Setting Up And Running Your Small Business Practice

While setting up and running your own small business practice can have many rewards, it can also be fraught with many risks. In order to minimize these risks, it is a good idea to devise a plan before committing yourself.

Think of ideas

What kind of business do you want to start? Thinking of business ideas is an inherent part of starting a business. For example, you need to think of a business that you find interesting, which will therefore motivate you further. Or, you could check out the business ideas others have thought of, and adapt one you find interesting, making it different from other businesses.

Some of the most valuable skills involved in setting up and running a business is being able to disperse the risk, extend the span of life of a product or service, promote growth, and adjust to an evolving marketplace.

Make a business plan

In fact, before breaking away from your current employment, you will require a number of different plans such as a business plan, a plan for relocation, a plan for acquiring the resources and training you will require. However, your business plan will be the core of the matter. Setting up a business without a plan is akin to driving through an unknown country without a map. Without a business plan, you will have no idea where you are heading for and whether the path you have taken is the right one.

Business plans focus on various essential areas like: what your business is about, what or who your market is, how you will go about getting the funding, what the sources and projections of your income will be, where you will be located and why, and how you will go about marketing your product or services.

Get a handle on the logistics

Select the location of your office carefully. If you are going to have foot traffic, ensure that you have free and adequate parking. Make sure that the location you choose has provisions for the telecommunications that you will require such as multiple telephone lines, high speed internet, cellular connectivity, and so on. A good short-term solution would be a home office or an executive suite.

Once you finalize the location of your office, you will need to furnish it. Find resellers of discount furniture. New furniture is just too expensive. Expensive equipment like computers and copiers can be leased.

Hire competent advisors. If you do not have a tax advisor or a business attorney, this is the time to begin looking for them.

Decide on the form of your business, whether you want it to be a corporation, a sole proprietorship, an LLC, etc. This is where you will require the expertise of an attorney and accountant. Have the attorney draw up all the paperwork of the business, and get a tax professional to deal with your taxes, filings and books.

Devise a marketing plan

Without a market, you will have no business. Product, promotion, price and place are the main elements of marketing. Does your business idea have a market? Have you identified your customers, and what their numbers are? Will your product or service be able to attract more customers down the line? Have you determined who your competitors are, and why people should opt for your product or service instead of theirs?

While your financiers will certainly want proof of the markets existence, in order to find out for yourself whether your business idea is a viable one, you will have to conduct market research and even have the framework of an order book.

Ascertain your financial viability

Find out if your business idea is feasible financially. Many good business ideas simply remain that good ideas. They just dont take off as viable businesses. You can only determine whether your idea is financially feasible by making a plan. Your financiers will require a financial plan, but even if you do not require any financial backing, you need to check to see that your business idea is not a waste of time and money.

And lastly; if you are planning to get into the business with an acquaintance or friend, it is vitally important to get your lawyer to draw up a partnership. The days of Gentlemens Agreements are long gone.

About the Author

Make a 6 or 7 figure income as a Coach. If you are seeking a Business Opportunity that allows you to be your own boss and set your hours while helping Business improve their profits then check out the hottest career in 2007 at http://www.businesscoach.com.

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Going Zero Carbon: An Approach for Small Business

How to make your environmentalism pay!

STEP 1: Figure it out:

Every time that you drive your car you contribute to global warming. The same is true for turning on a light-unless you are purchasing energy from alternative sources.

This article will help you off-set those carbon emissions. It is not that expensive to do this, and you will be helping to pay for some of the environmental cost incurred by your company.

Discovering our carbon imprint wasn't as easy as we thought it would be. I had heard about carbon offsets opportunities for a while, and we wanted to do it, but we did not know how. Most of the information used for determining the carbon generated is geared to the consumer, not the small manufacturing business.
We found these sites particularly helpful in trying to come up with figures and just having these links might save you hours of time:

http://www.carboncounter.org/

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/

Using these sites, our company of ten employees produces carbon emissions from these six sources. The figures are in metric tons:

1. Employee commute: 28.9 tons
2. Employee business travel: 13.44 tons
3. Shop gasses (from soldering): .11 tons
4. Company vehicles: 6.02 tons
5. Electricity: 2.43 tons
6. Natural gas: .47 tons

Our biggest impact is employee commutes and travel. Electricity is low because ninety percent of our energy comes from green sources. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are used in the plant.

The question is, once you are able to figure out your actual offset, how do you turn it into your advantage? That comes with who you choose to work with for your offset.

STEP 2: Choose your organization

You can go on line and see a number of organizations that offer different offset possibilities. From this, you can actually see what you are going to pay for your off-set.

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_carbon_reduction.htm

There have been some rumors in the press that question whether money donated to certain organizations for off-set are actually being used for that purpose. Research your choice well.

The company that I chose to work with is not on this list. Forest Guardians, a New Mexico based environmental organization, has been involved with tree planting programs around streams beds in New Mexico, which supports most of biodiversity. Just as I was about to choose where to off-set my carbon, the assistant director, Carol Norton, gave me a call and asked me if I wanted to work with them. I have been a supporter of theirs for many years.

Their mission is:

"To protect and restore the native wildlands and wildlife of the American Southwest through fundamental reform of public policies and practices. Our goals are to protect and restore the native biological diversity and watersheds of the American Southwest; educate and enlist citizens to support protection of the forests, rivers, deserts and grasslands of this arid region; advocate for the principles of conservation biology in plans to restore degraded ecosystems and watersheds; enforce and strengthen environmental laws; support communities in efforts to protect their land and to practice and promote sustainable use of natural resources."

Since I know the organization has integrity, I can be assured that the money will actually off set the carbon we use through tree planting. Also, I saw a greater opportunity to tap into their network.

One thing that particularly appealed to me about Forest Guardians is that their offsets addressed entire ecosystems. Secondly, they were willing to work with me in a press release. Going green is the right thing to do, but it costs money. So if you can, work with an organization that will give you publicity. Ask for a link from their site and see if they will write something about you in their newsletter.

In this regard, it is great if you can find a local organization because they are going to be more receptive and easier to access.

STEP 3: Write a Press Release

The critical thing now is to get support from the community that shares your green values. This is a huge advantage because socially responsible jewelry, even according to leaders in our industry such as Martin Rapaport, has the opportunity to become the luxury brand. A large number of people in our country, perhaps as much as twenty percent are interested in supporting companies that are socially responsible.

You need to make these people aware that you exist because you need their support. Being socially responsible costs money.

I write a lot of press releases and I used to just write boring ones. Here is an example of what I consider a bad press release.

Then, I realized that editors see hundreds of these a day, probably, and they are looking for press releases which are interesting and even provocative.

My last press release was about how I switched to a Fair Trade supplier in Bali even though it costs more than the people I was working with in India and Thailand.

I got the attention of a senior editor of a major trade magazine who was offended by my-calling Blood Diamonds a "red herring." I wrote a long response to his protest. In the end, he really appreciated my point of view. I realize it was like playing with fire and fortunately, I was not burned. The release was picked up by JCK.

Here 's my press release for my Zero Carbon. I admit, it is a little zany, and I may modify it for certain editors who I know would not be into it, but for a general release, it might just catch the attention of some people.

Also, here are some press release services that we use:

http://www.prweb.com/
http://home.businesswire.com/
http://www.i-newswire.com/
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/
http://www.pr.com/

After you release your info to these sites, go to Google alerts and trace where it gets picked up. Simply enter your search terms in the box provided and select how often you want updates. Google will then send you emails to the email you provide, with all instances of that search term being used for the time selected.

You can then go through them, one by one and see how many found you or someone else using that term. These are great because though they can take a little time to explore, they can be troves of marketing treasure. If you go about this, please come back to this site and share information, particularly if you are able to find more about going zero carbon. We are always looking for ways to improve.

About the Author

Marc Choyt is President of Reflective Images, www.celticjewelry.com, a jewelry company that practices socially responsible business.Marc authors www.fairjewelry.org a movement website for consumers and jewelers supporting green and fair trade jewelry. He also originated The Circle Manifesto, www.circlemanifesto.com, a business model based on indigenous traditions.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Why This Internet Marketing Strategy Is Perfect For Small Business

Pick a word any word. Now type it into the search box of whatever browser you use. The first thing you probably see are thousands if not millions of results listed in the search engines for whatever word you chose. Do a little exploring and you will find that many of your search results are articles. This is where you come in.

Content and keywords are the king and queen of the internet. That is why writing articles is so valuable to your internet marketing strategy. It combines the best of both worlds. People are looking for information first and foremost when they do a search online no matter the topic. By giving them exactly what they are looking for, you can drive massive amounts of targeted traffic to your webpage, affiliate site or anyplace else you desire.

Not sure about this? As a small business owner the reality is you will not have the advertising budget, media or publicity department to compete with the big boys and get your message out there. You need something to level the playing field or at least tip it to the point you can get in the game. Writing keyword related content rich articles will do just that.

Now you maybe asking, "Okay, article internet marketing sounds great but how can I really benefit?"

1. Cost effective
I mentioned how difficult it is to compete against the mega companies online. Article internet marketing is absolutely free. Just fire up your favorite word processor, start writing, send it out to the many online article directories (I recommend picking a top twenty) and watch the fun. Rinse and repeat. The only thing you are really paying for is the amount of time it takes you to write the articles and even that will decrease once you start writing on a regular basis.

2. Visibility
Got a website? Great. So do over 122 million other people. While you are not necessarily competing against them you are in the same boat meaning you need site traffic and attention from the search engines. Article marketing can provide both. Submitting your articles to the directories will bring you free web site traffic. Placing those articles on your site will get the search engines to come around and visit. The more content on your site, the more search engine love you will receive.

3. Backlinks
Simply stated backlinks are incoming links to your website. Once you submit your articles to the directories, webmasters will see if it matches their niche topic and then place it on their site. Since you will have a resource box with a link at the end of your article, this means more web site traffic for you. Search engines will also look at the amount of backlinks to determine the popularity and importance of your website.

4. Ask the expert
The goal of any business is to turn visitors into subscribers and/or customers. One of the best ways to do that is to show people you know what you are talking about. Article marketing can provide that much needed boost to your status and brand you as an expert. It also can get people to bookmark your site once they read your articles. That means a steady clientele of repeat visitors and (yup you guessed it) increased web site traffic.

As you can see writing articles offers great benefits. With more people joining the internet community everyday, there will be a need for more information. Take advantage of this opportunity and make article writing part of your internet marketing strategy.

About the Author

Daryl Campbell is an online business owner and affiliate marketer. Get more free information including, tips, tools, video, step by step coaching and up to the minute news to prosper your internet business at Internet Marketing Guide

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How to Eliminate the Frustration from a Small Business Owner

If you are the owner of the small business company you always have heaps of work, regarding your company finances. The fact is there and still do you need to go to the professional to take the stress off your shoulders?

Visiting with your personal accountant is similar to going to your dentist. Time is money; the longer you delay your visit the more it will cost you.

First you need to know how to set up your business and to consider advantages and disadvantages of every business entity (LLC, Partnership or C Corporation, etc).

You can spend many hours away from your business learning about entities on your own or you can hire a specialist who saves you time and gives you qualified advice on how to protect your hard-earned money.

But any way you are the specialist in your business, and to be competitive in your field you need to invest a lot of time. At the start, most of the entrepreneurs work in average of 12 hours a day.

In addition to your business can you learn everything about accounting and then handle it? Most likely the answer is no.

Your business' finances are vital for your success, and your needs are unique. At the Me My Money and I, we take your individuality seriously, focusing on your business' special situation and needs.

To make the right financial decisions for your company, you need Financial Statements; Balance Sheets, Income Statements and Statement of Cash Flow for every month of the business activity.

All of them are concerning to the company financial reports. What do you know from these financial reports are briefly described below.

From the Balance Sheet reports know what your company owns and what does it owe. Other words, you know your company resources and obligations of your company.

From the Income Statement reports you know the economic performance of a company for the given period. Other words, you know your gross and net income.

From the Statement of Cash Flows reports you know the amount of cash generated and consumed by a company through the following three types of activities: operating, investing and financing.

The statement of Cash Flows is the most objective of the financial statements because it is somewhat insulated from the accounting estimates and judgments needed to prepare a balance sheet and an income statement.

Real world and real understanding of your company finance goes beyond numbers on a page to show to a small business owner how accounting and bookkeeping come into play in your company.

Without good bookkeeping service you can not plan ahead (business planning), get organized, stay informed on the financial matters of your company, avoid costly mistakes, reduce costs and save time.

Why do small business firms fail? Not always because of competition but because of lack of financial information. You are making money, but where do they go to? What is the main outsourcing of your finance? The right answer gives you a huge benefit for your company.

Other benefits you are getting if you go to a professional accountant are the ability to focus on your core business, getting organized, staying informed, avoiding costly mistakes, reducing costs and saving time and improving your cash flow.

And one more great benefit is the good timing because all these benefits work only if performed in the right time. Timing is the key to your business 's success. With the help of a qualified bookkeeper and accountant you will have it under control and making the most profit.

Running a successful business takes more than just hard work but also making sure your hard work is profitable. Good record keeping provides you the solid foundation needed for excellent business growth.

Your company 's reliable financial information eliminates the frustration from your small business company and your financial reports become the powerful tools for surviving in today 's business world.

About the Author

Luda Yazykova helps new business owners to understand the necessity of hiring a professional bookkeeping service. Get the understanding of importance of company finances reports and use them for your business to expand at my website which is at http://www.memymoneyandi.com

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The Easy Way to Market Your Small Business on the Web

Recently, when doing research for my Internet marketing advice column, I've been talking to small business owners about why they originally decided to take the risk of entrepreneurship, and to strike out on their own. Most of them, when they think seriously about why they first started their business, offer no single reason, but instead cite a variety of factors that contributed to their decision.

One big reason I've heard from a lot of small business owners is, basically, that they felt directionless and small in the corporate or service worlds, so they decided to take their fate into their own hands. Many large employers treat their workers like nameless and faceless cogs in a vast money-making machine. Certain types of people -- like those who become small business owners -- just don't want to be another mindless drone in the hive. These big, uncaring companies are simply no place for the creative, innovative, and adventurous mind.

Other small business owners say that they were excited by the challenge, or that they wanted a chance to work from home, or that they simply saw a gap in a market and jumped on the opportunity to fill it. Some say that all of these factors contributed.

But there is one reason that strikes me as the most important in today 's Internet marketing climate: Many small business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their field. They had something they loved to do, and which they felt they were particularly knowledgeable about, and they decided to turn it into their daily bread. This is the factor that practically every small business owner has in common -- knowledge, passion, and expertise. After all, no one ever starts a business in a field they don't like.

When maneuvering the tricky labyrinths of entrepreneurship, many fledgling small business owners forget about their original passion, and instead come to think that they must bend themselves backward to market their services. I've lost count of how many successful small business owners I've spoken to who regret the amount of time and effort they used to put into trying to emulate the practices of larger companies. This is a common mistake, but it 's only natural. We see how successful the big corporations are, and we think we have to do everything just like them.

But this is simply not true. Just as large corporations don't get anywhere by using small business marketing tactics, small businesses won't get anywhere by trying to market like large corporations. Fortunately, Internet marketing for small businesses can actually be quite easy. What if I were to tell you that there was such a thing as free Internet marketing, and that it is easy and completely legitimate? Well, that 's what I am telling you.

The key is to put your passion and expertise to use. The Internet and its users constantly crave new content, and who better to generate content in your field than you? No doubt, whatever your field is, there are countless Web sites that publish content pertaining to your area of expertise. You probably even read some of these sites. Why not become a contributor?

The process is easy and simple. First, you must write the content. Write 600-700 word articles about some topic in your field that you know a lot about, and which you feel needs to be covered. Then, find an article marketing service on the Web. These services are increasingly popular among small business owners. They will not only help you polish your content, but they will also work to distribute it throughout the Web on your behalf.

The benefits of this marketing technique are incalculable. Through the "About the Author" box attached to each of your articles, readers will discover your Web site, and business will steadily increase. Best of all, though, the more articles you have published, the more links there will be to your Web site, and the higher your site will rise in Google search results. In short, free and easy Internet marketing is not only possible, but it is also the smart thing to do.

About the Author

Tiva Kelly is an expert at article marketing and offers support to authors at Article Marketer, a highly popular article distribution service. It 's easy as pie to market your business when you submit articles through Article Marketer.

http://www.articlemarketer.com

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