small business

7 Ways of Getting Your Customers to Say �Wow�!

2009-05-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

Just imagine. You have walked out of a shop or put down the phone after purchasing something and your immediate reaction is �Wow!� How do you feel? Excited; satisfied; fulfilled � eager to return and buy again?

Wouldn�t it be great if you could get your customers to feel the same way about dealing with you?

Lots of small business owners (and not so small!) seem to think that the customer is merely an interference. But how can you get your customers all pumped up and ready to do business with you again? I�ll share some tips on exactly how you can get a �Wow!� response and show how it can positively impact your bottom line.

Get promising

These days too many businesses seem reluctant to commit to anything. As a result, you walk away with a nagging doubt that nothing is going to happen and so the whole experience is not pleasant. What a refreshing change to get a business that provides a firm promise on dates and times or opening hours. Can you provide a clear promise to your customers? Have a think about each aspect of your business and highlight all your �promisables� in your sales and marketing stuff. One great tip � under promise and over deliver. Promise delivery in 7 days, knowing you can do it in 3 days. When the goods arrived 4 days before expected, that�s a �Wow� factor if ever there was one!

Important point � if you can�t deliver it, don�t promise it!

Be a Tigger

Remember Tigger from Winnie the Pooh? He�s all over the place; bouncing up and down with endless energy and enthusiasm. He just leaves his friends breathless! What a great person to be with and do business with. Are you enthusiastic when you speak and deal with your customers? Are your staff brimming with enthusiasm? If you can�t project an image which says �I�m happy to be here�, how can you expect your customers to feel different? So, have a Tigger day every day!

First impressions

If you have a shop or office where customers visit you, what do your premises say about your business? Is it modern, fresh-looking, clean and tidy? Or is it worn, tired and generally looking run down? Like it or not, customers will judge you on what they see. They may say �Wow� but for all the wrong reasons!

A pot of paint and a splash of colour can make all the difference and it doesn�t have to cost the earth (these DIY programmes have a lot to answer for!).

Be a problem solver

Despite all businesses believing they have great customer service, the fact is that the majority don�t. The main reason is that when people complain, most feel that they have not been listened to and their problem has not been solved. Be a solver of problems - quickly and efficiently. A motto � �Resolve to solve�.

Be their friend

I don�t know about you, but I am a sucker for business owners who take their time to know me and recognise me when I next call or visit! The bond and the desire to do more business with those types of entrepreneurs, is strong for me. Do you take time to build a relationship with all your key clients? Do you go out of your way to greet them when they next do business? As the saying goes, aim to turn strangers into friends and friends in to customers.

Value for money

In this day and age of new technology, and the hefty prices that go with it, the concept of giving great value is sometimes forgotten. Creating a �Wow� moment can be as simple as giving a little bit extra, something unexpected. It doesn�t have to be of huge value, it�s genuinely the thought that counts. However, don�t restrict this idea just to price. Price on its own may not work, it has to be tied in with something else � 2 for 1, a small gift etc.

The quality of your product must also reflect value for money. Don�t try and pass off an inferior product with a superior price � you�ll again create the wrong type of �Wow� moment! Medium price and great quality � a definite, positive �Wow�.

Call them

The real killer �Wow� is calling your customer a few days after he has bought. Asking him if the product is fine, whether it does what he wanted it to do, is one sure way of stopping him in his tracks! If everything is great, then you have a customer for life. If there is a problem, wonderful; you have the opportunity to put it right and � have a customer for life. This is a very simple and powerful way of creating �Wow�.

So that�s it. If you follow theses simple ideas, all your customers will be saying �Wow� and they will be coming back time and time again. Who knows, they may even tell their friends? Take some time to review these tips and see how you can apply them in your business.

� Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to Small Business Success a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Professional Business Plan Writers: Should You Hire One?

2009-05-22T12:47:00.001-07:00

Are you interested in starting up your own business? If so, you should carefully consider writing a business plan. The thought of preparing a business plan tends to fill most business owners with dread; it can be a difficult, stressful, and time consuming process. For this reason alone you may want to think about seeking assistance.

One of the many ways that you can seek help to write your plan is by hiring a professional, who in this case is a professional business plan writer.

What Is a Professional Business Plan Writer?

Before deciding whether or not you should hire the services of a professional business plan writer, you should first clearly understand what they are. In most cases, you will find these individuals to be experienced, professional writers who are well versed in business terminology and who can effectively understand the needs of businesses. It is important to understand when writing anything, even a business plan, that it is the wording which makes all the difference; the words used can be the difference between success and failure. That is why a large number of small business owners turn to professional writers for assistance.

What a Professional Business Plan Writer Can Do For You

When it comes to searching for a professional business plan writer, you will find that different writers perform different duties. For example, a large number of writers will merely take your ideas, which you have already thought out and developed, and present them in a professional matter; they will just present your plans in a more professional way than you could.

Then there are the professional business plan writers who will work with you to develop your plan from the inception of the basic ideas for your business to the finish document. Naturally since more work and time goes into to assisting you with developing a business plan from the bottom up you will probably find that the services of these writers cost more than traditional ones.

It is important therefore that before you start your search you be very clear in your own mind as to what level of support and input you require.

Why Hire a Professional Business Plan Writer?

There are a number of different reasons why small business owners turn to professional business plan writers. One of the key reasons is of lack of experience when it comes to putting ideas on paper and not knowing what format a plan should take. If you have never created a business plan before you can easily find yourself staring at a blank piece of paper for hours on end!

Although it is relatively easy to learn how to create your own plan, it can be a time consuming process to undertake the research and get into the appropriate mindset. With the right experience, a professional business plan writer will be able to create a detailed, professional business plan in half the time that it would take you to create the same plan.

How Do You Find Someone?

If you are interested in acquiring the services of a professional business plan writer, you have a number of different options. One of those options is to search for someone locally. Dealing with a local business plan writer is great, especially if you want to deal with someone face-to-face. Your search can focus on your local government business advice centers or even asking fellow business colleagues. If there is a writing group or circle in your locality then you can approach them for potential names.

The only problem that you may find is that not all areas of your country will have professional business plan writers. This means you may have to turn to the Internet for assistance. By conducting an online search you will find a large number of professional writers who specialize in creating or writing business plans.

What Should You Look For Before Hiring?

When choosing a professional business plan writer it is important that you don�t choose either the first person that you come across, or the cheapest. If a well written business plan is crucial to the success of your plans then you must be careful in your selection. Your business plan may not only be used for your personal guidance, but it may also be used to attract financing for your business and that is why your plan must look professional, be detailed and readable.

Before hiring a writer, you should request samples of previous work and also ask to see testimonials from business owners who have used their services. This will help to ensure you are getting your moneys worth and that you end up with a business plan you can proud distribute.

As with any contract you enter into be very certain what you are getting for your money. Does the contract include the provision for free updates or unlimited revisions before the final version is agreed? Will you be charged per word, per page, or by the hour? Make sure you fully understand the deal.

By following these points you should be able to decide whether or not a professional business plan writer can assist you. Whilst they can be an additional cost you may not be able to afford, in the long run it could be the best investment you ever made.

You will find a complete guide on how to write a business plan in my e-book �The Secrets of Writing a Killer Business Plan�.

Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

How to Write a �Killer� Business Plan

2009-05-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

Writing a Business Plan can be a daunting task. You have so many ideas floating around in your head that it can be difficult to capture them all in a logical format. However, committing time to writing an effective Plan can help improve your chances of success. In this article I will be giving you some tips on how to write a 'killer' Business Plan!

Tip 1 � Understand the Need for a Plan

Without a clear strategy and long term objectives you may be reducing your chances of success and so it�s important to commit time to plan ahead. Having put in time, energy and resources to come up with the ideas, why spoil it all by not having a structured plan for the future? The benefits of business planning cannot be underestimated. There are some potentially business-changing reasons to prepare a Business Plan. You must view planning as a crucial investment of your time, which could mean the difference between success and failure.

Tip 2 � Don�t Go It Alone, Ask For Help

Picture this. You've never written a Business Plan before; you sit down at your table and end up staring at a blank piece of paper for 3 hours! Then, another 3 hours later, all you have is a bin full of scrap paper. However, in order to help you put a plan together there are a variety of sources of help you can tap into:

Professional advisers
Business colleagues
Advice agencies
Your staff
Books (see our free e-book offer at the end of this article)

Tip 3 � Follow a Framework

Having a framework or outline to follow can make the task of writing a Business Plan so much easier. The 3 parts to your Plan are:

Where you are now
Where you intend to be
How you are going to get there

This is your framework which will guide both you and the reader through your business and your idea.

Tip 4 � Tell the Reader Where You Are Now

In your first section you want to paint a picture of where your business is now. These are the main areas to cover:

Business history
Location and premises
Your product or service
Your market
Your customers
Your competition
Your staff
Equipment

Provide an insight into each part of your business so that the reader of your Plan knows how the business looks now. Obviously if you are just starting up, give an idea of how you see these parts of your business once you get going.

Tip 5 � Tell the Reader Where You Intend To Be

Having given an overview of your business, the next step is to tell them where you want to be. The main points to cover are:

Your objectives and goals
State what you want from the reader � a loan or overdraft for example
Explain why you need and what it will be used for

Tip 6 � Tell the Reader How You Are Going To Get There

It�s all very well promoting your idea and business but the important point to put over is how you are going to get there. Here are the key points to cover:

Marketing plan
Additional resources needed to meet your objectives and goals
Your contribution in terms of cash or equipment
Security you can offer to support a request for finance
Profit and loss and cash flow forecast to show that you plan to make money and that you can pay back the loan

Tip 7 � Provide Some Supporting Information

Your Plan will have contained a lot of information, so it is helpful to include supporting documentation to provide more background. Placing these additional items as an appendix ensures that the flow of the Plan has not been affected by additional information.

What sort of items could you include?
Letter of support from your Accountant
Confirmation of pending orders from customers
If you are purchasing a property, you could include the sales particulars
Independent industry surveys showing that your sector is doing well
If you are buying machinery, include quotations
If you business� main asset is you, include your CV!

Tip 8 � Ask Someone to Review It

When you are totally immersed in a task you can easily miss obvious mistakes. Ask someone to review your Plan to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors � don�t rely on Spell Check! Does it all make sense? Have you been logical in your arguments?

Tip 9 � Get the Presentation Right

After having spent a lot of time and effort on the content you don�t want to spoil it all with poor presentation! Here are some tips:

Get the Plan typed; it will make it look more professional
Make sure all the papers are clean and that there are no dirt marks or coffee stains! Buy some good quality paper
Purchase a classy folder or binder to put your Plan in (paper clips or staples may not portray the right image!)
don�t forget to include all your contact details

Tip 10 � Deliver Your Plan to the Reader in Time

Once you are satisfied that your Plan is a good representation of your business you can post it but ideally you should deliver it, at least you know it has got there! Prior to a formal interview (if your aim is to obtain finance) you need to give the Manager time to read your plan. Ask to make an appointment with him in 3 days so he has time to read it.

Enclose a covering letter saying that you have made an appointment and your Plan is attached for him to review and to prepare any questions.

All that remains for you to do is to turn up at the agreed time and present your case!

� Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Manage Expectations � Manage Profits!

2009-05-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

Do you often have the thought that your business would operate so much better without customers and all their demands? They want this, that and the other � all of which interrupts your day! But customer expectations are what drives your business and keeps them coming back.

Do you know what your customers are expecting of you? If not, how can you find out? What will understanding their expectations do for your business? In this article we are going to look at expectations and how it�s important for you and your business to know what they are.

What Do They Expect?

Not many businesses endeavour to find out what their customers want! Owners assume they know. Big mistake! If you want to grow your business, find out what your customers expect of you. How can you do this? Ask them! Why not have an �Expectations Week�. Tell your staff that this week�s goal is to ask customers what they expect of the business. Set a target of approaching a certain number of customers a day and just ask, �If I was to ask you what your top 3 expectations of doing business with us are, what would they be?�

Alternatively you could put out an Expectations Book and ask customers to write down their comments. This way, they will not be embarrassed and perhaps may be more frank!

If you operate your business remotely, why not do an e-mail survey? Consider offering a prize to encourage responses.

Great Expectations

What is your customer likely to come up with as expectations of doing business with you? Here are some possible answers:

- fast and efficient service

- competitive price

- quality products

- sufficient stock to meet demand

- trained staff

- being treated politely and with respect

- the phone being promptly answered

- e-mails responded to within a reasonable timescale

- promises being kept

- a clear complaints procedure

- clean and well maintained premises

Depending on your business, the list could go on! But you have the idea. No doubt you could add many more.

Review and Take Action

Armed with your list of expectations, your next step is to review them and see which ones you are currently meeting. Remember, you may think you are meeting a certain expectation but this is an opportunity for a quick reality check to ensure it�s really happening.

The list you�re left with are the expectations which you are not currently delivering on. Looking at each of them in turn, ask yourself whether, even with the best will in the world, you could meet that expectation. You may have an over exuberant customer who just expects too much! If you realistically can�t meet it, delete it.

You will then be left with a number of core expectations, which you could meet with some thought and action. Sit down with a pen and paper and put in place an Action Plan on what needs to be done to achieve what your customer expects of you. Get your staff together and all commit to putting the outcomes into action.

You�ve Listened!

Having gone to the trouble of asking your customers what they expect of you, don�t forget to provide them with some feedback. If you gathered ideas from the shop floor, put up a notice thanking everyone for their participation and listing the expectations you are taking action on. Why not display an Expectations Charter?

If you had responses via e-mail, reply and again outline what you have done. You could even list the expectations on your web site.

Having gone to all this trouble of asking, reviewing and taking action, it�s all too easy to forget what you committed after a few weeks or months. Make sure that at least once a quarter you re-visit the original list and check that you are still delivering what your customers expect of you.

What Can You Expect?

If you have followed through on the steps, what�s in it for you? After all, the customers get what they want; what�s your payback?

- your customers are likely to return more often

- they are more likely to remain loyal customers

- they will spend more

- they will be an ambassador for you and your business

- they will generate referrals

Some pretty compelling reasons to put an expectations programme in place!

So, review these steps and consider asking your customers what they want of you. If you can manage their expectations, you manage their experience and so manage your profits!

� Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Why We Fear To Sell � And How You Can Overcome It

2009-05-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

So, you have set up your business, got all your stationery printed, got the premises and office sorted and now you have to get out there and �sell! Suddenly you break into a cold sweat but you persevere, pick up the phone or approach your first customer and it all goes horribly wrong! This really sets you up for the next one!

The fear of selling is something which most first time business owners suffer from. Selling is not something we are taught in school or shown by our parents (unless you are immersed in business from an earlier age!) and so the whole process is alien to us. In this article we are going to look at exactly why we have this fear of selling and what you can do to overcome it.

Fear of Failure

Undoubtedly the biggest fear most people in selling, and business have is the fear of failure. There is nothing more demoralising than a continual lack of success! Fear of failure has been ingrained from school � remember all those tests when the results were read out for all the class to hear? If you had a poor result, you never felt like trying again! But, don't be like Homer Simpson when he tried to consol his son Bart who had failed in his bid to be class president,

"You tried and you failed. The lesson is � never try."

So, what can you do to conquer your fear of failure? The bottom line is that you need a rock solid positive attitude. You must have an inner voice which is continually pushing you onto the next prospect and saying, "Come on, let's find the one who's going to say yes!"

Failure has to be seen as a learning opportunity. In every failure, there is a nugget of information, which next time, can point you in the direction of better success. James Dyson, the inventor of the revolutionary vacuum cleaner, summed up the need for a positive attitude, when he said, "Success is made up of 99% failure. You galvanise yourself and you keep going as a full optimist."

Image Fear

Not everyone has boundless self-confidence. When you start out in business, there is sometimes a nagging doubt that you may have bitten off more than you can chew. This inner doubt chips away at your self confidence and soon you have a poor self image, which reflects in your sales pitch. To be a successful salesperson you have to have a strong self image.

To improve the image you have of yourself, follow these steps:

Write down the qualities which you believe a successful salesperson should possess. Try and limit the list to 4 or 5 key qualities
Find a quiet spot and relax your body and mind with deep and steady breathing
Once you are totally relaxed recite the strong, self image qualities you identified earlier
Imagine or visualise yourself possessing each of these qualities. See in your minds eye how you look, now that you have these qualities. See how successful you are, how you look, and the car you are driving, where you are living
Repeat to yourself that you are assuming each of these qualities and becoming a better person with each day that passes

Repeat this exercise first thing in the morning and last thing at night and you'll soon find your self image and confidence levels increasing!

Fear of Rejection

Closely linked with the fear of failure is the fear of rejection. Hearing the response "No" is not a great motivator! The main way to deal with rejection is just to accept that it happens. Try and re-frame any rejection you get by saying to yourself that it's the customer who loses out, not you. Walk away with a smug smile on your face and remind yourself that you are one step closer to someone who will say "Yes".

Product Knowledge Fear

A lack of in depth knowledge about your product or service quickly finds its way to making for a poor presentation. There is only one solution � and that's to get learning! Absorb yourself in the product. Understand all the features and benefits, so that you can confidently talk about all aspects of your offering. Banishing this fear is one of the easy ones to put right.

Criticism

No one likes to be criticised, especially if you have tried your hardest. Unless you are very thick-skinned, harsh criticism can knock you back. If you carry out the exercises on improving your self-image, your ability to take criticism will also improve. Decide to view criticism more as feedback than a direct attack on you. There is usually some element of truth in the majority of critical comments and it's important that you take the opportunity to learn and change.

Presentation Fears

You may know all the features and benefits of your product but, like an actor, you suffer from stage fright! The presentation fear can be down to a lack of structure around your sales process. Write a basic outline on how you wish a perfect sales pitch to go. Prepare a script for the key parts of the presentation and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

Why not ask someone to help you role play a sales presentation? This will give you the opportunity to make all the mistakes you want but in a risk-free environment! You should also visit your local Business Link office and see what courses they are running on sales skills. Look out for books and tapes on effective selling. All of these actions will assist in improving your confidence and result in a more professional sales presentation.

Selling does not have to be a fearful experience! If you have the right attitude, a strong self belief, a full understanding of your product and plenty of practice, then you will have nothing to fear. So, take a look at each of these fears and put a plan in place to tackle them today!

� Robert Warlow

Small Business Success

www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Web Marketing Tips, Tools and Techniques

2009-05-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Although web marketing should be strategy-based, depending on industry and market, there are a few common tips and techniques that we’d recommend to anyone looking to increase the profile and effectiveness of their website - especially for those with new domains. The following is a guide to the way we may go about it.

Page Overview

Web Hosting Basics

Set up a custom error page - Most of us are familiar with the Error 404 page or Page / Server Not Found message. This occurs most often when a specific web page is requested but either no longer exists, can’t be found or the URL has been mis-typed. The process of creating a friendlier web page such as this one will need to be set up by your hosting company but should be regarded as essential for both user experience and for search engines.
Page redirects - If you have implemented a new website to replace an old one, 301 redirects will help to take any existing links and credibility onto a new page.

Sitemap Fundamentals

First of all, let’s clear up any confusion concerning the term sitemap. There are two distinct types of sitemap even though they both do pretty much the same job which is to accurately represent the structure (or architecture) of the website in which they reside to make sure all its pages can be found.

A sitemap that’s intended to be visible within the site (e.g. sitemap.html) serves as a navigational aid to both the end user as well as a search engine crawler while an XML generated sitemap, which is found in the root web directory, is intended to be of value mainly to to a web bot to help it index the site.

Include an HTML (or equivalent) sitemap within your website. Create a comprehensive list of links in a logical or hierarchical sequence each of which point to pages within your website.
Set up an XML sitemap for your website. If your site can not create this automatically, use an online tool or download some cheap software to do it for you. We use RAGE. The XML sitemap sits on the top-level of your domain directory. Then,
Create Your Robots File - A Robots file tells search engines what to do and what to ignore abut your website (comprehensive overview here). One thing you can do immediately, is tell the search engine where your sitemap is - see this robots file for The Escape website. Why not right-click on it to download and amend the details accordingly?
Set up Google Webmaster Tools - You can then attach your new site map into Google Webmaster tools for intelligent feedback on how they see your site. Both Yahoo and Microsoft also have variations.

Sitemap Tip #1

Specifying the Sitemap location in your robots.txt file

You can specify the location of your Sitemap using the robots.txt file. To do this, simply add the following line:

Sitemap: sitemap_location where sitemap_location should be the complete URL to the Sitemap, such as http://www.your_website.com/sitemap.xml.

You can also specify more than one Sitemap file per robots.txt file.

Sitemap: sitemap1_location
Sitemap: sitemap2_location

Sitemap Tip #2

Submit your Sitemap using an HTTP request

To submit your Sitemap using an HTTP request issue your request to the following URL: searchengine_URL/ping?sitemap=sitemap_url.

So, if your Sitemap is located at http://www.your_website.com/sitemap.xml, your URL will become:

searchengine_URL/ping?sitemap=http://www.your_website.com/sitemap.xml.

Web Page Content Refinement

Make sure your web pages say what you want them to say with The Escape’s Web Page Analyzer.
Refine your meta titles and descriptions so they relate to the page content and ensure they look compelling in a search engine with our Better Meta Data Tool.

Stick to the Rules

The goal of all content managers should be to make their website as search engine ‘friendly’ as possible but without running the risk of incurring any penalties in the process. It’s therefore very important to understand that there are certain activities that may lead to a loss of search engine rank or, even worse, result in a total ban.

We strongly advise anyone responsible for administering or making changes to website content to acquaint themselves with some of the basic rules that apply.

Read, How Can I Create a Google-friendly Site?. It provides advice on good practice when developing searchable, web-friendly pages along with a few things to avoid. Further information from Google that deals with design, content, technical and quality issues is also recommended reading.

Similar help is provided by Microsoft for Live! Search.

By sticking to the guidelines, any chance of falling foul of the vagaries of web spiders will be hugely reduced.

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Website Go Live

New Domain

Tell people that you have a new website - why not email your customers?
Ask business partners, local/industry press to publish announcements on their website with a link to your new website
You can manually add your URL to Google, Yahoo, Live and other search engines.
For immediate impact, you may want to consider some specific per-per-click ad campaigns to drive initial traffic.

Existing Domain

Use your new website as a reason to contact people - existing clients, suppliers, press, etc.
Contact people linking to you to mention that you have a new website, especially if they are linking to a page that has been moved or no longer exists - it will give you a chance to suggest a new relevant link.

You can find out who links to you by typing the following into the search bar of your search engine:

Google: link:http://www.yourdomainname.co.uk
Yahoo: link:http://www.yourdomainname.co.uk/ -site:www.yourdomainname.co.uk

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General Awareness Techniques

Advertise your domain in any offline communications - stationery, business cards, brochures, giveaways (diaries, pens, etc.).
Add a footer to your e-mails with a link to your website. Make sure everyone in the company is doing the same.

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Localised Online Marketing Techniques

Don’t overlook what’s on your doorstep. If you have business in your local market, enhance your profile geographically.

Place your business in Google Local and Yahoo Local.
Go to Google and do a search for "your_town_name directory" to see if there are any free or cheap local directories. You can of course do the same with industry directories.

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Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay-per-click has it’s place but is becoming increasingly expensive. In our experience, it’s best used for consumer websites selling product, or niche products and services for B2C or B2B.

Google is still the biggest with Adwords, but you also have Yahoo and Microsoft Adcenter.
Facebook has a variation of keyword matched social advertising - probably best for consumer products.

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Articles and Whitepaper Marketing

Write articles on your website that are useful to people, then tell people about it - your existing client base for starters, industry, bloggers, etc.

You can also publish your articles on websites such as Article Base and Ezine Articles.
Add social bookmarking buttons to your article pages to make it easier for people to share.

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If you have pages on your website that could be useful to people, place on social bookmark buttons to allow visitors to easily share them using social bookmarks. You could post them yourself, but these tools tend to use credibility, so you will need to be sharing lots of relevant stuff before yours is also recognised.

If you scroll to the top of this page and look on the right you will see the social buttons we have applied. You can’t guarantee someone will click them, but it does give them an easy way of doing it if they do want to share.

Delicious is an online bookmarking tool where users can share their bookmarks
StumbleUpon allows people to play roulette with websites of interest. It’s a great platform for discovery though and can drive lots of quick traffic, if it’s good. Users vote with their fingers.

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Social networking is a 21st century phenomenon where people sign up to a website, create a personal profile and begin to share all types of information amongst themselves. In many cases, this results in large, lively, 'virtual communities' inhabited by people with similar interests who are keen to interact and communicate with each other.

You can promote your business by creating company profile pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Squidoo. Alternatively, consider uploading photos onto Flickr or videos onto YouTube.

Use these networks to inform. In other words, become an active member of each community and build unique, relevant content and you’ll find that your backlinks will work much harder for you.

Source http://www.the-escape.co.uk

What makes an accessible website?

2009-04-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of confusion regarding web sites that are 'accessible'. Many people automatically assume that it has something to do with disabled people and they'd be partly right. With approximately 8.5 million disabled users of the internet in the UK it is a very valid point (more about that later) but it's not the full story. It's more a story of acceptable standards.

It comes down to this:

Standards + Compliance = Accessibility

The mad gold rush

Imagine it is the early nineties and the Internet is beginning to take off. Who exactly is writing the script of how it works? And more importantly, who is reading? Web pages were being created in HTML, (Hypertext Transfer Markup Langauge).

This meant that if you wrote some code in a certain way you had a page in a certain format that anyone with access to the Internet could read. Gold Rush!

Now, there were some very skilled practitioners of this, but then again, there were also some cowboys.

We started to Bodge it

I say we, I know I did (in the bad old days before I saw the light). New software came out that meant we could create web pages without having to code. It was great… wasn't it?

Well not really, because we ended up with lots of websites that exploited the way browsers displayed web pages. We used tables to cheat layouts; we used frames to make use of slow download speeds.

Another important point to mention is that the browsers, although similar, had (and continue to have) slight nuances between each other that displayed web pages slightly differently.

Yes, we ignored the user because it was easier for us to build web pages that way. You can excuse everyone for that, but not anymore.

Let me ask you a question!

You are using a word processor and you are creating a document that also includes a list, do you:

Assign style sheets to all the subheadings or just make them bold and slightly bigger?
Tab your list items across, or put in lots of spaces?

This is a very basic example of what standards are.

W3C and WAI

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the guardian of the internet:

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential. W3C is a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding.

Hooray, a set of standards! Not only that but they introduced the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develops strategies, guidelines, and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.

Rules and Guidelines

So now we had a set of standards. If only we could enforce them then the whole world could live happily ever after: People with disabilities would be able to access the entire web and the Internet could transform into something so much more.

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995

Discrimination against disabled people is not just an ethical issue, it is now law and that includes your web site.

19. - (1) It is unlawful for a provider of services to discriminate against a disabled person-
- (a) in refusing to provide, or deliberately not providing, to the disabled person any service which he provides, or is prepared to provide, to members of the public;

The relevant text can be read on the OPSI web site.

Is Having An Accessible web site important?

Easy answer - yes.

There are cases of large organisations being taking to court for not having an accessible web site and being seen to be discriminating. Although these are rare at the moment, the profile of these cases mean that large companies are taking note. Late 2005, for instance, saw a lot of the banks relaunch new accessible web sites.

Misconceptions

Creating a web site to be accessible is not hard and neither is it some kind of voodoo. You shouldn't see it as big brother telling you what to do, you should embrace the standards. It actually makes great business sense. As a web design agency, we can honestly prove the following major advantages:

Accessible Web Sites get better traffic because the search engines can easily find the content (as long as it's good content).
Accessible web site design is cheaper in the long-run. Accessible web sites are easier to maintain and update, adding pages and sections.

Other Advantages

If that doesn't convince you that your business does need an accessible web site, perhaps this will.

An accessible web site opens your business up to the web. It is the standard. Imagine suddenly speaking the same language as everyone else, including search engines. They start wanting to talk back - as long as you have something worthwhile to talk about, of course.

Is your Web Site Accessible?

The best place to start is by going to the W3C Validation Markup Service and validating your web site. If the page turns red perhaps the second step is one of the below.

Source http://www.the-escape.co.uk

How to Build Rapport With Your Bank Manager

2009-04-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a Bank to support your new business or help expand your existing business then it�s very likely that you have had to deal with a Bank Manager. Depending on how well the Manager knows you very often you will have to attend an interview.

Everything you do and say in the interview will have a bearing on whether you are assessed as a good or bad risk. Building rapport between you and the Manager is part of this process.

Let�s look at just some of the tools you can use to build rapport with your Manager.

Speak With Confidence

There's no getting away from it, human nature is such that we naturally feel more comfortable with people who are confident and can express their ideas and thoughts with conviction. Your voice has to convey your inner strength. It has to say to the listener, "I'm going to make a success of this business" or "I know that the additional money I'm asking for will help me increase sales turnover by 100%".

Your voice is an expression of the strong belief you have in yourself. People are drawn to those who are confident. Portraying confidence will help create rapport.

Make Plenty of Eye Contact

Stare him straight in the eyes when you want to put across a particularly powerful point; this demonstrates confidence. Avoiding eye contact gives the impression you are so uncomfortable with what you're saying that you can't look him in the eye. Your discomfort could give the Manager the feeling that you either lack confidence or are lying.

Not looking him the eye, especially during crucial statements, will lead to him asking himself questions such as, "He's trying to hide something. What is it?"; " He doesn't seem very comfortable with what he just said. Has he got a problem with that area?"

Your eyes can give away so much about your thoughts. Make sure they say you are confident, not afraid of the task ahead and worthy of support.

Smile!

A miserable person is not going to endear themselves to anyone. It's a fact that we gravitate to people who are happy and smiling. They appear to be having a ball in life and we want to be part of it! If you walked into a department store and you had the choice of two assistants, one who was smiling and welcoming and one who was down-in-the-mouth, who would you choose to go to?

A smile has the power to melt away any opposition or ill feeling. It's another aspect of our body language, which shouts out confidence and helps builds rapport

Watch His Body Language

You will be able to gauge his initial reactions by observing his body language and reacting to that. If you learn to read body language then misunderstandings can be rectified early on and you'll get an important insight into what the other person is thinking.

Here are some of the things to look out for:

If you see him leaning back in his chair, it's almost as if he's trying to get as far away from you as possible. The hidden meaning could be that he's trying to distance himself from what you are proposing; in other words he doesn't like your idea. If you see this, you need to immediately find out what is on his mind, so ask a question. Ask if he has any comments on what you've said so far and this will give you the chance to get him back on your side. If he has misunderstood something which has led him to switching off, then it's important you clarify the problem, correct it and move on

If he has started supporting his head with his hands, it may be that he has lost interest in what you're saying. If you see this "loss-of-interest" signal, again ask a question such as "Do you have any queries so far?" Asking questions of someone who looks bored or left out, brings them back into the conversation and again gives you an opportunity to check their understanding of what you have covered

The opposite of the "bored pose", is where he starts leaning towards you. This may indicate a high level of interest in what you have to say and shows you that you're on the right track. Spotting this will help improve your confidence even further

Crossed arms and legs may indicate a negative feeling towards your proposal. Again, ask questions to uncover what the problem or concern is, so you can clear up any misunderstandings

If he is maintaining a very "open" position i.e. arms apart, nodding in agreement, he is indicating that he's keen to know more about your project and so giving you the green light to carry on with your presentation

If you see evidence of negative body language, ask questions to get him to express his feelings or thoughts. Such questions would be: "What do you think about what I've covered so far?"; "From what you've heard so far, what are your impressions?"; "Have I made myself clear?"

Learn To Use Success-Based Words

As a successful or potentially successful businessman, you do not want to be using the same dull words as the general masses. In line with your strong belief and confident talking style, you need to use words, which propel you above the average person and backup the belief you have in your success.

Your words have to shout out that here is a successful person who knows what he wants! The words you use have to convey your enthusiasm and energy - these are success-based words - all of which is necessary to run a successful business. Success-based words are �can do�, �will do� phrases. Changing your vocabulary to a "success-based" one will take some practice and constant vigilance on your part.

Try and think of the words you use on a daily basis. Do they convey what you really want to say? Are they non success-based or success-based? Can you change them to ones that are?

When you use success-based words, remember what we said about the use of emphasis. Success-based words are the ideal ones to emphasis. Properly emphasised they do convey power, success, confidence and a strong belief.

We have looked at some of the tools you can use to help build rapport with your Bank Manager. All of them will help you get ahead of the game, so study them and practice their use.

Robert Warlow

� Small Business Success

A busy person’s guide to the rules on e-mail marketing

2009-04-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

by

Are you an e-Marketer? Got two minutes? Want a quick refresher?

“Yes, I know the e-mail marketing rules,” I hear you say. “I mean, I think I know them... well I definitely used to anyway.”

If this sounds familiar, you may not be alone.

A recent on-line survey conducted by The Escape Design Agency in Basingstoke, revealed that almost a third of respondents are unclear what their obligations are when conducting e-mail marketing campaigns. Legislation, in the form of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (2003), has been around for some time now, so if you’re unaware of the rules or just a bit ‘rusty’, here’s a handy guide that can be read in just a couple of minutes.

How is e-Marketing defined?

Any message attempting to achieve marketing objectives through the use of electronic communications technology consisting of text, voice, sound or images. Examples include, fax, SMS and telephone as well as e-mail marketing.

Can I target e-mail to individuals without their permission?

You can only carry out unsolicited marketing to individuals by e-mail if they have given you permission to do so.

Are there any exceptions to this?

Yes, sometimes referred to as the ‘soft opt-in’, the rule is relaxed if three exemption criteria can be satisfied:

You have obtained the individual’s details in the course of a sale or during negotiations for the sale of a product or service to that person,
The messages are only marketing similar products or services, and
The individual is given the opportunity to refuse the marketing when their details are collected and, if they choose not to opt out you must provide them with a simple way to do so in all future communications.

What if they want to opt out?

Individuals can opt-out of receiving your e-mail marketing at any time and you must comply with any requests to do so promptly.

What type of reply mechanisms are required to opt out?

In simple terms, a direct one. For example, in the case of text messages (SMS), an individual could opt out by sending a stop message such as, ‘text STOP to 123456’.

Can I charge them to opt out?

The only cost incurred should be the cost of sending the opt-out message.

Can I target e-mail to organisations without their permission?

You don't need to have organisations’ consent since e-mails that do not contain personal information are not specifically regulated under English law. However, you must include a valid address where opt-out requests can be sent.

What if I target a person in an organisation?

If you send an e-mail that contains personal data, for example firstname.surname@business.co.uk, then the individual concerned has the right to prevent that e-mail address being used for direct marketing purposes by objecting to the processing of that personal data.

Do I need to provide any information about myself?

Whatever information you provide when you’re targeting either individuals or organisations, you must not conceal your identity. Remember too that the Companies Act requires all business e-mails to include the company registration number, place of registration and registered office address.

What about my e-mail service provider?

You should also check your e-mail service providers’ terms and conditions. These sometimes require a more stringent standard of consent than the general law.

“Whatever information you provide when you’re targeting either individuals or organisations, you must not conceal your identity.”

So what’s good practice?

Strive for opt-in marketing wherever possible
Provide a statement of use whenever you collect details
Make sure you explain clearly what individuals’ details will be used for
Do not use consent boxes that are pre-ticked
Provide a quick and easy method for recipients to opt out of marketing messages at no cost other than that of sending the message
Comply with opt-out requests from anyone who requests it
Have a system in place to deal with complaints about unwanted marketing
When you receive an opt-out request, suppress any individual or company details rather than deleting them so that you’ll have a record of who not to contact.

Further information

For more details on the rules of e-mail marketing, visit the website of The Information Commissioner's Office, the UK’s independent authority whose role is ‘to promote access to official information and to protect personal information’.

Here at The Escape, we regularly engage in e-mail marketing activities and use a methodology we refer to as ‘Permission Marketing’. This approach is best described as ‘a process of developing customer relationships through permission, refinement and relevance as opposed to more traditional, direct marketing techniques’.

Should you need any advice or assistance with your e-marketing campaigns, then contact The Escape or call us on 01256 334 567 for a chat.

Source http://www.the-escape.co.uk

How To Make A Super Brochure Or Mailing Piece

2009-04-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

By Tom Egelhoff

1. Put your selling message on the cover.

This is the most important rule of all and, curiously, one that is little followed. The cover of a brochure works like a headline of a print ad. Four out of five people never get beyond it. If you depend on the inside pages to make a sale, you are wasting 80% of your money.

2. Insist on a "family resemblance" with your advertising. Develop a theme for your marketing plan and carry it throughout your ad campaign.

3. Use a single illustration on the cover. Research suggests that one large illustration is more effective than several small ones. Illustrations with story appeal that involve the reader add impact.

4. Select pictures that tell a story. The right photographs can often express your positioning better than words.

5. Always caption photographs. Next to the cover, captions are the best-read element of any brochure.

6. Don't be afraid of long copy. If people have bothered to write or express an interest in your brochure, they are prospects for the product or service you are selling. Tell them everything they need to know.

7. Spotlight the important facts. Remember that one of the most frequent criticisms of brochures in general is that they "do not give enough facts." Tell consumers what is included, what are the costs, what are the hours. Graphic devices can help to spotlight important information.

8. Use photo's instead of drawings. Research says that photographs increase recall 26% over drawings. Photographs suggest reality in the readers mind.

9. Make your brochure worth keeping. Give your piece longer life, and longer selling power, by encouraging the consumer to keep it handy.

10. Give your product a first-class ticket. In many cases, the brochure is your product; the "salesperson" who represents you to the customer. Make it as good as your finances will allow.

11. Ask for the order. What action do you want the reader to take? Write, call, return a card? Every piece of literature must contain a clear call to action.

For more on brochure design and mailing see:

How to Design A Basic Brochure

How To Market Your Business With Your Brochure

Direct Mail: What It Is And How To Use It

This article may be reproduced for your group or organization provided it is not altered in any way and the following is attached:

©1998-2004 Eagle Marketing PO Box 271 Bozeman, MT 59771-0271
http://www.smalltownmarketing.com
email:tommail@smalltownmarketing.com

Seven Low-Cost Ways To Advertise Your Business

2009-04-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

By Tom Egelhoff

Small businesses always seem to be short of cash for advertising, marketing and promotions. I don't think that will ever change. If it doesn't then there's a reason for this website. Here are a seven things you can do to keep the name out there without breaking the bank.

1. Write about your business. That's what I did, first the book idea and then the website. Good information is at a premium in today's marketplace. Can you provide a column for your local newspaper or shoppers guide? Are there local magazines who are looking for regular contributors? Can't write? See if you can make a series of note cards about your industry that cover the important parts and the news writer will write the actual story.

2. Teach a class. People who know all about your business don't take classes. Although some should. I teach classes on marketing, business cards and brochure design, website marketing, sales and customer service. They bring me customers and they provide a service to the community.

3. Hold Contests. Have slow times in your business. Pump up the sales traffic with a contest. If you're a florist, have floral design contests. Biggest flower. Ugliest flower. Tailor the contest to your business or a local event. Kids love contests and often get the parents (another name for them is Customers) involved.

4. Try low-cost ads. Just because you're on a budget doesn't mean you can advertise at all. Rather than running a single ad in the local paper, try several smaller ads in shoppers papers. Also use the classifieds. These can sometimes give you more exposure for the buck than one large single ad.

5. Don't just be one of the crowd. Find creative ways of calling attention to your business. Take samples door to door if you have a restaurant or food service. Have unusual sales or giveaways at odd times. I've mentioned Yellowstone Harley-Davidson in Belgrade, Montana, a town of about 6,000. They have a billboard on the interstate proclaiming themselves, "The Largest Harley-Davidson Dealer In Belgrade." Forget the fact they are the only Harley-Davidson Dealer in Belgrade and the only one for over 100 miles in any direction. They call attention to themselves in an outrageous way without offending anyone.

6. Have a great business card and carry them with you. Such a simple thing but most businesses never capitalize on it. If you ever have the opportunity to send me a bill, I guarantee you'll receive a check and my business card. I don't care where you are in the world you'll get my card. Water bill, electric bill, credit cards, magazine subscription, and all insurance bills. I give cards out in grocery stores and gas stations. I don't walk up to people and say, "Here take my card." I find a reason to talk to them ask a few questions, they eventually ask me, "Well, what do you do." Bingo, here's my card. They're in the glove compartment of both cars, my wallet, and a card case I try and carry with me. My wife has my cards and when she's asked, "What does your husband do?" she passes out my card.

7. Say "Thank You." Again such a simple thing. The bigger the ticket item the more a thank you is in order. Let customers know that you appreciate them spending their hard earned money on your products or service. Customers who truly feel special will send you referrals of their friends and neighbors. Write a letter (not some obvious form letter) or at the very least, make a phone call.

Remember, advertising and marketing doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Be smart, be creative, and do some of the things that your competition isn't. (Main Menu)

This article may be reproduced for your non-group or organization provided it is not altered in any way and the following is attached:

©1998-2002 Eagle Marketing PO Box 271 Bozeman, MT 59771-0271
http://www.smalltownmarketing.com - (406) 585-0219 - Toll FREE (888) 550-6100
email:tommail@smalltownmarketing.com

Create Real Magic And New Customers

2009-03-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

by: 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 $36,406,000
In 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.gov
Other 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.

About the author:
I am a college student and single parent who relies on federal grants everyday.
I built this free information and education website that helps find federal grants to promote economic development.
http://www.federal-grant-news.com

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Consolidate Student Loans and Shop Online

2009-03-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

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.

About the author:
Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For information about how to consolidate student loans, check out Agilix GoBinder.

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Business Meeting Etiquette

2009-03-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

by: Jeff Schuman

What makes up proper business meeting etiquette? How do you have
a meeting everyone can leave feeling good about? Meetings have
become an inevitable part of doing business for almost every
business owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings with
employees and meetings with peers or associates.

Almost everyone has suffered through meetings that take up your
valuable time and accomplish very little.

In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb to
that fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be.
And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has another
idea 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 etiquette
can help you put on a quality meeting. Here are a few tips and
ideas for meeting planning –

1. Schedule your meetings at the best times -

2. Make sure your meetings all start on time - (and whenever
possible, avoid scheduling meetings when someone is up against a
deadline, 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 is
being discussed).

5. Arrive at a decision - (find new ways to avoid covering the
same ground, and ask for input to help create a plan of action.)

6. Use parliamentary procedures - (so that the correct methods
for amending or making a motion, following the agenda and taking
turns 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 room
that doesn’t have windows or a proper ventilation system is poor
planning on your part.)

8. Do not schedule meetings to go over routine topics - (you can
send 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 to
present ideas or get involved.

These ten simple business meeting etiquette tips that
guarantee a better meeting for everyone. Follow these and you
will see results on what you covered as well as a better
attendance at future meetings.

About the author:
Jeff Schuman's small business resource website has the
best of everthing to help you run your own small business.
http://www.sites-plus.com/business-meeting-etiquette.html

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Business Goal Setting

2009-03-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

by: Jeff Schuman

How many times have your decided to set a goal for your business
and set it aside because the task seemed too huge or difficult
to begin? I have seen this happen over and over so I decided to
write and article on business goal setting.

When setting your business goals it is interesting to see that
the thought process is no different than personal goal setting.
You have to clearly define your goal and write it down. Here are
7 steps that will help your business achieve th goals you are
setting for it.

- Think about the goal you want to set for business

- Write the goal down as soon as you visualize it. Writing the
goal on paper for posting on a wall or desk where you may review
it daily is very important.

- As you develop and write your goal, make room for changes and
put it on a type paper that can be easily updated as needed.
This just means you will need to be ready to revise and change
the written procedures as you move forward with the
implementation of your goal. Change is inevitable a necessity of
life.

- Start taking the steps neccessary to implement your goal.

- Be sure to write down the date you want the goal to be
completed! Also write down the time and day of the week you will
start working toward the goal!

- Begin reflecting on how you are doing working towards you
business goal. You can always make adjustments as needed.

- Develop an attitude of I will do whatever it takes. Too many
business owners set goals and then give up do to laziness or
they just get to busy to follow thru.

Business goal setting is a long term process and you are going
to have to work at it to make it happen. It's your business so
you determine the success and failure. Business goal setting is
one step that will help you fall into the success category.

About the author:
Jeff Schuman's small business resource website has the
best of everthing to help you run your own small business.
http://www.sites-plus.com/business-goal-setting.html

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Business Entities – What Are The Choices?

2009-03-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

by: 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.

About the author:
Neil Clarkin is a contributing writer at Incorporation Services Guide. You can find further information on business entities and learn how to form your corporation or limited liability company (LLC) online at http://www.incorporation-services-guide.com

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Business Disaster? Won't Happen to Me

2009-03-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

by: Denise OBerry

Copyright 2005 Denise OBerry

As fast as you can say business disaster, your business can go up in smoke. That's what happened a while back to Castle Carpet One. Gone were thousands of dollars worth of equipment and carpet, plus two smaller businesses that were housed in the same building. Luckily the owners, Larry and Diane Cox, had plenty of business insurance to cover their physical losses. But they lost their most important business asset - customer records - because of failed back up systems. Rebuilding their customer base will be tough and the long-term revenue impact is hard to measure.

With disasters like hurricanes, tornados, fires, floods and terrorism, to name a few, it's critical for small companies to have a disaster plan. And for companies with only one location, it's even more important. One location companies have the potential to lose the entire business if disaster strikes. For a home-based business, it's even worse. You could lose your home and your business in one swoop. Any small business owner can minimize the damage by simply having proactive strategies in place to deal with an emergency when it happens. What if:

- You arrive at your business to find it vandalized and all of your customer records missing?
- Your most critical employee becomes ill and requires an extended absence?
- Your computer hard drive (or network) crashes?
- You become the primary care giver for a sick family member?
- You become ill and can't manage your customer commitments?
- Your business becomes inaccessible because of an emergency on your street?

What would you do? Would your business survive? What would you grab if you had to leave your business quickly? After the emergency, how would you communicate with your employees? Customers? How long would it take to get back to business as usual?

Without a disaster plan, you'll have a harder time getting back to work. Most businesspeople think it will just take two or three days. That's tough to do if you have no plan for action and little money to move forward. The reality, experts say, is more like several months and at least 25 percent of businesses that experience a disaster never reopen.

But most small business owners just don't make time for planning. We think it's "never going to happen to us." It could. The time to formalize a game plan for an emergency is before it happens. Do it now.

About the author:
Denise O'Berry is a small business consultant located in Florida. For disaster planning tools and tips, visit http://www.myhurricanecenter.com

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Database Marketing: Using Point-of-Sale Data to Improve Profitability

2009-03-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

by: David Frey

Not long ago I made a trip over to the local Radio Shack to purchase an electronic plug for my cassette recorder.

As I paid for my item the retail clerk asked me for my name, address, telephone number, birth date, and even my email address (something every retailer should be asking for today!).

Although I felt a twinge of discomfort giving out my personal information, I went ahead and gave it to him and went on my way.

Driving home I reflected on Radio Shack’s checkout process and was reminded of the power of information gathering at the point of sale.

I had just given Radio Shack three ways to contact me, not to mention, information on what I had purchased. In the hands of a skilled marketer, this information is powerful.

Database Marketing
_____________________

The recent economic slowdown has brought increased competition to small businesses. And with that, retailers across North America have described their sales as "flat." Small businesses should be looking for low cost, high impact marketing activities to drive prospects to their business.

One of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to add profits to the bottom line is the use of database marketing, which uses information collected at the point-of-sale.

Using personal data, purchasing data, and contact information from a customer database, a spa and pool retailer can make offers to customers for complimentary products and services and engage in loyalty marketing activities.

Database marketing has four key elements, (1) gathering customer data, (2) building a customer database, (3) creating targeted offers for specific customer groups, and (4) tracking results to improve responses.

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Step 1: Gather customer data.
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The easiest way to begin this process is to develop a simple form for customers and salespeople to fill out every time a customer purchases a product or service. Include personal information such as names of spouses, children, profession, and birthdays, as well as, product information such as manufacturer, make, and model.

__________________________________________________

Step 2: Build a database to store your customer information.
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Start simple using off-the-shelf software such as Microsoft Access. Later on you can begin to modify the database to either include different types of information or to print special reports.

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Step 3: Start sending offers and personal messages to your customers.
_______________________________________________________

Don’t wait until you have a large mailing list. Begin sending notes to customers right away thanking them for their purchase, to celebrate birthdays, share holiday messages, and inviting them to come in and take advantage of special offers.

There is an old saying that goes, "Business goes where business is invited, and stays where it is appreciated." A personalized invitation to drop by the store to take advantage of a specific incentive is sometimes all that is needed to keep your customers coming back into the store.

Instituting a program of personal, hand-signed notes that coincide with birthdays or special events addressed to the customer's significant other that offer gift ideas, can have surprising results.

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Step 4: Track the results of your database marketing efforts.
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By knowing who you sent offers to and who responded will help you identify your best customers, allow you to more effectively allocate your marketing dollars, and help you tweak your marketing pieces to get higher response rates.

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What Information Do I Collect?
________________________________

It’s important to determine in advance the type of information to collect. To do this, make a list of common special offers you might be presenting to your customer.

For instance, if you sold a product in the health industry and many of your customers have lower back problems you could joint venture with other businesses to develop special promotions on products that help to relieve lower back pain.

To capture the fact that your customer experiences lower back pain, simply place a check box on your form that says, "Do you experience lower back pain?"

If your customer has small children, consider presenting follow-up offers for products targeted for small children.

Imagine being a consumer and receiving a letter from your business with an enclosed birthday card for little Joey who just turned eight years old and a discount offer for a basketball hoop or other relevant products. You think to yourself, "What a great gift. Joey would love that!" This is the power of database marketing.

________________________________________________

Collecting Accurate and Consistent Information
________________________________________________

Database marketing all starts at the point of sale. Without accurate, complete, and consistent data this type of pinpoint target marketing can’t be done.

To ensure that your information is accurate and consistent, help your customers fill out the data collection form and review each information form for completeness.

You might experience a hesitancy from your customer to give out all their personal information, similar to how I felt at Radio Shack.

However, after explaining that the information will only be used to send out special offers during important events, is completely confidential, and will not be shared with anybody else, you’ll find that most of your customers won’t have any problem giving out their personal information.

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Cost Effective Loyal Customers
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Marketing to your current customers is one of the most effective and cost-efficient strategies you can do to reduce your marketing costs, enhance your customer / retailer relationships, and produce long-term loyal customers who, over a period of months or years, become your biggest source of referrals.

About the author:
David Frey is the author of the best-selling manual, "The Small Business Marketing Bible" and the Senior Editor of the "Small Business Marketing Best Practices Newsletter." To get your free lifetime subscription visit http://www.MarketingBestPractices.com

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Does my small business need a budget?

2009-03-18T09:43:00.001-07:00

by: Melody Campbell

Copyright 2005 Melody Campbell

"I only have a small business, I don't need a budget."

"I don't have enough money to budget."

For many small business owners, the word "budget" is something for the bigger company - maybe they'll have one when their business "grows up."

What is a Budget?

The simple explanation is a budget is a plan for how you will manage all financial resources and all expenses for your business. The basic equation that you want to demonstrate in a budget is as follows:

(estimated )Sales minus (estimated) Expenses = Profit (or loss)

How to create a Budget

If this is your first time to work on a budget for your small business, you might work from the perspective of having to list cost of goods or services plus all of your operating expenses to start the process.

How much does it take to operate your phone line? What is the cost of other utilities? How about the cost of a company vehicle, or what is the cost of transportation if you're using your personal vehicle to also serve as a company vehicle. Do you need any supplies or inventory to operate your business? How about any employee payroll, payroll taxes or independent product or service providers? Remember to include everything you spend money on to operate your business even if you allocate some of the expenses to "petty cash" expenses, such as parking or bridge tolls while traveling to see clients.

I recommend that you create annual budget, as opposed to a monthly budget, so you can identify any expenses that you may have that come up only once or twice a year such as insurance and include them in your list of expenses. This allows you to amortize or spread the cost of this out over several months so that you can plan ahead for the expense.

As you work on your list of expenses keep in mind that these are the expenses that are necessary to operate your business. These should not be your "wish list" unless you want to budget in some expansion or growth. You may want to create a budget with just the necessities and another version of your budget with expansion expenses listed so that you can see the cost of both separately.

With a dollar figure to work with of your total expenses you are able to set the standard for or evaluate your sales figures. If you are new to your business you may need to use the dollar amount of your expenses to help you determine what your sales need to be in order to cover all costs and show a profit. If you have been in business for a while you can evaluate whether or not you are producing a profit by looking at historical sales figures.

As you conduct business during your budget year you should compare your actual income and spending with what you estimated. This will allow you to manage your spending so that you don't over spend and cut into or eliminate your profits. You will also be able to see if sales have met expectations in order to cover expenses and still remain profitable.

Who should Budget?

Every small business owner should budget, no matter the size of business. I have heard some small business owners say their business is too small to budget, but that is not true. If you don't have a written plan for what your financial obligations are and how your revenue will cover those obligations and leave some money unspent, then your business will never grow. In fact, you may out-spend your revenue and put yourself out of business.

Why Budget?

Budgeting for your small business gives you control over your finances. By looking ahead to what you know or can reasonably estimate what your expenses will be, you can then make financial decisions that will keep you from over-spending, or give you the freedom to invest in the growth of your business.

When Budget?

Every small business owner should have a budget to start their business and then review it annually. I recommend that small business owners review their budget several months before the end of their fiscal year. When I say review the budget I'm talking about comparing projected budget with actual. In the comparison you can see if your estimates were realistic. You and your CPA can also plan for last minute tax strategies, or plan to implement strategies in the up coming year's budget.

The Goal in Budgeting

Remember, the goal of having a budget is to stay in control of your finances in advance. Setting the standard for your spending and revenue and having a tool to compare with actual will give you the control that you need to stay profitable. At the very least it will give you an indication of whether or not your business is actually profitable and not just busy.

Resource

Throw away all your receipts!
Yes, you can throw them all away after you've scanned them into NeatReceipts. This handy tool is operated by scanning all of your receipts using a portable scanner into your computer or laptop. The software can produce expense reports or you can import the information from the receipts into your accounting software such as Quicken or QuickBooks. Once the receipt has been scanned into your computer you have a digital copy so you can through the receipt away. No more shoe boxes full of receipts! http://www.thesmallbusinessguru.com/products/item10.cfm

About the author:
Melody Campbell is The Small Business Guru. You can view more Small Business Owner Resources at The Small Business Guru website. Educate yourself for Success in the Core Competencies to becoming a Master Small Business Owner. New monthly membership trial for only $1 for the first 30 days! http://www.thesmallbusinessguru.com

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small business

7 Ways of Getting Your Customers to Say �Wow�!

Professional Business Plan Writers: Should You Hire One?

How to Write a �Killer� Business Plan

Manage Expectations � Manage Profits!

Why We Fear To Sell � And How You Can Overcome It

Web Marketing Tips, Tools and Techniques

Page Overview

Web Hosting Basics

Sitemap Fundamentals

Sitemap Tip #1

Specifying the Sitemap location in your robots.txt file

Sitemap Tip #2

Submit your Sitemap using an HTTP request

Web Page Content Refinement

Stick to the Rules

Website Go Live

New Domain

Existing Domain

General Awareness Techniques

Localised Online Marketing Techniques

Pay Per Click Advertising

Articles and Whitepaper Marketing

Social Bookmarks

Social Networks

What makes an accessible website?

It comes down to this:

The mad gold rush

We started to Bodge it

Let me ask you a question!

W3C and WAI

Rules and Guidelines

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995

Is Having An Accessible web site important?

Misconceptions

Other Advantages

Is your Web Site Accessible?

How to Build Rapport With Your Bank Manager

Speak With Confidence

Make Plenty of Eye Contact

Smile!

Watch His Body Language

Learn To Use Success-Based Words

A busy person’s guide to the rules on e-mail marketing

by

Are you an e-Marketer? Got two minutes? Want a quick refresher?

How is e-Marketing defined?

Can I target e-mail to individuals without their permission?

Are there any exceptions to this?

What if they want to opt out?

What type of reply mechanisms are required to opt out?

Can I charge them to opt out?

Can I target e-mail to organisations without their permission?

What if I target a person in an organisation?

Do I need to provide any information about myself?

What about my e-mail service provider?

So what’s good practice?

Further information

How To Make A Super Brochure Or Mailing Piece

For more on brochure design and mailing see:

Seven Low-Cost Ways To Advertise Your Business

Create Real Magic And New Customers

Consolidate Student Loans and Shop Online

Business Meeting Etiquette

Business Goal Setting

Business Entities – What Are The Choices?

Business Disaster? Won't Happen to Me

Database Marketing: Using Point-of-Sale Data to Improve Profitability

Does my small business need a budget?