Small Business Information


Profits are within 6 Degrees of Freedom


How far away is the person you need to meet?We have spent some time discussing your inner circle and have suggested that you take time to list all of the people that you know and that KNOW YOU. This inner circle is the start of finding out who knows a person that you need to meet.

How to Define Business Objectives


Why does a good business relationship rely on having some common business objectives?As you attend networking events, you will gradually find ways that make it easy for you to mingle and be heard. Your message will need to be clear, focused and consistent each time.

How to Manage Your Pipeline


How is your pipeline structured?I assume most of you have heard about the sales pipeline. Your pipeline is what keeps your business going.

Finding the Right People for your Business


Where do you find the right people for a business relationship?Finding the right people may not be as difficult as you may think. Quite often they are in your neighborhood and within your inner circle.

Provide Affordable Health Care To Employees At Little To No Cost To You


You can provide affordable health care plans to your employees. If you feel overwhelmed by health care plan costs, you may be able to achieve far more than you believe.

Small Business - Would You Still Need An Accountant If You Didnt Need A Tax Return?


After over thirty years advising small business it still comes as a surprise to see the number of small business owners who are only interested in their financial results when it is time to do their tax return.Many still think that their accountant is there to 'cook the books' at tax time!It is not surprising that almost invariably the business owners who approach their accounting in this way are those whose business is not doing well.

Employee Email and Internet Use - A Small Business Guide


IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is here to stay! Both mediums have become a vital part of business and personal communication in a world that increasingly relies on technology. We understand its benefits and sometimes berate its downsides; too much email, lack of personal communication, spam, the risk of employees accessing inappropriate material and using employer resources for personal gain.

California Department of Corporations Attempts to PR Their Benefits to Consumers


On Monday the Department of Corporations in California revoked franchise registrations of two franchising companies. In a Press Release the Department said; "The CDC has taken enforcement actions that have resulted in the revoking of registration of two franchise businesses operating in California.

Starting a Tractor Washing Business


In the heavy equipment cleaning business you can make good money and provide an important service for your clientele. You can save them man-hours, chemical costs and free up time for more important needs such as preventative maintenance and repairs.

Starting a Business in New Hampshire


New Hampshire car wash market. Well we have visited every city in New Hampshire over the population of 10,000 at least twice, the larger ones four and five times talking to many people in various industries.

Who Makes the BEST Business Partner


How do you find the best business partners?Finding a good business partner (outside partner, such as an alliance) requires an amount of due diligence. This simply means you will need to look at all aspects of the other person's business and sometimes a bit of their personal life.

How to let go of your EGO


When does your ego get in the way?Let's go back to that networking meeting and scan the room again. Have you seen the person that never stops talking? He is the one that is talking about how great his business is and how great his services are.

Business Relationships Defined


What makes a business relationship?What really makes a business relationship? This may be very hard to define as it goes beyond just meeting the person and chatting about something you have in common. A relationship is developed over a period of time and usually does not happen instantly.

Launching your Business with a Chamber of Commerce


Why are Chambers a good launching pad?Chambers provide you with more ways to get to know the business community than most organizations. I was once elected President of a Chamber and the Board strived to get businesses involved with each other.

How to Find A Group that Needs Speakers


How do you find groups that are in need of speakers(at no charge)?Finding groups that use speakers is not difficult. I find that most organized service groups use speakers for their regular meetings.

Starting a Pressure Washing Business


Are you thinking of starting a small pressure washer business to help clean up the world and make a little money? You might be surprised how many mobile pressure washers companies there are in the United States; approximately 45,000 of them. And since God made dirt on the Third Day; Genisis 1:9 - 1:12.

Starting a Mobile Auto Detailing Business; Dry Wash or Pressure Wash?


Many experienced auto detailing professionals who have started out using a pressure washer rarely use Dry Wash n' Guard. Most would say this is a matter of preference more than anything else.

Small Business Owners - They Owe You The Money Why Dont They Pay?


Doesn't it frustrate you when you've given good service, sometimes super service, and the customer doesn't pay you?Some of them aren't doing too well and are struggling for cash, but, gee, so are you. In the time they take to pay they could have paid off a little each week and the debt would be gone.

Seven Common Mistakes Made By Small Business Owners


Most new small businesses won't be in business this time next year. That's the cold hard facts.

Freelance Tips: How to Cope with Spring Fever When Theres Work to Be Done


We all know how glorious those first warm days of spring feel. The trees are blooming, the birds are singing.

Online Search: Small Businesses Level The Playing Field


Seventy percent of US households use the web when shopping locally, and about 25 percent of all searches are looking for local information. As more and more households make the switch to broadband connections, this trend will continue to escalate.

How to Give FREE Advice and Make Money


When is advice free and when should you charge for it?A question is often asked as to when to charge for information. This is not an easy question to answer as it really depends on the situation.

The 5 Traits of Baby Boomer Business Owners


As a practitioner and student of Small Business Marketing, I was recently contemplating ways to enhance my business. I found it fascinating to realize that over 95% of my customers and hot prospects were Baby Boomer's who own a small business.

How to Give Informative Talks


Why should you do informative talks to smaller groups?Informative talks to smaller groups allow you more intimacy with the audience. You will be able to more closely connect with their needs and their responses to your speech.

5 GREAT WAYS to Gain New Contacts


What are the 5 best ways to gain new contacts?There are many ways to use the media to promote your business. You must ultimately decide what is best for your business.

Racing the Competition


What is the Big Race all about when it comes to creating relationships?The big race is simply the ability to win the deal on a consistent basis. You will need to perfect your message, be able to state it clearly and precisely, and follow up relentlessly.

Making a Donation to Bring MORE Business


How a donation is different from a sponsorship and what is the advantage to you?Donations are different from sponsorships, as a sponsorship is more likely to headline you for an event whereas a donation will let you be listed as one of the many donors. You do not need to headline every event to get business attention; you can simply donate an amount of funds and be listed.

How to Sponsor an Event for Fun and PROFIT


How do you sponsor an event and get personal introductions at the same time?So how can sponsoring help you to be visible to the business community and gain the right contacts? It is actually quite simple, you need to find events that are visible to the audience you are interested in.Find out: Whom you wish to do business with Which sports they like What community events they likeWhere the upper management families live and their community involvementThe events that they watch are the ones that you should sponsor.

You Dont Yet Know What You Dont Know


Someone new to business ownership recently told me, "Before I opened my business, I thought I was pretty well prepared. I knew how to produce and deliver our product.

Due Dilegence 101 Or What You Do Not Know Can Kill You! - Part 1


Introduction:This article is written as a general discussion on the subject of "Due Diligence". It is for informational purposes and not intended to be a definitive guideline for your exact situation.

If You Want to Work from Home


Here are some important points to take note of if you want to work from home. working from home is a dream occupation for many people, but only a few of us will dare to trudge that path.

A Great Logo Is A Marketing Must-Have. But Is It Affordable For Small Business Owners?


And is having a logo really that important?My answer to both of these questions is an emphatic YES!A logo is a graphic or visual representation of your brand. Your brand is your business, product or service and what it stands for.

25 Valuable Phone Numbers For Small Businesses Success


Starting and growing a small business can be a daunting and sometimes lonely process we have compiled a list of 25 helpful phone numbers for agencies and services that work with small businesses. They can give you information, ideas, and resources to help you be more successful.

How Mastering 5 Essential Money Making Ideas Can Lead Your Business to Longterm Cashflow


Essentially there are 5 tremendously powerful methods to make money online. These methods were not always available but have only become available due to the large amount of internet commerce being conducted each and every day online.

A Small Business Must Have a Solid Foundation


We all know that a building has to have a strong foundation if it is to survive, so, too, a business.There are many planks that support a business but there are four corner-posts that bear the most weight?The four corner-posts are Marketing, Selling, Production and Financial Control.

Everything I Need to Know About Business I Learned From My Nametag


So there I was - sitting in the audience of an on-campus seminar. Surrounding me sat hundreds of fellow students; each of us wearing one of those little, handwritten, adhesive nametags.

How to Use Graphs and Charts in Your Business Plan


Many people ask how many graphs or charts they should have in their business plans. As with most other business planning questions, the answer is "it depends.

Small Does Not Mean Invisible!


Running a business on the net these days can be like looking up into a clear night sky; it can leave you feeling very small and insignificant.I am a one-person operation, and I also offer personal service.

Getting Behind in Your Work? You Need a Virtual Assistant!


If you don't know what a Virtual Assistant (or VA) is, don't worry. I only came across the term myself about a year ago.

(P)Refer to Grow Your Business


(Although this article is geared towards small business owners, the information is just as applicable to a similar personal situation, only the action is slightly different.)Here is the scenario.


More Resources


Covenants Not To Compete: Another Franchise Quandary
Imagine that you have operated a successful franchise business for the past several years. Your franchise agreement's term expires in the near future and you are contemplating whether renewing the agreement would be a wise business decision.
Is Your Business Making Money?
Is your business making money? Would you know?Figuring out whether your business is actually making money is no easy task. Most small business owners have a pretty good idea of what their top line is (their revenues), but unless they're closely tracking and inputting all of their expenses, the bottom line can often come as a complete surprise.
Due Dilegence 101 Or What You Do Not Know Can Kill You! - Part 1
Introduction:This article is written as a general discussion on the subject of "Due Diligence". It is for informational purposes and not intended to be a definitive guideline for your exact situation.
Overcoming Your Biggest Competitor
Before you read any further in this article, I'd like you to take a moment and write down who your biggest competition is.OK, got it?I'm going to go out on a limb here and tell you that no matter what company you wrote down, you're wrong.
How Micro Loans Can Mean Macro Success for Your Business
"Inch by inch, row by row..
Restaurant Operators - What Skills do you Need
A tongue-in-cheek look at the skills required to operate a restaurant but?on he whole they come pretty close to the truth.People Skills,You need to be good with people, because you will have different customers almost every day, you will have repeat customers who have higher expectations, a high-maintenance shift-based staff to manage, suppliers who won't always meet your expectations or time frames and creditors who want their money now.
Small Business Marketing: Specialize or Generalize?
There have been many great points raised on both sides of this discussion. In order to make a final decision, we must look at how the business world is moving and at the purchasing patterns of the consumers who will be utilizing your services.
Small Business Computer Security, the Basics
Anyone in business today realizes both the natural dependency on computers in the workplace, and also the potential dangers associated with storing important data on them. Today's business owners are constantly being reminded that their company's data is at risk by the daily reports on various news stations, or even their favorite business-related website.
Franchising Industry Burdened in Over Regulation
There were only an estimated 1800 active franchisors in this country at the end of 2002, that number down from 6000 in a single decade. It is not hard from this effort to increase regulations to see why.
To Buy Or Not To Buy: Lawn Mowing Business
TRUTH IN THE LAWN MOWING INDUSTRYWe do not wish to slander any company or person but instead share information that is of value to each and every one! Most people who enter this industry will be effected by one of the following and we see fit to share with you what we know and have seen.Buying Into A FranchiseOk buy into a franchise, spend 25 thousand.
3.5 Million People And A Possible UK Home Business Opportunity
Has this ever happened to you..
Are You Really the Boss in Your Own Business?
I recently met with a very successful magazine publisher who was telling me how a chain of retailers for his magazines wanted everything their own way, even at the expense of losing revenue for their stores and missing out on the opportunity to provide real customer service to the customer.He was mainly concerned that some of the members of this chain, which, was made up of basically "mum & dad" store owners honestly thought that as it was their business, no one else should ask them to do anything over and above what they wanted to do.
Top Ten Blunders Business Owners Make
In today's marketplace the words 'job security' have become an oxymoron. So more and more people are venturing on their own.
Build Credibility, Value, and Trust on a Shoestring
Setting priorities in your business? Your first job is to sell. Selling is - writing the orders; receiving the cash; feeding the beast.
10 Ways to Start a Business on a Budget
If you've been thinking about starting a business, but are held back due to cash-flow issues, there are plenty of ways you can get your plans off the ground. Though your vision may be to own a big store, restaurant, warehouse, or office, consider starting on a smaller scale.
How to Remove Stress from Owning a Business... Forever!
I meet and talk to hundreds and hundreds of business owners every year and do you know what I've discovered? Virtually all of them are regularly suffering from stress.It dawned on me while running a seminar one day.
Starting an Aircraft Washing Service
To wash an airplane there are many items you will need to keep in mind. The first is safety while working on the tarmac of an airfield.
How to Prevent Home Business Burnout
As a home business proprietor, you may already realize why avoiding "home business burnout" is so important. Even if you have only been working your home business venture for a relatively brief time, you may have already been aware of the need to maintain your energy levels and reduce your stress levels while you were involved in your other employment.
Direct Mail - For Small Businesses
We hear a lot of talk about junk mail nowadays. Many peoplewill tell you that they dump it straight in the trash.
Accounting and Billing Procedures for Small Business
No matter how small your small business is, it is essential to have some sort of accounting and billing police and methodology. This will prevent you from making mistakes and upsetting vendors or even bouncing checks.

More Small Business Information:

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The Achilles Heel of Management Coaching
While heading home at day's end, you begin reflecting on a coaching meeting you had earlier that day with an employee, Chris. You hope that, this time, you finally succeeded in getting her to understand the importance of spending less time in disruptive socializing in the office and more time elevating her performance.
How to Sell Strategically
If you want to maximize your sales performance, take a strategic approach to selling. After all, wouldn't you agree that "the 80/20 rule" applies to customers, where approximately 20 percent of customers produce approximately 80 percent of sales?The starting point for strategic selling is figuring out a) which customers produce the bulk of your sales, and b) what they are buying.
5 Secrets to Managing Your Sales Manager Productively
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Is Sales Process & CRM Stopping Sales?
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14 Top Lead Generation Tactics
According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical marketing practices are not only inapplicable for professional service firms, but they may be dangerously wrong.Often professional service firm principals tell me they are frustrated with the quality of their marketing materials, they are concerned with their firm's low profile or they feel pressure because their efforts are not generating enough new client leads.
6 Steps to Avoid Losing Summer Sales
It's a fact - the online world dies down in the summer time. Kids are out of school, families are on vacation, there's fairs to attend to, and many are just spending too much time outside to be online.
A Fracas in the Franchise - Keep Your Customers by Keeping Your Workers
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Is Your Sales Trust Factor High Enough to Win Against the Competition?
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Drop Discounts and Earn Top Dollar
Every dollar you discount is a dollar of pure profit you're giving away. Therefore, your efforts to remove discounts will be richly rewarded.
The Nine Warning Signs that You Need a Sales Video
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How To Build A Worldwide Distributor Network
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Getting Off The Advertising And Sales Rollercoaster
Seeing the results of advertising your business can be like watching a roller coaster. The day you run your ad you see a flurry of activity; your ph0ne starts ringing, your web site traffic increases and/ or potential clients visit your store.
10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays
Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my 10 picks, but you don't have to do them all. Even doing just one will get you another rung higher on your business ladder.
Sales & Marketing Plan Strategies
Design and Implementation of a new Sales & Marketing campaign must be carefully thought through from the beginning. What message do you want to send about your company, products, and services? What are the anticipated results? What is the execution strategy? What is the cost ratio versus expected return?These are just a few of the questions that run through our minds in the early stages of planning.
Pointless Targets
I recall a heated discussion with a sales director some time ago where I proposed that the long-term effect of setting activity targets for salespeople would eventually lead to failure. He vehemently made the point that he had systematically imposed activity targets on his sales force and that the result had been to treble average income per salesperson within 18 months.
3 Ways to Increase Your Sales
Last week I got a call from Jose, who was looking for help improving his ads. He'd been running the same ad in four local papers for two months and only gotten one response.
Increasing Business Through Distributors
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The Hardest Job Of A Trade Show
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Shorten Sales Cycles in Complex Sales Environments
Help buyers discover the answers they need to understand and align all of their decision variables.In complex sales, salespeople often find themselves negotiating their way through a web of decision influencers, conflicting initiatives, and multiple priorities.