now, get out a paper and pen and get ready to write.
Did you get your pen and paper out? Answer the question, “What do I want out of my business?” Write in as much detail exactly what you want your business to give you. Be as specific as possible. Write as much as you can. Think income, lifestyle, schedule, partners, travel, location, employees. What exactly do you want? Throughout the week, add to this and revise it. Compare where you are right now to what you really want. How large is the gap? Next week, I’ll help you create a plan to narrow the gap with: Why Business Plans Don’t Work -- How to Create an Effective Action Plan
Jeanna Pool from Catalyst Creative writes a great ezine on marketing each month. In January she shared 5 Great Marketing Tips for 2006. Number 1 was “Stop Focusing on You”. She declares 2006 the year of the client and exhorts you to focus totally on your clients and their needs. I think she’s right on. And I think she’s completely wrong. Why right and wrong?
Because if you’ve been in business for awhile and have great products and great services and aren’t getting the results you want, you may be too focused on your clients and not focused enough on yourself. Last week, I encouraged your to revisit your vision of your business and ask yourself why you started your business in the first place. Now I want you to focus even more on what you want. What exactly do you want out of your business? Do you want more money? If so, how much? Write down a number. Do you want more flexible hours? If so, write out exactly the schedule you’d like. Do you want to change the world? If so, write out specifically how that would look.
Why all this focus on you? Because if you aren’t absolutely clear on what you want, how are you going to know if you are successful? How are you going help your clients if you aren’t taking care of yourself as well. Maybe you need to be making $150,000 a year to provide your family with the life that you wanted. You want to send your kids to college. You want to retire while you are still in active and in good health. Or maybe you want to just make an extra $20,000 a year working part-time while you take care of your children until they are in school. Or perhaps your goal is to make a million dollars a year and live a really incredible life. Defining this is very important. Why?
Because what you want will shape your business. It will determine who your customers are and how you will help them. If you want $5,000,000 in sales, your products and methods are going to be a whole lot different than if you want $50,000 in sales. If you want to work only afternoons, that is going to shape your business as well. If you want to sell your business and retire in five years, that’s going to affect your decisions as well. So right now, get out a paper and pen and get ready to write.
Did you get your pen and paper out? Answer the question, “What do I want out of my business?” Write in as much detail exactly what you want your business to give you. Be as specific as possible. Write as much as you can. Think income, lifestyle, schedule, partners, travel, location, employees. What exactly do you want? Throughout the week, add to this and revise it. Compare where you are right now to what you really want. How large is the gap? Next week, I’ll help you create a plan to narrow the gap with: Why Business Plans Don’t Work -- How to Create an Effective Action Plan
Small Business Loan For Entrepreneurs By Rick Goldfeller
Do you have an entrepreneurial mind and dreams of building a company? Do you want to start a business of your own but lacks capital? Well, don't sulk in there because you might be happy to hear the good news. There is a small business loan you can avail in order to realize your wish of becoming a successful businessman. Lots of financial institutions are offering this kind of loans to would-be businessmen. I know putting up a small business is not an easy task. You have to consider lots of factors in determining what trade to enter. With all the businesses, you have to work hard to make it successful.
But before making decisions on what strategies to adopt, you should first seek money for the initial operations. You will have to find a good location for the office. All the machinery and equipments needed must be purchased in order to be operational. The salaries and wages of employees must be very well included in the initial investment. To finance your business, applying for small business loan is very helpful. Actually, there are two kinds of loans you can choose from. Financial institutions will let you select between secured and unsecured loans. To differentiate the two, you have to look into the necessary requirements.
In obtaining secured loan, collateral is usually required. The security can be in the form of real properties- your home can serve as collateral. However, you must be very careful about it. In case you've been defaulting on your payments or you can't anymore pay the loan amount, your property is subject to foreclosure. You don't want to let go of your precious home, I suppose. What you need to do is opt for the unsecured small business loan but the interest rate is quite higher. You just have to weigh down your options and choose what's advantageous on your financial resources.
Before signing in the contract with your lender, make sure to read the terms and conditions. You should be aware of the interests, penalties and other charges. But it is very advisable to pay on time so as to avoid unreasonable penalties. So that when you pay, you will know what comprise of your payment. Remember, getting into a business is a gamble. You'll never know whether you will be successful or not. Actually, the initial operations of the company can be hard on your financial condition. Income will be minimal but if you can attract more clients or customers, eventually the company will boom.
Getting small business loan is truly a blessing to those who want to start a company. It's like your partner in achieving a life you've been wishing for. Let's face it; having a business is a form of investment. If you know the rules of the trade, you will surely earn huge profits. So, when you are getting problematic on where to get the initial capital, don't hesitate for a moment and run to your trusted lender. Apply now for a small business loan!
But before making decisions on what strategies to adopt, you should first seek money for the initial operations. You will have to find a good location for the office. All the machinery and equipments needed must be purchased in order to be operational. The salaries and wages of employees must be very well included in the initial investment. To finance your business, applying for small business loan is very helpful. Actually, there are two kinds of loans you can choose from. Financial institutions will let you select between secured and unsecured loans. To differentiate the two, you have to look into the necessary requirements.
In obtaining secured loan, collateral is usually required. The security can be in the form of real properties- your home can serve as collateral. However, you must be very careful about it. In case you've been defaulting on your payments or you can't anymore pay the loan amount, your property is subject to foreclosure. You don't want to let go of your precious home, I suppose. What you need to do is opt for the unsecured small business loan but the interest rate is quite higher. You just have to weigh down your options and choose what's advantageous on your financial resources.
Before signing in the contract with your lender, make sure to read the terms and conditions. You should be aware of the interests, penalties and other charges. But it is very advisable to pay on time so as to avoid unreasonable penalties. So that when you pay, you will know what comprise of your payment. Remember, getting into a business is a gamble. You'll never know whether you will be successful or not. Actually, the initial operations of the company can be hard on your financial condition. Income will be minimal but if you can attract more clients or customers, eventually the company will boom.
Getting small business loan is truly a blessing to those who want to start a company. It's like your partner in achieving a life you've been wishing for. Let's face it; having a business is a form of investment. If you know the rules of the trade, you will surely earn huge profits. So, when you are getting problematic on where to get the initial capital, don't hesitate for a moment and run to your trusted lender. Apply now for a small business loan!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Using Promotional Products to Market Your Small Business By Patricia Desiderio
In today's world, it's hard for any business to attract potential customers. Promotional products offer an opportunity to get your company's name in front of potential clients in a cost effective manner.
Promotional products can range from coffee mugs, calendars, baseball caps, first aid kits, household accessories, and food items such as candy and nuts.
First and foremost, think about what you want these products to do for your business. Have a clear goal in mind. Are you opening up a new satellite store? Is it a grand opening? Or are you just trying to stay visible with your current clients.
Next, set a budget. Avoid overspending. You can still get your point across with a small budget.
On the same note, recognize limited shelf life. Don't overstock! New and trendy products are always available. Talk to your promotional rep about this.
Seek out partnerships to share the cost. For instance, a title company and mortgage consultant can share space on an item (they are compatible) and in turn share the costs.
At the beginning of each year, set up a budget for your advertising and promotional items and then discuss with your promotional rep who can advise you on the most cost effective way to keep your name in front of your clients all year long. Items can be small, cost effective and targeted to get the most bang for your buck. Sometimes a postcard is enough.
Promotional products can range from coffee mugs, calendars, baseball caps, first aid kits, household accessories, and food items such as candy and nuts.
First and foremost, think about what you want these products to do for your business. Have a clear goal in mind. Are you opening up a new satellite store? Is it a grand opening? Or are you just trying to stay visible with your current clients.
Next, set a budget. Avoid overspending. You can still get your point across with a small budget.
On the same note, recognize limited shelf life. Don't overstock! New and trendy products are always available. Talk to your promotional rep about this.
Seek out partnerships to share the cost. For instance, a title company and mortgage consultant can share space on an item (they are compatible) and in turn share the costs.
At the beginning of each year, set up a budget for your advertising and promotional items and then discuss with your promotional rep who can advise you on the most cost effective way to keep your name in front of your clients all year long. Items can be small, cost effective and targeted to get the most bang for your buck. Sometimes a postcard is enough.
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