Small Business Computer Consulting: Additional Qualifications for the Sweet Spot

by: Joshua Feinberg

To find the ideal clientele for your small business computer consulting, you want to target small businesses by their number of PC's, (10 to 50) as well as their revenue. Generally, companies that have anywhere from 1 million to 10 million in revenue are the sweet spot of small business computer consulting. In this article, you'll learn why you should target this type of business.

{Tip: Of course if you're located in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, or any of the other more than 21 nations around the globe where our training has been adapted, be sure to convert this to your local currency. (See )}

Beware of the high end of this range

Once small businesses get to the high end of that revenue range, where they start having substantially more than 50 PCs, or substantially more than $10 million in annual sales, often the small business owners lean towards putting a real, salaried IT person on payroll instead of using a small business computer consulting professional. That's when you start running into some tough competition. At this point, your client will add up your services invoices and try to figure out if they can do it cheaper or more efficiently in-house.

Look for clients that need a “real server”

Another important aspect is to find small business clients that are big enough to need a “real” dedicated server. Once small businesses need a real server, they need a ton of other professional services to go along with it. And it's very unlikely they can handle it on their own, with just an internal guru. Bingo-you become their outsourced IT department!

Multiple locations are a bonus

Sometimes a sweet spot client has one location. A lot of times there's a main office and some branch offices. The branch offices present a big opportunity for your small business computer consulting because there's usually a HUGE need for sharing data in real time among employees in different locations.

The Bottom Line about Small Business Computer Consulting

In this article, you've been learned more about how to find the sweet spot in your small business computer consulting business.

How to Finance Your Small Business Start Up

by: Robert Warlow

It all starts with a great idea, an idea that has probably been in your mind for a long time. You have the product sorted out, how you are going to deliver your service, where you are going to set up your office and how you are going to market your new business. But the stumbling block always seems to be the finance to get you going.

Finding the finance to get a small business off the ground is a major issue for any potential small business. Some new businesses lend themselves to very little start up capital because the main selling point is the owner’s skills and knowledge, for example consultants, web designers, PR specialists. Businesses which require stock holding, plant and equipment and other investment, face the real challenge of getting their start up finance together.

So what sources can you tap into to ensure your business gets off to a solid start?

Your Savings

The first port of call! If you have been in employment for some time then before going it alone you should hopefully have some spare cash behind you. Whether this be in the form of cash in a savings account or shares and unit trusts, this is a good start to your fund raising exercise.

You can be more focused in saving cash if you have had the goal of setting up your own business for awhile. Knowing you need to save to get your business off the ground will make sure you don’t spend your future nest egg on unnecessary items. Whilst a new Plasma TV or the latest DVD Recorder may seem to be an essential purchase, knowing that you have a business to set up in the future will be sufficient a deterrent to keep the cheque book firmly locked away!

Keep Your Job

Some business owners are lucky enough that during the early days of the business they can keep the day job while working on the business during the evenings and weekends. This has two benefits. Firstly, they are still earning thereby allowing more time to build up a cash reserve. Secondly, it’s an opportunity to test out the business to make sure there is a market.

Make sure that you can realistically keep both balls in the air at the same time otherwise you will end up doing justice to neither your job or your new business. The support of your family is also essential if you are to follow this strategy. They have to accept that what used to be ‘family time’ may have to take a back seat until you decide to concentrate on the business full time.

Family and Friends

These can be a useful source of finance for any start up. If you have harboured ambitions to run your business for some time, then many of your family and friends are already likely to know about your idea. You should therefore have an indication who is for it and who is against it.

If you haven’t shared your secret desire then it’s time to be slightly devious! If you are in the early planning stages start drip feeding your ideas to key people whom you think are likely to support you. Tell them your ideas, share your ambitions and goals and on a regular basis update them with your progress. The plan is to get them sold on you and your future business at an early stage.

Once you get to the point where you are ready to start asking for contributions hold an Investor Evening. Prepare a presentation outlining your plans, the business, the market etc. Show the potential investors what their return will be in recognition for supporting you.

Invite as many people as you can and promise an interesting and fun evening, Be bold at the very start; tell them exactly why they are there, so there are no misunderstandings. After you have done your presentation gather all the names of the people who may want more information or even a one-to-one with you.

Whilst this group are people who know you and so are more likely to trust you, don’t forget that you are developing a very different relationship which can quickly turn sour. Be prepared for rocky times!

Bank Line of Credit or Loan

Now you’re getting into the serious stuff! Getting support from a Bank for a new business is tough, as many entrepreneurs will testify. One sneaky way is to apply for an unsecured loan while you are still in employment. If you have planned things right you will know when you are starting up, so a few months before you pack your job in, apply for a loan based on your salary. However, make sure that you can comfortably meet the repayments. There is no grace period; you will be expected to pay back immediately, so your business will have to start earning very quickly.

The alternative is a business line of credit facility. There is no fixed repayment date, although they will be for periods from 6 to 12 months, and all you have to do is ensure that you keep within the overdraft limit. You will have to write a business plan to present to the Bank which outlines your idea and the business.

Mortgage or Equity Release

With the way house prices have been increasing over the last few years, the vast majority of people now have substantial equity in their homes. The cheaper alternative to a Bank overdraft or loan is a mortgage. The interest rate is lower and, as the repayments are spread over a longer period, the monthly repayment is less (although you will end up paying more interest in the long run).

The disadvantage of raising cash this way is that your home is potentially at risk. If meeting the monthly repayments is dependent on what the business can generate then a slow start could cause cash problems. So be very sure you can meet the repayments even during a lean period.

Credit Cards

If you haven’t got any savings, can’t get support from family or friends, or a Bank loan or mortgage, then there are your credit cards! However, whilst it’s easy to draw down on your card, be wary! Credit cards are the most expensive form of debt.

They are ideal because all you may have to do is pay the minimum amount but card debt, as most people have found out, can be a long term burden. But, if you need a cash lump sum to kick start the business and you know you can pay it off within a few months, then it’s an alternative source of finance worth considering, if somewhat unorthodox!

Business Grants

Business grants are available for specific industries, sectors and reasons. Grant providers will usually only give a portion of your requirement, so they cannot be used to totally finance a start up. However, they can be useful in filling a funding gap.

Business Angels

A popular way to fund a business are Business Angels. These are people, usually retired or successful business people in their own right, who are looking for opportunities to invest in new businesses.

In exchange for an investment they will typically look for a shareholding in the business and some hands-on involvement. They will have a vast business experience and so are useful people to have on board. However, you will have to accept an element of loss of control but that needs to be balanced against your desire for funding.

Getting finance for your new business can be a challenge but there are a number of avenues to explore and so with dedication and focus you could soon be on your way to launching your own small business.

Best Small Business Idea -- It's All About You

by: Michael Clark

Getting More Focused -- It’s All About You

Jeanna Pool from Catalyst Creative writes a great ezine on marketing each month. In January she shared 5 Great Marketing Tips for 2006. Number 1 was “Stop Focusing on You”. She declares 2006 the year of the client and exhorts you to focus totally on your clients and their needs. I think she’s right on. And I think she’s completely wrong. Why right and wrong?

Because if you’ve been in business for awhile and have great products and great services and aren’t getting the results you want, you may be too focused on your clients and not focused enough on yourself. Last week, I encouraged your to revisit your vision of your business and ask yourself why you started your business in the first place. Now I want you to focus even more on what you want. What exactly do you want out of your business? Do you want more money? If so, how much? Write down a number. Do you want more flexible hours? If so, write out exactly the schedule you’d like. Do you want to change the world? If so, write out specifically how that would look.

Why all this focus on you? Because if you aren’t absolutely clear on what you want, how are you going to know if you are successful? How are you going help your clients if you aren’t taking care of yourself as well. Maybe you need to be making $150,000 a year to provide your family with the life that you wanted. You want to send your kids to college. You want to retire while you are still in active and in good health. Or maybe you want to just make an extra $20,000 a year working part-time while you take care of your children until they are in school. Or perhaps your goal is to make a million dollars a year and live a really incredible life. Defining this is very important. Why?

Because what you want will shape your business. It will determine who your customers are and how you will help them. If you want $5,000,000 in sales, your products and methods are going to be a whole lot different than if you want $50,000 in sales. If you want to work only afternoons, that is going to shape your business as well. If you want to sell your business and retire in five years, that’s going to affect your decisions as well. So right now, get out a paper and pen and get ready to write.

Did you get your pen and paper out? Answer the question, “What do I want out of my business?” Write in as much detail exactly what you want your business to give you. Be as specific as possible. Write as much as you can. Think income, lifestyle, schedule, partners, travel, location, employees. What exactly do you want? Throughout the week, add to this and revise it. Compare where you are right now to what you really want. How large is the gap? Next week, I’ll help you create a plan to narrow the gap with: Why Business Plans Don’t Work -- How to Create an Effective Action Plan

Avoiding a Financial Crisis: How to Keep Your Small Business Alive

by: Robert Warlow

Having a superb product, soaring sales and stupendous customer service are undoubtedly some of the things which go into making a successful business. But all of this is irrelevant if you suffer a financial crisis. Without a sound stable financial position the slightest shock can be enough to send your business crashing to the ground.

So what can you do to ensure that all your hard work is not in vain? What can you do to make sure that a financial crisis doesn’t rock the boat or even sink it? Let’s take a look at what can cause these jolts and, more importantly, what you can do about it.

Poor Record Keeping and Administration

Business owners are usually not good record or bookkeepers! People who start businesses are the ones who have great ideas, see a gap in the market or have the personality to sell anything. They are not people who jump out of bed in the morning and say “Great, it’s a VAT and paperwork day today!”

If you are to keep your business on the straight and narrow then you have to accept that there are going to days like this; you can’t avoid it. You must keep records of your sales, your purchases, how much you have, how much raw material or finished goods you hold.

Without these records you will very quickly lose track of where you are. You won’t know:

• What you have spent your money on
• You won’t know where your cash is going
• You won’t know where all your stock is – has someone stolen it? Who knows?

You are effectively working in the dark and this is not conducive to financial stability. So what sort of records are we talking about? Nothing sophisticated. It can be as simple as a book with one page for your income and another for your expenditure. At least once a month total it all up to see how money you have made (I hope!). There’s a saying. ‘The people who keep records are the people who break records’ – so true.

Not Watching Your Bank Balance

Do you know exactly what your bank balance is today? Why is it important? Because if you are going to write a cheque you must know whether you have the money on your account. If you don’t that nasty Bank Manager may just bounce it.

Obviously this can have a negative effect on your reputation; your credit will be damaged and you may struggle to get support from your Bank and suppliers in the future. All because you didn’t check what your balance was.

To avoid this make sure you keep a running total in a cash book of what you have on your account. Why not sign up for Internet Banking? These days all the High Street Banks make this facility available, so there is no excuse for losing track of where you stand.

Poor Cash and Credit Management

Closely linked to keeping an eye on your Bank balance is how you handle your cash flow. There are 3 aspects to this.

1. Don’t be tempted to keep too much at your home or on your business premises. You could lose it to thieves, fire or flood

2. If you are doing ‘business-to-business’ sales then you may be faced with having to sell on credit. If so then be disciplined in chasing up any outstanding payments. You can’t afford to be embarrassed about asking for a cheque. If you have agreed 1 month credit, why wait for 3 months? Chase as hard as you can because remember you have your own debts to pay!

3. You may be lucky to have a period of credit granted by the people you buy from. If they give you one month’s credit, then stick to it. If you decide to hold onto your bills before paying you may be faced with a Solicitor’s letter. Don’t ignore the problem and hope the phone calls will go away - they won’t!

No Cost Controls

To keep yourself in a strong financial position shop around for purchases you have to make. Compare prices and specifications. Have an upper limit beyond which you will not pay. Always be on the lookout for a good deal.

Spending On the Wrong Things

Running your own business can be a very powerful feeling! You may be tempted to spend on anything but the business – a new car, flash clothes, a new kitchen. Well, you have to look the part don’t you??

During the early years and even when you are established make sure you spend your hard earned cash on the right things. The trappings of success may not be right at this stage of your business life. Your business, in order for it to grow, needs cash. Remove the cash and you remove the life blood which keeps your business alive.

You have to be disciplined in your expenditure and ask yourself the question, ‘Will this cost add anything to my business?’. Don’t act on impulse; go away and think about every large expenditure. If the answer to the question is no, then you should think twice about spending.

Failing To Make Cuts in Time

Failing to make the necessary cuts to ensure the survival of your business is something you cannot afford to do. If you spot you have a problem do something about it! Don’t sit back and hope things will get better; the chances are it won’t.

If you have product or service which is not performing and it’s costing you money don’t try and dress it up – be ruthless and cut it out. Make your decision quickly; don’t hang about. Not acting fast will only compound the problem.

Depending On a Small Number of Customers

Having a small number of customers is not a problem when everything is going well, but if one or two leave you or fail to pay up on time, then this can cause problems.

If you depend on 3 customers and one of them leaves then you are faced with a 33% reduction in sales. Unless you can replace him immediately you may not be able to cut your overheads quick enough to avert any crisis.

You cannot afford for your business to be held to ransom. Try and diversify as much as you can. Get out there and get new customers.

The same applies to businesses which rely on only one or two products. A shift in public tastes can leave you high and dry with unsold stock and no business!

Not Having a Budget

One good financial discipline is to have a budget. At the beginning of each year sit down and, based on your previous year’s income and expenditure, set new targets. Look to see where you can cut back in expenditure or even what to cut out all together.

Armed with your budget you will have a guide to work to. This will be a second check before you make any large unnecessary purchases.

Having a budget will provide discipline to your expenditure. At the end of every month up date it by including your actual income and expenditure then compare your budget with the actuals. Going through this exercise will give you more focus and what your business is doing. It can help you put things right by highlighting the problem areas.

No Contingency Plan In Place

Bigger businesses need to have a contingency plan for all parts of the business. A contingency plan is basically a plan which answers the question, “What would we do if this happened …?”

What is your “if”? What if you lose your premises? What if your computer goes down?

For a small business the biggest risk is you! What would happen to your business if you fall ill or even die? Most small businesses are totally dependent on the owner. You do everything!

If you are ill enough for one or two months that you can’t work who will see to the customers? Who will get new ones? Who will see to the paperwork? Who will collect the money owed to you?

These are important questions you must answer now. You have to identify someone who could fill in for you if you are to avoid a potential financial crisis. Your next step is to write a manual on how your business works, and outlining all the key processes. If something does happen then at least there is a path to follow!

Not Talking To Your Bank Manager

As soon as most people see a financial crisis looming the person they try and avoid most is their Bank Manager! If they see him walking on the same side of the road they will cross to avoid bumping into him.

The Bank Manager is usually the first person you should speak to. Bank Managers like to be kept up to date with what is happening in your business. They don’t like surprises. It’s when they are kept in the dark they make decisions that can have a major impact on your business.

You must resolve to talk to your Bank Manager the moment you suspect there is a problem. Who knows, he may surprise you by offering to do something to help!

Financial problems can usually be avoided by taking a step back from the business and thinking about what can go wrong. Once you know that, then you can take actions to put preventative measures in place before it’s too late.

Taming The Small Business Beast

by: Kristie Tamsevicius

The entrepreneurial life… yes THAT'S the life for me. Being your own boss can afford you the freedom to work when you please, do what you want, and spend more time with your family. It's true, owning a small business can be a dream come true, or a nightmare if you let it be.

There are untold dangers to be had with owning a business. Without careful and deliberate attention, a business that was once designed to suit your needs may easily turn on you like a growling fearsome creature that keeps you trapped in the corner. How do you tame the small business beast?

Here are a few tips to help you keep control of your growing small business.

=> TRAP #1 The Endless Workload – Running in circles to stay "caught up" How many of us have had a day that starts at 6 am – no shower – crunching on a dry piece of toast only to come across a major client emergency. In between getting the kids off to school, buying milk because you are out, and attending a client meeting at 2 and hoping it will end so you can get home in time to you're your child up from the school bus.

ANSWER: We all have days like this – that's life -- but you can make sure those days are the exception and not the rule.

CREATE a plan before your start your day. Make efficient use of your time. Group your tasks into "doable" chunks.

SET a definite schedule and stick to it. Don't work during family time. Let your family know how important they are to you by honoring them with your total presence during that family time. Honor yourself by taking that time off to live your life, renew, and dream new dreams. If you started your business to make more time for your life, than make sure you are actually taking that time to do so.

STOP working on time. Set your key "must do" priorities for the day and let the rest slide. How many times have you said , "I'll do just one more thing and then I'll be caught up." It never really happens now does it? As your small business blossoms, so will the growing list of clients and your personal "to do" list along with it.

=> TRAP #2 Complete Overwhelm:

Blurred Vision – Panic - Lack of Focus

ANSWER: Someone wise once said, "You have to say NO, in order to say YES". Take time to carefully consider each opportunity you are presented to see if it's right for you. You have to make space in your life so MAGIC once in a lifetime opportunities arrive in gleaming gold ribbon at your doorstep you have room to accept them.

LOOK UP – there's a whole world beyond your work desk! Don't keep your nose so close to the grindstone a.k.a. computer screen -- remember to think about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and if you want to be moving in that direction. Clarity makes it easier to boldly use your "no" muscle and take back control. Having a clear vision also evokes the "law of attraction" and before you know it, the universe starts pulling toward you the things you want most in your life

=> TRAP #3 Taking every client and job that comes along When I was first starting out, I made the mistake of thinking that I should take every client and job that came my way. After all isn't that what business is about – being busy is how you make money right? WRONG!

Being smart about how you invest your time and talents is the true path to success. Working with the "wrong" clients can be very costly both in terms of money lost and in personal terms. This is especially true if you are offering a service that taps into your personal talents.

ANSWER: If a potential client approaches you and your gut says "this is not right" than you need to trust your gut and GET OUT. I've been taken for money and taken personally on disastrous paths by not trusting that little voice.

Before you take on a new client ask yourself these questions:

"Will I enjoy working with them?"

"Will this project be fulfilling for me?"

"Will I be able to charge enough to make it worth my while?"

"Do I have time/room/space for this client right now?"

"Is this person dangerous, do I trust them?"

"Is this person going to demand more of me than I am willing to give?"

If the answer to any of those questions is NO than politely decline or refer them on. By being clear about who your ideal client is you will attract those clients. When you work with the right clients, you do your best work. When you do your best work, clients are thrilled, they'll gladly refer you, and before you know it you'll have clients lining up at your door. I can tell you personally, this has worked VERY WELL for me. I now work with a "family" of clients whom I dearly love. When I am happy, I can do AMAZING creative things. My clients love the personal attention and service. It creates a self-propelling circle of prosperity for all involved.

=> TRAP #4 Busy Body Syndrome:

Family? Social Life – What is that?

As odd as it may seem, the very business you started so that you could spend more time with your kids can easily turn to into a wall that keeps you from doing just that.

ANSWER: Stick to definite work hours. Learn how to slow down and unwind during off hours. Stay in touch with friends. Pamper yourself. Creating a routine such as drinking a cup of hot tea, or changing to comfy clothes to help you mentally switch to "relaxation" time.

Stop to enjoy the impromptu kisses, songs, and pretty pictures your kids offer you. If your child wants a moment, stop, breathe, give it to him, enjoy the special feeling of that moment…then move on. Parents are fabulously gifted at multitasking. But don't make the mistake of multitasking your family. They deserve ALL of you (and you NEED it too).

SO – KEEP THAT BUSINESS ROPED – THAT PLAN IN HAND….

They say in life that if you get stepped on enough there will come a day when you become strong enough to stand up for yourself. Take your small business by the horns and hog tie it -- shape it, mold it, and manage it to be a vehicle to support the life you have always wanted. When you are very clear about what and who you are, people find that very attractive.

Nothing makes clients happier than knowing and actually GETTING exactly what they expected (and more)! Be good to yourself and your family.

Enjoy what you do and the clients with whom you do it. Success and happiness are simple really, know what you want, and then CREATE that….

VoIP is the Bell Killer; Small Business Owners Are Grabbing Lucrative Voice Services Market Share

by: Martin OKeeffe

When I entered the fledgling cable TV industry in 1979, a newly minted college grad, I remember thinking, WOW, everyone should be in this business. Even discounting those ignorance-on-fire days, the feeling of being in an industry poised to take off like cable did is one I'll never forget.

It's the same feeling I have now, marketing the rapidly emerging broadband voice technology VoIP, and creating a vibrant new revenue stream for my business. Only this time, it's not a new product introduction - the residential, landline voice market in the US alone represents hundreds of billions of dollars in existing consumer spending. It's consumer spending previously held captive by a relative thimbleful of companies due to technology and regulatory constraints. Now this market share "deck of cards" has been tossed up in the telecom whirlwind, with enormous opportunities for individuals and small businesses to tap into huge, recurring, monthly income streams.

The market research firm IDC says more than 10 million residential phone customers are now using VoIP services, and it predicts that the number will grow to 44 million in 2010. The Harvard Business Review, in a recent article predicts not only rapid growth for VoIP but also profound, beneficial changes to the way businesses operate, as a result of VoIP deployment. The impetus for such a rapid, mass shift in market share is simple: Lots more features and functions for about half the price the Bells (over)charge for unlimited local & LD.

And it's getting bigger. My company is already marketing VoIP video phones, and flat-rate global calling plans that the big phone companies can only dream about. And we represent the only VoIP provider in the US currently offering VoIP service in Puerto Rico...WITH Puerto Rican phone #s. Also, right around the corner is IPTV, internet-based video entertainment which promises the same market share impact on the cable & satellite TV business.

Here's some of the things being said about VoIP:

"VoIP will irreversibly alter the world of communications. VoIP is the most significant paradigm shift in the entire history of modern communications since the invention of the telephone."

-- Michael Powell, Former FCC Chairman, Fortune Magazine - July 2004

"VoIP will be the largest transfer of wealth ever in American business history.

-- Business Week magazine, 2004

"There will be 50 million new subscribers to this service by 2008"

-- Harvard Business Review, September 2005

Want to learn more about VoIP? See how you can drastically reduce or even eliminate your phone bill. Plus, learn how to plug your existing business into, or create a new business around, these exciting new revenue streams, please visit http://www.voipaware.com. For a copy of the Harvard Business Review Article referenced above, please send a request to: 1voipgeorgia@comcast.net.

About The Author

Business Cash Advance Vs. Small Business Loans

by: Ray Smith

Every business owner who has ever tried to get a business loan knows how difficult it is to get the money out of those banks and financial institutions. Surprisingly enough, these same people don’t need to be coaxed for a personal loan even if you are going to spend all that money for a pleasure trip or buying a car, but if you are looking for a business loan that is likely to give you a good ROI, you need to fulfill a bunch of criterions to qualify. One of the prime criteria for getting a business loan is to have a good credit score and unfortunately over 92% of the American population does not qualify for a business loan including the Small Business Administration (SBA) Guarantee Loan Program.

Credit Score is just the tip of the iceberg, even if you have a good credit score, you will have to provide the bank with financial statements, audited tax returns, business plan, a personal guarantee or collateral and meet other regulatory requirements set forward by the financial institutions.

Most banks would not even consider offering a business loan if you are

a) New in business

b) Have low credit score or no credit or credit problem

c) Do not have enough collateral

d) Need under $100,000

Also a business loan brings with it the liabilities of making monthly repayments of fixed amounts.

While it is so difficult to obtain a business loan, it becomes pretty easy to get some funding if you opt for a business cash advance. A business cash advance company would offer cash even to people with relatively low credit score. Most business that accepts credit cards and are in business for more than 2 years qualify for a business cash advance. A business cash advance is similar to a factor company except for the fact that it uses your future credit card receivables instead of business-to-business receivable invoices.

A business cash advance ( http://1rstfunds.com ) does not require a personal guarantee or a collateral neither is there a fixed monthly repayment schedule. Business cash advance is repaid automatically through Visa or Master card sales. A business cash advance is a much easier option compared to business loans. A cash advance provider would not take equity ownership of your business and you are free to use the money for any business purpose you see fit.

As the cash advance provider gets paid only when you sale and get paid, it is more of an investment to them. The repayment of your business cash advance follows the revenue trend of your business and your cash sales are never used for repayment. This ensures that it is never a burden for you to repay the cash advance.

If your business needs an injection of cash flow it is time you apply for a business cash advance and start enjoying the financial stability.

Small Business Marketing: Risk Reversal Will Sky Rocket Your Sales

by: George Dodge

One of the top obstacles that you have to get over is the prospect's sensation that they are at risk when buying from you. The more they feel that they are at risk, the larger will be their reluctance to buy.

To get over this hurdle, you need to reserve the sense of risk. You must assume the risk yourself.

Have you ever considered how many businesses transfer the built-in risks of conducting such a business to the customer?

Well, the following is a classic model of how this is done currently:

Recently, I went into a store to buy a anniversary present for a friend. I saw a sign on the wall behind the cash counter that said "Absolutely no refund after 7 days" and I thought to myself, "How negative is that?" It sounded so severe and foreboding, even threatening.

I was wondering why these people would want to lessen their customer's goodwill by stating the policy in such a negative way and risk turning off even one customer. Especially, when the very same message could have been stated in a much more favorable way and help to make lasting customer relationships. For example, the same line on the store’s return policy could have read, "We will gladly refund your full purchase price within 7 days."

The difference:

I am sure the difference in the two approaches is quite obvious. In the first statement, it is implied that the customer has to bear the burden of responsibility while the second statement indicates that the store management is willing to go out of his or her way to help the customer.

The above example is only a small one with perhaps only a minor negligible effect on sales, but the idea is not to state things in a negative fashion when there is a much better and more positive way of saying the same thing.

Your risk, your gain:

The wide range of anti-customer policies employed by various businesses never ceases to amaze me. The point that they all miss here is that, if you believe you have a sound product or service, then you should leave no stone unturned in advertising it to your customers.

For example:

"Our prices are the lowest in town or we’ll refund double the difference" or "If we don’t have your size in stock, we’ll make a special order and have it here within two days" or "Marketing that gets you results or it costs you zilch, nada, zero.

All of the above statements have a powerful and positive psychological impact on the mind of the customer. If you can perform, you must make sure you let people know. If you were the gift shop owner, as in the earlier example, you may get a few returns and refund requests to begin with, but those will be of no consequence at all compared to all the new business you will be getting just by thinking smart and communicating right.

As a matter of fact, studies have generally found that with product guraantees, the longer the guarantee period, the fewer returns. The longer guarantee gives the customer a sense that you really believe in your product.

Take for example an information product. If a customer has not had a chance to really get into the product and consume the information provided within the guarantee period, they may decide to return simply because they haven't had the time to satisfy themselfves that the information is really useful to them.

On the other hand, if the guarantee is for a year, then they don't feel rushed and if they never get to the product and it sits on the shelf unopened, they will have long forgotten all about it and the guarantee when the deadline comes up.

Taking the risk on yourself is good for your business.

Does Bad Credit Hinder Your Business? Small Business Loans Can Help

by: Tim Kelly

If at any point of time, your business requires more funds or you want to start a new business but unable to do so because of your bad credit records, you are definitely in need of a bad credit small business loan.

A bad credit record includes cases of County Court Judgments, arrears, defaults, bankruptcy etc., which hampers your business and results in poor credit score. In this case it becomes difficult to get a loan. But in these hard times, there are lenders available who are ready to offer bad credit business loans.

When your credit account is not so impressive and you find borrowing loan difficult, you can apply for a bad credit small business loan to get a suitable amount of loan that you can easily repay and run your business well. Bad credit business loans provide you with small funds that you need for your business. Borrowing a small amount of money will help you repay it easily and also improve your credit history for future borrowings.

Bad credit small loans business fulfills your every requirement that you will expect from any other loan. The major advantage of this loan is that it is available to bad credit holders with the interest rate that will go with their financial conditions. The repayment period is also very easy and flexible. You also have the option to choose the repayment on your own and according to your convenience. The average bad credit business loan lasts for 5 to 30 years.

People with bad credit can avail small business loans for their various business purposes. They can borrow loans for starting a new business, purchasing of business assets, making payments to the creditors etc.

You can avail bad credit small business loans in both secured and unsecured forms. If you wish to take a secured loan, you will have to put collateral as a security against the loan amount. The advantage with this loan is that here lenders feel themselves secured that their money won’t be at risk. So they will offer you more money than an unsecured loan where you might not get as much amount as in secured loan. But if you take an unsecured loan, you will be free from any collateral or security.

Before signing the loan agreement, it is always beneficial to have prior knowledge about the loan as well as the lender you have chosen. This you can do easily by simply surfing the net and going through the rates and terms and conditions of different lenders. After a sharp comparison of rates, you will find a lender that will suit you from both financial and personal conditions.

Now you can run your business without any hurdle. Bad credit small loans will help your business flourish and form a strong financial ground.

The Importance Of Implementing An Integrated Marketing Plan For Your Small Business

by: Michael Brito

The progression of marketing -- moving beyond traditional to include interactive, consumer driven, social marketing has spread like Ebola. It’s often referred to as Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). IMC is ushering in a new era in which marketers blend communication messages across all available media channels into a continuous brand experience. As part of a successful integrated marketing strategy, IMC integrates public relations, advertising, online, social media, etc; and other communications elements into one cohesive entity all sharing the same message.

Many organizations today are now embracing this concept of IMC. Instead of dividing marketing communications into separate groups that rarely communicate; organizations are now integrating all marketing disciplines under one umbrella; thus, making every communication consistent with one message, sharing the same strategy. This also allows marketers to execute marketing campaigns more efficiently without having to jump through hoops to get approvals for creative, content, messaging, etc.

The key to effective integration is the cohesiveness between various marketing messages, and the understanding that marketing is fundamentally a conversation between a company and its prospective customer. It is not one specific marketing campaign or press release; rather, how the blending and execution of such disciplines convey a message synergistically, and at every possible customer touch point.

IMC includes the various tools such as advertising, public relations, personal selling, sales promotion, direct & database marketing, sponsorship, event marketing, social media marketing, and online marketing (search, banner advertising, affiliate, etc.). Since the purpose of marketing is to generate revenue, increase market share, drive preference to purchase, and/or build brand awareness, marketers need to find ways to do this effectively; and embracing an integrated marketing strategy is the first step.

Integrated Marketing At Work

Nike is a great example of a company that has fully embraced the concept of integrated marketing. Their integrated approach includes traditional advertising (billboard, magazine, and television); sponsoring sporting events and players such as the Superbowl and Tiger Woods; and engaging in online marketing initiatives by allowing consumers to customize their Nike shoes. They also spend a great deal of money in search marketing. Nike’s approach allows them to communicate their message consistently across all media outlets; and at the same time share that message at every customer touch point; that is, use Nike products and you will increase your performance regardless of what sport you are involved in.

Another example is HP’s “The Computer is Personal Again” campaign. They utilized many forms of media with great consistency, and capitalized on each of the media’s individual strengths. Television shared real-life stories, print detailed many of the same stories and online extended each into a positive experience with which the customer could interact with HP. The campaign also used paid search to capture queries about HP products and services.

Conclusion

The adoption of integrated marketing is essential in today’s market place. As consumers, we are bombarded with thousands of messages from thousands of different advertisers each day. It has become natural for us to filter out these messages that don’t appeal to a particular need or interest. On the other hand, as marketers, we need ensure that we are doing everything we possible can to reach these consumers at a time when they are interested in our value proposition. This means that our message has to be where the consumers are looking all the time.

How Video and Audio Web Conferencing Can Benefit The Small Business Landscape

by: GTS, Inc - Mark D. Watt

How to Be In Multiple Places At One Time:

Imagine your small innovative design firm just completed a prototype of a new concept car for one of the largest car companies in the US. Your company is located in San Francisco, CA and the car company is located in Detroit, MI and with other decision makers located in Mt Vernon IN, and Lexington, KY and you need to present your prototype without sending an overnight package or attempt to have everyone fly to the corporate office. So, you need a solution that will allow you to bring everyone together on the same page to present your prototype design which was created utilizing your company CAD software application, so that you may view, present and make modifications in real-time.

Meet-N-See-N-Hear:

Implement an integrated audio, web and desktop video in an easy-to-use solution by allowing participants to see, hear and interact as if everyone is in the same – and on the same page with web conferencing.

Meet - Use your computer, laptop or desktop, and a web browser

See - View your participants by utilizing a web-cam to see your participants body language and facial expression, live face-2-face in real-time

Hear - Speak, listen and communicate through audio in real-time

Present - Present your training program, power point or your marketing program in real-time

Share - Share your application or document in real-time Demo your product or services in real-time

Edit and Modify - Edit your documents, applications on the fly in real-time

The Benefits of Web Conferencing:

Web conferencing overcomes geographical boundaries by bringing clients, customers, colleagues, vendors, friends and families together to communicate, collaborate and engage each other in real-time. Your small business or any organization can and will reduce your travel expenses, improve communication with remote teams and partners, improve sales and sales lead generation, demo your products and services, improved productivity, provide training and increase your business bottom line.

Strategies for Your Small Business Technology Success:

Provide your team the following tools so that they can be mobile and connected. It doesn’t matter if your organization is a small business or large corporation.

- Provide your team business class laptops with wireless capability. *Optional web-cam

- Handheld PDAs. *Optional wireless capability

- Cell Phone

- VPN access for secured email and files

Conclusion:

In closing, on-line web conferencing offers small businesses, organizations, and companies a way to reduce expenses and enhance the way they conduct business over time and space. The factors above make a great check-list for moving into the web conferencing space and increasing your firm’s bottom line.

Check out GTS, Inc new e-book at the following web sites:

http://www.g-collaboration.com
http://www.lulu.com/gtsinc
http://www.ebookmall.com/ebook/205735-ebook.htm

About: GTS, Inc based in Raleigh, NC, is an on-line web conferencing content, and solutions provider. For more information about GTS, Inc, and visit our web site: http://www.g-collaboration.com

Affordable Marketing Strategies for Small Online Business

by: Denise Nuttall

Online small business marketing can get expensive. Most people starting an online business may quickly find your savings and credit cards maxed. That is, unless you know how to market your online business with affordable strategies.

There are many ways to market your small online business with the cheap or free methods of marketing before spending a lot of money on a system that will not work for you.

Traffic exchanges are one strategy to market your business free of charge. Many new small online businesses advertise through traffic exchanges and gain tons of free traffic. These however are not targeted unique visitors to your site.

Forums are online communities that focus on specific niches. There are forums (or discussion groups) on just about any topic you can think of. Most forums do not allow commercial solicitations. The focus is on exchanging information. Be prepared to add useful comments to the discussion and follow the posted rules. You may be allowed to attach a signature to your comments. Put your website in the signature to attract the search engine spiders and send visitors to your site. Develop a reputation as an expert on your topic and give free advice when possible to build credibility. Be careful not to go into forums only to advertise your site. This is considered spam. It could get you banned from the forum.

Forums also get you back-links to your site through your signature on your posts. Forums are one of the most affordable marketing strategies for your small online business. It gets you back-links, targeted visitors, and builds credibility for you as an expert.

Writing articles and publishing them to directories and ezines, is the best marketing strategy of all. Writing a keyword rich unique article can do more for your business than anything else, in my opinion. Writing an article is free and the more you write the better you get. You can’t buy your way to top rankings on search engines but one truly great article can place you at the top and get you more traffic than you can imagine. Be sure to write about what you know and stay on topic of your web site.

Keep your money in your wallet. For affordable marketing strategies, start using two or all three of these methods and you will be creating a solid marketing foundation for your small online business.

Helpful Tips for Starting a Small Business

by Morgan Hamilton

Do you have plans of owning your own business? You may have a friend who has become successful through his own business and you would really like to make it big like him. Well, it’s not too late. Just imagine the possibilities of being self-employed and the potential improvement it could bring to your life.

Starting a small business can have its advantages and can be quite rewarding. For starters, imagine being your own boss. No more pressure from supervisors and there will no one to order you around. You’ll be able to work on your own time and meet your own deadlines.

So are you tempted to try? Starting a small business is entirely normal. Many people have been successful in this enterprise and all big corporations started out small as small businesses. Imagine being able to make all those important decisions yourself. But just how do you begin?

In starting your own business, its important to plan carefully. You need to decide whether your business should be about services or should you sell your own products. Do you plan on selling new design of home furniture or would you rather improve homes by redesigning people’s gardens. If you have doubts about the frame work of your business, you should try looking for assistance on the Internet. Cyber space has all the answers you need in planning your business.

Learn all about materials, marketing, and other elements of a business on the World-Wide-Web. Try to gain insight on starting a small business from those how have succeeded in getting their small businesses going. You can find tips, free data, and pointers online that may spell the difference between success and failure.

A friend of mine tried this idea and the Internet really helped his computer repair business took off. Now he works completely out of his home. Businesses nowadays rely mainly on the internet. A lot of business deals and transactions happen on cyberspace. So are you ready to begin changing your life for the better by starting a small business?

Small Business - Keep Going!

by Ove Norkdvist

You've a burning desire, you're loaded with motivation, your attitude is to kill for, You've the tools to realize your small business ideas. Marvelous. Now you only need one more thing. You'll need to set your mind in a "never give up" mode.

It's a crucial fact, you and your small business, will face serious setbacks and tough to get by obstacles. Doesn't matter if everything starts smoothly or work great right now. Sooner or later you'll experience rough days.

You must prepare yourself for this and you need to learn how to tackle these situations with enthusiasm. You'll have to learn how to land at your feet. Get back on the bike right after you've fell off.

When the time comes the following thoughts might come in handy.

When you feel like you never want to see your business again, give yourself some breathing space. Take scheduled breaks, do something completely different.

When you're all steamed up and frustrated, Take a few deep cleansing breath. Tell yourself to relax. Think about a funny story.

Get the good habit of daily exercise. There is nothing more stress relieving than a hard body exercise.

You must allow yourself to have other activities. Turn your attention to a hobby that takes your mind off the business for a while. When you re approach your task, you'll see it with new eyes.

Look in the mirror and say it out loud, you look at a real winner. First class material like that, don't ever give up. Your success is probably just around the next corner. Let your winners mind run free for a while, when you harness it again, it will be reloaded with power.

Have a look into the future, you're just one step away from achieving your big goal. Of course you want to take that step.Imagine what a waste it would be to quit, just before you would be able to reap the rewards.

It would be such a shame to have done all the hard work, only to not take the last necessary step. The next action you take might just be the one which make the snowball rolling. Keep going.

Get hold of some motivational books and tapes, it's an efficient and cheap way to stay at course.

All successful small business owners, have been able to overcome all the humps and bumps along the road towards a successful business. Think about that when you feel like it's time to quit. If they were able to do it, so are you.

You can't give up, it's not in your bag of options. Keep educate yourself in your area of business. The more you learn the more you increase your velocity towards your goal.

Ove Nordkvist is the owner of the web site http://www.small-biz-ideas.net Take advantage of free business education material, and informative and motivational articles, as well as tools and resources.

Five Things You Need To Remember Before Starting a Small Business

by Chris Leroy

Everyone knows someone who has decided to go into small business but did you know that 70% of all small businesses fail within the first 12 months of operation. In some countries that failure rate is as high as 85 to 90%. Small Business is one of the toughest industries you can ever decide to take on and most people who go into small business go into it for the wrong reason.

I have started 4 small businesses over the last 10 years and every single one of them has been started from scratch and survived into a thriving business. Just recently I have decided to sell one of the businesses off cause it had done what I expected it to do which is the first issue you need to think about.

Issue 1. Have a Clear Understanding of What You Want To Achieve In Your Business

The majority of people, who actually go into business, go into it for the wrong reasons. Even I have been guilty of that. So what is this wrong reason, most people start a small business because they believe they can do a better job then their current boss. Maybe this is true, maybe it is not but what most people really want is better working conditions and better pay. No one can blame you for wanting that. If that is all you want, then I strongly suggest you stay away from small business.

One of the key issues you must remember before evening thinking about starting a small business is this. Do you know what your business will look like? If you were walking down the street, how would you want to be found? What impression do you want to give to your clients? What clearly do you what to achieve in this business?

The second clear understanding you must have of your business is, when will you know when it is finished? When you have built what you want to achieve and more importantly, how will you get out?

See most people when they go into business have no exit strategy and that is one of the worst things you can do. Before you ever start a business, the first thing you must work out is how you are going to get out of the business.

Two years ago, I started a small car cleaning business. My wife and I both started it because she wanted to see if she could build a business. Our exit strategy was to sell the business once it was done. How we would sell it was something we were not sure of?

See we could have taken a number of approaches to this. Our exit strategy could have been to franchise the business, sell it to a single owner or to float it on the stock market. We chose that we only wanted to sell it to another owner, but we still built the business in such a way that there was still plenty of growth and opportunity in the business for the new owner, but we had removed the risk for them on how to run the business by clearly documenting everything they needed to do to run that business.

Before ever starting a business, always think about how you will exit the business, when you have achieved your objective for that business. If you do not have an exit strategy in mind, then you will never get out of the business.

Issue 2. Keep a Strict Schedule

Small business is consuming. Unlike in large corporations where you can hire many people to do a range of tasks, small business requires the small business owner to do many of the tasks themselves. Some of the tasks include doing your books, lodging trademarks, doing the ordering etc. Often when you start in small business, you can not afford to hire people to do these tasks.

What I have personally found is that if you do not keep a tight schedule and document your meetings and tasks you have to do then it will not take very long before you will be swamped by all the things you have to do in the business every day. It is this phenomenon that often leads small business owners to quit and fail in the first twelve months. Let me tell you this, the warning signs that this is starting is when you say to your wife on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon that you are going down to the office to catch up on paperwork for a few hours. Once you get into this habit, you will never stop doing it and the business will consume you really quickly.

I strongly recommend all small business owners keep a diary. My preference is to use Microsoft Outlook, simply because it includes a calendar and you can make sure that each day you schedule your work plus your appointments to make sure you do not forget anything. If you do this, then you will find over time you can get through this plus you will learn how long it should take to do the various jobs that make up your business and whether it is worthwhile in getting someone to actually do those tasks for you.

Issue 3. Build Your Own Mastermind Group

I read a book a little while ago called Think and Grow Rich and is written by a gentleman called Napoleon Hill and he talks about the thirteen secrets to success and obscene wealth. One of the things that I learned both from this book and being a small business owner was that I needed a Mastermind Group.

The Mastermind Group is simply a group of professionals who can help me achieve my objectives for my business. Literally anyone can be part of your mastermind group and some of those would be people like a lawyer, an accountant and other people like your peers who can help you in building your business but it may also include people who are not in business as well to help you keep that balance. The Mastermind Group are really those people you turn to for advice and direction. You do not necessarily have to take their advice but a good mastermind group will allow you run through scenarios on what is happening and the potential outcomes.

Issue 4. Have one night when you do something on your own for you!

One of the big issues that I have had over the last ten years is that I have not been doing every single week is something on my own but I say that I am in the process of changing that. Often when you start in business, with the excitement of building your own business you get so consumed that you forget about a life outside of your business and your business becomes your life.

This is really not a good thing nor is it healthy. Even multi-billionaires do things for themselves outside of business. Look do not get me wrong, business is fantastic and fun and can be both enjoyable and a nightmare however there are other things out there outside of business.

When you start a small business, do not neglect your sports, do not neglect doing something social, if you do, in the long run you will find that you business suffers. Plus, in small business it is very easy to become bitter and twisted but by maintaining those none business activities it will help you to balance your life.

Issue 5. Don't neglect Your Partner or your Family

I would love to see the divorce statistics for small business owner’s because I am quite sure that the divorce rate in small business would have to be about 70 or 80%. The majority of married couples (and I am talking about 90% of the small business people I Know) that I know who have gone into small business in their 30’s have actually been divorced within 18 months of them starting the business.

Look there are lots of reasons why this happens, but in a lot of the cases, the partner who has gone into business neglects their family and money gets tight. In the partners case it is not their fault it is simply because the person gets consumed into the business and they forget they have a life outside of the business.

If you have a family, make sure that you do at least one activity a week as a family. Whether it is having a family night at home such as a video night or games night, or even just going to the park to play once a week, make sure that you do it. PLUS, you must ensure that at least one night a week must be for just you and your partner. If you do not do that your marriage or relationship will suffer.

One thing I share with all the people who come through our training business is that if you want to go into business that is cool but you must be prepared to accept two things –

1. You must be prepared to start from scratch if your business does not work that is you must be prepared to start with just the shirt on your back. 2. You must have 100% support of your partner and family

If you cannot accept these two things, then do not go into business because too many people who I see that start on this journey fail and end up miserable and have such a downward spiral which leads them to doing something silly, like take up drinking, drugs or try to commit suicide. Remember, 70% of all small businesses fail within the first 12 months. If you were a betting man would you back something that only had a 30% chance of winning, not likely, yet people still go into small business.

The bottom line is this, small business can be the most awesome ride of your life, but it can be also the most difficult and when you choose to go into small business, take your time and plan what you want to achieve. Remember the old saying if your Fail to Plan, you Plan to Fail. Would you like to learn more on how to implement the Thirteen Secret Steps all millionaires know in the path to becoming an obscenely wealth and successful person. Then find out how with a copy of our Think and Grow Rich book by Napoleon Hill and our audio package. Check out our Meditation Music to help you master this important program.

Small businesses still facing barriers to growth

by Andrew Regan

If you own a small business, life can be tough. According to a survey taken by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in early 2006, small businesses face a variety of barriers to growth, including such factors as red tape, skill shortages and even crime. Out of all the small firms surveyed by the FSB, more than half said that the time they spent on regulation had increased and almost a quarter of small businesses claimed to have problems with recruitment due to skill shortages.

John Walker, the national policy chairman for the FSB, asserted that these barriers to growth for small businesses had been highlighted before, and said the government should do more to tackle these issues. He claimed:

"These problems, which our survey confirms yet again, must therefore be addressed by the government because our country's economic health depends on the success of small businesses. Regulation, both its volume and complexity, crime and a poorly-skilled workforce are issues that we have raised many times before. It is therefore worrying that they are still the main barriers to growth for small firms."

The FSB claimed at the time of the survey that small firms account for more than 50% of the UK's private sector workforce and are responsible for generating over half of Britain's GDP.

When it came to recruitment, the firms surveyed by the FSB claimed that they faced a range of skills barriers - including illiteracy, numeracy, communication skills or technical skills. What's more, 57% of the small businesses surveyed claimed to be the victim of at least one crime over the twelve months previous and said that, if they reported the crime to the police, it was unlikely to help their situation.

Cutting through red tape has also proved extremely problematic for small businesses; 56% of the small firms surveyed by the FSB claimed an increase in time spent on regulation, while 55% said they were not happy about the complexity of existing legislation. The survey showed that older small businesses were less happy with red tape - so the longer a firm had been trading, the more likely it was that they were dissatisfied with legislation.

In fact, many worry that small businesses will not be able to keep up with the changing pace of existing business legislation in Britain. However, a new law introduced in October 2006 which outlaws age discrimination in the workplace has been welcomed by many small businesses, even those that have a reputation for employing young people, such as PR and advertising companies.

If you're looking to start a small business, or you are an existing SME owner, it may be worth investigating the range of small businesses banking services available locally. This is often an excellent first step in making sure that you get your business up and running efficiently, and a great source from which to seek advice if you're looking for information on how best to cut red tape.

When starting a small business, a great idea comes first - but what then?

by Andrew Regan

You're starting a business, you have your concept, but where do you go from here? How do you go about expanding your design and unfolding your plan? And most importantly, how do you ensure you don't overlook any of the vital details? With so many questions and concerns in mind, it can seem hard to focus on the end result: the success of your business. But rest assured there are a number of resources designed specifically for those who are looking to start up a small business; because even if coming up with the concept of your business was simple, the planning process is sure to be intricate.

When starting up a business, it's worthwhile to consider investing in one or more business management resources. Management planning software, for instance, will enable you to take the time you need to learn about all the essentials and inner workings of a small business. You'll find software which focuses on various aspects of business management - from accountancy and HR to marketing.

One of the most important aspects of business management involves accountancy. There are countless figures and statistics to configure and keep track of in a business, from profit margins to taxes, and if these figures aren't managed correctly from the beginning, you can end up with major difficulties down the line. However, with the right accountancy tools, you can manage all of your company's accounting with ease - from VAT, tax and NI configuration to production of annual accounts and end of year reports.

Training your staff is another vital part of developing a business; whether it involves time management skills, computing skills or negotiating skills, training is one of the most valuable components of any company. Equip your staff with the most effective training techniques, and learn how to utilize your results for future training, because staff with optimal skills will help your business grow to its potential.

While accountancy and training are very important aspects of business management, there are countless areas to consider, such as marketing, human resources and health and safety processes. Get the valuable expertise you need to stay ahead of the game when starting a business, and consider investing in business management.

Business management resources don't just cater to novice businesses either; if you currently own a small business and are interested in developing, business management resources can work wonders for you. Compile a stronger business plan based on past experiences and results, and analyze your products and services - from strengths and weaknesses to opportunities and threats. After all, good business planning and knowledge about your products and services are key components of business success.

There are countless management resources to consider if you're thinking about starting up a business or developing the business you currently have. Moreover, small business banks offer expertise in various aspects of business development - from banking and loans to legal advice. So take the first - or continuing - step in making your business what you want it to be - consult an expert in business management today.

Small Business Owner Sales Tips

by Jim Degerstrom

Small business owners may find selling awkward or difficult at best. Here are some tips and sales techniques to help understand the process.

Sales is not a dirty word. People seek answers to problems and if you provide a quality solution at a fair price, delivered on time and willingness to service after the sale, the buyer and seller each win. This is key to making repeat sales.

A sale is identifying a need (problem) and offering a suitable product or service (solution), yet there's more.

You know the value of what you offer, so how do you convince a prospective customer? Understanding the psychology of what happens during the sales process requires empathy. You need to know what the prospect is thinking. Here are a few sales tips with answers to that part of the mystery.

Tip #1
People buy based on emotion more often than reason. They purchase what they want, not necessarily what they need. First impressions are crucial, so your initial approach must establish a professional image. You have 5 seconds.

Tip #2
People will buy from someone they trust. Your credibility must be evident, and how you open after those critical first 5 seconds will often determine your success. Do not try a hard sell up front. Avoid talking about the weather, current events, or the latest joke. It is time to listen. A brief introduction is usually enough which gives the prospect a chance to explain their business and situation.

Tip #3
People are not looking just at you. What you have, what it does, and how it will help doesn't matter until you understand fully what they want. If you start out with an open ended question, you show respect for the buyer's time, and a willingness to listen. Any question that may be answered "yes" or "no" won't work. Open ended means you begin by asking or stating something like "Please take a moment to explain your business and a few details about what you need."

Tip #4
People will open up if given a chance. Do not dominate the conversation until you understand what they want. Be prepared to paraphrase what you hear, and then offer your solution. Your message needs to be direct and to the point to establish the benefits of what you offer. Anything that you can do to create a mental image of your solution and the benefits to the customer shows you care more about them than the sale.

Tip #5
People are usually sold before you ask for the order. Many are presold in those first 5 seconds explained in Tip #1. If you listen first, restate what they have said, and then explain your solution in terms of the benefits, it's time to ask for the order. A small business owner may not be comfortable here. My advice is simply state "I want to do business with you. From what I have learned, I'm ready to help, so let's get started today."

Tip #6
People will forgive mistakes if you remain honest. Establish trust, and openly admit errors if mistakes are made, and your customers are more likely to remain loyal. Have a plan when things go wrong. React quickly and state what happened, what you are doing to resolve any problems, and how long it will take. How you handle mistakes will be remembered by your customers a lot longer than what went wrong.

Tip #7
People will not forgive a dishonest salesperson. A sale is not about tricking someone into something they don't want or need. This is an important and tough rule: Be prepared to refuse an order if you realize your solution just won't work. In any sales situation if you perceive an opportunity to sell, but doubt the results of your product or service, consider your long term reputation. Credibility lost is nearly impossible to regain, so give your customers the truth up front.

In conclusion, the value of placing what your customer wants, or needs, ahead of your sales quota or personal interests will help you succeed. Repeat sales depend on a business relationship where you care about your customers. Adapt your thinking to solving problems instead of selling something. The best salespersons are still those who are good listeners.

Any Small Businesses Owner can Appreciate the New Functionalities of Microsoft Office 2007

by Sid Kato

Array Systems Inc. (http://www.arraysystems.com), the number one computer network support and IT outsourcing company in Los Angeles, is currently helping its small business clients integrate the new Microsoft Office 2007 software. The new Microsoft Office suite makes it almost effortless for users to create more professional-looking documents in a shorter amount of time.

The most apparent change is that Microsoft has done away with its old familiar menus and toolbars and has created a new graphical user interface: "The Ribbon." The Ribbon is a special strip of space, located across the top of the window, that is populated with icons and tabs that are conveniently grouped by function. Microsoft wants the Ribbon to be a single place where all functionalities are easily discoverable and reachable. Sid Kato, president of Array Systems, states "The Ribbon has revealed features that I didn't even know existed." Adding clip-art to a word document is now made effortless by simply clicking on the "insert" tab and selecting the clip art icon. The Ribbon is also dynamic in nature: when placing a picture in a word document, there is no need to click on the "view" and "toolbar" menus to find out which small icon to use, the Ribbon automatically provides a list of suitable tools for the task.

The Ribbon isn’t the only improvement to the new Microsoft Office Suite. There's a plethora of new themes and templates to help liven things up for those who are bored with the same redundant power point themes. Office 2007 also stores documents in a new format that is more compact and safe for others to download. There's also a new way of adding artistic flares to graphic images by way of "SmartArt." SmartArt allows users to easily insert graphics that can be easily shifted and edited. One function of SmartArt is that if the text doesn't fit into the graphic, it automatically shrinks the size of the font so that it does.

Array Systems Inc. has the professionals and the resources to help make your transition to Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista a smooth one. Don't be stuck with old technology, let us show you how to make your small business more efficient with new technology.

Array Systems has been in business since 1991, we know where the pitfalls are. If you would like more information about this topic please call us toll free (877) 412-7729 or visit our website: Array Systems - Los Angeles Computer Networking. We specialize in assisting small businesses in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas with Microsoft Office 2007 Support, Windows Vista upgrades, IT outsourcing solutions, computer network support, application integration and support, web design, and much more.

Small Business Website Failures

by Jim Degerstrom

Before starting that great new website for your small business, consider your expectations carefully. Most entrepreneurs with their first website lack the experience to know what is truly required to be successful online. Website failure may be defined as anything from total catastrophe to simply results less than expectations. Each can occur even if you have a gorgeous well-designed site.

Don't expect search engine success with high traffic and added revenue instantly. It is rare.

Here's the short list of what you need if your goal is website traffic and new customers. These facts have been overlooked or misunderstood by many of my small business clients, and in most cases the errors of omission are due to inexperience.

1. You need a trusted site with name, address and phone number, not just a PO Box.
2. You need to be online 6-12 months or longer to achieve search engine ranking.
3. You need a large site with 10-20 or more pages of quality content for credibility.

Discuss your needs with your site designer. It should not be a cousin, uncle, or friend who happens to have software to make websites. A truly successful site takes more... much more. Professional help may be more cost effective than you realize. Some service providers will try to take advantage just because you are in business. I regularly save clients more than they pay me for designs by helping them shop for economical service providers for their domain and hosting.

Realistic expectations up front will help you avoid disappointment. Be prepared with an ongoing annual budget to add fresh content and features to your site. A smaller site is okay to get started. If you cannot meet the goals in the above list, your traffic and new customers must be pointed to your site with direct marketing efforts. If presenting your company online achieves a positive first impression that may be enough to begin. As your budget increases you can revise expectations as you continue to grow your online presence.

To compete online, compare your plan to what your competition is already doing. If they have full disclosure of their physical address, phone number, and contact names you need to do the same. A prospective customer comparing one site to another with trusted information will usually rule out the one with a PO Box number, or less than adequate contact information. Real and complete details provide better ranking with search engines, also. Listing your city, state or province, and country will allow search engines to localize search results.

Bonus Tip: If you work from home and offer a product or service sold without a showroom, there are options to avoid strangers disrupting your family life. Some clients get box numbers from service companies, and use that company's address as theirs except instead of box number, they call it unit number. In the USA, you cannot use a US Post Office street address and box number for your return address, even if it is revised to unit number. You will need a private company, however, the peace of mind and the benefits in credibility may be worth the modest cost.

Aging of your site is likewise important. Too many sites are here today, and gone within a year. To maintain credibility the search engines need to serve up relevant results. Until you prove to them your long term intent they will select older and more established sites for page one. Quality content added often can expedite the waiting period.

Do you renew your www domain every year? Stop. Register your website for 2-5 years to prove you are there to stay.

Finally, you need to create an authority site that adds value to the internet community. Establishing your expertise begins with valuable advice and content for your visitors. The size of your website will grow as you continue adding content. This improves the customer experience and provides a reason for them to return, or buy. Quality content added often will bring the search engines back more often, also.

Success online is more than just having a website. Realistic expectations require knowledge of how the internet and search engines work. Some people have contacted me after buying a turnkey site thinking money would roll in, and years later the website made zero revenue. You must be unique, so looking like 1000 other sites with identical content is not a solution.

In conclusion, what I have described for your ideal website is similar to what you might look for in a consultant. People are usually more comfortable when they take advice from an older and trusted authority. Provide that slant in the design of your online home, and visitors can sense you have dependable solutions. Define your niche. Set your new website goals. Get help or advice and avoid joining the long list of small business website failures.