Author: Craig Jones
Source: download
The dream of many is to start and run their own business. That is both an exciting adventure and a treacherous road. In 2005 there were over 670,000 new firms with employees and over 540,000 that closed their doors. Those are the cold hard facts. To improve your chances of success, you need help. Here are 12 Essential Principles to help you succeed. These are not detailed instructions, but 'principles' that I have learned in the years that I have owned a small business. The principles will work for any business but they are geared toward the small brick--and--mortar business. For more detailed information, see my info at the end of this article.Think for YourselfIt's your business and the buck stops with you. You must be independent and make your own decisions. It's fine to get advice from those who are more experienced or more knowledgeable than you. But at some point, you must bite the bullet, learn to make your own decisions, and live with the consequences.There will always be people who give you their opinion of what you should do. Consider the source, smile, be polite, and listen to what they have to say. But make your own decision based on the information that you have.People will criticize you, even if you are successful. It goes with the territory. You can't let it bother you. If you can't take the heat, do something else. There are armchair quarterbacks and then there are professionals who earn the big bucks. Be a professional -- you can't please everyone and you shouldn't try.You Will Make Mistakes - Learn from them and growYou are not infallible and you will sometimes make a bad decision. It happens to everyone -- just don't do it too often. Learn from your mistakes. Study, get more information, look at things from a different perspective.If possible, don't make important decisions when you have an excessive amount of stress. Step back, think, take a walk, relax in a Jacuzzi bath, sloooooowww downnnn. When your head is clear, come back to the problem and make your best decision.Money still doesn't grow on trees - Use it wiselyMost small businesses do not make much money at first. But whether you do or not, you must still use your money wisely. You must learn the difference between a good value and something that is cheap. For instance, Ink Jet printers are cheap but laser printers are a good value. If you don't need color printing, buy a laser printer. Your initial cost is higher, but the cost of supplies is much less expensive and you will save money in the long run.Comparison shop for the things you use in your business. Don't just take the first quote you get. And just because you've been buying from a certain place your whole life doesn't mean that's where you get the best value. Check around. Talk with other small business owners. Check local stores, check your local wholesale club or discount chain, and check the Internet (don't forget about shipping costs!). This will take a bit of your time at first but will save you money in the long run.The Internet is your friend. If you know where to look, you can find good and useful information that can save you time and money.Beware of credit cards. They can be your friend, but normally, they are enemies in disguise. Having a credit card for your business is practically mandatory -- but be cautious. Don't run up the bill buying frivolous things that you can do without. The interest you pay will drain profits from your business. Use them wisely. Find a credit card with the best interest rate and use it only when necessary. Better yet, get a card that you have to pay the balance off each month.Advertising may be a necessary expense when you first start out. Advertising salesmen will tell you that the key to results with advertising is consistency. But that also means you have to spend a lot of money. I'm not convinced that the results of consistent advertising, is worth the amount of money you have to spend.With the advent of the Internet, there are inexpensive advertising and marketing tools you can use in your business. Get a web site. Check out articles and books on Internet Marketing and Guerilla Marketing. Of course your best advertising is satisfied customers - spend a lot of your efforts on that. It's much easier and less expensive to keep satisfied customers than it is to get new ones. You Don't Know EverythingAs much as you may know about your business' primary focus, there is so much more to running a business. Talk to other small business owners. Call the Small Business Administration. If you grow your business at all, you will need the services of an attorney and an accountant. They are expensive, but they will save you money in the long run.Again, the Internet is your friend - lots of good info about starting and running a small business there.You Can't Do EverythingAt some point you will have more to do than you can possibly do. You will have to hire an employee. Maybe more than one. Now it really gets complicated with workers comp, payroll taxes, vacation time, sick time, health plans, and everything else that goes along with having employees.You will be tempted to hire friends or family. That's good and bad. You absolutely have to weigh the pluses and minuses of that. You have a business to run. You are a professional. Your business needs to be efficient. You need to hire the best at what they do. And it's okay to hire people that are smarter than you.To me, honesty is a major plus when hiring someone. More so in some businesses. Unfortunately, honesty cannot easily be measured. That's where hiring a family member may be advantageous -- but not always. I was serious when I said that hiring employees is where it really gets complicated.You can try running help wanted ads yourself but you may also contact some employment offices and see what they can do for you. They can ask applicants questions that you, as an employer, can not ask.Once you have good employees, you have to let them do their jobs. Help them, train them, but don't micromanage. You have other things to do. You have to keep the birds--eye vision of your business. It can be a little scary here. You will lose a little control and you won't always know how to do everything. That's fine. Your business is starting to run itself.Set Yourself Apart from the CompetitionIf you have no competition when you start your business, count yourself blessed. At some point you will. In fact, if you are very successful, you will have a lot of competition wanting a slice of your pie. You just have to be better, in some way, than the competition. Having the lowest price is not always the answer, though you do want to be competitive on price. Having quality products and services and friendly and knowledgeable salespeople is a big plus. In some way, always go the extra mile. This will set you apart. Under promise and over deliver. Exceed your customer's expectations. Let them know how much you appreciate them.Don't Get SidetrackedFocus on what your business is good at. As you succeed and grow, you may see other opportunities for expansion of some kind. It may be an expansion of size, locations, products, or services. You must be careful not to stretch you and your resources too thin. If possible, approach these expansion opportunities in small steps. Instead of taking on a whole new product line or area of services, try just a little bit and see how it goes.Go with what got you here. That's where most of your time and money needs to be. Look for ways to continually improve what you are currently doing.Be Flexible - The times they are a changingAt first, this principle seems to be at odds with the previous principle. But it is really just a different phase of business. You are fortunate if your business is the type that just doesn't change much over time. But because of this tsunami called the Internet, most businesses involve a fair amount of change, and you must change too, or close your doors.It may be that your products or services are becoming obsolete. As a business owner, with vision, you should see the handwriting on the wall. The speed of their obsolescence will determine your course of action. You may need to explore related product lines or service areas. You may need to find a completely new product or service. You may need to combine both of those approaches.Renew your VisionAt some point you may lose interest in your business. You may even want to quit. But you can't quit now because its way past complicated. You don't know what to do, so you do nothing. Or you keep the same old routine going but you have no desire, no passion. That's called burnout. I wish there were three easy steps I could give you to permanently eradicate burnout, but there's not. If you are seriously burned out and really don't care about your business, you may sell it if you can. If you can't sell it, you may just have to close it. If you can't afford to close it, if it's still earning you a good living, you are just going to have to tough it out. Sorry. No easy answers. It's your monster - you feed it.You can try taking some time off and doing something you really enjoy. That may help. You are fortunate if your business pretty much runs itself and just needs someone there to manage it. You can try doing something else for a change while someone else, that you trust, manages your business. Step away from it if you can. But keep in mind, no one cares about your business as much as you (or at least as much as you used to care about it). You may get someone to manage your business while you are away, but they are still an employee working for a paycheck. No one else will treat your business the way that you do. Be careful.Go Without Food, Ride the bus, but Pay Your TaxesI'm dead serious about this. You have to pay your taxes. And you have to pay them on time. If you don't, it will cost you dearly. The penalties and interest you have to pay on back taxes will devour the profit you make in your business. The IRS doesn't care if you had a bad year. They figure if you can't pay your taxes, you shouldn't be in business. They will sell off your assets and get their money. They will put a lien on your house, your bank account, your dog, and your first born. This is serious. Keep them off your back and pay your taxes on time.Money - the Stumbling Block of Mere MortalsWith persistence, and some fortuitousness, you may start making more money than you ever have before. Maybe more money than you can sensibly use. It's what you have been working for. Enjoy it -- for about five minutes. This is a dangerous place to be. You are at a crossroads. It is here that ordinary mortals fall. When you are making a lot more money, you relax. You let down your guard. You forget the tough times when you didn't have enough money for a loaf of bread. This is when you need to remember the tough times. This momentary glimpse of prosperity may not last long. You need to prepare for the lean years in case your money trucks run out of gas. Put some money aside. Make necessary improvements in your business, but don't get carried away just because you have the money. There is a difference between a 'necessary improvement' and something that would just be nice to have.Don't over-hire. There's no point in hiring new employees to do new tasks if you can spread the needed work among the ones you have. Be careful here though. Good employees don't mind doing a little more as long as they are not overburdened. In fact, many people would prefer a little variety in the work day.It's okay to reward yourself a little bit with your new-found prosperity. You have worked hard. But don't overdo it -- be sensible and tread carefully. You still can't walk on water so don't get the big head.Having a prosperous business empowers you to make it even better. Do it wisely and the prosperity will last longer. But always keep in mind that the prosperity will not last forever. Make your business stronger while you can so that when the lean times hit, you are able to withstand it.Walk on a Higher Plane Follow the Golden Rule. If you don't do this, you won't be in business long. This is imperative. It should be the cornerstone of your business. Always do the right thing. Treat people right. Treat them the way that you would like to be treated. Don't ever try to trick or deceive people, even if it costs you money. If you can't make a living honestly, then no other business principle can help you.Be an eagle, not a chicken. Eagles soar, chickens cluck around in the dirt. Choose to live and work on a higher plane than most. Choose to be above average. Most people just do their job. You should over--deliver. Do more than is expected. Excel.You are a professional. Act like it. Treat people with respect. When you talk to people, there's no need to curse. Cursing is not professional. Be an eagle -- soar above the others.You are surrounded by mediocrity. People expect it. Do the unexpected. Go the extra mile. Over--deliver. Set a higher standard. Stand above the crowd. Soar.Craig Jones has been a small business owner since 1991 and a Realtor since early 2005. Check out his newest web site called http://www.The-Best-Websites-Guide.com. You will find there a collection of some of the most useful websites around. We list the top websites in over 15 categories that are jam packed with information that can save you time and money. We don't overwhelm you with too many choices in each category -- we only give you the cream of the crop.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Small Business Credit Card Company
Author: Sherri Myers
Source: ezinearticles.com
Right now finding a good small business credit card company is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. To be honest with the credit card industry crumbling around us, settling on a small business credit card company is like taking a gamble.Bad news is all around for Credit card companies, here are some of the latest credit headlines.J.P. Morgan Chase Acquires Wamu.Advanta closes its doors on small business credit card holders. Advanta really put a hurt on small businesses as they lowered credit limits to the amount of the balance card holders carried. This credit lowering action by Advanta caused the lowering of credit scores of previous small business card holders. Small businesses were forced to try to find other solutions.HSBC The fifth largest bank in the world- Begin raking its customers over the coals with shady business practices and obtaining well over 80,000 in consumer complaints online.Card companies have been revoking earned airline miles, raising interest rates, and hitting consumers with unscrupulous charges to no avail lately.Visa and Mastercard seamed to have the market cornered for quite some time being accepted in more places, as they used to advertise. However, American Express and Discover card have had less consumer complaints against them - so far.It is obvious to me that the companies that our gouging card rates and charges are not worried about customer loyalty These Companies are either banking on having the market cornered (J.P.Morgan Chase) or clawing at the edges on their way down (HSBC Bank).It is quite evident that most Americans will seek out other sources of credit and it seams possible that those alternatives just may be the long time underdogs American Express and Discover. The game is not over yet. So it is still a roll of the dice to try to determine which small business credit card company deserves your patronage.
Source: ezinearticles.com
Right now finding a good small business credit card company is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. To be honest with the credit card industry crumbling around us, settling on a small business credit card company is like taking a gamble.Bad news is all around for Credit card companies, here are some of the latest credit headlines.J.P. Morgan Chase Acquires Wamu.Advanta closes its doors on small business credit card holders. Advanta really put a hurt on small businesses as they lowered credit limits to the amount of the balance card holders carried. This credit lowering action by Advanta caused the lowering of credit scores of previous small business card holders. Small businesses were forced to try to find other solutions.HSBC The fifth largest bank in the world- Begin raking its customers over the coals with shady business practices and obtaining well over 80,000 in consumer complaints online.Card companies have been revoking earned airline miles, raising interest rates, and hitting consumers with unscrupulous charges to no avail lately.Visa and Mastercard seamed to have the market cornered for quite some time being accepted in more places, as they used to advertise. However, American Express and Discover card have had less consumer complaints against them - so far.It is obvious to me that the companies that our gouging card rates and charges are not worried about customer loyalty These Companies are either banking on having the market cornered (J.P.Morgan Chase) or clawing at the edges on their way down (HSBC Bank).It is quite evident that most Americans will seek out other sources of credit and it seams possible that those alternatives just may be the long time underdogs American Express and Discover. The game is not over yet. So it is still a roll of the dice to try to determine which small business credit card company deserves your patronage.
For more information For More information on Small Business Credit Cards visit Credit Card Money.
Sherri Myers
Small Business Health Insurance Plan - Do You Offer One?
Author: Elizabeth Newberry
Source: download
The world is full of business-minded individuals, whether their goals are to lead a multi-million dollar company into the future, or simply start their own small business to provide services that are in demand and services they enjoy performing. However, not many businesses can make it without a couple of employees, and not many people are not going to work for a business, big or small, that doesn't offer some kind of health insurance plan. That's why so many small businesses fail; they can't attract and keep the number of employees necessary to run their businesses because they don't offer them benefits such as health insurance plans.Small business owners should consider group health insurance plans for their employees, even though no employer - whether a small or large company - is required to offer health insurance plans to its employers.A group health insurance plan offers a single policy to a group of people, such as employees, and sometimes even to the dependents of the employees. Even though employers aren't required to offer health insurance plans to their employees, insurance companies are often required to provide group health insurance plans to small businesses; if, of course, it is requested.However, the rates of the small business health insurance plan are determined differently than the rates of individual health insurance plans. The insurance company usually looks at the group - the employees - as a whole, and factors such as age and sex are used to determine the cost of the small business health insurance plan. Other factors, such as whether or not the small business health insurance plan is offered to part-time employees along with full-time employees, can also help determine the cost. Many companies don't offer health insurance plans to part-time employees, particularly for this reason.If you want your small business to succeed, offering perks such as health insurance plans will do nothing but help - and offering those perks is possible!Affordable Car InsuranceHome owners InsuranceAffordable Health Insurance
Source: download
The world is full of business-minded individuals, whether their goals are to lead a multi-million dollar company into the future, or simply start their own small business to provide services that are in demand and services they enjoy performing. However, not many businesses can make it without a couple of employees, and not many people are not going to work for a business, big or small, that doesn't offer some kind of health insurance plan. That's why so many small businesses fail; they can't attract and keep the number of employees necessary to run their businesses because they don't offer them benefits such as health insurance plans.Small business owners should consider group health insurance plans for their employees, even though no employer - whether a small or large company - is required to offer health insurance plans to its employers.A group health insurance plan offers a single policy to a group of people, such as employees, and sometimes even to the dependents of the employees. Even though employers aren't required to offer health insurance plans to their employees, insurance companies are often required to provide group health insurance plans to small businesses; if, of course, it is requested.However, the rates of the small business health insurance plan are determined differently than the rates of individual health insurance plans. The insurance company usually looks at the group - the employees - as a whole, and factors such as age and sex are used to determine the cost of the small business health insurance plan. Other factors, such as whether or not the small business health insurance plan is offered to part-time employees along with full-time employees, can also help determine the cost. Many companies don't offer health insurance plans to part-time employees, particularly for this reason.If you want your small business to succeed, offering perks such as health insurance plans will do nothing but help - and offering those perks is possible!Affordable Car InsuranceHome owners InsuranceAffordable Health Insurance
Bookkeeping From Home - Work At Home Doing Bookkeeping For Small Businesses
Author: Elaine Currie
Source: articledashboard.com
Bookkeeping BasicsBookkeeping as a full time career or part time job is a perfect way for people to earn money working at home. You can take up a bookkeeping career from home without having to buy any expensive equipment or worry about planning consents or increased insurance for your premises. Bookkeeping is not hard to do, anyone with the ability to do simple arithmetic will be able to learn to be a bookkeeper. If you are tidy and methodical and enjoy bringing order to chaos, a career as a bookkeeper could be ideal for you. If you are prepared to study, you can obtain a bookkeeping qualification studying from home or taking a part time course at a local college.Many people who have no formal bookkeeping training do bookkeeping work from home quite successfully. Indeed, many small business owners who are sole traders do their own bookkeeping at home for their annual tax returns. To do bookkeeping for a small business, it is necessary to know and be able to apply the various rules of taxation etc. and keeping a clear accurate record of all income and expenses of the business. Doing basic bookkeeping for others as your own small home based business can be financially rewarding but, if you are ambitious and want a well-paid career from home as a freelance bookkeeper, you should first study to gain a bookkeeping qualification.Bookkeeping Law And TaxEvery business, large and small, is required by law to keep books of accounts. This involves the recording of all financial transactions of a business. This can be done manually using ledgers, or by entering the figures into spreadsheets on a computer or by using dedicated bookkeeping software.As well as the legal requirement for a business to keep books, the bookkeeping records are needed by the business owners for them to know exactly how profitable the business is and if there are areas that need financial adjustments. A vital element of bookkeeping is ensuring that the correct amount of tax is paid at the appropriate time in order to avoid financial penalties.Bookkeeping In A Shoe BoxThere are millions of small business owners (sole traders in particular) who rely on manual bookkeeping. For a large number of these traders, bookkeeping means saving invoices, estimates, receipts, utility bills and odd scraps of paper in a shoe box. When tax time comes around, the shoe box is handed over to a bookkeeper who will (as if by a miracle) transform the mess into a neat record of the business's financial dealings. Many small business owners prefer to wokr at their business instead of spending time preparing their own accounting records to go with their collection of receipts.If a small business owner hands the shoe box straight to an accountant, the basic bookkeeping tasks will be charged at the accountant's hourly rate. For this reason a good bookkeeper, who will charge a more modest hourly rate, will always be in demand to write up the books and collate the paperwork (even by owners of limited companies who need the services of a qualified accountant to file their annual accounts).Bookkeeping SoftwareMany businesses (even quite small concerns) use bookkeeping software to keep their books because the software is inexpensive and easy to use. The use of bookkeeping software does not replace the need for a bookkeeper, it merely makes the bookkeeper's job easier: The software cannot do the job of a human brain. Bookkeeping software needs human intervention to work properly, a software program won't know for itself things like what items can legitimately be offset against tax.Bookkeeper As A CareerPeople of any age and background can become bookkeepers and work from home as freelancers. Many are mothers wanting a well-paid career running a bookkeeping business from home whilst bringing up their family. Some are seniors who want to keep active or need extra income to supplement their pensions. For young persons looking for a good career, a bookkeeping professional qualification can be the first step to becoming a qualified accountant and this opens doors to all sorts of well-paid career opportunities.Bookkeeping ClassesBookkeeping classes are available at most local colleges or you can choose to follow a distance learning program. Taking a bookkeeping course online is a very convenient way to study alongside other commitments. Taking a bookkeeping course on the Internet is a highly flexible way of obtaining a professional qualification while working at an existing job or looking after children at home. You can study during any hours that suit you and, provided you meet the deadlines, you can complete the assignments when you like.Bookkeeping CertificationIn the USA information regarding certification can be obtained through the American Institute Of Professional Bookkeepers and in the UK through the Institute Of Certified Bookkeepers.
Source: articledashboard.com
Bookkeeping BasicsBookkeeping as a full time career or part time job is a perfect way for people to earn money working at home. You can take up a bookkeeping career from home without having to buy any expensive equipment or worry about planning consents or increased insurance for your premises. Bookkeeping is not hard to do, anyone with the ability to do simple arithmetic will be able to learn to be a bookkeeper. If you are tidy and methodical and enjoy bringing order to chaos, a career as a bookkeeper could be ideal for you. If you are prepared to study, you can obtain a bookkeeping qualification studying from home or taking a part time course at a local college.Many people who have no formal bookkeeping training do bookkeeping work from home quite successfully. Indeed, many small business owners who are sole traders do their own bookkeeping at home for their annual tax returns. To do bookkeeping for a small business, it is necessary to know and be able to apply the various rules of taxation etc. and keeping a clear accurate record of all income and expenses of the business. Doing basic bookkeeping for others as your own small home based business can be financially rewarding but, if you are ambitious and want a well-paid career from home as a freelance bookkeeper, you should first study to gain a bookkeeping qualification.Bookkeeping Law And TaxEvery business, large and small, is required by law to keep books of accounts. This involves the recording of all financial transactions of a business. This can be done manually using ledgers, or by entering the figures into spreadsheets on a computer or by using dedicated bookkeeping software.As well as the legal requirement for a business to keep books, the bookkeeping records are needed by the business owners for them to know exactly how profitable the business is and if there are areas that need financial adjustments. A vital element of bookkeeping is ensuring that the correct amount of tax is paid at the appropriate time in order to avoid financial penalties.Bookkeeping In A Shoe BoxThere are millions of small business owners (sole traders in particular) who rely on manual bookkeeping. For a large number of these traders, bookkeeping means saving invoices, estimates, receipts, utility bills and odd scraps of paper in a shoe box. When tax time comes around, the shoe box is handed over to a bookkeeper who will (as if by a miracle) transform the mess into a neat record of the business's financial dealings. Many small business owners prefer to wokr at their business instead of spending time preparing their own accounting records to go with their collection of receipts.If a small business owner hands the shoe box straight to an accountant, the basic bookkeeping tasks will be charged at the accountant's hourly rate. For this reason a good bookkeeper, who will charge a more modest hourly rate, will always be in demand to write up the books and collate the paperwork (even by owners of limited companies who need the services of a qualified accountant to file their annual accounts).Bookkeeping SoftwareMany businesses (even quite small concerns) use bookkeeping software to keep their books because the software is inexpensive and easy to use. The use of bookkeeping software does not replace the need for a bookkeeper, it merely makes the bookkeeper's job easier: The software cannot do the job of a human brain. Bookkeeping software needs human intervention to work properly, a software program won't know for itself things like what items can legitimately be offset against tax.Bookkeeper As A CareerPeople of any age and background can become bookkeepers and work from home as freelancers. Many are mothers wanting a well-paid career running a bookkeeping business from home whilst bringing up their family. Some are seniors who want to keep active or need extra income to supplement their pensions. For young persons looking for a good career, a bookkeeping professional qualification can be the first step to becoming a qualified accountant and this opens doors to all sorts of well-paid career opportunities.Bookkeeping ClassesBookkeeping classes are available at most local colleges or you can choose to follow a distance learning program. Taking a bookkeeping course online is a very convenient way to study alongside other commitments. Taking a bookkeeping course on the Internet is a highly flexible way of obtaining a professional qualification while working at an existing job or looking after children at home. You can study during any hours that suit you and, provided you meet the deadlines, you can complete the assignments when you like.Bookkeeping CertificationIn the USA information regarding certification can be obtained through the American Institute Of Professional Bookkeepers and in the UK through the Institute Of Certified Bookkeepers.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Government Grants For Small Businesses - What You Need to Know About Business Government Grants
Author: Tom Ebbert
Source: ezinearticles.com
Government grants for small businesses are paid out like clockwork every year to those that take the time to apply for them. Large corporations and Fortune 500 companies take advantage of them year after year. Why not grab your piece of the pie and get your share of this vast, generous resource set up by the government?And with the new stimulus package signed by President Obama, the government is promising to hand out more money than ever, so now is the time to start learning about government grants for small businesses.If you are a U.S citizen, you can apply for a government grant for just about anything imaginable. What were going to talk about here today though, is government grants for small businesses.Many people do not know this, but there are no government grants for small business available from the federal government. However, the grant your looking to apply for is likely available right in your home state. There are numerous state agencies in each individual state that offer grants for small businesses, whether it is to start a brand new company, or provide financial assistance to an established business.The federal government does however offer small business loans through the SBA. They have some very attractive loan packages for starting or expanding businesses, so it is worth reviewing.Either way, if you haven't applied yet for any of the government grants for small businesses, you and your business could be losing out on lots of potential money the government is willingly giving away to other businesses. You can apply for multiple government business grants all at the same time, so be thorough in your research when determining which government grants you qualify for.
Source: ezinearticles.com
Government grants for small businesses are paid out like clockwork every year to those that take the time to apply for them. Large corporations and Fortune 500 companies take advantage of them year after year. Why not grab your piece of the pie and get your share of this vast, generous resource set up by the government?And with the new stimulus package signed by President Obama, the government is promising to hand out more money than ever, so now is the time to start learning about government grants for small businesses.If you are a U.S citizen, you can apply for a government grant for just about anything imaginable. What were going to talk about here today though, is government grants for small businesses.Many people do not know this, but there are no government grants for small business available from the federal government. However, the grant your looking to apply for is likely available right in your home state. There are numerous state agencies in each individual state that offer grants for small businesses, whether it is to start a brand new company, or provide financial assistance to an established business.The federal government does however offer small business loans through the SBA. They have some very attractive loan packages for starting or expanding businesses, so it is worth reviewing.Either way, if you haven't applied yet for any of the government grants for small businesses, you and your business could be losing out on lots of potential money the government is willingly giving away to other businesses. You can apply for multiple government business grants all at the same time, so be thorough in your research when determining which government grants you qualify for.
Writing government grants is a road not easily navigated alone.
To learn more about government grants for small businesses and how to get started writing your own government grants, go to: http://www.squidoo.com/-government-grants-for-small-businesses
Some Small Business Finance Options
Author: Peter Gitundu
Source: articlesbase.com
Financing a baby business is mostly done through applying for loans, which are readily accessible if one has the appropriate documents. Sufficient affairs see to it that an action grows, expands and is abiding as continued as it possibly can. Knowing what your business is account is aswell key in free just how abundant affairs it can fetch. Grants are aswell addition antecedent of accounts for baby enterprises, but they are not as reliable. If you opt for the accommodation option, there are tips that are basic during the action of application. Knowledge, as it is said, is power. Before abutting bartering lenders, one could accede added options of accepting finance, which includes claimed accumulation or borrowing from accompany and relatives. If this advantage fails again one can access clandestine as able-bodied as accessible financiers. The loans can be activated for online, but one can aswell go in being to the lenders and present his case. Having all abstracts in abode puts you at a college anticipation of accepting financed. Added than the loans, there are added means of accepting accounts and they cover charter financing, which mostly applies to business equipment. Instead of paying banknote and affairs the items, one artlessly hires the accessories on a arrangement for a accustomed aeon of time. Venture basic is addition source, which is best declared as the firms which armamentarium proposals presented to them by enterprises. The limitation is that, they alone accounts just a few ventures. The added advantage is to go public, or in added words to advertise banal or debt to the accepted public. This is about not actual accepted with baby enterprises because the action is awful circuitous and demanding.
Source: articlesbase.com
Financing a baby business is mostly done through applying for loans, which are readily accessible if one has the appropriate documents. Sufficient affairs see to it that an action grows, expands and is abiding as continued as it possibly can. Knowing what your business is account is aswell key in free just how abundant affairs it can fetch. Grants are aswell addition antecedent of accounts for baby enterprises, but they are not as reliable. If you opt for the accommodation option, there are tips that are basic during the action of application. Knowledge, as it is said, is power. Before abutting bartering lenders, one could accede added options of accepting finance, which includes claimed accumulation or borrowing from accompany and relatives. If this advantage fails again one can access clandestine as able-bodied as accessible financiers. The loans can be activated for online, but one can aswell go in being to the lenders and present his case. Having all abstracts in abode puts you at a college anticipation of accepting financed. Added than the loans, there are added means of accepting accounts and they cover charter financing, which mostly applies to business equipment. Instead of paying banknote and affairs the items, one artlessly hires the accessories on a arrangement for a accustomed aeon of time. Venture basic is addition source, which is best declared as the firms which armamentarium proposals presented to them by enterprises. The limitation is that, they alone accounts just a few ventures. The added advantage is to go public, or in added words to advertise banal or debt to the accepted public. This is about not actual accepted with baby enterprises because the action is awful circuitous and demanding.
Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Small Business. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here SMALL BUSINESS FINANCEIf You Enjoyed This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED! To Receive My Most Recent Posts & Updates.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I Hate Cold Calling, But, Will It Really Help My Small Business?
Author: Brandt Stohr
Source: download
I hate cold-calling. In fact, there are a lot of horrible pains I would suffer before cold-calling someone. And I think that many small business owners feel the way I do.It's true that there are a number of means of small business marketing - direct mail, personal letters, advertising, networking, public relations, internet marketing - and alas, cold calling is one of them. When it comes to small business marketing - any business activity, really - at some point you just have to buckle down and do what you gotta' do if you want to succeed. But is cold-calling one of those small business marketing activities that small business owners simply have to suffer through in order to succeed in business?Some experts say, loudly and with vigor: "Yes!" Others say, "Absolutely not."The truth about the value of cold-calling as part of your small business marketing strategy is that it's somewhere in between, and it depends on your particular business. If, for example, you retail small-dollar items through a catalog and on the Internet, cold-calling your potential customers probably isn't cost-effective: if each customer might spend $10 with you, spending 20 minutes or more on the phone with that prospect doesn't make sense. If, on the other hand, you're a manufacturer of small-dollar items that you sell to retailers who may spend $1,000 or more buying your products in bulk, then picking up the phone and making a call may well be worth your while.If you decide to make cold-calling a part of your small business marketing strategy, there are a few things you can do to maximize the chances that your cold call will turn into a new client:Cold-calling small business marketing tip #1: Take initiative. When you ask the potential client at the other end of the line "When would be a good time to meet?" you open the door for them to say "Never!" Instead, ask "How would next Tuesday at 11:00 work for you to meet?"Cold-calling small business marketing tip #2: Approach the call with the idea that your goal is to help your prospective customer. Resist the urge to make the call about you - what you do, what you want. Instead, make the call about the prospect at the other end of the line. Ask the prospect about his needs and wants. Then suggest that you can help - and if he meets you next Tuesday at 11:00 you'll tell him how.Cold-calling small business marketing tip #3: Get to the point. The prospect at the other end of the line is going to feel, right off the bat, that you're wasting her time. So, by all means, be brief. Be clear and concise. Avoid saying "um."Cold-calling small business marketing tip #4: Ask questions. This tip reflects back to small business marketing tip #2, making the call about the prospect, not about you. Asking questions also helps steer you to the right information and will help you tailor your sales pitch - for you to deliver at the appointment.Cold-calling small business marketing tip #5: Save the sales pitch. Effective cold-calling isn't about selling your product or service. It's about getting an appointment so that you can sell your product or service in person.As with any small business marketing strategy, the best way to figure out if it works is to try it. Make enough cold calls so that you can accurately measure their effectiveness. Then compare that measurement to your other small business marketing tools.Brandt Stohr, The Small Business Marketing Genius has brought startup one man operations to billion dollar corporations by using creative marketing techniques rather then investors and capital. Brandt Stohr has been helped hundreds of entrepreneurs to get their small businesses exploding with sales without the use of expensive traditional marketing techniques. For more information and a free report on the ten deadly mistakes most small businesses are still making visit Brandt Stohr's site at http://www.smallbusinessmktng.com or http://www.brandtstohr.com
Source: download
I hate cold-calling. In fact, there are a lot of horrible pains I would suffer before cold-calling someone. And I think that many small business owners feel the way I do.It's true that there are a number of means of small business marketing - direct mail, personal letters, advertising, networking, public relations, internet marketing - and alas, cold calling is one of them. When it comes to small business marketing - any business activity, really - at some point you just have to buckle down and do what you gotta' do if you want to succeed. But is cold-calling one of those small business marketing activities that small business owners simply have to suffer through in order to succeed in business?Some experts say, loudly and with vigor: "Yes!" Others say, "Absolutely not."The truth about the value of cold-calling as part of your small business marketing strategy is that it's somewhere in between, and it depends on your particular business. If, for example, you retail small-dollar items through a catalog and on the Internet, cold-calling your potential customers probably isn't cost-effective: if each customer might spend $10 with you, spending 20 minutes or more on the phone with that prospect doesn't make sense. If, on the other hand, you're a manufacturer of small-dollar items that you sell to retailers who may spend $1,000 or more buying your products in bulk, then picking up the phone and making a call may well be worth your while.If you decide to make cold-calling a part of your small business marketing strategy, there are a few things you can do to maximize the chances that your cold call will turn into a new client:Cold-calling small business marketing tip #1: Take initiative. When you ask the potential client at the other end of the line "When would be a good time to meet?" you open the door for them to say "Never!" Instead, ask "How would next Tuesday at 11:00 work for you to meet?"Cold-calling small business marketing tip #2: Approach the call with the idea that your goal is to help your prospective customer. Resist the urge to make the call about you - what you do, what you want. Instead, make the call about the prospect at the other end of the line. Ask the prospect about his needs and wants. Then suggest that you can help - and if he meets you next Tuesday at 11:00 you'll tell him how.Cold-calling small business marketing tip #3: Get to the point. The prospect at the other end of the line is going to feel, right off the bat, that you're wasting her time. So, by all means, be brief. Be clear and concise. Avoid saying "um."Cold-calling small business marketing tip #4: Ask questions. This tip reflects back to small business marketing tip #2, making the call about the prospect, not about you. Asking questions also helps steer you to the right information and will help you tailor your sales pitch - for you to deliver at the appointment.Cold-calling small business marketing tip #5: Save the sales pitch. Effective cold-calling isn't about selling your product or service. It's about getting an appointment so that you can sell your product or service in person.As with any small business marketing strategy, the best way to figure out if it works is to try it. Make enough cold calls so that you can accurately measure their effectiveness. Then compare that measurement to your other small business marketing tools.Brandt Stohr, The Small Business Marketing Genius has brought startup one man operations to billion dollar corporations by using creative marketing techniques rather then investors and capital. Brandt Stohr has been helped hundreds of entrepreneurs to get their small businesses exploding with sales without the use of expensive traditional marketing techniques. For more information and a free report on the ten deadly mistakes most small businesses are still making visit Brandt Stohr's site at http://www.smallbusinessmktng.com or http://www.brandtstohr.com
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