by: Nick Roy
By Nick Roy, MBA, MAHRMAs a small business owner and manager, you are faced with a number of challenges. One of which is the hiring and managing of your employees. You are responsible for the productivity of your people in an ever changing business environment. You post a job opening in the local paper on a job board, such as Monster.com, and you will be flooded with resumes. Resumes from people that claim that they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities that you require for that job. Your responsibility as a small business owner is to find that "diamond in the ruff." Here are some guidelines that I have used in conducting interviews of web designers and programmers from days owning a web design company. A couple of key points to keep in mind:NEVER ask a yes/no question. These types of questions need to be reserved for the application form.ALWAYS ask open ended questions. When I interviewed to fill positions in my web design company, I treated the interview as an oral examination. The goal is to make the applicants think so that you can select the most qualified to be in your organization. The more grueling your selection process into your organization, the more your employees will have in common with one another, since they have all gone through that grueling examination. They will feel that they are the cream of the crop. Let's say that you were hiring for a Training Manager. One type of question that you could ask in the first interview is this:"When does team or group learning make sense or not make sense?"Here is another example of questions that you could ask applicants for a Recruiter position. "Is a contingent job a good job? Will contingent work grow in the future?""What are some positive aspects of using the Internet as a recruiting source? What are some dangers?"This is fundamental background knowledge of the field that the applicant is applying to work in. The goal with asking a question like this is to evaluate the applicants knowledge of their field. If they can't answer the question, then it appears that they are lacking the knowledge of their field. If applicants pass this examination, then they can move on to the next interview (i.e. examination). The purpose of this examination will be on their problem solving and decision making abilities. Every position in a company requires the employee to possess problem solving and decision making abilities. Here is an example question you could ask an applicant applying for a retail position.You are stocking shelves when a customer approaches you and asks about a certain product. You know that you don't carry that particular product, but the customer insists that she has bought a similar product at another store. How would you handle this situation? This is a type of situational question that assesses an applicants customer service skills. You know that the applicant has the knowledge, because they made it to this round. What you are assessing is whether the applicant can apply their knowledge to a particular situation to solve a customer service problem. Treating the employment interview as an oral examination, can better assist you as a small business owner to decide which applicant has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to "contribute" to the success of your organization.
Monday, 11 August 2008
There is nothing "small" about shipping during the Holiday season
by: NC
(NC)—Being a small business in Canada during the peak holiday shopping season can be challenging, especially for those that offer great gift ideas. Helping customers find the perfect gift and offering the best possible customer service is key, however, good customer service goes beyond assisting purchase selection - especially if your customers are in the U.S. For many small businesses, saving time is important during the hectic holiday season, but increasing efficiency and delivering on customer expectations can be a daunting task, especially when the majority of your customers are south of the border. UPS is helping many Canadian businesses expand and attract more U.S. customers with its unique Cross Border Services offering. Launched in 2002, UPS Cross Border Services helps small and mid-sized Canadian companies build their businesses in the United States. The service combines consolidated shipping, customs clearance, States-side warehousing, and returns services into a simple customized solution. For instance, Vancouver-based, Lush Canada who is well-known for its fresh handmade cosmetics and soaps, is starting to clean up in the U.S. market/and with only two American-based retail outlets. Their exotic bath bombs, bubble bars and body soaps have had Canadians soaking across the country and are now making waves south of the border as more than 100,000 U.S. residents now request their quarterly catalogue. Lush has always handled its own fulfillment, but it was looking for a solution to reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction rates, particularly for its U.S. orders. "After we began receiving orders from U.S. customers, we quickly realized that our current distribution systems were not going to be able to handle a sudden surge in volume, and UPS offered a much more viable solution," said Sam Azad, Lush Canada's Mail Order Shipping & Logistics Manager. "Our past courier suppliers could not provide us with the kind of integrated, automated solution we needed to handle additional volume from the U.S. while providing our customers with the service they were accustomed to," added Azad. For small businesses in Canada that have a large customer base in the United States, sending customer purchases across the border must be hassle free – especially before the holidays. More so, when the product that a company offers its customers is large and expensive to ship, finding cost-effective methods of shipping products is a must. This was especially true for Toronto-based e-tailer BoardZone.com. For the past decade, BoardZone has been offering an extensive array of snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear and accessories for everyone from adults to kids, to seasoned pros and those just starting out. When the popularity of snowboarding began to boom in the late 1990s, so did the demand for BoardZone products – especially from south of the border. To take advantage of this growth opportunity, the company began searching for ways to service orders to the United States cost-effectively, without having customers concerned about border delays and unexpected duties, taxes, and customs brokerage fees. Because BoardZone offers a seasonal product that many customers will purchase to enjoy during the holidays, these factors have to be reduced as much as possible. "We had a few misadventures," says Don Moscoe, President of BoardZone, who explored several options, and tried out two other service providers. "But nothing really worked the way we wanted it to. Then we started with the UPS Cross Border Services program and everything changed…for the better." Before the UPS solution, BoardZone was faced with the expensive option of preparing individual orders in Canada, dealing with customs, and paying international rates to ship these orders to the United States. Moscoe adds, "It's now a lot easier for U.S. customers to buy from us. The border isn't even an issue."
(NC)—Being a small business in Canada during the peak holiday shopping season can be challenging, especially for those that offer great gift ideas. Helping customers find the perfect gift and offering the best possible customer service is key, however, good customer service goes beyond assisting purchase selection - especially if your customers are in the U.S. For many small businesses, saving time is important during the hectic holiday season, but increasing efficiency and delivering on customer expectations can be a daunting task, especially when the majority of your customers are south of the border. UPS is helping many Canadian businesses expand and attract more U.S. customers with its unique Cross Border Services offering. Launched in 2002, UPS Cross Border Services helps small and mid-sized Canadian companies build their businesses in the United States. The service combines consolidated shipping, customs clearance, States-side warehousing, and returns services into a simple customized solution. For instance, Vancouver-based, Lush Canada who is well-known for its fresh handmade cosmetics and soaps, is starting to clean up in the U.S. market/and with only two American-based retail outlets. Their exotic bath bombs, bubble bars and body soaps have had Canadians soaking across the country and are now making waves south of the border as more than 100,000 U.S. residents now request their quarterly catalogue. Lush has always handled its own fulfillment, but it was looking for a solution to reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction rates, particularly for its U.S. orders. "After we began receiving orders from U.S. customers, we quickly realized that our current distribution systems were not going to be able to handle a sudden surge in volume, and UPS offered a much more viable solution," said Sam Azad, Lush Canada's Mail Order Shipping & Logistics Manager. "Our past courier suppliers could not provide us with the kind of integrated, automated solution we needed to handle additional volume from the U.S. while providing our customers with the service they were accustomed to," added Azad. For small businesses in Canada that have a large customer base in the United States, sending customer purchases across the border must be hassle free – especially before the holidays. More so, when the product that a company offers its customers is large and expensive to ship, finding cost-effective methods of shipping products is a must. This was especially true for Toronto-based e-tailer BoardZone.com. For the past decade, BoardZone has been offering an extensive array of snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear and accessories for everyone from adults to kids, to seasoned pros and those just starting out. When the popularity of snowboarding began to boom in the late 1990s, so did the demand for BoardZone products – especially from south of the border. To take advantage of this growth opportunity, the company began searching for ways to service orders to the United States cost-effectively, without having customers concerned about border delays and unexpected duties, taxes, and customs brokerage fees. Because BoardZone offers a seasonal product that many customers will purchase to enjoy during the holidays, these factors have to be reduced as much as possible. "We had a few misadventures," says Don Moscoe, President of BoardZone, who explored several options, and tried out two other service providers. "But nothing really worked the way we wanted it to. Then we started with the UPS Cross Border Services program and everything changed…for the better." Before the UPS solution, BoardZone was faced with the expensive option of preparing individual orders in Canada, dealing with customs, and paying international rates to ship these orders to the United States. Moscoe adds, "It's now a lot easier for U.S. customers to buy from us. The border isn't even an issue."
YEAR END TAX PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR BUSINESSES – Tax Tips for 2004
: Dianne Goodman, CPA
Now is the best time to start thinking about your year end tax planning for your business. These tax strategies can be put into effect by the end of the year and some as late as when the tax return is due. Planning now will save you money and reduce your tax liability not only with your IRS taxes but also with your state taxes. Here are tax tips that will help you accomplish your goal.DEFER YOUR INCOME INTO 2005 If you don’t receive payment until the first week of January for cash basis tax returns and don’t bill until January for accrual basis tax returns, you have effectively deferred your income. This works well if your 2005 income is equal to or less than it was for 2004. If not, you are delaying the inevitable and potentially putting yourself in a higher tax bracket for 2005. ACCELERATE DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE INTO 2004 Anything charged on your business credit card December 31st and prior is deductible in 2004 even if it is paid in 2005. You can also write a check on December 31st that you would have normally paid in January. You may want to get a confirmation receipt to prove you mailed those checks in 2004. This works well if your 2005 income is equal to or less than it was for 2004. If not, you are delaying the inevitable and potentially putting yourself in a higher tax bracket for 2005.OPEN A RETIREMENT PLAN ACCOUNT See http://www.dgoodmancpa.com/smallbusinessretirementplan.htm for an example of what you can do with that available profit tax deferred until retirement. This is a fantastic option for those who have the cash and want to contribute money into their personal retirement account and deduct that contribution from their corporate earnings. Does it get any better than that?BUY EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE BEFORE YEAR END You can deduct up to $100,000 in equipment and software purchases for the year under Section 179 depreciation expense. This includes sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans with a gross vehicle weight rating over 6,000 pounds. However, businesses should be aware of the change due to the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. Certain sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) are limited to $25,000 if they were placed in service after October 22, 2004.These are just some tax tips you should consider when thinking about your year end tax planning for your business. If you have a specific question about your particular situation, e-mail me at dianne@dgoodmancpa.com and I will help you muddle through the tax planning issues you may have. This article was intended to provide general information about year end tax planning. It does not contain all the rules and exceptions that may apply to your situation. If you have further questions regarding year end tax planning, I can be reached at www.dgoodmancpa.com.Coming Soon - E-mail me at dianne@dgoodmancpa.com and tell me what you would like to know more about. It just might be my next article!CONTACT INFORMATION:Dianne Goodman, CPAComprehensive Small Business Solutions, PC505 323-23071 866-531-3035 toll freehttp://www.dgoodmancpa.comYou have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your website or in your newsletter. The only requirement is to include the following footer...2004 Year End Tax Planning and Preparation for Businesses – Tax Tips for 2004 by Dianne Goodman, visit http://www.dgoodmancpa.com for more content like this.
Now is the best time to start thinking about your year end tax planning for your business. These tax strategies can be put into effect by the end of the year and some as late as when the tax return is due. Planning now will save you money and reduce your tax liability not only with your IRS taxes but also with your state taxes. Here are tax tips that will help you accomplish your goal.DEFER YOUR INCOME INTO 2005 If you don’t receive payment until the first week of January for cash basis tax returns and don’t bill until January for accrual basis tax returns, you have effectively deferred your income. This works well if your 2005 income is equal to or less than it was for 2004. If not, you are delaying the inevitable and potentially putting yourself in a higher tax bracket for 2005. ACCELERATE DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE INTO 2004 Anything charged on your business credit card December 31st and prior is deductible in 2004 even if it is paid in 2005. You can also write a check on December 31st that you would have normally paid in January. You may want to get a confirmation receipt to prove you mailed those checks in 2004. This works well if your 2005 income is equal to or less than it was for 2004. If not, you are delaying the inevitable and potentially putting yourself in a higher tax bracket for 2005.OPEN A RETIREMENT PLAN ACCOUNT See http://www.dgoodmancpa.com/smallbusinessretirementplan.htm for an example of what you can do with that available profit tax deferred until retirement. This is a fantastic option for those who have the cash and want to contribute money into their personal retirement account and deduct that contribution from their corporate earnings. Does it get any better than that?BUY EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE BEFORE YEAR END You can deduct up to $100,000 in equipment and software purchases for the year under Section 179 depreciation expense. This includes sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans with a gross vehicle weight rating over 6,000 pounds. However, businesses should be aware of the change due to the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. Certain sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) are limited to $25,000 if they were placed in service after October 22, 2004.These are just some tax tips you should consider when thinking about your year end tax planning for your business. If you have a specific question about your particular situation, e-mail me at dianne@dgoodmancpa.com and I will help you muddle through the tax planning issues you may have. This article was intended to provide general information about year end tax planning. It does not contain all the rules and exceptions that may apply to your situation. If you have further questions regarding year end tax planning, I can be reached at www.dgoodmancpa.com.Coming Soon - E-mail me at dianne@dgoodmancpa.com and tell me what you would like to know more about. It just might be my next article!CONTACT INFORMATION:Dianne Goodman, CPAComprehensive Small Business Solutions, PC505 323-23071 866-531-3035 toll freehttp://www.dgoodmancpa.comYou have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your website or in your newsletter. The only requirement is to include the following footer...2004 Year End Tax Planning and Preparation for Businesses – Tax Tips for 2004 by Dianne Goodman, visit http://www.dgoodmancpa.com for more content like this.
Business Entities – What Are The Choices?
: Neil Clarkin
When you decide to start your own business, one of the most important decisions you will make is determining which business entity is right for your business. This decision will have a huge impact on how the business is operated, how taxes are paid, and your personal liability. Different types of entities have different advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into consideration, but you should start with an understanding of exactly what each type of business entity is.The sole proprietorship is the choice for most business startups, but it isn’t necessarily the best choice. What makes this type of business structure attractive is that it is the easiest and fastest way to set up a business. All that is required for a sole proprietorship is a business license, which can be obtained in about an hour by visiting your local court house, paying the fee and filling out a short form.A partnership is just like a sole proprietorship, except that there is more than one owner. Again, a business license will be required, and while not required, a legally binding partnership agreement is highly recommended. The agreement should include the rights and obligations of each partner, how profits and losses will be divided, and how the partnership will be dissolved should one of the partners want out. There are actually two types of partnerships – a general partnership, and a limited partnership. The main difference between the two is that in a limited partnership, the limited partner’s legal liability is limited to the amount of their investment, but this limited partner does not have an active role in running the business.Corporations are more complicated to set up, but they also offer individuals the most protection. There is additional record keeping and administration work that must be done, but the business owner is not legally liable for the actions of the corporation. Should be business get into financial trouble, creditors cannot come after the individuals assets. There are two types of corporations – C corporations and S corporations. C corporations have tax disadvantages, such as double taxation, and most businesses that incorporate choose the S corporation structure, which allows income to pass directly through to the individual shareholders.The limited liability company (LLC) is an alternative to corporations that many small business owners look to. Like a corporation, the owners of the business are protected from liability, but the business is taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership. There is typically less paperwork and expense involved in setting up an LLC, as opposed to setting up a corporation. This is the most feasible choice for many small businesses.For the most protection, a small business owner should opt to either incorporate the business, or form a limited liability company (LLC). Even though a sole proprietorship or partnership is easier to set up, and doesn’t cost as much to start, it just will not offer the business owner or owners an adequate amount of protection, and in the end, could cost the owners more money than the cost of setting up a corporation or LLC in the first place.
When you decide to start your own business, one of the most important decisions you will make is determining which business entity is right for your business. This decision will have a huge impact on how the business is operated, how taxes are paid, and your personal liability. Different types of entities have different advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into consideration, but you should start with an understanding of exactly what each type of business entity is.The sole proprietorship is the choice for most business startups, but it isn’t necessarily the best choice. What makes this type of business structure attractive is that it is the easiest and fastest way to set up a business. All that is required for a sole proprietorship is a business license, which can be obtained in about an hour by visiting your local court house, paying the fee and filling out a short form.A partnership is just like a sole proprietorship, except that there is more than one owner. Again, a business license will be required, and while not required, a legally binding partnership agreement is highly recommended. The agreement should include the rights and obligations of each partner, how profits and losses will be divided, and how the partnership will be dissolved should one of the partners want out. There are actually two types of partnerships – a general partnership, and a limited partnership. The main difference between the two is that in a limited partnership, the limited partner’s legal liability is limited to the amount of their investment, but this limited partner does not have an active role in running the business.Corporations are more complicated to set up, but they also offer individuals the most protection. There is additional record keeping and administration work that must be done, but the business owner is not legally liable for the actions of the corporation. Should be business get into financial trouble, creditors cannot come after the individuals assets. There are two types of corporations – C corporations and S corporations. C corporations have tax disadvantages, such as double taxation, and most businesses that incorporate choose the S corporation structure, which allows income to pass directly through to the individual shareholders.The limited liability company (LLC) is an alternative to corporations that many small business owners look to. Like a corporation, the owners of the business are protected from liability, but the business is taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership. There is typically less paperwork and expense involved in setting up an LLC, as opposed to setting up a corporation. This is the most feasible choice for many small businesses.For the most protection, a small business owner should opt to either incorporate the business, or form a limited liability company (LLC). Even though a sole proprietorship or partnership is easier to set up, and doesn’t cost as much to start, it just will not offer the business owner or owners an adequate amount of protection, and in the end, could cost the owners more money than the cost of setting up a corporation or LLC in the first place.
For Entrepreneurs A SIMPLE Plan May Be Best
by: Tim Knox
Q: I own a small decorating business and I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about taxes or retirement plans. I’d like to set up a 401(k) or an IRA or some other kind of retirement plan for me and my three employees. What are the various retirement plan options available for a small business owner and in your opinion, which would work best for me?-- Wanda S.A: Wanda, I appreciate your confidence in my humble opinion, but asking me for financial advice is like asking Donald Trump for a recommendation on hair care products. I can tell you what works best for me and my business, but you’ll need to do your homework and seek professional advice to figure out what would work best for you. As a side note, I hear that Donald Trump is coming out with his own line of hair care product soon to be called “Big Head.” The formula is 1% mousse, 1% liquid nails, and 98% hot air. It should be a big seller among the high brow, comb-over crowd.Here’s my best advice on retirement plans: find yourself a financial advisor (or financial planner) who is has experience working with small businesses and have him or her explain the options available and make a recommendation as to the type of plan best suited for you and your business. When I say “financial advisor” I’m not talking about your know-it-all brother-in-law or your accountant. I’m talking about a broker or financial planner (or other licensed professional) who has a proven track record of making his clients money and is an expert on IRAs, 401(k)s, mutual funds, etc.The best way to find a good financial advisor is to ask for referrals from your most successful friends and associates. Find the richest, stingiest man in town and ask who his advisor is. Meet with several advisors, explain your situation, and ask for their recommendations. You should also make sure the advisor is a good fit for your personality and your business. If all goes well you will be doing business with this person for many years to come, so make sure the relationship feels comfortable to you and that you are confident in the advisor’s ability to manage your money.Let me give you a quick overview of a few of the retirement plans available to small businesses so you at least have an idea of what’s out there before you start your search for a good financial advisor.As a small business you basically have three types of retirement plans that you can take advantage of: the Self-Employed 401(k); the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA, and the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. Each allows you to make pre-tax contributions to the plan, which lets you save for retirement and lessen your taxable income by the amount of the contribution. Your investments also grow tax-deferred until withdrawal.A Self-Employed 401(k) is an option for self-employed individuals or business owners with no employees other than a spouse. The business can be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, including S corps. You can make salary deferrals to this type of plan of up to $14,000 for 2005.Next is the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA. A SEP is an option if you earn a self-employed income from a full or part time business, even if you are covered by a retirement plan at your fulltime job. A SEP allows you to contribute up to 25% of earned income, up to $41,000 for 2004 and $42,000 for 2005.My preferred type of retirement plan is the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. The SIMPLE IRA was created to make it easier for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to offer a tax-advantaged, company sponsored retirement plan.With a SIMPLE IRA you and your eligible employees may contribute up to 3% of earned income (with a maximum contribution of $10,000) on a pre-tax basis to individual SIMPLE IRAs. You must deduct Social Security and Medicaid from your gross income, but you can then make your SIMPLE IRA contribution before other taxes are levied, effectively lowering your taxable income.As the employer you must make “matching” or “non-elective” contributions into your employees’ SIMPLE IRA accounts. Matching contributions means that the business matches the elective deferral contributions made by employees. For example, if the employee opts to contribute 3% of his salary to the plan, the employer must match the 3% contribution.At first you might cringe at matching your employees’ contributions, but as the business owner and an employee yourself this can be great news. As an employee of your own business you can contribute up to $10,000 to your SIMPLE IRA and the business can then match your contribution dollar-for-dollar, which means that you can put up to $20,000 in tax free dollars into the plan per year. The cost of the contributions is also deductible as a business expense.The non-elective contribution option requires that the company contribute 2% of every employee’s earned income to the plan on the employee’s behalf regardless of whether or not the employee contributes to the plan himself. For 2005 the maximum contribution you would be required to make is $4,200.Like a traditional IRA, you can withdraw money from a SIMPLE IRA at any time; however distributions within the first two years of participation are subject to higher early withdrawal penalties than traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Withdrawals within the first two years are subject to a 25% early withdrawal penalty. Withdrawals taken after the first two years are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.As the employer, the advantages of a SIMPLE IRA include: company contributions to the plan are tax deductible as a business expense; plan documents are simple and easy to administer; administration costs are low; and there is no government reporting required by the employer.The advantages of a SIMPLE IRA for your employees include: contributions are immediately 100% vested; contributions and earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal; employees can contribute 100% of earned income up to $10,000 for 2005; and employees can direct their own investments within the IRA.This is a complex topic and I’ve just tipped the iceberg here, but hopefully this will give you enough information to get the investment ball rolling.Here’s to your success!
Q: I own a small decorating business and I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about taxes or retirement plans. I’d like to set up a 401(k) or an IRA or some other kind of retirement plan for me and my three employees. What are the various retirement plan options available for a small business owner and in your opinion, which would work best for me?-- Wanda S.A: Wanda, I appreciate your confidence in my humble opinion, but asking me for financial advice is like asking Donald Trump for a recommendation on hair care products. I can tell you what works best for me and my business, but you’ll need to do your homework and seek professional advice to figure out what would work best for you. As a side note, I hear that Donald Trump is coming out with his own line of hair care product soon to be called “Big Head.” The formula is 1% mousse, 1% liquid nails, and 98% hot air. It should be a big seller among the high brow, comb-over crowd.Here’s my best advice on retirement plans: find yourself a financial advisor (or financial planner) who is has experience working with small businesses and have him or her explain the options available and make a recommendation as to the type of plan best suited for you and your business. When I say “financial advisor” I’m not talking about your know-it-all brother-in-law or your accountant. I’m talking about a broker or financial planner (or other licensed professional) who has a proven track record of making his clients money and is an expert on IRAs, 401(k)s, mutual funds, etc.The best way to find a good financial advisor is to ask for referrals from your most successful friends and associates. Find the richest, stingiest man in town and ask who his advisor is. Meet with several advisors, explain your situation, and ask for their recommendations. You should also make sure the advisor is a good fit for your personality and your business. If all goes well you will be doing business with this person for many years to come, so make sure the relationship feels comfortable to you and that you are confident in the advisor’s ability to manage your money.Let me give you a quick overview of a few of the retirement plans available to small businesses so you at least have an idea of what’s out there before you start your search for a good financial advisor.As a small business you basically have three types of retirement plans that you can take advantage of: the Self-Employed 401(k); the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA, and the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. Each allows you to make pre-tax contributions to the plan, which lets you save for retirement and lessen your taxable income by the amount of the contribution. Your investments also grow tax-deferred until withdrawal.A Self-Employed 401(k) is an option for self-employed individuals or business owners with no employees other than a spouse. The business can be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, including S corps. You can make salary deferrals to this type of plan of up to $14,000 for 2005.Next is the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA. A SEP is an option if you earn a self-employed income from a full or part time business, even if you are covered by a retirement plan at your fulltime job. A SEP allows you to contribute up to 25% of earned income, up to $41,000 for 2004 and $42,000 for 2005.My preferred type of retirement plan is the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. The SIMPLE IRA was created to make it easier for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to offer a tax-advantaged, company sponsored retirement plan.With a SIMPLE IRA you and your eligible employees may contribute up to 3% of earned income (with a maximum contribution of $10,000) on a pre-tax basis to individual SIMPLE IRAs. You must deduct Social Security and Medicaid from your gross income, but you can then make your SIMPLE IRA contribution before other taxes are levied, effectively lowering your taxable income.As the employer you must make “matching” or “non-elective” contributions into your employees’ SIMPLE IRA accounts. Matching contributions means that the business matches the elective deferral contributions made by employees. For example, if the employee opts to contribute 3% of his salary to the plan, the employer must match the 3% contribution.At first you might cringe at matching your employees’ contributions, but as the business owner and an employee yourself this can be great news. As an employee of your own business you can contribute up to $10,000 to your SIMPLE IRA and the business can then match your contribution dollar-for-dollar, which means that you can put up to $20,000 in tax free dollars into the plan per year. The cost of the contributions is also deductible as a business expense.The non-elective contribution option requires that the company contribute 2% of every employee’s earned income to the plan on the employee’s behalf regardless of whether or not the employee contributes to the plan himself. For 2005 the maximum contribution you would be required to make is $4,200.Like a traditional IRA, you can withdraw money from a SIMPLE IRA at any time; however distributions within the first two years of participation are subject to higher early withdrawal penalties than traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Withdrawals within the first two years are subject to a 25% early withdrawal penalty. Withdrawals taken after the first two years are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.As the employer, the advantages of a SIMPLE IRA include: company contributions to the plan are tax deductible as a business expense; plan documents are simple and easy to administer; administration costs are low; and there is no government reporting required by the employer.The advantages of a SIMPLE IRA for your employees include: contributions are immediately 100% vested; contributions and earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal; employees can contribute 100% of earned income up to $10,000 for 2005; and employees can direct their own investments within the IRA.This is a complex topic and I’ve just tipped the iceberg here, but hopefully this will give you enough information to get the investment ball rolling.Here’s to your success!
What Is Appreciative Inquiry?
by: Jeff Schuman
Appreciative Inquiry is the act of exploring and recognizingthe best in people and the world around us. The key to thisphilosphy to to seek and discover how to improve and work towardstransformation.Do you believe that despite the complaints and problemsencountered in your organization, there is nonethelesssignificant good work and results occurring? Do you want tofind a way to fan the flames of these positives so that theyengulf your entire organization? Let’s admit it – sometimes ourproblem-centered focus places too much attention on the negative.Perhaps it’s time for a new approach. We can seek to discoverthe excellence already present in our organizations – just asMichelangelo is reported to have said that he saw an angel in therock and carved to set it free. Having a positive vision is the underlying premise ofAppreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophy but itis also practical since it suggests a particular method ofchanging social systems. In its most basic form, an appreciativeinquiry is about asking questions about the best of what is andwhat has been. The information is like a discovery that lendsitself to dreaming about the positive future and finally,designing the action plan to make it happen. For example, a consultant or trainer is frequently in theposition of needing to understand the training needs of a clientcompany. Here are several potential questions that could be usedin appreciative interviews: • Describe a time when you took part in professional developmentthat was especially energizing and enlivening. Who was involved?What happened? Describe the event in detail. • If you could imagine or transform the professional developmentavailable in any way you wished, what one to three things wouldyou like to see happen to enhance its vitality and effectiveness?• What do you imagine your own role might be in helping to makethis happen? Who could work with you? The resulting qualitative data would be most efficiently analyzedby computer software such as text retrievers, code and retrieveprograms and conceptual network builders. Such software programswould help draw valid meaning from the data by reducing it, helpto identify patterns through comparative analysis and go beyondthe narrative text to display the data in matrices. Consider asking one or more appreciative questions at your nextstaff meeting. Set it up properly by giving employees a littlebackground and reasoning for the approach. Let them know whatyou plan to do with the information and invite interested partiesto get involved in the resulting action plan. You might besurprised by the synergy that results!
Appreciative Inquiry is the act of exploring and recognizingthe best in people and the world around us. The key to thisphilosphy to to seek and discover how to improve and work towardstransformation.Do you believe that despite the complaints and problemsencountered in your organization, there is nonethelesssignificant good work and results occurring? Do you want tofind a way to fan the flames of these positives so that theyengulf your entire organization? Let’s admit it – sometimes ourproblem-centered focus places too much attention on the negative.Perhaps it’s time for a new approach. We can seek to discoverthe excellence already present in our organizations – just asMichelangelo is reported to have said that he saw an angel in therock and carved to set it free. Having a positive vision is the underlying premise ofAppreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophy but itis also practical since it suggests a particular method ofchanging social systems. In its most basic form, an appreciativeinquiry is about asking questions about the best of what is andwhat has been. The information is like a discovery that lendsitself to dreaming about the positive future and finally,designing the action plan to make it happen. For example, a consultant or trainer is frequently in theposition of needing to understand the training needs of a clientcompany. Here are several potential questions that could be usedin appreciative interviews: • Describe a time when you took part in professional developmentthat was especially energizing and enlivening. Who was involved?What happened? Describe the event in detail. • If you could imagine or transform the professional developmentavailable in any way you wished, what one to three things wouldyou like to see happen to enhance its vitality and effectiveness?• What do you imagine your own role might be in helping to makethis happen? Who could work with you? The resulting qualitative data would be most efficiently analyzedby computer software such as text retrievers, code and retrieveprograms and conceptual network builders. Such software programswould help draw valid meaning from the data by reducing it, helpto identify patterns through comparative analysis and go beyondthe narrative text to display the data in matrices. Consider asking one or more appreciative questions at your nextstaff meeting. Set it up properly by giving employees a littlebackground and reasoning for the approach. Let them know whatyou plan to do with the information and invite interested partiesto get involved in the resulting action plan. You might besurprised by the synergy that results!
Business Meeting Etiquette
by: Jeff Schuman
What makes up proper business meeting etiquette? How do you havea meeting everyone can leave feeling good about? Meetings havebecome an inevitable part of doing business for almost everybusiness owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings withemployees and meetings with peers or associates. Almost everyone has suffered through meetings that take up yourvaluable time and accomplish very little. In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb tothat fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be.And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has anotheridea about how to fix your meetings, and make them more focused,more productive, and – dare I say it? More fun! So what can you do about it? Simple business meeting etiquettecan help you put on a quality meeting. Here are a few tips andideas for meeting planning –1. Schedule your meetings at the best times - 2. Make sure your meetings all start on time - (and wheneverpossible, avoid scheduling meetings when someone is up against adeadline, or on a tight schedule). 3. Maintain a consistent focus on what topics will be covered –(use an agenda). 4. Ensure there is a good level of rapport in the group –(people can talk to each other and exchange ideas about what isbeing discussed). 5. Arrive at a decision - (find new ways to avoid covering thesame ground, and ask for input to help create a plan of action.) 6. Use parliamentary procedures - (so that the correct methodsfor amending or making a motion, following the agenda and takingturns before speaking are being followed). 7. Choose the best location and environment for your meetings -(for example, trying to fit 15 people into a closet-sized roomthat doesn’t have windows or a proper ventilation system is poorplanning on your part.) 8. Do not schedule meetings to go over routine topics - (you cansend a memo or email for this.) 9. Talk to your group and make your meetings interactive - 10. Alwaysr ask for feedback from participants and allow them topresent ideas or get involved. These ten simple business meeting etiquette tips thatguarantee a better meeting for everyone. Follow these and youwill see results on what you covered as well as a betterattendance at future meetings.
What makes up proper business meeting etiquette? How do you havea meeting everyone can leave feeling good about? Meetings havebecome an inevitable part of doing business for almost everybusiness owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings withemployees and meetings with peers or associates. Almost everyone has suffered through meetings that take up yourvaluable time and accomplish very little. In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb tothat fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be.And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has anotheridea about how to fix your meetings, and make them more focused,more productive, and – dare I say it? More fun! So what can you do about it? Simple business meeting etiquettecan help you put on a quality meeting. Here are a few tips andideas for meeting planning –1. Schedule your meetings at the best times - 2. Make sure your meetings all start on time - (and wheneverpossible, avoid scheduling meetings when someone is up against adeadline, or on a tight schedule). 3. Maintain a consistent focus on what topics will be covered –(use an agenda). 4. Ensure there is a good level of rapport in the group –(people can talk to each other and exchange ideas about what isbeing discussed). 5. Arrive at a decision - (find new ways to avoid covering thesame ground, and ask for input to help create a plan of action.) 6. Use parliamentary procedures - (so that the correct methodsfor amending or making a motion, following the agenda and takingturns before speaking are being followed). 7. Choose the best location and environment for your meetings -(for example, trying to fit 15 people into a closet-sized roomthat doesn’t have windows or a proper ventilation system is poorplanning on your part.) 8. Do not schedule meetings to go over routine topics - (you cansend a memo or email for this.) 9. Talk to your group and make your meetings interactive - 10. Alwaysr ask for feedback from participants and allow them topresent ideas or get involved. These ten simple business meeting etiquette tips thatguarantee a better meeting for everyone. Follow these and youwill see results on what you covered as well as a betterattendance at future meetings.
Five Steps to Starting a Business
by: Abe Cherian
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com----------------------------Five Steps to Starting a BusinessBy Abe CherianCopyright ? 2005Starting a business can be a rewarding experience, but itcan also be very time consuming and difficult. Manyresources are available to assist you, but informationoverload can cause you from moving forward. Keeping it simple is often the best way of maintaining themomentum necessary to get your business started. There area series of steps to ensure success.The first step toward getting your business going isdeciding on a name, for example "New York Landscaping." Any name that you do business under other than your owngiven name is called a "fictitious" or "assumed" name, andcertain steps need to be taken in order for you to dobusiness under that fictitious or assumed name.Depending on where you live, different government agenciestrack which names are available. Look in your local phonedirectory, under government agencies to find the number, orcontact your local Secretary of State. Check to find out if the name you want has been taken. Ifit is available, you may need to file a fictitious orassumed name certificate with the state or local fictitiousname office. Some areas will also require you to publish a notice in the local paper about your new assumed name.Both state and federal law regulates the use of names and"trademarks". To avoid conflicts with other businessesregionally or nationally using your business's name, or thenames of your products, you may want to considerregistering your trademark on the federal or state level. Contact an intellectual property attorney for trademarksearch and registration services. The second step is knowing that different areas havediffering licensing and permit requirements depending onthe type of business you are going into. Most businessesthat require a license will have a local licensingauthority that can guide you through the process.Find out the licensing requirements on federal, state, andpossibly even local levels for your type of business andget licensed. Failure to be properly licensed could resultin penalties such as fines, closure of your business, andimprisonment in some cases. The third step is getting insurance. When things are goingsmoothly, insurance can seem an unduly burdensome expenseon a small business. But when things go wrong, whether ornot you have insurance can mean whether or not you and yourbusiness survive a catastrophic event like a lawsuit, fire,or natural disaster. Liability insurance protects you against liability in theevent of injury to others or damage to other personsproperty. Liability insurers most often have two duties: 1. The duty to defend you. Hire a lawyer, if you get suedand 2. the duty to indemnify you. Pay for damage or injury toothers. Both duties are extremely important, but thefirst is often overlooked by small businesses.The cost of defending a lawsuit can easily run into thetens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollarseven if you win. That's why being careful is no substitutefor liability insurance. Make sure you have adequate coverage for your vehicles andthose of your employees when used for business purposes. You can be sued and held liable for injury or damage doneby your employees if it is within the course and scope oftheir employment. Property and theft insurance may be an importantconsideration, as well as product liability or serviceliability insurance. This is often called "errors andomissions" coverage. Interview a few local insurance brokers and find one thatseems knowledgeable and that you feel comfortable with. Then ask the broker to do a risk assessment to determinewhat coverages you might need and why. Remember, thebroker makes money by selling you insurance "products" sobe sure to question the types of coverage and amounts. Ifyour broker can't explain why he or she is recommending thetypes and amounts of coverage in the risk assessment, findanother broker. The fourth step is recognizing and implimenting taxes. Soleproprietors need to be conscious of local, state andfederal taxes and registration requirements relating totheir businesses. Hiring an accountant or bookkeeper to help set up a simpleaccounting system, or using a software package is a goodplace to start. Hiring a tax professional knowledgeable about local andstate taxes relating to your business, or contacting thelocal tax authorities before you begin generating revenueor expending money can help you stay organized and be readyfor tax time. Additionally, the IRS offers assistance for entrepreneursstarting a small business in various publications. You candownload IRS Publication 334, entitled "Tax Guide for SmallBusiness", and Publication 583, entitled "TaxpayersStarting a Small Business" from the IRS web site.http://www.irs.gov The fifth step is hiring employees (if needed). Though manysmall business people start out running their own shop,success will often bring the need for expansion. When anemployee is added, you must obtain an EmployerIdentification Number from the IRS. You can download FormSS-4 from the IRS web site. In the United States, the Workers Compensation scheme doesa lot to protect employers from lawsuits by employeesinjured on the job, while also providing employees witheasier compensation for workplace injuries. Be sure totalk to your insurance broker about workers' compensationinsurance. Talk to your tax adviser, and make sure you register withyour state for payment of unemployment compensation taxes. Download IRS Form W-4 from the IRS web site to take care ofemployee withholdings. You should get copies of INS FormI-9 to verify your employees' eligibility for employment inthe United States. Finally, issues regarding wrongful termination,discrimination, workplace harassment, and other legalissues have come to the forefront in today's businessenvironment. Make sure you have an employment agreementthat spells out whether your employee is "at-will". ex: canbe let go at any time without cause, or the terms of theemployee's contract for employment.Make sure you Draft employee guidelines or an employmentmanual to make sure there are no misunderstandings aboutwhat expectations, rules and responsibilities are in place.Document any issues relating to your employees well and beproactive about handling disputes. A little planning in thebeginning can save a lot of headaches and legal expenselater on. In conclusion- hiring independent contractors is often agood way to avoid the administrative burdens of hiringemployees, but be precautious. There are many pitfalls tohiring an independent contractor who is for all intents andpurposes an employee. Talk to a lawyer and your tax advisorabout who is an employee versus a contractor.
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com----------------------------Five Steps to Starting a BusinessBy Abe CherianCopyright ? 2005Starting a business can be a rewarding experience, but itcan also be very time consuming and difficult. Manyresources are available to assist you, but informationoverload can cause you from moving forward. Keeping it simple is often the best way of maintaining themomentum necessary to get your business started. There area series of steps to ensure success.The first step toward getting your business going isdeciding on a name, for example "New York Landscaping." Any name that you do business under other than your owngiven name is called a "fictitious" or "assumed" name, andcertain steps need to be taken in order for you to dobusiness under that fictitious or assumed name.Depending on where you live, different government agenciestrack which names are available. Look in your local phonedirectory, under government agencies to find the number, orcontact your local Secretary of State. Check to find out if the name you want has been taken. Ifit is available, you may need to file a fictitious orassumed name certificate with the state or local fictitiousname office. Some areas will also require you to publish a notice in the local paper about your new assumed name.Both state and federal law regulates the use of names and"trademarks". To avoid conflicts with other businessesregionally or nationally using your business's name, or thenames of your products, you may want to considerregistering your trademark on the federal or state level. Contact an intellectual property attorney for trademarksearch and registration services. The second step is knowing that different areas havediffering licensing and permit requirements depending onthe type of business you are going into. Most businessesthat require a license will have a local licensingauthority that can guide you through the process.Find out the licensing requirements on federal, state, andpossibly even local levels for your type of business andget licensed. Failure to be properly licensed could resultin penalties such as fines, closure of your business, andimprisonment in some cases. The third step is getting insurance. When things are goingsmoothly, insurance can seem an unduly burdensome expenseon a small business. But when things go wrong, whether ornot you have insurance can mean whether or not you and yourbusiness survive a catastrophic event like a lawsuit, fire,or natural disaster. Liability insurance protects you against liability in theevent of injury to others or damage to other personsproperty. Liability insurers most often have two duties: 1. The duty to defend you. Hire a lawyer, if you get suedand 2. the duty to indemnify you. Pay for damage or injury toothers. Both duties are extremely important, but thefirst is often overlooked by small businesses.The cost of defending a lawsuit can easily run into thetens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollarseven if you win. That's why being careful is no substitutefor liability insurance. Make sure you have adequate coverage for your vehicles andthose of your employees when used for business purposes. You can be sued and held liable for injury or damage doneby your employees if it is within the course and scope oftheir employment. Property and theft insurance may be an importantconsideration, as well as product liability or serviceliability insurance. This is often called "errors andomissions" coverage. Interview a few local insurance brokers and find one thatseems knowledgeable and that you feel comfortable with. Then ask the broker to do a risk assessment to determinewhat coverages you might need and why. Remember, thebroker makes money by selling you insurance "products" sobe sure to question the types of coverage and amounts. Ifyour broker can't explain why he or she is recommending thetypes and amounts of coverage in the risk assessment, findanother broker. The fourth step is recognizing and implimenting taxes. Soleproprietors need to be conscious of local, state andfederal taxes and registration requirements relating totheir businesses. Hiring an accountant or bookkeeper to help set up a simpleaccounting system, or using a software package is a goodplace to start. Hiring a tax professional knowledgeable about local andstate taxes relating to your business, or contacting thelocal tax authorities before you begin generating revenueor expending money can help you stay organized and be readyfor tax time. Additionally, the IRS offers assistance for entrepreneursstarting a small business in various publications. You candownload IRS Publication 334, entitled "Tax Guide for SmallBusiness", and Publication 583, entitled "TaxpayersStarting a Small Business" from the IRS web site.http://www.irs.gov The fifth step is hiring employees (if needed). Though manysmall business people start out running their own shop,success will often bring the need for expansion. When anemployee is added, you must obtain an EmployerIdentification Number from the IRS. You can download FormSS-4 from the IRS web site. In the United States, the Workers Compensation scheme doesa lot to protect employers from lawsuits by employeesinjured on the job, while also providing employees witheasier compensation for workplace injuries. Be sure totalk to your insurance broker about workers' compensationinsurance. Talk to your tax adviser, and make sure you register withyour state for payment of unemployment compensation taxes. Download IRS Form W-4 from the IRS web site to take care ofemployee withholdings. You should get copies of INS FormI-9 to verify your employees' eligibility for employment inthe United States. Finally, issues regarding wrongful termination,discrimination, workplace harassment, and other legalissues have come to the forefront in today's businessenvironment. Make sure you have an employment agreementthat spells out whether your employee is "at-will". ex: canbe let go at any time without cause, or the terms of theemployee's contract for employment.Make sure you Draft employee guidelines or an employmentmanual to make sure there are no misunderstandings aboutwhat expectations, rules and responsibilities are in place.Document any issues relating to your employees well and beproactive about handling disputes. A little planning in thebeginning can save a lot of headaches and legal expenselater on. In conclusion- hiring independent contractors is often agood way to avoid the administrative burdens of hiringemployees, but be precautious. There are many pitfalls tohiring an independent contractor who is for all intents andpurposes an employee. Talk to a lawyer and your tax advisorabout who is an employee versus a contractor.
Follow-Up Marketing: How to Win More Sales with Less Effort
by: David Frey
Copyright 2005 David FreyA study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. If you’re a small business owner and you’re only doing one or two follow-ups imagine all the business you’re losing. Not following up with your prospects and customers is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain! But don’t be disheartened if you’re among the 90% of business owners I talk to that don’t do any follow up. The good news is you have ample room for profitable improvement. Consistent follow-up creates a predictable and profitable stream of prospects and customers that buy. Small businesses that capture leads and follow-up with them enjoy higher conversion rates and a higher percentage of referrals than those that don’t. After asking many small business owners the reason they don’t follow up I often hear responses such as, "I don’t have the sales staff to chase down all our leads", or "We’re usually too busy to do a lot of follow up." These responses automatically set off red flags that tell me that they lack a systematic process for following up. The problem is not that they don’t have the capacity to follow up with prospects, it’s that they don’t have the systems in place to do it. ______________________________________________What Does a Good Follow Up System Look Like? ______________________________________________A good follow up marketing system should have three attributes. It should be systematic, meaning that the follow up process is done the same way every time. It should generate consistent, predictable results. It should require minimal physical interaction to make it run, meaning it should be able to run on autopilot. Sounds like a dream come true for most small business owners doesn’t it? Not only can it be done, it’s being done every day. The secret to "follow-up marketing" is to make it automatic so that you don’t have to lift a finger but the job still gets done. With today’s technology it’s simpler than ever. Automating your follow-up processes gives you more time to work "on" your business rather than "in" your business. __________________________Three Types of Follow Ups __________________________There are three types of people you should be following up with, suspects (people in your target marketplace), prospects (people who have responded to your marketing but have not purchased, and customers (people who have purchased something from you.) Each follow up message and offer will be different for each type of person. With suspects, you’ll want to entice them to call you or visit your store / office. With prospects, you need to persuade them to make their first purchase. And with customers, you want to convince them to come back and do more business with you and give your referrals. Obviously the hardest type of person to follow up with is a suspect because they haven’t shown any interest yet in a pool or hot tub and you usually don’t have their contact information. But that’s not true with prospects and customers. You not only know who they are, but you should already have their contact information. And if you follow up with your customers with consistency you’ll find that they will help you turn your suspects into prospects and prospects into customers for you through referrals. __________________________________Your Follow Up Marketing Tools __________________________________Your principal follow up marketing tools are the telephone, direct mail, and email. Many pool and hot tub business owners make the mistake of jumping right on the telephone to follow up; however, most prospects don’t want a pushy sales message right away and most prospects have been trained to consider anyone who calls up to be a pushy salesperson. Instead, you should try to develop a relationship of trust with your prospect by quickly sending informational items such as special reports, audio CDs, or videos before you make a phone call. Remember to always include a "next-step-offer" to accompany your educational materials. If the next step is to visit the store, then entice them with an appropriate offer or if the next step is to call you, entice your prospect to call you immediately. People move through the buying process in baby steps, especially when considering buying high-ticket items such as hot tubs or pools. Your offer should always help them take the next step. ____________________________Your Follow Up Sequence ____________________________The power of your follow up will lie in your follow up sequence. Your follow up sequence is a series of communications with your prospect that are "linked" together, with each communication building on the previous message. For instance, you might start your second letter by saying, "10 days ago I sent you a letter..." You might also consider stamping the message, "2nd Notice" on the envelope to let people know this is the second time you’ve contacted them. Referencing the previous communication links what you’re saying with what you’ve already said and reminds your prospect that you care enough to continue the conversation. Usually, when doing direct mail you should include three to five mailings spaced out about seven days apart. When using a sequential autoresponder you can have as many follow ups as you want because using email is basically free (that’s why you always want to get a prospects email address). One of my clients has over 20 follow-ups in his autoresponder sequence that go out over a six month period. Each sequence should follow a logical argument and you might consider bolstering the offer with each communication using a deadline as a motivator to act now. As an example, in the third communication you could say, "I’m surprised you haven’t taken me up on my generous offer. What’s holding you back?" Or consider saying, "I’ve written you three times and you still haven’t taken me up on my offer so I’m going to pull out all the stops and make you an offer you simply can’t refuse." Notice how the language always links the previous communication and increases the boldness of the offer. It’s the same type of conversation you might have in a regular sales conversation. _______________________________________________________How to Put Your Follow Up Marketing System on Autopilot _______________________________________________________What I’m about to reveal to you is the key to developing a powerful follow up marketing system because it overcomes the number one reason most businesses don’t follow up. You must automate your follow up system as much as possible so that there are few, if any, physical interactions from your employees with the system. It’s the required physical interactions (i.e. printing letters, sending emails, inputting leads etc.) where 99% of all the breakdowns happen in well-intentioned follow up marketing systems. To automate your follow-ups you should consider using robotic marketing systems and outsourcing any manual interactions to a dedicated service. For instance, to capture your leads you should consider using a toll-free automated recorded message system that captures your prospects contact information and automatically transcribes it and sends your leads to you in a spreadsheet every morning via email. If you’re using a direct mail follow up system (and you should be), find a fulfillment house to do the mailings for you. To find a fulfillment house, simply go to your local printer and ask them to refer you to a fulfillment house in the area. Now step back for a moment and see the power of what I’ve just revealed to you. Imagine running an ad, having your prospect call up and give their contact information via your recorded message system. Then having your leads automatically sent to your fulfillment house via email, after which your prospect receives a five-sequence direct mail package containing your most persuasive marketing message -- without you lifting one finger! You can set up the exact same type of "hands-free" follow up marketing system using an email autoresponder system. Your prospect will not only be receiving your direct mail messages, but you can insert your email messages in between your mailings. ____________________________________What About Calling to Follow Up? ____________________________________You’ll notice that I didn’t say anything about calling your prospect. That’s because you want your prospect to have already received your educational marketing messages and have most of their questions answered before they call you. An educated prospect is your best prospect. They already know why you’re different, what your value proposition is, and how you’re uniquely qualified to meet their needs. In essence, they’ve pre-qualified themselves before you ever have to spend time physically speaking to them. This drastically reduces the sales cycle and increases your conversion rate because you have positioned your small business to be their only logical choice. _____________Conclusion _____________Follow-up marketing will boost your closing rate and dramatically increase your customer satisfaction. Following up with systematic processes allows you to leverage your salespeople’s time and enhance their productivity, which will result in more sales with less effort and isn’t that what you want? Start winning more sales today by implementing your own follow-up marketing system.
Copyright 2005 David FreyA study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. If you’re a small business owner and you’re only doing one or two follow-ups imagine all the business you’re losing. Not following up with your prospects and customers is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain! But don’t be disheartened if you’re among the 90% of business owners I talk to that don’t do any follow up. The good news is you have ample room for profitable improvement. Consistent follow-up creates a predictable and profitable stream of prospects and customers that buy. Small businesses that capture leads and follow-up with them enjoy higher conversion rates and a higher percentage of referrals than those that don’t. After asking many small business owners the reason they don’t follow up I often hear responses such as, "I don’t have the sales staff to chase down all our leads", or "We’re usually too busy to do a lot of follow up." These responses automatically set off red flags that tell me that they lack a systematic process for following up. The problem is not that they don’t have the capacity to follow up with prospects, it’s that they don’t have the systems in place to do it. ______________________________________________What Does a Good Follow Up System Look Like? ______________________________________________A good follow up marketing system should have three attributes. It should be systematic, meaning that the follow up process is done the same way every time. It should generate consistent, predictable results. It should require minimal physical interaction to make it run, meaning it should be able to run on autopilot. Sounds like a dream come true for most small business owners doesn’t it? Not only can it be done, it’s being done every day. The secret to "follow-up marketing" is to make it automatic so that you don’t have to lift a finger but the job still gets done. With today’s technology it’s simpler than ever. Automating your follow-up processes gives you more time to work "on" your business rather than "in" your business. __________________________Three Types of Follow Ups __________________________There are three types of people you should be following up with, suspects (people in your target marketplace), prospects (people who have responded to your marketing but have not purchased, and customers (people who have purchased something from you.) Each follow up message and offer will be different for each type of person. With suspects, you’ll want to entice them to call you or visit your store / office. With prospects, you need to persuade them to make their first purchase. And with customers, you want to convince them to come back and do more business with you and give your referrals. Obviously the hardest type of person to follow up with is a suspect because they haven’t shown any interest yet in a pool or hot tub and you usually don’t have their contact information. But that’s not true with prospects and customers. You not only know who they are, but you should already have their contact information. And if you follow up with your customers with consistency you’ll find that they will help you turn your suspects into prospects and prospects into customers for you through referrals. __________________________________Your Follow Up Marketing Tools __________________________________Your principal follow up marketing tools are the telephone, direct mail, and email. Many pool and hot tub business owners make the mistake of jumping right on the telephone to follow up; however, most prospects don’t want a pushy sales message right away and most prospects have been trained to consider anyone who calls up to be a pushy salesperson. Instead, you should try to develop a relationship of trust with your prospect by quickly sending informational items such as special reports, audio CDs, or videos before you make a phone call. Remember to always include a "next-step-offer" to accompany your educational materials. If the next step is to visit the store, then entice them with an appropriate offer or if the next step is to call you, entice your prospect to call you immediately. People move through the buying process in baby steps, especially when considering buying high-ticket items such as hot tubs or pools. Your offer should always help them take the next step. ____________________________Your Follow Up Sequence ____________________________The power of your follow up will lie in your follow up sequence. Your follow up sequence is a series of communications with your prospect that are "linked" together, with each communication building on the previous message. For instance, you might start your second letter by saying, "10 days ago I sent you a letter..." You might also consider stamping the message, "2nd Notice" on the envelope to let people know this is the second time you’ve contacted them. Referencing the previous communication links what you’re saying with what you’ve already said and reminds your prospect that you care enough to continue the conversation. Usually, when doing direct mail you should include three to five mailings spaced out about seven days apart. When using a sequential autoresponder you can have as many follow ups as you want because using email is basically free (that’s why you always want to get a prospects email address). One of my clients has over 20 follow-ups in his autoresponder sequence that go out over a six month period. Each sequence should follow a logical argument and you might consider bolstering the offer with each communication using a deadline as a motivator to act now. As an example, in the third communication you could say, "I’m surprised you haven’t taken me up on my generous offer. What’s holding you back?" Or consider saying, "I’ve written you three times and you still haven’t taken me up on my offer so I’m going to pull out all the stops and make you an offer you simply can’t refuse." Notice how the language always links the previous communication and increases the boldness of the offer. It’s the same type of conversation you might have in a regular sales conversation. _______________________________________________________How to Put Your Follow Up Marketing System on Autopilot _______________________________________________________What I’m about to reveal to you is the key to developing a powerful follow up marketing system because it overcomes the number one reason most businesses don’t follow up. You must automate your follow up system as much as possible so that there are few, if any, physical interactions from your employees with the system. It’s the required physical interactions (i.e. printing letters, sending emails, inputting leads etc.) where 99% of all the breakdowns happen in well-intentioned follow up marketing systems. To automate your follow-ups you should consider using robotic marketing systems and outsourcing any manual interactions to a dedicated service. For instance, to capture your leads you should consider using a toll-free automated recorded message system that captures your prospects contact information and automatically transcribes it and sends your leads to you in a spreadsheet every morning via email. If you’re using a direct mail follow up system (and you should be), find a fulfillment house to do the mailings for you. To find a fulfillment house, simply go to your local printer and ask them to refer you to a fulfillment house in the area. Now step back for a moment and see the power of what I’ve just revealed to you. Imagine running an ad, having your prospect call up and give their contact information via your recorded message system. Then having your leads automatically sent to your fulfillment house via email, after which your prospect receives a five-sequence direct mail package containing your most persuasive marketing message -- without you lifting one finger! You can set up the exact same type of "hands-free" follow up marketing system using an email autoresponder system. Your prospect will not only be receiving your direct mail messages, but you can insert your email messages in between your mailings. ____________________________________What About Calling to Follow Up? ____________________________________You’ll notice that I didn’t say anything about calling your prospect. That’s because you want your prospect to have already received your educational marketing messages and have most of their questions answered before they call you. An educated prospect is your best prospect. They already know why you’re different, what your value proposition is, and how you’re uniquely qualified to meet their needs. In essence, they’ve pre-qualified themselves before you ever have to spend time physically speaking to them. This drastically reduces the sales cycle and increases your conversion rate because you have positioned your small business to be their only logical choice. _____________Conclusion _____________Follow-up marketing will boost your closing rate and dramatically increase your customer satisfaction. Following up with systematic processes allows you to leverage your salespeople’s time and enhance their productivity, which will result in more sales with less effort and isn’t that what you want? Start winning more sales today by implementing your own follow-up marketing system.
Building Great Business Relationships
by: Cynthia Morse CAP
If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer – how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?A business relationship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. The expectations of both parties needs be clear and easily understandable. Applying the Golden Rule is also a good idea: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a very powerful statement, and one I try to practice in my daily life, both in business and personal matters.Good communication is key for any business relationship to grow and thrive. Even when conflicts surface (and they will), keeping the lines of communication open at all times is extremely important. Meet conflicts head-on, no matter how frightening they may seem at the time. The sooner the issues are out on the table and dealt with, the sooner you can get back on track and back to business-as-usual.Another thing to keep in mind is letting people know you appreciate them. Thank you notes, cards and e-mails are always a good idea, and they never go out of style. People love to be appreciated. If you are receiving great business from someone, always be sure to let them know. You will feel better for it, and so will they.Another great idea is to reach out and “touch” your clients and customers on a regular basis by sending them monthly newsletters. This is a wonderful way to keep in touch, both to let them know you are thinking about them, and to remind them about you as well.Remember, you get out of a great relationship what you put into it. Value those you do business with. Nurture the relationships, so they are always growing and prospering. Keep this up and you will always have a garden full of healthy, happy business contacts.
If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer – how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?A business relationship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. The expectations of both parties needs be clear and easily understandable. Applying the Golden Rule is also a good idea: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a very powerful statement, and one I try to practice in my daily life, both in business and personal matters.Good communication is key for any business relationship to grow and thrive. Even when conflicts surface (and they will), keeping the lines of communication open at all times is extremely important. Meet conflicts head-on, no matter how frightening they may seem at the time. The sooner the issues are out on the table and dealt with, the sooner you can get back on track and back to business-as-usual.Another thing to keep in mind is letting people know you appreciate them. Thank you notes, cards and e-mails are always a good idea, and they never go out of style. People love to be appreciated. If you are receiving great business from someone, always be sure to let them know. You will feel better for it, and so will they.Another great idea is to reach out and “touch” your clients and customers on a regular basis by sending them monthly newsletters. This is a wonderful way to keep in touch, both to let them know you are thinking about them, and to remind them about you as well.Remember, you get out of a great relationship what you put into it. Value those you do business with. Nurture the relationships, so they are always growing and prospering. Keep this up and you will always have a garden full of healthy, happy business contacts.
You're SOOOO Close to More Business - It's Scary!
by: Scott Rauber
You’re SOOOO Close to More Business - It’s Scary!Many small business owners are longing for more prospects right now. They are contemplating giving up because they don’t have potential for more income or they’re pondering the plunge of launching their business for the first time. Either way – you are soooooooo close to more business – it’s scary.Finding prospects for your product and or service is not as hard as most people make it out to be. In most cases you don’t need to unload your income on advertising avenues that are nothing more than bottomless pits. You can usually find them right under your nose and more likely than not you can uncover them without the use of money. All you need is time and hard work.Here are a few suggestions to help you find some prospects right now:Quit Cold CallingWhether you cold call on the phone or face-to-face why not try contacting people that already know, like and trust you. The people that know, like and trust you will; read your emails, take your phone calls, read the mail you send them, return your calls, etc. Most of us overlook contacting friends and family from the past, the far past. Look here first.Be pinpoint specific and ask for referrals nowIf you’ve ever asked for a referral, you’ve probably got the response, “Not right off the top of my head.” as an answer to your request. Last year I asked a client for a referral like this; “Who’s your courier company?” I got the answer, and B-A-M a new client. Be specific when you ask for a referral. Ask for; a neighbor’s name, best friend, who works across the hall, etc. Pick up the phone, call a customer and be specific when you ask for a referral. It works.Introduce yourself locallyOld-school marketing at it’s best. Now don’t confuse this with cold calling. Take a handful of business cards and introduce yourself to local businesses, just let them know what your business is – nothing else. It’s no different than meeting someone at your child’s soccer game. You simply exchange cards. It’s strange, but when you go “introducing” and not “selling”, people defenses are dropped and you just might find a prospect or two. If you have a small business, distributorship or are a sales associate, try these 3 tips right now and see if you don’t find a few more prospects.
You’re SOOOO Close to More Business - It’s Scary!Many small business owners are longing for more prospects right now. They are contemplating giving up because they don’t have potential for more income or they’re pondering the plunge of launching their business for the first time. Either way – you are soooooooo close to more business – it’s scary.Finding prospects for your product and or service is not as hard as most people make it out to be. In most cases you don’t need to unload your income on advertising avenues that are nothing more than bottomless pits. You can usually find them right under your nose and more likely than not you can uncover them without the use of money. All you need is time and hard work.Here are a few suggestions to help you find some prospects right now:Quit Cold CallingWhether you cold call on the phone or face-to-face why not try contacting people that already know, like and trust you. The people that know, like and trust you will; read your emails, take your phone calls, read the mail you send them, return your calls, etc. Most of us overlook contacting friends and family from the past, the far past. Look here first.Be pinpoint specific and ask for referrals nowIf you’ve ever asked for a referral, you’ve probably got the response, “Not right off the top of my head.” as an answer to your request. Last year I asked a client for a referral like this; “Who’s your courier company?” I got the answer, and B-A-M a new client. Be specific when you ask for a referral. Ask for; a neighbor’s name, best friend, who works across the hall, etc. Pick up the phone, call a customer and be specific when you ask for a referral. It works.Introduce yourself locallyOld-school marketing at it’s best. Now don’t confuse this with cold calling. Take a handful of business cards and introduce yourself to local businesses, just let them know what your business is – nothing else. It’s no different than meeting someone at your child’s soccer game. You simply exchange cards. It’s strange, but when you go “introducing” and not “selling”, people defenses are dropped and you just might find a prospect or two. If you have a small business, distributorship or are a sales associate, try these 3 tips right now and see if you don’t find a few more prospects.
Small Business 101: Deadly Ignorance
by: Daniel Sitter
Copyright 2005 Daniel SitterAmerican small business is again in transition. Many employees, now working from home, are no longer tied to a geographic office and the woes of commuting. This is a relatively new phenomenon with hints of explosive sector growth in the days ahead. As this turbulent economy has forced downsizing, offshore restructuring and closures in large companies, many new entrepreneurs have been born. These are people, who instead of tirelessly attempting to find new employment and possibly enduring the same fate as previously experienced, are now starting small businesses and enjoying the benefits and perils of self-employment. There's an old story telling of an Admiral's decision to fight a battle against overwhelming odds. It seems that he was approaching the coast of an enemy land, with a larger naval force closing in from behind and a great army approaching from the land ahead. He prayed and then addressed his men. He announced that their battle weary forces would land on the beach ahead, dig in and prepare for the upcoming battle. There was no turning back and no other alternative. He ordered their ships burned after they landed. Their only choice was to fight to win or perish. They defeated their enemy because he eliminated any other escape route. They were fixed on the goal of survival and none other.That is the same attitude we as entrepreneurs must take. We can not afford to be denied. We must grow and prosper or our business will surely perish. We must constantly be looking for ways to cost-effectively market our business and increase sales. We must control costs and have sufficient cash flow for daily operations. Each of us must be persistent, relentless and vigilant. As CEO, we are the manufacturer, the sales team, the marketing department, legal office, accounting office, human resources manager, IT manager, the webmaster and so on. We can't afford to be all these positions. Our job is to sell! We must locate cost effective resources to help us grow and protect our investment in our business. The growth of the internet has changed our marketplace as well. Years ago, a small business owner decided upon a geographic chunk of the market and set up shop. Today, that shop is typically located in an office at the entrepreneur's home. The marketplace is now the world. The costs of marketing products and communicating worldwide are so low that almost anyone can take part in this revolution. Sophisticated voice mail, cell phones, email and effective ecommerce web sites now provide the illusion of size and grandeur for even the smallest home-based business. The end customer typically has no idea whether their supplier is local or across the world. He may be dressed in a shirt and tie or in his pajamas! All that typically matters is that the exchange of product and services is successfully made for a profit.It is critically important for the small, home-based entrepreneur to be aware of resources available to her as she makes this great leap. Too many people leap prematurely into business only to fail because of poor planning and insufficient financial resources. Do not get caught in this trap. Don't quit your day job until you have enough cash on hand to pay the bills for at least a year into your new venture. Become aware of and develop the resources available to you. You want everything possible going for you as you make this leap of faith into the entrepreneurial world.Here in South Carolina, we have the outstanding Women's Business Center (http://www.scwbc.org), a division of the SCMEP, South Carolina Manufacturers Extension Partnership (http://www.scmep.org), one of the best kept secrets available to businesses at all levels in our State. Other States have similar programs modeled after ours. These are incredible resources, partially funded by the State and private resources, available at little to no cost to entrepreneurs, with the purpose of aiding the successful growth of small business. Some additional national resources are:http://www.national business.orghttp://www.nase.orghttp://www.gosmallbiz.comhttp://www.empoweringbiz.comhttp://www.nfib.orghttp://www.qualitybusinessdirectory.comThere are also numerous magazines devoted to small business, home-based business, marketing, sales, accounting, etc… Get tuned in to these and other resources available to you. Read your industry publications to stay abreast of competition and other facets of your business interests.A single legal issue, FACTA problem, accounting error or marketing miscue can put you out of business. In the case of FACTA, insufficient security or poor record-keeping these days could find you legally responsible for a single employee's identity fraud issue, which may end up being very costly. A single lawsuit or vendor dispute can shut you down. Many entrepreneurs are ignorant, ill-prepared and under-schooled with regard to these and other issues. Do not get caught in the deadly ignorance trap. There is more opportunity available today than ever before for the wise entrepreneur. Get all you ducks in a row before you make the fateful leap into the new world marketplace. Be smart, learn all you can as quickly as possible and take action on your ideas. Like the Admiral, be determined to win in the face of what may appear to be overwhelming adversity.
Copyright 2005 Daniel SitterAmerican small business is again in transition. Many employees, now working from home, are no longer tied to a geographic office and the woes of commuting. This is a relatively new phenomenon with hints of explosive sector growth in the days ahead. As this turbulent economy has forced downsizing, offshore restructuring and closures in large companies, many new entrepreneurs have been born. These are people, who instead of tirelessly attempting to find new employment and possibly enduring the same fate as previously experienced, are now starting small businesses and enjoying the benefits and perils of self-employment. There's an old story telling of an Admiral's decision to fight a battle against overwhelming odds. It seems that he was approaching the coast of an enemy land, with a larger naval force closing in from behind and a great army approaching from the land ahead. He prayed and then addressed his men. He announced that their battle weary forces would land on the beach ahead, dig in and prepare for the upcoming battle. There was no turning back and no other alternative. He ordered their ships burned after they landed. Their only choice was to fight to win or perish. They defeated their enemy because he eliminated any other escape route. They were fixed on the goal of survival and none other.That is the same attitude we as entrepreneurs must take. We can not afford to be denied. We must grow and prosper or our business will surely perish. We must constantly be looking for ways to cost-effectively market our business and increase sales. We must control costs and have sufficient cash flow for daily operations. Each of us must be persistent, relentless and vigilant. As CEO, we are the manufacturer, the sales team, the marketing department, legal office, accounting office, human resources manager, IT manager, the webmaster and so on. We can't afford to be all these positions. Our job is to sell! We must locate cost effective resources to help us grow and protect our investment in our business. The growth of the internet has changed our marketplace as well. Years ago, a small business owner decided upon a geographic chunk of the market and set up shop. Today, that shop is typically located in an office at the entrepreneur's home. The marketplace is now the world. The costs of marketing products and communicating worldwide are so low that almost anyone can take part in this revolution. Sophisticated voice mail, cell phones, email and effective ecommerce web sites now provide the illusion of size and grandeur for even the smallest home-based business. The end customer typically has no idea whether their supplier is local or across the world. He may be dressed in a shirt and tie or in his pajamas! All that typically matters is that the exchange of product and services is successfully made for a profit.It is critically important for the small, home-based entrepreneur to be aware of resources available to her as she makes this great leap. Too many people leap prematurely into business only to fail because of poor planning and insufficient financial resources. Do not get caught in this trap. Don't quit your day job until you have enough cash on hand to pay the bills for at least a year into your new venture. Become aware of and develop the resources available to you. You want everything possible going for you as you make this leap of faith into the entrepreneurial world.Here in South Carolina, we have the outstanding Women's Business Center (http://www.scwbc.org), a division of the SCMEP, South Carolina Manufacturers Extension Partnership (http://www.scmep.org), one of the best kept secrets available to businesses at all levels in our State. Other States have similar programs modeled after ours. These are incredible resources, partially funded by the State and private resources, available at little to no cost to entrepreneurs, with the purpose of aiding the successful growth of small business. Some additional national resources are:http://www.national business.orghttp://www.nase.orghttp://www.gosmallbiz.comhttp://www.empoweringbiz.comhttp://www.nfib.orghttp://www.qualitybusinessdirectory.comThere are also numerous magazines devoted to small business, home-based business, marketing, sales, accounting, etc… Get tuned in to these and other resources available to you. Read your industry publications to stay abreast of competition and other facets of your business interests.A single legal issue, FACTA problem, accounting error or marketing miscue can put you out of business. In the case of FACTA, insufficient security or poor record-keeping these days could find you legally responsible for a single employee's identity fraud issue, which may end up being very costly. A single lawsuit or vendor dispute can shut you down. Many entrepreneurs are ignorant, ill-prepared and under-schooled with regard to these and other issues. Do not get caught in the deadly ignorance trap. There is more opportunity available today than ever before for the wise entrepreneur. Get all you ducks in a row before you make the fateful leap into the new world marketplace. Be smart, learn all you can as quickly as possible and take action on your ideas. Like the Admiral, be determined to win in the face of what may appear to be overwhelming adversity.
The Small Business Success Summit (October 10, 2003 to October 12, 2003)
: Maxine Thompson
Copyright 2005 Black Butterfly PressBy Maxine Thompson (http://www.maxinethompson.com) While at the Pacific Ocean the other day, penning this article, I watched a homeless man dig inside a garbage can and ferret out a thrown away bag of fast food. Of course, I felt moved to give him a small token, but it made me reflect. What if he had attended The Small Business Success Summit? Perhaps his life would have been different. He could have learned from Ted Nicholas, known as the 4 billion dollar man, (www.TedNicholas.com) and Joel Christopher, (www.JoelChristopher.com) called The Master List Builder (www.masterlistbuilder.com), how to start a business from scratch. Instead of giving him a fish, he could have been given a fishing rod. No doubt about it, this conference, held on 10-10-03 to 10-12-03 at the Airport Marriot in the sparkling San Francisco Bay area, headed by Superstar Speakers, Ted Nicholas and Joel Christopher, delivered what the two men promised. Not only was the Conference taped on video, it was broadcasted live to the world on the Internet. The Summit was considered a success by all the attendees, as well as by the people who watched the event globally. Promoted as “The impossible-to-fail small business success system that will build the Million Dollar Empire you have always dreamed of,” it met the intended objectives and more. The three-day conference provided life-transforming information, and hands on, experiential exercises. This groundbreaking, history-making event of the new millennium was the best seminar we ever attended. In addition to many technical and inside secrets as to how to make your words sell, one of the main themes Ted Nicholas emphasized was this: integrity always remains in style. In light of the many big business scandals, Nicholas’s philosophies were truly refreshing. To give you an insight into this great man’s longstanding success, here are just a few of the business principles of which he spoke. 1. Make all your dealings win/win. Do not take advantage of other businesses when their chips are down. 2. If you unwittingly under charge for a job, in the name of keeping a good business ethic, eat the loss. Don’t try to mark up the price after agreeing on a lower price. 3. Keep your word, at all costs, to build trust with your customers. 4. You can build a great business without being a workaholic. He addressed the need for balance in the areas of health, spirituality, and relationships. 5. Finally, use magic words when it comes to getting people to buy your products or do business with you.From Joel Christopher, who proudly tells you of his Filipino heritage and, in spite of the language barrier, the success he has had in the United States, we saw up close: 1. How you can make $31,000 Swiss dollars in 24 hours on the Internet. 2. How to build your online business with offline marketing. 3. The secret method he used that has helped him to create joint ventures with many of the top leaders in the internet marketing field. 4. The secrets of how he tripled his opt-in list in 99 days. 5. The autohumanization factor that makes a difference in all relationship capital. In the end, we left the seminar exhausted, but exhilarated about the possibilities we now face and the tools we had been given to grow our small businesses into million dollar empires. With this in mind, I want to be one of the caring people with an abundance who will be able to help with the world’s homeless and hunger problem.
Copyright 2005 Black Butterfly PressBy Maxine Thompson (http://www.maxinethompson.com) While at the Pacific Ocean the other day, penning this article, I watched a homeless man dig inside a garbage can and ferret out a thrown away bag of fast food. Of course, I felt moved to give him a small token, but it made me reflect. What if he had attended The Small Business Success Summit? Perhaps his life would have been different. He could have learned from Ted Nicholas, known as the 4 billion dollar man, (www.TedNicholas.com) and Joel Christopher, (www.JoelChristopher.com) called The Master List Builder (www.masterlistbuilder.com), how to start a business from scratch. Instead of giving him a fish, he could have been given a fishing rod. No doubt about it, this conference, held on 10-10-03 to 10-12-03 at the Airport Marriot in the sparkling San Francisco Bay area, headed by Superstar Speakers, Ted Nicholas and Joel Christopher, delivered what the two men promised. Not only was the Conference taped on video, it was broadcasted live to the world on the Internet. The Summit was considered a success by all the attendees, as well as by the people who watched the event globally. Promoted as “The impossible-to-fail small business success system that will build the Million Dollar Empire you have always dreamed of,” it met the intended objectives and more. The three-day conference provided life-transforming information, and hands on, experiential exercises. This groundbreaking, history-making event of the new millennium was the best seminar we ever attended. In addition to many technical and inside secrets as to how to make your words sell, one of the main themes Ted Nicholas emphasized was this: integrity always remains in style. In light of the many big business scandals, Nicholas’s philosophies were truly refreshing. To give you an insight into this great man’s longstanding success, here are just a few of the business principles of which he spoke. 1. Make all your dealings win/win. Do not take advantage of other businesses when their chips are down. 2. If you unwittingly under charge for a job, in the name of keeping a good business ethic, eat the loss. Don’t try to mark up the price after agreeing on a lower price. 3. Keep your word, at all costs, to build trust with your customers. 4. You can build a great business without being a workaholic. He addressed the need for balance in the areas of health, spirituality, and relationships. 5. Finally, use magic words when it comes to getting people to buy your products or do business with you.From Joel Christopher, who proudly tells you of his Filipino heritage and, in spite of the language barrier, the success he has had in the United States, we saw up close: 1. How you can make $31,000 Swiss dollars in 24 hours on the Internet. 2. How to build your online business with offline marketing. 3. The secret method he used that has helped him to create joint ventures with many of the top leaders in the internet marketing field. 4. The secrets of how he tripled his opt-in list in 99 days. 5. The autohumanization factor that makes a difference in all relationship capital. In the end, we left the seminar exhausted, but exhilarated about the possibilities we now face and the tools we had been given to grow our small businesses into million dollar empires. With this in mind, I want to be one of the caring people with an abundance who will be able to help with the world’s homeless and hunger problem.
Consolidate Student Loans and Shop Online
by: Nick Smith
If you run a home business, you know that budgets can be pretty tight. Saving money wherever possible can be the difference between the business that succeeds and the one that fails. This article represents a broad survey of things you can do, from consolidating your student loans to getting small business deals on supplies, that will help you spend less each month.
Next Time You’re Online, Buy Something
Billions of dollars are spent each year online. Rather than suggest that you hurry and move your business online, I’d like to suggest that you add some of your dollars and cents to those billions already spent. Companies who move operations online reduce their overhead costs and often pass on those savings to you. Computers, airplane tickets, even student loan consolidation, can be purchased or arranged online. It has been my experience that I can find almost everything I want online for less than I can find it anywhere else. Next time you’re thinking about biting the bullet and making that big purchase, spend a little time shopping around online and see if you can’t save a few dollars.
Consolidate Student Loans and Get Your House in Order
Chances are good that you’ve been out of school for a while, but don’t skip this paragraph. If you consolidate student loans or other financial obligations, you will typically save a great deal of money each month on your monthly payments. Running a home business often blurs the line between personal expenses and business operating costs – do yourself a favor and make sure you have your personal financial affairs taken care of before you find yourself overwhelmed with past obligations. The government might not have cared about your credit score when they gave you those student loans, but banks looking to give business loans are a whole different story. Making sure everything is taken care will keep financial doors open that, once they’re closed, are very difficult to reopen.
Score One for the Little Guy
Believe it not, most people want small businesses to succeed. There are a lot of people willing to give you a break on prices because you own a home business, but you might need to ask about it. Office supply retailers and computer distributors sometimes offer discount prices to registered small business owners. The savings are not always monumental, but even the smallest savings multiplied over a year or two start to add up to pretty substantial amounts. Shop around to see if the suppliers you use are willing to offer you a discount on supplies or equipment.
Do Without…For a While
I’m probably not the only person that drove a car that was older than I was during college, or who ate Ramen noodles more than once almost everyday. Don’t forget the lessons you learned while you were a poor college student – the same ability to make do with what you have can save you a lot of money in the long run. I had just graduated from college and I wanted to get a new computer to replace the older, though fully functional one I was using. This was before I took my own advice to consolidate student loans, so money was still pretty tight. I wanted to kick myself when I saw that the price on the computer I bought dropped $300 in three months. Some expenses are necessary and unavoidable. For everything else, look to see if you can manage with what you have for a while longer.
Don’t Do It Alone
Nobody likes data entry – it’s time consuming, boring, and time consuming. If you find yourself spending too much of your day punching numbers into spreadsheets, consider hiring someone or outsourcing it to another company. If you think that you can’t afford the part-time salary, do an inventory of your time and see if what you would pay someone is worth the amount of time you’ll be able to invest into the meatier matters of your business.
I know I’m risking sounding like your father giving you a lecture about money, but remember that a penny saved is a penny earned. A successful business minimizes costs while maximizing profits.
If you run a home business, you know that budgets can be pretty tight. Saving money wherever possible can be the difference between the business that succeeds and the one that fails. This article represents a broad survey of things you can do, from consolidating your student loans to getting small business deals on supplies, that will help you spend less each month.
Next Time You’re Online, Buy Something
Billions of dollars are spent each year online. Rather than suggest that you hurry and move your business online, I’d like to suggest that you add some of your dollars and cents to those billions already spent. Companies who move operations online reduce their overhead costs and often pass on those savings to you. Computers, airplane tickets, even student loan consolidation, can be purchased or arranged online. It has been my experience that I can find almost everything I want online for less than I can find it anywhere else. Next time you’re thinking about biting the bullet and making that big purchase, spend a little time shopping around online and see if you can’t save a few dollars.
Consolidate Student Loans and Get Your House in Order
Chances are good that you’ve been out of school for a while, but don’t skip this paragraph. If you consolidate student loans or other financial obligations, you will typically save a great deal of money each month on your monthly payments. Running a home business often blurs the line between personal expenses and business operating costs – do yourself a favor and make sure you have your personal financial affairs taken care of before you find yourself overwhelmed with past obligations. The government might not have cared about your credit score when they gave you those student loans, but banks looking to give business loans are a whole different story. Making sure everything is taken care will keep financial doors open that, once they’re closed, are very difficult to reopen.
Score One for the Little Guy
Believe it not, most people want small businesses to succeed. There are a lot of people willing to give you a break on prices because you own a home business, but you might need to ask about it. Office supply retailers and computer distributors sometimes offer discount prices to registered small business owners. The savings are not always monumental, but even the smallest savings multiplied over a year or two start to add up to pretty substantial amounts. Shop around to see if the suppliers you use are willing to offer you a discount on supplies or equipment.
Do Without…For a While
I’m probably not the only person that drove a car that was older than I was during college, or who ate Ramen noodles more than once almost everyday. Don’t forget the lessons you learned while you were a poor college student – the same ability to make do with what you have can save you a lot of money in the long run. I had just graduated from college and I wanted to get a new computer to replace the older, though fully functional one I was using. This was before I took my own advice to consolidate student loans, so money was still pretty tight. I wanted to kick myself when I saw that the price on the computer I bought dropped $300 in three months. Some expenses are necessary and unavoidable. For everything else, look to see if you can manage with what you have for a while longer.
Don’t Do It Alone
Nobody likes data entry – it’s time consuming, boring, and time consuming. If you find yourself spending too much of your day punching numbers into spreadsheets, consider hiring someone or outsourcing it to another company. If you think that you can’t afford the part-time salary, do an inventory of your time and see if what you would pay someone is worth the amount of time you’ll be able to invest into the meatier matters of your business.
I know I’m risking sounding like your father giving you a lecture about money, but remember that a penny saved is a penny earned. A successful business minimizes costs while maximizing profits.
Evaluating Job Offers -- Eleven Warning Signs You Must Watch Out For
by: Ann Wilson
Moving into a new job always involves some degree of uncertainty. You should do your best to find out all you can about a prospective employer, starting right from the pre-interview stage. Here are some things to look out for. If one or more of these warning signs are present, you need to be doubly careful about joining that organization. 1. The company is in the midst of mergers and acquisitions, or there is a major reorganization taking place, staff cutbacks are on the anvil or some other major flux is occurring. 2. The company you are considering is not undergoing problems like those described above, but many other companies in that industry are. That could be an indication that trouble may spread to your prospective employer sooner or later. 3. The person who will be your boss has a bad reputation. This is something you should find out about from your network. 4. Your prospective boss has joined the organization very recently and his or her reputation is generally not known. 5. You asked to meet with and speak to your new colleagues and this request was refused. What are they afraid the existing employees will say to a prospective new hire? 6. This is a non-profit organization that has had funding problems several times before. In such cases, think twice before taking up a position. 7. They told you a story about the company or about your career prospects that sounded too good to be true. When something sounds that way, it usually is. 8. The company is a small business that is not very profitable and does not seem to have access to strong funding sources. It’s very easy for small businesses to go bankrupt if they’re mismanaged to any degree. 9. The position you are being offered has high turnover. This is usually a bad sign. 10. The interviewers keep saying that they want you to hit the ground running from day one. This may imply that they don’t have the means to provide enough support for your role. This could be a problem particularly if you’re used to working for large organizations that do provide lots of support. 11. The whole interviewing process was done in a big hurry or in a disorganized manner, leaving you in doubt whether they really had a chance to know you. The presence of a warning sign from the list above does not necessarily mean you have to write off that organization as an employer. It does mean that you must get all additional information you need. Read the article at http://www.interview-secrets.net/questions-to-ask-at-an-interview.html to find out useful questions to ask interviewers. Perhaps you could get an opinion from a trusted friend who is familiar with the industry and company. You need to do some serious thinking before you make a decision either way.
Moving into a new job always involves some degree of uncertainty. You should do your best to find out all you can about a prospective employer, starting right from the pre-interview stage. Here are some things to look out for. If one or more of these warning signs are present, you need to be doubly careful about joining that organization. 1. The company is in the midst of mergers and acquisitions, or there is a major reorganization taking place, staff cutbacks are on the anvil or some other major flux is occurring. 2. The company you are considering is not undergoing problems like those described above, but many other companies in that industry are. That could be an indication that trouble may spread to your prospective employer sooner or later. 3. The person who will be your boss has a bad reputation. This is something you should find out about from your network. 4. Your prospective boss has joined the organization very recently and his or her reputation is generally not known. 5. You asked to meet with and speak to your new colleagues and this request was refused. What are they afraid the existing employees will say to a prospective new hire? 6. This is a non-profit organization that has had funding problems several times before. In such cases, think twice before taking up a position. 7. They told you a story about the company or about your career prospects that sounded too good to be true. When something sounds that way, it usually is. 8. The company is a small business that is not very profitable and does not seem to have access to strong funding sources. It’s very easy for small businesses to go bankrupt if they’re mismanaged to any degree. 9. The position you are being offered has high turnover. This is usually a bad sign. 10. The interviewers keep saying that they want you to hit the ground running from day one. This may imply that they don’t have the means to provide enough support for your role. This could be a problem particularly if you’re used to working for large organizations that do provide lots of support. 11. The whole interviewing process was done in a big hurry or in a disorganized manner, leaving you in doubt whether they really had a chance to know you. The presence of a warning sign from the list above does not necessarily mean you have to write off that organization as an employer. It does mean that you must get all additional information you need. Read the article at http://www.interview-secrets.net/questions-to-ask-at-an-interview.html to find out useful questions to ask interviewers. Perhaps you could get an opinion from a trusted friend who is familiar with the industry and company. You need to do some serious thinking before you make a decision either way.
After the latest advice concerning small business insurance rates.
y: Tom Brown
After the latest advice concerning small business insurance rates.
Often when you are looking for superior advice about small business insurance rates, you'll find it difficult separating value packed information from misguided small business insurance rates submissions and proposals so it's prudent to know how to qualify the information you are often given. Now we'd like to give you a few tips which we advise you to use when you are trying to find information about small business insurance rates. Bear in mind the guidance we put forward is only relevant to internet information about small business insurance rates. We don't offer any assistance or guidance if you are receiving information offline. A great tip to pursue when offered information or advice on a small business insurance rates page would be to confirm the sites ownership. This may show you the people behind the site small business insurance rates credibility The quickest way to work out who owns the small business insurance rates site is to find the 'about' page. All highly regarded sites providing information about small business insurance rates, will almost certainly provide an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the owner's details. The fine points should tell some indication concerning the owner's requisite knowledge. You can then make a judgement about the vendor's insight and appreciation, to provide advice to you regarding small business insurance rates.
After the latest advice concerning small business insurance rates.
Often when you are looking for superior advice about small business insurance rates, you'll find it difficult separating value packed information from misguided small business insurance rates submissions and proposals so it's prudent to know how to qualify the information you are often given. Now we'd like to give you a few tips which we advise you to use when you are trying to find information about small business insurance rates. Bear in mind the guidance we put forward is only relevant to internet information about small business insurance rates. We don't offer any assistance or guidance if you are receiving information offline. A great tip to pursue when offered information or advice on a small business insurance rates page would be to confirm the sites ownership. This may show you the people behind the site small business insurance rates credibility The quickest way to work out who owns the small business insurance rates site is to find the 'about' page. All highly regarded sites providing information about small business insurance rates, will almost certainly provide an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the owner's details. The fine points should tell some indication concerning the owner's requisite knowledge. You can then make a judgement about the vendor's insight and appreciation, to provide advice to you regarding small business insurance rates.
Create Real Magic And New Customers
: Robert Smethers
Do you want a small business opportunity that could create more business for you? It is a chance to sell to the government. Bring in new customers is always the number one goal of many business owners. It is the life blood of any operation and if you want your business to stay healthy then you must bring in fresh new customers and keep them coming back with a great service or product. I would like to introduce you to the 59.005 Business Development Assistance to Small Business program. This program is excellent for bringing in new business and revenue. Get help from this program to sell to the government. They will assist your small business in obtaining a "fair" share of contracts and subcontracts for Federal government supplies and services and a "fair" share of property sold by the government.What an excellent opportunity this is! I would rather sell a lot more to meet my goals than to have to get a small business loans or small business grants.What they can do for your company is: (Restriction of bidding/award to small business only)(1) Your application will set-aside the chance to increase the Federal procurement and disposal requirements awarded to small business for a great small business opportunity; (2) You will receive consultation with procuring activities on structuring of procurement and sales planning to optimize small business participation; (3) They will also review and analyze you small business capacity, credit, integrity, perseverance, and tenacity when challenged by contracting officers and certifying competence of such firms to perform as prime contractors, as appropriate, and monitoring performance of certificate of competency holders throughout contract life; (4) They will also review of subcontracting plans and programs of large prime contractors to determine the extent that they are providing subcontracting opportunities to small businesses, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, HUBZone qualified businesses, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small businesses; (5) When they give you consultation and advice for small businesses requesting assistance on government procurement or property sales matters, you must keep in mind that all consultants are not the same. It is very important to get one that you like and is passionate about their job. (6) They will also help you with specific contract administration problems;(7) They will see if you qualify for the SBA's procurement and financial programs; (8) By doing this they want to breakout of items from a the same old stale source of buying in favor of full and open competition in order to achieve savings;(9) One of the goals that they have is to review small business programs at Federal buying activities to evaluate effect on small business participation and recommend changes; and(10) management of the Central Contractor Registration's Dynamic Small Business Search, a nationwide Internet database of information on small business, a marketing tool for small firms and a "link" to procurement opportunities. It pays to at least get registered and listed in this data base.Existing and potential small businesses are eligible to apply. A small business is a business entity organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States and which makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes and/or use of American Products, materials and/or labor. Generally, an employee based size standard not in excess of 500 employees is used for manufacturers for wholesalers, average employment not in excess of 500 is used; for general construction, a revenue based size standard not over $28,500,000 is used; for specialty trade construction, revenues not over $12,000,000 is used; for retail and services contracts, revenues not over $6,000,000 is used; and for agricultural enterprises, gross annual sales not over $750,000 is used. Self-certification of documentation is sufficient for representation as a small business, women-owned small business, veteran-owned small business and service-disabled veteran-owned small business. SBA certification is required for status as a HUBZone small business, 8(a) small business, and Small Disadvantaged Business.The range is about 15 days for certificate of competency; no approval is required on other programs for this .small business opportunity.The government grants that guarantees this small business opportunity programs for small business grants totaled: FY 04 $4,606,675,000; FY 05 est $3,250,000,000; FY 06 est $3,000,000,000. Administrative Expenses: FY 04 $38,013,000; FY 05 est $34,188,000; and FY 06 est $36,406,000In fiscal year 2004, $11.2 billion in government grants for prime contracts was set-aside for procurement limited to small businesses to give you an excellent small business opportunity.Title 13, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 125; "Government Contracting Programs;" Government Contracting and information for this small business opportunity from SBA offices. Forms to obtain necessary assistance are provided by SBA field offices. To find where they are listed you can go to Associate Administrator for Government Contracting, Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416. Telephone: (202) 205-6460 http://www.sba.govOther small business opportunity programs that are related to selling to the federal government are: 17.301, Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action by Federal Contractors and Federally Assisted Construction Contractors can use this small business opportunity; 17.303, Wage and Hour Standards; 36.001, Fair Competition Counseling and Investigation of Complaints; 39.001, Business Services is another small business opportunity; 43.002, Technology Transfer is the chance to participate in another small business opportunity; 59.006, 8(a) Business Development is a good small business opportunity that you should consider.
Do you want a small business opportunity that could create more business for you? It is a chance to sell to the government. Bring in new customers is always the number one goal of many business owners. It is the life blood of any operation and if you want your business to stay healthy then you must bring in fresh new customers and keep them coming back with a great service or product. I would like to introduce you to the 59.005 Business Development Assistance to Small Business program. This program is excellent for bringing in new business and revenue. Get help from this program to sell to the government. They will assist your small business in obtaining a "fair" share of contracts and subcontracts for Federal government supplies and services and a "fair" share of property sold by the government.What an excellent opportunity this is! I would rather sell a lot more to meet my goals than to have to get a small business loans or small business grants.What they can do for your company is: (Restriction of bidding/award to small business only)(1) Your application will set-aside the chance to increase the Federal procurement and disposal requirements awarded to small business for a great small business opportunity; (2) You will receive consultation with procuring activities on structuring of procurement and sales planning to optimize small business participation; (3) They will also review and analyze you small business capacity, credit, integrity, perseverance, and tenacity when challenged by contracting officers and certifying competence of such firms to perform as prime contractors, as appropriate, and monitoring performance of certificate of competency holders throughout contract life; (4) They will also review of subcontracting plans and programs of large prime contractors to determine the extent that they are providing subcontracting opportunities to small businesses, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, HUBZone qualified businesses, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small businesses; (5) When they give you consultation and advice for small businesses requesting assistance on government procurement or property sales matters, you must keep in mind that all consultants are not the same. It is very important to get one that you like and is passionate about their job. (6) They will also help you with specific contract administration problems;(7) They will see if you qualify for the SBA's procurement and financial programs; (8) By doing this they want to breakout of items from a the same old stale source of buying in favor of full and open competition in order to achieve savings;(9) One of the goals that they have is to review small business programs at Federal buying activities to evaluate effect on small business participation and recommend changes; and(10) management of the Central Contractor Registration's Dynamic Small Business Search, a nationwide Internet database of information on small business, a marketing tool for small firms and a "link" to procurement opportunities. It pays to at least get registered and listed in this data base.Existing and potential small businesses are eligible to apply. A small business is a business entity organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States and which makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes and/or use of American Products, materials and/or labor. Generally, an employee based size standard not in excess of 500 employees is used for manufacturers for wholesalers, average employment not in excess of 500 is used; for general construction, a revenue based size standard not over $28,500,000 is used; for specialty trade construction, revenues not over $12,000,000 is used; for retail and services contracts, revenues not over $6,000,000 is used; and for agricultural enterprises, gross annual sales not over $750,000 is used. Self-certification of documentation is sufficient for representation as a small business, women-owned small business, veteran-owned small business and service-disabled veteran-owned small business. SBA certification is required for status as a HUBZone small business, 8(a) small business, and Small Disadvantaged Business.The range is about 15 days for certificate of competency; no approval is required on other programs for this .small business opportunity.The government grants that guarantees this small business opportunity programs for small business grants totaled: FY 04 $4,606,675,000; FY 05 est $3,250,000,000; FY 06 est $3,000,000,000. Administrative Expenses: FY 04 $38,013,000; FY 05 est $34,188,000; and FY 06 est $36,406,000In fiscal year 2004, $11.2 billion in government grants for prime contracts was set-aside for procurement limited to small businesses to give you an excellent small business opportunity.Title 13, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 125; "Government Contracting Programs;" Government Contracting and information for this small business opportunity from SBA offices. Forms to obtain necessary assistance are provided by SBA field offices. To find where they are listed you can go to Associate Administrator for Government Contracting, Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416. Telephone: (202) 205-6460 http://www.sba.govOther small business opportunity programs that are related to selling to the federal government are: 17.301, Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action by Federal Contractors and Federally Assisted Construction Contractors can use this small business opportunity; 17.303, Wage and Hour Standards; 36.001, Fair Competition Counseling and Investigation of Complaints; 39.001, Business Services is another small business opportunity; 43.002, Technology Transfer is the chance to participate in another small business opportunity; 59.006, 8(a) Business Development is a good small business opportunity that you should consider.
Small Business CRM Is Here To Stay
by: Cameron Brown
If you ask most small business owners what priority CRM has in their short-term business plans, chances are you’ll get more than one blank stare. The fact is that most small business owners don’t even know what CRM is not to mention how significantly it can benefit their growing company. This prevailing ignorance of small business CRM (customer relationship management) usually stems from just a few basic causes. Excuses not to invest in small business CRM The first and most common reason for disinterest in small business CRM is the very nature of small business. With limited financial and personnel resources at their disposal, business owners believe they can’t afford the money or time that a small business CRM system would require to show a significant ROI. Often times the chief concern is just staying afloat long enough to sign that big contract or receive a large product order. Still other owners of new businesses believe that they can build and maintain quality customer relations simply by the virtue of the their cordial personality or particular market niche. They see small business CRM as an unessential luxury to be enjoyed exclusively by their larger competitors. What these owners often find is that without sufficient small business CRM support their business will never expand beyond the number of customer names they can remember. The problem is compounded when the company expands into internet sales (an essential move by any growing company) and suddenly finds its present customer tracking system overwhelmed by the sheer amount of incoming customer information. The Bottom LineThe bottom line, as all successful small business owners have learned, is that it takes more than one good idea to build long-term business growth and stability. You may be great at attracting new customers to your business, but if you fail to care for, track, and understand your customer base, not only will you hemorrhage your hard-won clientele, you will also fail to capitalize on future opportunities by not anticipating future market trends. The SolutionThe good news about small business CRM is that there is an increasing number of automated systems available at prices that most smaller companies can afford without too much difficulty, usually around $2000 a year. Some CRM companies, effectively eliminating the need for small business owners to micromanage their CRM system, largely manage newer small business CRM systems. Now small business owners can reap the benefits of a smooth running CRM system with a minimal time/financial investment. Features to look for in a small business CRM system There are many features available to small business CRM users designed to not only track sales, but also cause sales. Here are some features to look for.· Power Dialing-This feature allows your outbound sales agents to place 300%-400% as many sales calls, effectively quadrupling your workforce.· Voice Messaging System-Allows you to automatically record and send sales calls designed to elicit a customer call back.· Custom Fax and Email-Following up on leads with timely fax and email can mean the difference between closing sales and missing out on potential revenue.Other ‘must-have’ features include:· Calendaring· Marketing management· Sales management· Order and quote management· Service managementWith the ability to outsource these business functions, small business owners can concentrate on implementing strategies that they’ve had to hold off on due to lack of customer information and/or time.
If you ask most small business owners what priority CRM has in their short-term business plans, chances are you’ll get more than one blank stare. The fact is that most small business owners don’t even know what CRM is not to mention how significantly it can benefit their growing company. This prevailing ignorance of small business CRM (customer relationship management) usually stems from just a few basic causes. Excuses not to invest in small business CRM The first and most common reason for disinterest in small business CRM is the very nature of small business. With limited financial and personnel resources at their disposal, business owners believe they can’t afford the money or time that a small business CRM system would require to show a significant ROI. Often times the chief concern is just staying afloat long enough to sign that big contract or receive a large product order. Still other owners of new businesses believe that they can build and maintain quality customer relations simply by the virtue of the their cordial personality or particular market niche. They see small business CRM as an unessential luxury to be enjoyed exclusively by their larger competitors. What these owners often find is that without sufficient small business CRM support their business will never expand beyond the number of customer names they can remember. The problem is compounded when the company expands into internet sales (an essential move by any growing company) and suddenly finds its present customer tracking system overwhelmed by the sheer amount of incoming customer information. The Bottom LineThe bottom line, as all successful small business owners have learned, is that it takes more than one good idea to build long-term business growth and stability. You may be great at attracting new customers to your business, but if you fail to care for, track, and understand your customer base, not only will you hemorrhage your hard-won clientele, you will also fail to capitalize on future opportunities by not anticipating future market trends. The SolutionThe good news about small business CRM is that there is an increasing number of automated systems available at prices that most smaller companies can afford without too much difficulty, usually around $2000 a year. Some CRM companies, effectively eliminating the need for small business owners to micromanage their CRM system, largely manage newer small business CRM systems. Now small business owners can reap the benefits of a smooth running CRM system with a minimal time/financial investment. Features to look for in a small business CRM system There are many features available to small business CRM users designed to not only track sales, but also cause sales. Here are some features to look for.· Power Dialing-This feature allows your outbound sales agents to place 300%-400% as many sales calls, effectively quadrupling your workforce.· Voice Messaging System-Allows you to automatically record and send sales calls designed to elicit a customer call back.· Custom Fax and Email-Following up on leads with timely fax and email can mean the difference between closing sales and missing out on potential revenue.Other ‘must-have’ features include:· Calendaring· Marketing management· Sales management· Order and quote management· Service managementWith the ability to outsource these business functions, small business owners can concentrate on implementing strategies that they’ve had to hold off on due to lack of customer information and/or time.
Win Federal Contracts for Your Small Business
: Robert Moment
Copyright 2005 Robert MomentThe United States Federal Government spends more than $600 billion dollars each year on buying goods and services from the private sector. The federal government is the world biggest consumer of goods and services, and advanced technology systems. The government purchases an array of products and services in nearly every category. The federal government spends billions of dollars yearly on training and development, information technology, telecommunication products, law enforcement, fire safety, management consulting, medical services, environmental services, just to name a few. Are there real federal opportunities for your small business? I can’t tell you with certainty that it does but I can tell you that federal policy actively encourages agencies to give procurement preferences to small, small disadvantaged and women owned firms by establishing annual procurement goals. The enormous federal marketplace offers potentially lucrative business opportunities.The Small Business Administration negotiates annual procurement goals with each agency to ensure that small, minority and women owned firms get their fair share of federal procurement contracts.Example of Federal Procurement Contract Award Goals for Fiscal Year 2005 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women-owned businesses 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for HubZone small businesses 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service disabled veteran owned businessesUnder the Small Business Act all federal government contracts under $100,000 must be targeted to small, small disadvantaged, small women-owed and small service disabledowned companies. This federal law creates very distinct marketing advantages and business opportunities for small, minority, and women owned businesses seeking to to business with the federal government.The Federal Government provides small businesses with procurement resources within Federal Agency Offices and Specialize Programs.Here are some of the Small Business Procurement resources: Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDU) within federal agencies is responsible for promoting the use of small, small disadvantage and special status businesses. Small Business Administration’s Office of Government Contracts administers programs and services designed to help small businesses meet the requirement necessary to compete for and receive contracts. Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage federal prime contractors to form a partnership and provide technical assistance to Small Business Administration certified women-owned, small disadvantaged and small businesses owned and controlled by service disabled veterans. WomenBiz.gov is an online gateway for women owned business seeking to do business with the federal government. Minority Business Development Agency which is part of the United States Department of Commerce offers assistance to minority owned businesses.The Federal Government is a major and growing marketplace. With over 2500 buying offices nationwide and expanding budgets buyers are waiting to hear from your small business. The financial rewards are well worth the time and efforts. Don’t sit on the sidelines recession proof your small business and start marketing your products and services to the federal government. Get your slice of the $600 billion dollar federal contracting pie.
Copyright 2005 Robert MomentThe United States Federal Government spends more than $600 billion dollars each year on buying goods and services from the private sector. The federal government is the world biggest consumer of goods and services, and advanced technology systems. The government purchases an array of products and services in nearly every category. The federal government spends billions of dollars yearly on training and development, information technology, telecommunication products, law enforcement, fire safety, management consulting, medical services, environmental services, just to name a few. Are there real federal opportunities for your small business? I can’t tell you with certainty that it does but I can tell you that federal policy actively encourages agencies to give procurement preferences to small, small disadvantaged and women owned firms by establishing annual procurement goals. The enormous federal marketplace offers potentially lucrative business opportunities.The Small Business Administration negotiates annual procurement goals with each agency to ensure that small, minority and women owned firms get their fair share of federal procurement contracts.Example of Federal Procurement Contract Award Goals for Fiscal Year 2005 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women-owned businesses 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for HubZone small businesses 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service disabled veteran owned businessesUnder the Small Business Act all federal government contracts under $100,000 must be targeted to small, small disadvantaged, small women-owed and small service disabledowned companies. This federal law creates very distinct marketing advantages and business opportunities for small, minority, and women owned businesses seeking to to business with the federal government.The Federal Government provides small businesses with procurement resources within Federal Agency Offices and Specialize Programs.Here are some of the Small Business Procurement resources: Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDU) within federal agencies is responsible for promoting the use of small, small disadvantage and special status businesses. Small Business Administration’s Office of Government Contracts administers programs and services designed to help small businesses meet the requirement necessary to compete for and receive contracts. Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage federal prime contractors to form a partnership and provide technical assistance to Small Business Administration certified women-owned, small disadvantaged and small businesses owned and controlled by service disabled veterans. WomenBiz.gov is an online gateway for women owned business seeking to do business with the federal government. Minority Business Development Agency which is part of the United States Department of Commerce offers assistance to minority owned businesses.The Federal Government is a major and growing marketplace. With over 2500 buying offices nationwide and expanding budgets buyers are waiting to hear from your small business. The financial rewards are well worth the time and efforts. Don’t sit on the sidelines recession proof your small business and start marketing your products and services to the federal government. Get your slice of the $600 billion dollar federal contracting pie.
Why Is Small Business Health Insurance Worth It?
by: Jeff Schuman
If you’re looking for a guide to how to get health insurance andwhat kind of health insurance is best for your small business,then this is the article for you. Your business qualifies forsmall business health insurance if you have anywhere between twoand fifty employees in it. If you are self employed then you’llwant to look into getting self employed health insurance.There are many benefits to getting small business healthinsurance. A small business health insurance plan will helpspread the financial risk around to everyone and not justyourself. As this is the case, this generally will bring lowerpremiums and more extensive coverage. Along with this, thehealth insurance provides medical care for you and all otheremployees as well.With a small business health insurance people often get groupinsurance. This too has its advantages on several differentaspects. All contributions from the employers are 100% taxdeductible, and you’ll save on payroll taxes as well. Smallbusinesses will be eligible for group insurance just as long asyou have two or more full time employees working.When setting up a group insurance plan for your small business,all members will be set up with a coverage plan with ratescalculated using the group and individuals. After that it is upto the separate employees themselves if they wish to add ridersand additional coverage to satisfy their needs. Keep in mindthat not all employees in the small business have to join thegroup plan. Just as long as there is no fewer then twoemployees in the business that have the group insurance plan,then you will be fine.The cost of the group insurance plan varies based on severaldifferent characteristics. Some of these include age, healthstatus, business and/or residential location and so on. Likeeverything in this world it’s not going to be cheap, but it willbe cheaper then having a bunch of separate health insuranceplans. Most health plans are going to require employees to pay at leasthalf of the premium cost for covered employees. Some employeeswill offer to pay 100% of the cost, white now there is a newhealth plan giving employees the option to pay as little as 25%of the cost. Just know that typically most types of coveragewill cost employees a minimum of $1,600-$2,500 per year peremployee. By clicking on the link below you can begin gettingquotes for your small business health insurance. http://www.buyerzone.com/benefits/health_insurance/qz_questions_2.jhtmlJust remember that many times medical services are neededunexpectedly. If you or other employees do not have healthinsurance this could be a devastating blow to the wallet. Thecost of a hospital visit, depending on the circumstance, willmany times be much higher then the cost of health insurance. You want to be able to live life knowing that you’re insuredjust in case the unexpected happens. Nothing hurts to at leastlook at some quotes and talk it over with other employees, butyou have the power to make the decision.
If you’re looking for a guide to how to get health insurance andwhat kind of health insurance is best for your small business,then this is the article for you. Your business qualifies forsmall business health insurance if you have anywhere between twoand fifty employees in it. If you are self employed then you’llwant to look into getting self employed health insurance.There are many benefits to getting small business healthinsurance. A small business health insurance plan will helpspread the financial risk around to everyone and not justyourself. As this is the case, this generally will bring lowerpremiums and more extensive coverage. Along with this, thehealth insurance provides medical care for you and all otheremployees as well.With a small business health insurance people often get groupinsurance. This too has its advantages on several differentaspects. All contributions from the employers are 100% taxdeductible, and you’ll save on payroll taxes as well. Smallbusinesses will be eligible for group insurance just as long asyou have two or more full time employees working.When setting up a group insurance plan for your small business,all members will be set up with a coverage plan with ratescalculated using the group and individuals. After that it is upto the separate employees themselves if they wish to add ridersand additional coverage to satisfy their needs. Keep in mindthat not all employees in the small business have to join thegroup plan. Just as long as there is no fewer then twoemployees in the business that have the group insurance plan,then you will be fine.The cost of the group insurance plan varies based on severaldifferent characteristics. Some of these include age, healthstatus, business and/or residential location and so on. Likeeverything in this world it’s not going to be cheap, but it willbe cheaper then having a bunch of separate health insuranceplans. Most health plans are going to require employees to pay at leasthalf of the premium cost for covered employees. Some employeeswill offer to pay 100% of the cost, white now there is a newhealth plan giving employees the option to pay as little as 25%of the cost. Just know that typically most types of coveragewill cost employees a minimum of $1,600-$2,500 per year peremployee. By clicking on the link below you can begin gettingquotes for your small business health insurance. http://www.buyerzone.com/benefits/health_insurance/qz_questions_2.jhtmlJust remember that many times medical services are neededunexpectedly. If you or other employees do not have healthinsurance this could be a devastating blow to the wallet. Thecost of a hospital visit, depending on the circumstance, willmany times be much higher then the cost of health insurance. You want to be able to live life knowing that you’re insuredjust in case the unexpected happens. Nothing hurts to at leastlook at some quotes and talk it over with other employees, butyou have the power to make the decision.
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