SMALL BUSINESS

Small Business Advertising Plan to Realize Big Profits

2010-06-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

To have an effective small business advertising plan you need to put some thought into who wants to buy your product and why. You also need to ask yourself the right questions to have your plan take off.

Kick start your business by using the following strategies and see your profits soar. Whatever the new product or service is you want the buying public to know about, don't just advertise, think strategy. But plan it first.

Your Target Market

This is the end-user the buyer you are targeting. But who is he/she? How will he/she be using your product/service? Who will be buying the product? What age group, socio- economic group, professional or blue collar, man or woman? Why will they buy the product or service? Where will they buy it and why? Define your market. Find out what your end-users' interests are. What her needs are. What his priorities are and what type of lifestyle she leads. Single or married. Depending on your product, you have some idea already about the end-user and his/her needs.

Now create the advert/sales letter, flyer, or whichever means of advertising you want to use to address that end-user directly. Appeal to their interest, their hobby, their style if it is a fashion product. Speak directly to them. Remember the poster of Uncle Sam recruiting soldiers? The slogan was "We Want You", with a finger pointing right at you. That is direct. But it was effective.

Let them know what you can do for them and what you want them to do.

You want them to respond to your advertising but all you have done is attract their attention. Now what? Why should they buy or use your product service over another companies' product? Once you have their attention, you need to let them know what you can do for them in a way that portrays your service/product as "unbeatable": your product quality is guaranteed, your delivery time is extremely fast, your price offers more value, your product can not be found anywhere else, etc.

This is your edge over your competitors, and should cover about 50% of your advert/letter. Your satisfied customer file will back up your advertising claims. This is good practice for any small business that if a client is happy, ask them to put it in writing, in a letter, an email or video testimonial. This file of recommendations is gold and builds your company's reputation. Happy clients tell their friends, who will tell their friends...

Motivate the buyer to act

Put action statements into your advertising. First make them want the product, tell them why they must have the product, then tell them that it is only available for a limited time, or while inventory lasts or because it's your wife's birthday and this deal is gone tomorrow. Make them act.

Now tell them what response you want from them

Finalize your small business advertising plan in action by telling them how they can reach you, buy your product, and find out about your business. And make sure someone is manning the phones, or email, or fax machine. Do not leave this last bit unattended.

Marlene Dewitte makes it easy for small company entrepreneurs to generate far more buyers without using additional staff or marketing budget. To find out about more detailed small business marketing plus cash flow producing tasks stop by small business associations.

Increasing Your Edge - Tips For Small Business Competition

2009-09-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Following article told us how important to know the strategy to win in small business competition, read more...

One main complaint against Wal-Mart is that it takes away business from small, locally owned stores, often called mom-and-pop shops. With superstores like Wal-Mart, Target, and even HEB Plus that sell everything from food to appliances to furniture, it can be hard for small businesses to stay afloat. Usually, the mega companies are able to have lower prices, which are appealing to consumers. Here's some advice to help small businesses to compete in the cutthroat business world.

For small companies, offering unique or specialized items or services is a great way to carve out a niche for yourself. The huge superstores tend to only sell generalized products that are meant to work for the majority-kind of a "one size fits most" mentality. If small companies can address a specific need of the people in the same area, they may be able to survive.

Another way for little stores to succeed is to advertise. You can pretty much expect every decently sized town to have at least a Wal-Mart or a Target, if not both. People only really need to ask for directions if they are unfamiliar with the area. With small businesses, town residents may not even know that they exist. They may be tucked away in a shopping center or on a side street, hidden from the majority of consumers. Therefore, small companies may want to devote more money to spreading information about themselves as compared to larger corporations. Then, once you build a sizable clientele base, you can rely on their word-of-mouth to bring in more business.

To help people find you and your products more readily, you should definitely devote some time and money into producing a website for your company. People can search for what they need, and you may have a specific item listed in your inventory that fits exactly what they are looking for. You may want to consider allowing people to order stuff online. Thus, not only the people who live near to your store, but also those who may live states away can benefit from your services-and you will be rewarded as well.

In order to step up your website competition, consider offering a live chat service on your website. This will present a personalized, helpful front-something that most large corporations do not offer. Small businesses tend to rely on the personalized service argument, and this is with good measure. However, it can occasionally be difficult to transmit this idea through the internet, and this is where live chat steps in.

For more information regarding live chat services and how they can help out your business, check out Ngage Live today.

Joseph Devine

Promote Your Small Business:Learn How To Promote Your Small Business Like A Fotrune 500 Company

2009-06-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

Their Is nothing more important to any business than generating a huge list of interested prospects in what you have to offer. Learn the secrets the large companies know but don't share with you and me. It's time you generate tons of hungry money in hand customers now! I am going to reveal one of the primary ways the great marketers build huge lists to keep their bank account over flowing. Today You won't need to hire a professional marketer because you'll know one of their buggest secrets.

It's not mastering Pay Per Click. It's Not spending ton's of money on banner ads and email campaigns or even fancy classified ads.

The greatest and quickest form of FREE Traffic is Article Marketing. Simply write an article and submit it to one of the larger article sites like articlesbase,ezine,and isnare to have that sites traffic check out your article. Write a compelling article giving them information to improve on that particular niche. Here is a tip the more you give the more likely they'll be to click on your link in the resource file.

Now that's just one way to generate leads off of an article. What if I told you, with that same article you could maximize on the traffic from the search engines. Optimize that article with some specific keywords and get it ranked. In just minutes the traffic you get to your site can start to get out of hand.

Would you like to know how I do it?...

Here is my free report on Article Marketing

And Here is My Just Finished report On My Blueprint For $8,198 In 90 Days

Small Business Startup Loans - How to get Funding for Your New Business

2009-06-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

Beginning a business is a big daydreamfor many people. To get ready to embark on your business however, takes time, groundwork, patience and hard work. The first thing you need to do is do some market reseach about the type of business you plan to start.. After this comes the most perplexingstep for most potential business owners - the source of funds.

There are several options for finding funds. Some people may have savings or family inheritances that may seem tempting to use.

Another place to consider for funding can be a small business startup loan. Funds can be accessible from from a wide array of lenders, including banks, the Small Business Administration, private institutions and the federal government.

The most practicalaspect about a grant, is that it is free money and does not have to be repaid. For example, there are some agencies that offer just small business grants for women.

Also, some places may have a unique offer for people that are looking for a small business startup loan or grant in particular areas.Furthermore, there can be agencies that practice exclusively for small business startup loans and/or grants for minorities or those wishing to start much-needed businesses.

You will {need to do your homework|want to be prepared with preparation about your type of business before applying for your grant, as the companies that will be responsible for approving your startup loan or grant will want to know that you have put thought and effort into your plans. Lots of excellent resources can be found on websites that can help you to build upa business plan.

To check if you can qualify for a small business startup loan, or even better, a grant that will not have to be repaid, visit this site and answer their few questions. They will pre-evaluate your situation and check to see if you are eligible and can even offer some instruction to budding entrepreneurs.

Once you have gotten your grant (you can get started with the link above), you are ready to start on your business.

Small Business Startup Loan and Grant Information - Click here!

Now Revealed! How to get Small Business Startup Loans

2009-06-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

Starting up a business is a big fantasyfor many people. To get ready to begin your business however, takes time, groundwork, patience and hard work. So, you have your idea ready and you have done your market research. After this comes the most involvedstep for most potential business owners - the source of funds.

This is not always smart, however, as it's not a good plan to squanderany backup funding you may have.

Another place to think about for funding can be a small business startup loan. Funds can be available from a wide array of lenders, which might include banks, the Small Business Administration, private institutions and the federal government.

However, an often forgotten source of funding in lieu a small business startup loan might be a federal grant for business owners. The most practicalaspect about a grant, is that it is free money and will never have to be repaid. A grant is much better than a small business startup loan because they can be very effortless to come by, especially for minorities. Consider this, there are some agencies that offer just small business grants for women.

You will {need to do your homework|want to be ready with information about your niche before applying for your grant, as the companies that will be responsible for approving your startup loan or grant will want to know that you have put thought and effort into your plans.

To check if you can qualify for a small business startup loan, or even better, a grant that will not have to be repaid, visit this site and answer their few questions.

After you have obtained your grant (you can get started with the link above), you are ready to start on your business. Having your own business can really be the most satisfying event of your life.

Small Business Startup Loan and Grant Information - Click here!

Small Business Tips for Going Green

2009-06-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

I am guessing by now you have probably heard the economy is not doing so hot. Except for the large bailout companies almost everyone is trying to keep their companies afloat. I admit I run a small printing business and I am doing everything to stay alive. This includes eliminating any unnecessary expenses. Recently I was fortunate enough to attend a seminar for small businesses in my situation. The colloquium revolved around simple cost cutting practices that will not have a negative affect on quality, morale, and the daily work routine. I found it very interesting that speaker suggested many green practices. Going green to me meant spending lots of green and that is just not in the budget. As I learned throughout the meeting and with follow up research. Green products and practices save money. In the following paragraphs I will point out just a few cost effective green strategies that I have applied to my own business.

The first and easiest way to save electricity is to shut down the computers at night. I always thought that computers should remain on at all times and screen savers use less energy when the computer is idle. I was terribly wrong. Screen savers use the same amount of electricity as the computer when it is being used. Therefore leaving your computer run throughout the night is an unnecessary practice. Just make sure all your work is saved and the computer and monitor are properly shut down. A desktop computer uses between 75-200 watts of electricity per hour and a monitor uses about 70 watts. It definitely adds up over time. This will also prolong the life of the computer.

My biggest inefficient blunder was leaving the lights on before I left for the night. The office cleaning staff typically comes around 10pm and shuts off all the lights before leaving. This left a good three hour period with the lights running and no one there. This habit was broken immediately. I also replaced the regular light bulbs with energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. These energy saving light bulbs are more expensive but they use about 1/4 of the amount of energy a regular light bulb uses and last 10 times longer. The speaker also added that having someone run out for new light bulbs cost time and money.

If this was not pointed out to me I never would have thought that the bathroom is so costly. The average person makes 6 trips to the bathroom per day. Which means every time someone flushes a toilet or washes their hands they are spending company money. I know that sounds incredibly cheap but there are green water saving products that reduce the amount of water used. Products like low flow faucets or dual flush toilets save a great deal of water. These products once again have a larger price tag than the regular products but they do pay for themselves quickly. A dual flush toilet saves the average person 1000 gallons of water per year. Keep in mind the costs of water and sewage are constantly increasing.

Depending on the employer this last tip may not save the company money but can have a positive impact in the work place. This seems very cliche but carpooling really helps the environment and reduces the transportation costs for the employee. Well how does that affect companies bottom line? People have a tendency to converse while carpooling. For the most part they find common ground through work so they tend to discuss work related issues. This helps build company morale and may lead to, "off the clock," collaboration. People are also less likely to be late to work when carpooling.
Toilets can be a huge drain on a company's expenses. Try a water saving toilet like a dual flush toilet.

Area Men Face Drug Charges

2009-06-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office narcotics investigators and the U. S. Marshal’s Office combined efforts recently to serve outstanding warrants in Lincoln County. Officers arrested seven people on a total of 17 charges.
The following individuals were arrested:
* Emmanuel E. Baker, Jr., 20, of 4018 Highway 73, Iron Station was arrested on two counts each of felony possession of a controlled substance and sell and delivery of a controlled substance and one felony count of maintaining a dwelling or vehicle for a controlled substance. He was arrested on June 1, 2009 and released on an $18,000 secured bond.
* Reginald Duncan Anderson, Sr., 45, 6453 McIntosh Road, Stanley, was arrested on one felony count each of possession with the intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a controlled substance, and sell and deliver a controlled substance. He remains in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $25,000 secured bond.
* Randall Lamont Shipp, 38, 1874 St. James Church Road, Denver, was arrested on one felony count each of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture, sell and delivery of a controlled substance and sell, deliver and possession a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a park. He was released on June 3, 2009 on a $25,000 secured bond.
* Silver Ellise Jones, 33, 6594 Denver Heights Circle, Denver, was charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture. She was released on June 3, 2009 on a $2,000 secured bond.
* James Quincey Reid, 33, 6594 Denver Heights Circle, Denver, was arrested on June 3, 2009 on one felony count of possession of a controlled substance. One felony count of sell and deliver a controlled substance, one felony count of maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, one felony count of possession with the intent to sell and deliver a controlled substance, and one felony count of kidnapping. He is also charged with one misdemeanor count each of assault inflicting serious injury, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. He remains in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $36,000 secured bond.
* Robert Gerald Ambrosio, Jr., 18, 7985 Lakeview Drive, Denver, was arrested on June 2, 2009 on a felony true bill of indictment. He remains in jail under a $10,000 secured bond.
* Ignacio Sylvestre Martinez, 28, 601 Shoal Road, Lincolnton, was arrested on June 1,2009 on one felony count each of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture and sell and delivery of a controlled substance. He remains in jail under a $15,000 secured bond.
Investigators are still looking for the following individuals:
* Richard Lavor Beatty (AKA: Boomer), 28, 1988 Saint James Church Road, Denver on a charge of possession with the intent to sell and deliver cocaine.
* Tabitha Lynn Hoyle, 28, Lawndale on a charge of possession of marijuana
* Kelly Gene Smith, 28, Lawndale on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of these individuals is asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050 or call Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.

News At Norman

Cartoon Network stumbles into reality zone

2009-06-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

Like a dog with a bone, I cling to certain notions. The History Channel should be in the business of broadcasting programs about History and not "MonsterQuest" (8 p.m. and 9 p.m.). Otherwise, it should have the honesty and decency to change its name to the This-Has-Nothing-To-Do-With-History Channel.

Likewise, I think the Cartoon Network should be in the business of showing cartoons. Otherwise, we're on the road to nowhere.

My dedication to this proposition springs from something rather personal and formative. When I was a kid, my father worked in a factory for a company called American Can. They made cans. In America. Somewhere along the line, American Can became something called Primerica. What did they make? Money, I guess. Soon, they got out of the can business, and the factory where my father and 12,000 other people worked became (and remains) the biggest empty building in Jersey City, N.J., a city with more than its share of empty buildings.

Call me old-fashioned, but you should know what you're getting when you turn on something called the Cartoon Network. But now they're introducing live-action shows (the kind shown on every other network) -- something called "CN Real."

We begin with "The Othersiders" (8 p.m., Cartoon Network), a reality-adventure series about a group of kids who go to high school by day and explore the paranormal by night using fancy high-tech gear they have no reasonable way of affording. "Othersiders" is a carbon copy of "Ghost Hunters" (8 p.m. to midnight, Sci Fi) and a host of similar shows. The key difference is that the kids are very young, 13 to 16, and they speak in the energetic, irony-free nature of kids that age.

On "Survive This" (8:30 p.m., Cartoon Network), a gruff, gritty, macho mountain man takes a group of high-school kids and dumps them in the deep woods where they must learn to put aside their "drama" and adapt. Gee, where haven't we seen that before?

I'm certain that suits and marketing types sold Cartoon Network on this and told them that they would find a whole new audience. "CN Real" is clearly aimed at kids who want to watch kids their own age doing "real" or "real-ish" things, unlike the scripted antics on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," a Disney show that, coincidentally, often follows the logic of a cartoon.

Let's hope the Cartoon Network leaves "reality" and returns to animation where it belongs. Otherwise, it may find a demographic but lose its soul.

-- A moving and unlikely tale of friendship, reflection, reconciliation and exile, the documentary "The Queen and I" (8 p.m., HBO2) offers a profile of the deposed Iranian Queen Farah by an Iranian filmmaker who, as a teenager, joined the revolution that overthrew the Shah's regime.

By Kevin McDonough
Kevin McDonough can be reached at kmcdonough@unitedmedia.com

Reviews: 'The Othersiders,' 'Brain Rush,' 'Destroy Build Destroy' and 'Survive This'

2009-06-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Network premieres four new shows this week, none of them cartoons. These aren't the first CN shows to feature real people: There have been live-action "Ben 10" movies, based on the animated series, and the "Roger Rabbit"-style "Out of Jimmy's Head" in 2006. Indeed, the network's first real original production, "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," was cobbled together around interviews with living, breathing humans. (There is also a live-action "Scooby Doo" prequel slated for the fall.) And Adult Swim, CN's late-night alter ego, has the live-action "Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" and "Saul of the Mole Men."

The new series are gathered together under the rubric CN Real, which is less a programming bloc than a sub-brand. (Two of the shows premiere tonight and two on Saturday.) As in the past, the current incursion of flesh and blood into the network's formerly fully 2-D Tooniverse has been met with dismay by (mostly adult) animation fans and CN purists -- I was about to write that it is a "hot topic of debate," but really there is no debate at all, just a collection of complementary assessments posted on various Internet message boards as to why this is a bad direction to take.

The point might be made that these shows -- by definition -- have not been created for that particular audience, but to serve younger, less particular CN viewers, and perhaps to steal a few new ones from Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. While any but the most juvenile cartoons are suitable for adults -- there is nothing guilty about the pleasure I get from "The Powerpuff Girls" -- most live-action teen shows are set up to mirror their audience.

Read entire review: Cartoon Network's new reality shows, kid style

-- Robert Lloyd

Bar Beat: Raising a glass to Phish

2009-06-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's midnight in downtown Asheville, and the Phish show has just let out, pouring thousands of happy phans into the streets.

Photo by Jason Sandford

Here they are, at the Rankin Vault: “They really know their audience,” one Phishhead says as the bartender pours a concoction of vodka, liqueurs and cranberry juice into a towering pint glass.

“I’m just in the mood for something that tastes good,” he says, taking the drink.

The place is mostly full; turntables are set up. The vault itself is reserved, with a crowd of guys watching a basketball game.

Here they are, on the streets: One, shirtless, displays two middle fingers against the night sky as he shouts “f**k the cops!” Sirens are a constant sound over the next hour, interlaced with the occasional pop of fireworks.

Also heard is the screaming of “I want a drink!”

They’re in the right city.

You may have recognized the breed, at least the out-of-town variety, though there are plenty of phans native to this fair metropolis. The water vendors did not stop with the concert, and they continue to hawk bottled water, even though free H2O is available in any number of the bars just a few feet away.

Some bring the bottled waters with them, setting them on top of the bar as they order beer en masse, that look of “Wowie—I’ve never been in this place before” glued to their faces.

The Flying Frog is packed. Ditto the Yacht Club. Those places not so full that they have to turn away new arrivals are still busy far past their norm. Whatever else the concert has brought, it’s put bustling business in many a downtown establishment.

Welcome to Asheville.

The phans’ exuberance is almost contagious. At the Thirsty Monk, an older man sporting a red shirt and a gnarled Mohawk exclaims to his friends: “That first song really set the tone. Those first eight minutes. That. Was. Perfect. Phish.”

For those needing a refuge from the frenetic crowd roaming the streets, the good news is that a cold beer and hot spiced Monk nuts are still as delicious as ever.

It is a night of surreal chaos. All along College Street the trashcans are packed high, Dasani bottles sharing the pile with the dead soldiers of Pabst Blue Ribbon. The noises of some last, late buskers still echo, and on Walnut Street, two be-dreadlocked guys play a game of Connect 4 on concrete steps.

The sidewalks are sticky, and beside one last packed-to-the-gills trashcan at the intersection with Haywood, there is a piece of excrement pounded flat by the tread of many feet. Hours later, the sound of the trash trucks can be heard as they make their way down the streets, emptying out the refuse of tonight’s raucous crowd.

By that time, phan and regular old bar patron both are united in the hangovers and memories they’ll nurse in the coming morning, while many a waiter, bartender and owner are counting their haul.

Good night, Asheville. by David Forbes

Ecuador Expedition Uncovers ‘E.T.-Like’ Salamander (Update1)

2009-06-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

June 16 (Bloomberg) -- An expedition to the pristine forests of Ecuador near the Peruvian border uncovered 12 new species, including a salamander that Conservation International said looked like E.T., the alien from the Steven Spielberg film.

The discoveries in the Nangaritza region of the Cordillera del Condor included what the researchers termed a “remarkably ugly bug-eyed salamander,” a red poison arrow frog and a frog smaller than a “pinky” fingernail. A lizard, a third frog and seven grasshoppers also were among the newly found creatures.

Leeanne Alonso, vice president of CI’s Rapid Assessment Program, said in an interview from Arlington, Virginia, late yesterday that the local people who requested the study hope to develop ecotourism in the region. The diversity of wildlife in the area may also provide health benefits to humans, she said.

“Frogs have a lot of chemicals in their skins and insects can be useful to make medicines and ointments,” Alonso said. “These species are all part of the ecosystem, playing a role in keeping it healthy, keeping water healthy and the climate.”

The findings by entomologists and herpetologists in the upper Nangaritza River basin that’s geologically isolated from other parts of the Andes also featured a glass frog, so-called for its translucent skin that shows internal organs, and two bird species endemic to the mountain range.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates there are 8 million to 14 million plants and animals in the world, of which only 1.8 million have been described by researchers.

Fungus-Free Harlequin Frogs

Another “rare” discovery was a population of harlequin frogs free of a fungus that has decimated amphibians elsewhere, Alonso said. The amphibian Chytrid fungus threatens to wipe out up to 30 percent of the world’s amphibian species, according to Conservation International.

Researchers say pollution, pathogens, invasive species and solar radiation are contributing to a dropoff in the amphibian population in addition to climate change.

Conservation International scientists said in March they discovered a jumping spider on an expedition in Papua New Guinea to help Barrick Gold Corp. decide how to develop its mines. A new snake and three unknown butterflies were discovered last year near Mount Mabu in northern Mozambique by a team led by Jonathan Timberlake, a botanist at London’s Kew Gardens.

The grasshoppers uncovered during CI’s expedition to Ecuador in April are “beautiful and covered in spines,” Alonso said. She was less complimentary about the salamander, which CI said looked like E.T. and she described as “ugly with a blunt face and a square nose.”

The two-week expedition was part of CI’s rapid-assessment program that is designed to get as much information about the species of an area so conservation recommendations can be made. The group will carry out further studies and formally press Ecuador’s government to protect the region, Alonso said.

New species of plants and ants may be uncovered once researchers have analyzed all the specimens recovered from the forest, she said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net.

Why The Internet Is A Good Place To Develop Small Business Ideas

2009-06-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Starting up your own business is quite a lucrative prospect; however you need to have small business ideas to go about it correctly. The good thing about small businesses is that they require very little capital and at the same time can have a world wide market owing to the internet. However before you start putting into practice any small business ideas that you have, it is advisable to gain more knowledge about what you are planning to do.

You can start by searching the net. An online business system can be an extremely lucrative proposition. You can sell your own physical products. Auction sites such as Yahoo! Auctions and eBay are hotspots for millions of shoppers around the world. You can sell your products here.

If you do not have any products to sell, you might want to promote others' products and earn commissions on this. Affiliate marketing is among the good small business ideas. In fact it will be even better if you choose to promote something that you are passionate about. This way you will be able to generate more content for your site. What basically happens in this kind of marketing is that if a customer is interested in the product that is being promoted by you, he or she will click on that link online. This link redirects them to the company's sales pages. If this actually leads to sales the company will track the sales made by you and pay you commissions. This makes it one of the most lucrative small business ideas and the best part is that you do not have to invest your own money.

Copywriters are always in great demand online. Hence if you learn the tricks of the trade, you could start your own copywriting venture and work as a freelance copywriter for different companies.

Small business ideas need research on your market's wants and needs. So you need to learn where to find the answers to the questions. You can start by looking up bulletin boards, forums, chat rooms and so on. You should participate in some of the discussion that takes place in order to gain more knowledge. You could even put up questions. However, do keep in mind that these sites themselves should not be used as selling grounds because that will not work.

A business plan makes for a successful business so do not forget to ignore this while you are drawing up your small business ideas. Do some goal and timeline setting and only then should you plan business strategies. It is a good idea to make a list of potential problems or draw backs that you might face once you are in the business. Knowing these problems before hand would mean that by the time they actually crop up, you will be well prepared to ward them off.

Translating small business ideas into a successful real venture does need a lot of hard work, patience and careful planning. But once it is up and running, you can reap the benefits.

Brian Armstrong makes it easy to learn the secrets of todays top business owners. To discover the "7 Essential Steps to Starting a Business" in his Free Online Course, visit this site now: Small Business Ideas

Beneficial Small Business Ideas

2009-06-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

Starting a small business can be frightening and requires plenty of careful planning. There are many small business ideas which can be beneficial as well as economical. The last thing a new entrepreneur or new business needs is to be found in a financial state due to unnecessary spending. When starting a small business, the key is to remember it is "small" and initially the intention should be to limit spending until a profit is made.

Beneficial small business ideas could include marketing strategies such as web site promotion. An Internet web site can be set up relatively inexpensively and can reach a limitless audience. Because the Internet provides worldwide access, people from anywhere can access a business web site. Using relevant keywords that will be picked up by search engines can take potential customers to a small business web site. Once there the individual should be able to read an interesting description of the product or service being promoted. Clear and concise content is best to use for a business web site.

Other small business ideas might entail email marketing. Again there's a need for a well-constructed written message. Choosing a headline or subtitle that is unique and catchy will get the recipient's attention and entice them to read on. If using email marketing as one of their small business ideas, the entrepreneur should probably ask other people to read the content, asking for objective opinions.

It is important to figure out the target audience when considering small business ideas. Spending unnecessary time and money advertising to people who are definitely not interested in the product or service is futile. An entrepreneur's time and money would be better spent trying to attract the targeted audience.

The Internet is a great resource for small business ideas. Thousands of people have great ideas for a business venture but require assistance getting the ball rolling. Fortunately there is plenty of help available for new and aspiring entrepreneurs. There are government web sites that contain valuable small business ideas. There are web sites designed by experienced business people to assist those interested in starting a small business. Using a popular search engine like Google or Yahoo can very quickly connect an individual to beneficial small business ideas. Browsing the many informative web pages available can equip people to begin their business or marketing plan using the suggested small business ideas. Making smart business marketing decisions early in the game can transform a small business into a thriving prosperous company.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For info on business marketing and small business marketing checkout his website today.

Conquer the World With Small Business Ideas

2009-06-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Every big or small business is based upon the foundation of fruitful, potential business ideas. And every take over and conglomeration is also based on some overpowering business ideas - from small ventures to something as big as the giant Microsoft buying another giant, Yahoo for a whopping $44.6 billion dollars. Yes, even the biggest of business decisions come from the business ideas taking birth from the human mind.

In this article we will discuss how to convert small business ideas into successful ventures. We will discuss the four pillars of a business that will uphold the projects and deliver satisfying results to your clients and in turn to you. The four pillars of a business are finance, human resource, non human resource (tools, equipments and devices) and marketing.

Hands down, finance is the most important requisite for any business to take birth and grow. It is money that brings human resource and it is money that buys tools and devices. Money is the most important when it comes to marketing and money is important to strengthen each pillar that supports your business.

Now, let us talk about human resource. Sure money can buy the best of manpower. But the will to work and the determination to succeed, is the human factor. A highly motivating team can be created once the path ahead is clear and the goals are spelled out to each of the team members. But they should be provided with adequate resources too so that they can attain the goal – this is where the business needs non human resources that includes hardware and software.

Last, but never the least - marketing – none of your business ideas can be successful unless you sell your products or services. And no product or service can not be sold, unless the consumers come to know about it. Here comes the need for marketing and promotion.

Author: Mike Joe is a connoisseur of travelling and entertainment. He loves journeying far and wide in the quest of experiencing different lifestyles and gathering information about the best places to eat, drink and stay in different countries and lands. Over here, Mike talks about business ideas.

How to Write an Small Business Ideas Article

2009-06-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

We are all in the know when it comes to the sheer power and efficacy of online marketing through article publication. I'd even say that article marketing is the most potent and cost-effective internet advertising tactic that has been conceptualized since the dawn of the digital world.

The fact minus the fluff, if you're operating an online Small Business Ideas venture, you have to use article marketing.

Nevertheless, one of the most asked questions I receive is this: how can I write an article?

This reveals that though most online businessmen realize that they have to use article marketing, not all of them are capable enough to write an internet-ready piece of informative work.

Therefore, I have prepared some easy-to-follow steps on how you can craft the most suitable article for internet marketing purposes.

1. Know the topic you want to discuss with your article.

2. Don't settle for a general topic. Break it down to a more specific subject that people will be interested in. Just to illustrate, don't settle for the broad subject of "dogs." Try to determine a sub-topic that will capture the interest of the market you will be targeting. As is often the case, this sub-topic refers to a specific demand, like "dog training" for dog owners who are experiencing difficulty when it comes to living with their unruly canine companions, or "dog grooming" for cleanliness-compulsive dog owners who can't live with the smell of their untidy canine friends. Try to determine a sub-topic that will win the imagination. This is critical. A lot of articles fail because they don't serve a more tangible matter.

3. Because the sub-topic should indicate a need, your article should share a solution. However, depending on the usage of your article, the answer you will discuss will vary. To illustrate, if you're going to use the article to market a Small Business Ideas, practice restraint on the answer you will share. Your aim, in such a case, is to provide the impression that you are an expert in the field, and entice your readers to consider what you have to offer. Keep this in mind throughout the writing process.

4. Create a title that is easy to understand and at the same time is exciting. Internet users will visit your article if they will be hooked by its title. If not, no one will get to read what you have prepared.

5. Remember that each article has 3 fundamental parts: the opening, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction will state to your audience what your article is all about. You can deliver a surprising fact, a gut-wrenching statistic, or a humorous anecdote to shake your readers into knowing that yes, the author is the a true expert in the field. The body will explore the message you wish to share, of course. And the conclusion will review the problem, the given solution, as well as interject some calls to action (i.e. click my link) if applicable.

6. What is the right length for articles of this nature? I'd say that 300 to 750 words would be perfect. This will allow you to get your Small Business Ideas message out.

Stephen Meyer is an experienced home based business owner who offers many Internet marketing opportunities that can help any one succeed. You can see his opportunities at his Small Business Ideas opportunity site. Also visit his Stay At Home Business blog for more business building information.

Small Business Ideas and Your Business Plan

2009-06-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

A business plan is an essential toll for building your small business ideas. Without it as your guide to success the future of your business is one of failure.

Your business plan needs to be a live document that is in constant development and is continually checked and updated, You must know if you are meeting your goals and if you do not continually check your business plan it can not work for you. Your business plan will allow you to make the needed changes to adjust to your small business growth or lack of growth.

The basic outline of a business plan is to detail the systems you will use and the task that are needed to accomplish your goals. By reviewing your business plan on a monthly basis at first you will be able to check your progress or lack of it. Once your business is up and running inn the direction you desire you may want to revise the time you review your plan. If your small business is progressing the way you planned and growth is steady checking your plan quarterly might be a good choice.

At first financial goals should be small. Although small they should be accomplished in the time frame you set. The initial small goals are as vital to your overall plan as the larger goals you have set for later dates. If your plan is working correctly in the early stages you will be able to determine if the complete business plan is achievable. Make sure that each goal is achieved as planned.

As in most aspects of life the best of plans can fail. You must ask yourself two questions. 1. Were you able to complete your goals in the time frame set. Were you able to achieve some of your goals but not all of them.

2. Were you able to use the systems you put in place and did they work as planned. Maybe some them performed as expected while others did not.

Look carefully at your answers and analyze them. You will have systems that worked correctly and performed as expected. Keep those and continue working with them. You will also have those systems that did not work as planned and did not meet your expected goals. Look at these systems and find why they did not work.

You need to know why they did not work, if the system was flawed, were there steps in the system you may have missed. In answering those questions you can adjust future plans to accommodate errors that may have been made or discard the system completed and replace it with a new one.

A good solid business plan will continually improve and adjust. By adjusting your business plan and making needed changes you will improve the effectiveness of you business plan and ensure future growth of your business.

A business plan can increase your confidence and help build any small business ideas you may have. It can be your silent partner that is there to help you grow your business to it's fullest potential.

Stephen Meyer is an experienced small business owner who has helped many people in starting their own profitable small businesses. To see his many ideas and opportunities please visit his Small Business Ideas website.

Regents clear path for new schools

2009-06-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

PROVIDENCE — Two local charter school initiatives were given the go-ahead by the state Department of Education on Thursday afternoon, paving the way for the schools to open in the fall of 2009 — assuming the needed funding is allocated.

On Thursday, the department’s Board of Regents voted 8-1 to approve the initiation of operations at both the Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley charter school and the Segue Institute for Learning, which will be housed in Cumberland and Central Falls, respectively.
The opening of both schools, however, will be contingent upon the availability of funding from the state, which was included in Gov. Don Carcieri’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. It was unclear, however, whether the Rhode Island General Assembly would approve the appropriation of this funding. When reached on Wednesday, Rep. Steven Costantino, chairman of the House Finance Committee, said he could not commit to the funding of the charter school initiatives, as Rhode Island’s fiscal future remains uncertain, and as he said, “there are other needs.”
“It’s still part of the budget process like everything else,” Costantino said. “It’s on the table.”
Colleen Callahan was the lone member of the Board of Regents to vote against approval for Segue. While discussing the Democracy Prep school — the first of Cumberland Mayor Daniel McKee’s proposed mayoral academies — she noted that her feelings on the matter had more to do with the state’s current fiscal woes than any across-the-board opposition of charter schools.
“I think it’s a good idea at a terrible fiscal time,” Callahan said. “My concern is that we’re approving (the proposals) at this time.”
Following the board’s meeting, reaction was strongly positive among proponents of both school projects. Angelo Garcia, executive director of the Central Falls-based community organization Channel One, said he was glad to see Segue garner approval, as he and others involved in his organization had played a major role in the school’s creation and plan on remaining involved once it gets off the ground.
“We’re just very excited that we have what we see as an opportunity to work even closer with the kids and families in the city,” Garcia said. “We do (realize) that this is not going to be a small task.”
Garcia said the facility would be the only charter school in the state exclusively for middle school-age students, beginning with sixty sixth-grade students in its first year. He said the school’s organizers hoped for it to grow to 240 students after three years — adding 60 per year — while also adding seventh and eighth graders over that period.
Segue would be exclusively for Central Falls students, and would seek to work cooperatively with the city’s school district, Garcia said. He noted that Central Falls Superintendent of Schools Frances Gallo was a “member in good standing” of the school’s board of directors, restricted from voting on some matters, but supportive of the new school just the same. Also making the initiative happen, he said, were numerous active community members.
“This is a school that started with a grassroots movement,” Garcia said. “We’re not looking to create a silo school. We’re looking to work with the current school district.”
In a statement issued on behalf of Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA), meanwhile, McKee praised the Board of Regents’ decision to approve the start of the first mayoral academy. The statement noted that the school’s organizers hoped to take in approximately 76 kindergartners in its first year from the communities it will serve: Cumberland, Central Falls, Lincoln and Pawtucket.
“This is a tremendous leap forward for education reform in Rhode Island,” said McKee, who is also the chairman of RIMA’s Board of Directors. “We are thrilled to begin the important work of closing the achievement gap and giving the students of Blackstone Valley, and our state, a high-quality education that will prepare them for college and beyond.”
McKee has been talking of a need to improve access to high-quality education locally and throughout the state, drawing praise from various charter school and education reform advocates, while being criticized by some in public education union circles for what they say is an effort to circumvent prevailing wage rules and other regulations. The mayoral academy would be overseen by a governing board, of which McKee would be a member.
RIMA’s chief executive officer, meanwhile, will be Michael Magee, who until recently has been serving as director of Cumberland’s Office of Children, Youth and Learning (OCYL), an educational arm of the town’s municipal government introduced by McKee. Jeremy Chiappetta, former assistant principal of Providence’s Oliver Hazard Perry Middle School, will be the founding head of the school.
“Jeremy is the kind of leader that our students in Central Falls, and throughout the state deserve,” Gallo was quoted as saying in a RIMA statement Thursday. “I have had the chance to directly supervise his work in Providence, and over the past two years I have closely followed his career. I am confident that we will be able to work together to do whatever it takes to prepare our young people for success in college and beyond.”
Both schools’ handlers said they planned on beginning the application and enrollment processes for their schools, with the RIMA statement noting that the application deadline would be Friday, June 26 with a drawing to be conducted on June 30 at 7 p.m. in the Blackstone River Theater on Broad Street in Cumberland. Garcia, meanwhile, said that volunteers were being sought to help get Segue ready to roll, as there was much work to be done. He said he hoped that Segue and other initiatives like it would give education in Rhode Island a shot in the arm.
“We want to up the ante,” Garcia said. “This is only the beginning. We haven’t even kicked off yet.”

Times Statehouse reporter Jim Baron contributed reporting to this story.

By VINAYA SAKSENA

Grade Expectations: Regents Success

2009-06-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

That Regents Success is the prep program of choice of high-school students and their parents is not surprising. Coordinated by Eddie Martin, an educator par excellence who established the program 18 years ago, Regents Success has helped thousands of high-school students throughout the Five Towns and Brooklyn prepare for and score high on the New York State Regents Exams.

So successful is this superb program that Mr. Martin begins receiving inquiries regarding registration for the courses offered as early as in November. At Regents Success, mediocre scores are never an option. Every one of the courses offered features six hours of intensive topic-by-topic review with an emphasis on key questions. Regents Success provides students with a comprehensive review of all topics, as well as test-taking strategies to help students maximize their scores.

To fully prepare students for each of the three New York State Regents examinations in mathematics, Regents Success offers six-hour prep courses in integrated algebra, geometry, and math B. The living environment, chemistry, earth science, and physics courses are outstanding in scope, as are those offered in global history, geography, U.S. history and geography, as well as English.

“Every one of our teachers is New York State licensed and certified,” Mr. Martin said. Each teacher is a consummate professional and is an expert in the subject and Regents examination material he or she teaches. Prior to teaching their respective courses, all of our teachers spend months of prep time familiarizing themselves with the details and intricacies of the most recent Regents exams. All of our teachers return year after year and each one is an integral part of the Regents Success team, working in tandem to maximize every student’s score. Two of the math Regents curricula have recently undergone drastic changes; our teachers have written the Regents exams and are eminently qualified to prepare our students for Regents success. In addition to teaching their respective topics and test sophistication skills, our teachers infuse their students with a sense of confidence and truly prepare them for Regents success.”

Regents Success prep courses are given at HAFTR High School and at their Brooklyn center at Yeshiva of Flatbush Elementary School. Advance registration is requested and advised; walk-ins are accepted. To register for Regents Success, please call Mr. Eddie Martin at 516-568-7996. Please see their ad on Page 34 for course dates.

By Rochelle Maruch Miller

Tests show many supplements have quality problems

2009-06-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Lead in ginkgo pills. Arsenic in herbals. Bu 1/4gs in a baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature, and all of these have been found in "natural" products and dietary supplements in recent years.

Set aside the issue of whether vitamin and herbal supplements do any good.

Are they safe? Is what's on the label really what's in the bottle? Tests by researchers and private labs suggest the answer sometimes is no.

One quarter of supplements tested by an independent company over the past decade have had some sort of problem. Some contained contaminants. Others had contents that did not match label claims. Some had ingredients that exceeded safe limits. Some contained real drugs masquerading as natural supplements.

"We buy it just as the consumer buys it" from stores, said Dr. Tod Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com. The company tests pills for makers that want its seal of approval, and publishes ratings for subscribers, much as Consumer Reports does with household goods.

Other tests, reported in scientific journals, found prenatal vitamins lacking claimed amounts of iodine, and supplements short on ginseng and hoodia -- an African plant sparking the latest diet craze.

"There's at least 10 times more hoodia sold in this country than made in the world, so people are not getting hoodia," said Dr. Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon and frequent Oprah Winfrey guest who occasionally has touted the stuff.

Industry groups say that quality problems are the exception rather than the rule.

"I believe that the problem is narrow, that the well-established and reputable brands deserve their reputations," said Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is the third in an Associated Press series examining their use and potential risks.

Source : The Starpress

An Ancient Remedy to Lower Cholesterol

2009-06-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Red yeast rice -- it's been a staple of some Asian countries for more than a thousand years. When it’s used as food coloring, it gives peking duck its signature red glow. But when it’s used as an herbal medicine -- it lowers cholesterol.

Red yeast rice is produced when yeast grows on rice. A study released today followed a group of people who stopped taking statins because it left them with severe muscle pains. In the study, half of the participants took 1800 mg of red yeast rice supplements every day. After 12 weeks, those taking the supplements saw their LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” lower by 27 percent. Only 6 percent of those who did not get the supplements saw their LDL decrease.

Earlier research on heart attack patients showed those who took red yeast rice every day were 45 percent less likely to have another attack within five years.

However, the supplement doesn’t come without controversy. Whether it’s purchased as dried grains, ground powder or a pill from a health food store, it’s difficult to be certain exactly how much of the active ingredient your consuming or whether it’s been contaminated in any way. Therefore, patients are advised to consult their doctor.

For more on heart health, and how red yeast rice can help your heart, watch John McKenzie’s report on World News at 6:30pm ET.

Source : abc News

A Substitute for Those Who Can't Take Statins?

2009-06-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

A new study revives a running controversy about the purported cholesterol-lowering effects of the centuries-old natural product called red yeast rice.

Red yeast rice is produced when a yeast, Monascus purpureus, is grown on rice. It has been used in Asian countries for more than a thousand years as food and medicine. In the United States and Europe, it has been proposed as an alternative cholesterol-lowering treatment for people who cannot take statins because of severe side effects, mainly muscle wasting and weakness.

The new study, from physicians in Pennsylvania and reported in the June 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, found a significant cholesterol-lowering effect of a commercially available nonprescription red yeast rice product in a small group of such people.

The study included 62 people who stopped taking statins because of side effects. All of them followed a lifestyle change program, including education on nutrition, exercise and relaxation techniques. Half also took 1,800 milligrams twice a day of a red yeast rice product for 24 weeks, while the others took an inactive substance.

"In the group that took red yeast rice, the average drop in cholesterol was 43 points at 12 weeks," said Dr. Ram Y. Gordon, a cardiologist in private practice who was a member of the research group. "The drop in the placebo group was only 11 points. In the longer run, the drop was 35 versus 15 points. We think the difference narrowed because after 12 weeks we told people to keep on doing it, but maybe some stopped."

There are, however, complications related to the product. Red yeast rice is under a regulatory cloud at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because it contains a natural statin, lovastatin, sold as a prescription drug named Mevacor. The FDA moved against several red yeast rice products -- not the one used in the Pennsylvania study -- on the grounds that they were unlicensed pharmaceuticals, a move which was upheld after a court tussle.

The product used in the study does contain lovastatin, Gordon said, but not enough to explain the reduction seen in the trial. Trial participants took three 600-milligram vials of red yeast rice twice a day.

"Each vial had one milligram of lovastatin. So the total was six milligrams a day, which is really a tiny amount," Gordon said. "And lovastatin is one of the weaker statins. The cholesterol drop was much more than what you'd expect from that low dose of lovastatin."

Some statin-related side effects, such as muscle pain and liver problems, were reported in the study, by two people who took red yeast rice and one who took the inactive substance, but they were not severe, Gordon said.

The beneficial effect might be due to compounds related to lovastatin, one of whose many designations is monacolin K. There are "nine or 10" other monacolins in red yeast rice, "and our theory is that these other monacolins affect cholesterol production in the liver," Gordon said.

The hopeful aspect of the study is that "we may actually have found a product that may be useful for patients and clinicians to deal with this problem, statin myalgia [muscle pain]," he said.

But it was a small study, and "much more testing needs to be done in many more people for a longer time period," Gordon said. And taking red yeast rice "absolutely should not be done without a physician's consent, and because it contains a small amount of a statin, you should be tested for liver problems," he said.

There are potential perils in taking red yeast rice because the marketed products are essentially unregulated, as illustrated by the research group's experience after a similar study, which got similar results, that they did last year.

That study used a different unregulated red yeast rice product. After the study was completed, the manufacturer changed the product formula, eliminating the lovastatin content and substituting ordinary sugar, Gordon said.

"There is real potential here, but a lot of problems because of the sources of red yeast rice not being too reliable," Gordon noted.

But the major problem with the study is that it was too small to disclose the inevitable side effects that afflict a small percentage of the people who take statins such as lovastatin, said Dr. Paul S. Phillips, director of interventional cardiology at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, who wrote an accompanying editorial.

Phillips said he often prescribed statins to patients in his cardiology practice. But he also is head of a statin myalgia clinic that treats more than 600 people suffering from side effects of the drugs.

Because red yeast rice contains lovastatin, "it has potentially significant risks and no greater benefits than conventional medications, and I would not advise anyone to take it," Phillips said.

More information

A guide to red yeast rice is offered by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

(HealthDay News)Forbes.com

Alice Waters, Anthony Bourdain and Duff Goldman on organic food

2009-06-14T19:40:00.001-07:00

If it turns out that the winning contestant in the upcoming “The Next Food Network Star” happens to be a cook/chef who uses and promotes the gamut of organic foods---from meat to produce---the network’s organic food viewers will do a happy dance. Up until now, mention of “O” foods has been minimal.

However, one of their current stars, Ace of Cakes’ Duff Goldman, and former Food Network star Anthony Bourdain, recently squared off with Alice Waters, the original mover and shaker in the 70s organic food movement. She is, through and through, dedicated to organic foods.

Though Bourdain buys organic milk for his 2-year-old, as a chef, his priority is to deliver taste, not necessarily organically-grown foods. Goldman is on board with the idea of knowing where your food comes from.

The debate lasts about seven minutes. It’s interesting and healthy to watch three high-profile people involved in the field of food share their views on one of our most basic needs. (Warning: Some profanity is used by Bourdain and Goldman.)

It’s worthy of note that three of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s executive chefs---Chef Jack Shoop (Philadelphia medical facility), Chef Kenny Wagoner (Tulsa medical facility), and Chef Frank Caputo (suburban Phoenix medical facility) deliver organic foods that taste good to advanced and complex cancer patients at their facilities. All three gentlemen have shared their involvement with organic foods in this space.

Natalie Rotunda is a National Examiner. You can see Natalie's articles on Natalie's Home Page.

StarWatch: Alice Waters at Ford's Filling Station, MORE!

2009-06-14T19:39:00.001-07:00

And now, this week's celebrity sightings from LA's dining landscape. As always, you can submit your own items to the official StarWatch Tipline.

1) Ford's Filling Station: Before she headed up to Sacramento to plant an edible garden at the Capitol alongside Maria Shriver and company (hey, Guy Fieri was there too), Alice Waters was in town. Along with three guests, the Slow Food matron did dinner at Ford's Filling Station on Tuesday night. Per our spy, they had cauliflower flatbread, Kobe beef cheeks, and the red leaf salad. The connection, of course, is that chef/owner Ben Ford had previously worked at Chez Panisse for Lady Waters. [StarWatch Inbox]

2) Zucca Ristorante: Speaking of politics, Joe Biden was in town recently too, and one of his stops was lunch at Zucca, Joachim Splichal’s Italian joint downtown. Reportedly, lots of paparazzi were on hand too, snapping photos of the veep. [StarWatch Inbox]

3) The Grill on the Alley: Tyra Banks with a friend was spotted there for a late weekday lunch and later in the week, Dustin Hoffman popped in for "a quick nibble at the bar – in and out in 20 minutes." [StarWatch Inbox]

4) Villa Blanca: After an idol taping (not the finale), Simon Cowell dropped into Beverly Hills newbie Villa Blanca. Quoth a tipster: "Simon [was with] UK Billionaire Sir Philip Green and his wife as well as Villa Blanca owners Ken and Lisa Todd. They had dinner and were drinking an expensive bottle of Mouton Rothschild until late into the night." [StarWatch Inbox]

5) Morels: Fresh off his game one victory, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was spotted dining with friends at Morels French Steakhouse and Bistro at the Grove. [StarWatch Inbox]

6) Amici: Vogue overlord Anna Wintour got all kinds of headlines at Tavern this week, but at nearby Amici Brentwood, there were C-listers like Kevin Bacon, Jim Belushi and Michael Keaton. So there's that. [StarWatch Inbox]

Alice Waters book signing at the National Museum of American History

2009-06-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Acclaimed chef, author and sustainable foods advocate Alice Waters will do a book signing at the National Museum of American History on Saturday, June 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.

The event takes place in the Stars and Stripes Cafe on the museum's lower level.

Waters will be signing three books, which will also be available for purchase:

The Edible Schoolyard

Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook

The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

The book signing is held adjacent to the museum's Victory Garden, produced by Smithsonian Horticulture, and in conjunction with the display "Within These Walls...," depicting one family's efforts to "produce for victory" during World War II.

Robin Wedewer is an Examiner from Washington DC. You can see Robin's articles on Robin's Home Page.

Environmental Artist Enjoys Playing with Her Food

2009-06-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

When Stevie Famulari of North Dakota State University, Fargo, walks on the set to compete in a Food Network Challenge, the judges, producers, other competitors and even the camera guys know her as the wildcard or the firecracker. It isn't because of her expressive personality, the red streaks in her hair or her tattoo clad arms and legs. It is because of the wild food art that she creates for the show. When she enters a competition, there is no second or third place. It's win or lose. In an episode scheduled to air June 14 on the Food Network, her work lives up to the image.

"I'm O.K. with being called the wildcard," Famulari says. "The wildcard means it's all or nothing and that they don't know what to expect. I don't go out there and consciously make something that goes against the grain. It just happens and it doesn't bother me. They know I am not traditional and that is what makes me wild."

Famulari, a native New Yorker, is an environmental artist and a landscape architecture professor at NDSU. She loves to "play" with her food. Although she is not looking for stardom, she is no stranger to the set of a television show. She likes to use national television as a medium to display her artwork. As an educator, she prides herself on teaching students to think for themselves and to find a way to relate the course subject to their own work.

On June 14, Famulari will make her sixth appearance on the Food Network when it airs "Food Network Challenge: Mystery Client Cakes." She is required to design a cake for a client who is revealed only moments before the competition begins. The cake must feed 150 people and it must be at least three feet tall. The winner takes home $10,000.

Alexa Grodner, sculptor, caterer and friend, was Famulari's assistant for the show. "We decided to do a cake that explores the medium of sugar," Famulari said. "Sugar comes in powder. It comes in white or brown. It comes in cubes. You can melt sugar. You can powder sugar. You can do inverted sugar, which is when you make it into glass and lollipops."

In typical Famulari fashion, she throws a twist into the competition and builds an armature for the 200-pound cake. Famulari and Grodner turn the cake on its side so the layers are vertical like walls. Because of circumstances that took place during the final presentation of the cake, Famulari's piece was named Flambé. View the June 14 episode to see why Famulari became the first Food Network contestant ever to require a fire extinguisher.

Source: North Dakota State University

Alice Waters 'preaching to the saved' on gardens

2009-06-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

The people trying to raise money for a garden at the Canyon Charter School got the hottest name in school food to talk at a fundraiser Tuesday night. Chef Alice Waters talked about her dreams for school meals with a teenager from Massachusetts who created a farm at his high school.

The near-full-house crowd, lots of moms and kids, was enthusiastic, lining up to have Waters sign her books, applauding several times during the talk. One man remarked, "Man, this is the place for my single guy friends to come."

And as Waters noted, she was "preaching to the saved."

Sam Levin and two schoolmates started Project Sprout at their high school in western Massachusetts that now provides produce to three schools from a 12,000-square-foot garden. But he told the crowd at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica that the project was not just about gardening, but about organizing a community around an idea and "a powerful social and political movement."

Waters lavished praise on Levin and his project, noting that his generation is not "questioning is this the right thing to do" -- they are taking action.

Waters herself was inspired by time spent in France, where food was "precious" and connected to agriculture and to culture and family. That experience and her work at her Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, combined with a stint as a schoolteacher, she said, helped lead to her interest in school gardens. She started an "Edible Schoolyard" project at a middle school in Berkeley that now has a garden class and a kitchen class.

Water said the vegetable garden the Obamas started at the White House was an inspiring step. But she said she wants to see every child get fed nutritious and delicious food at school, for free.

Both responded to criticism that Waters' views are elitist, that many Americans cannot afford to eat the way she advocates. But she said it's not elitist to demand and to get good food. And the students at Levin's school and their garden are "as far away from elitist as you can get," Levin said.

The audience paid $25 in advance, $30 at the door for tickets. Proceeds go to the school, which has about 350 children in kindergarten through fifth grade on a campus in Santa Monica Canyon near the ocean.

-- Mary MacVean

Cooking for a queen Chefs bake cakes for a sugar czar

2009-06-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you're going to make a birthday cake for the queen bee of sugar art, you had better bring your "A" game.

Tulsan Kerry Vincent is best known as the director of the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, but in recent years she's become famous for judging dozens of Food Network cake challenge competitions.

She's a tough judge who strikes fear into the hearts of cake decorators, deducting precious points for sloppy technique — the Simon Cowell of cake, she's been called. Vincent was not amused when one of the competitors in a previous challenge said the wicked queen cake she was making reminded her of Kerry.

She was amused by the fact that Food Network surprised a bunch of competitors with a Kerry Vincent-themed birthday cake surprise challenge (striking fear into their sugar-crusted hearts).

"It was hilarious," she said.

It was also her idea. During another recent challenge she judged, she joked with one of the producers how funny it would be if she were ever the mystery client who walked out from behind the curtain.

"They would be horrified," she told the producer.

And they were. Vincent's tough standards have dashed the hopes of many a Food Network challenge competitor, especially those who go for grand ideas and forgo clean technique.

Knowing that she prizes precision and sugar skill over all, designing a Vincent-worthy birthday cake should be a snap, right?

Well, contestants only had five minutes to quiz Vincent about her ideal

cake, and they built the cakes in a tight time frame (about eight hours). And Vincent's husband, Doug Vincent, was one of the judges.

Fans will have to wait until the special airs June 14 on the Food Network to see what the competitors came up with, but one of them did come pretty close to the mark, she said.

"We are not so stupid as to expect a person with one assistant to produce the most perfect cake in an eight-hour time period," she said. "But the winning cake did have clean technique."

As for the others...

"We had some that were 'What could they be thinking?' "

But it all makes for great television.

"There were a lot of twists and turns," she said. "People are going to be falling off their chairs laughing."

The special was filmed in Denver. Her actual birthday was last week, but she did not bake herself a cake. Future Food Network challenge competitors take note: If she had made one, it would have been an Australian dirt cake — a decadent, dense chocolate cake that is one of her favorites.

She's sharing the recipe with Tulsa World readers, so start practicing now.

By CARY ASPINWALL World Scene Writer

Record Your Dreams & Include Them in Your List of Small Business Ideas

2009-06-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

The list of small business ideas, believe it or not, is almost endless. There are so many different things that one can do for a living. If you have the skills, the drive, the right kind of motivation, and a small sum of money, you can start a small, home based business right now.

Here is a list of small business ideas that are both easy to implement and cost very little.

DESKTOP PUBLISHING - Can you design, edit, and print? This business is for you. The role of a desktop publisher is widely varied and can include designing flyers, business stationery, company reports, sales material, etc.

All you need is good communications skills and the ability to use the DTP software perfectly well.

CONSULTING - Without a doubt, here is one of the better small business ideas. If you consider yourself an expert in a particular field, you can become a consultant and offer your valuable advice to individuals and companies. This one suits you if you have high-end skills matched with a long experience.

HOME STAGING - Skilled interior designers are always in demand to cater for the design needs of boats to skyscrapers, from private housing to retail outlets. You can generate a substantial income in this sector if you're fortunate enough to possess great design skills and a love of finer things.

WRITING - Writing is perhaps the easiest way to make some money from your home. Good writers are always in demand. You can write copy for brochures, pamphlets, sales letters, columns, speeches, stories, and many, many more.

The opportunities are endless.

EVENT PLANNING - Event planning requires excellent co-ordinating, communication & people skills. If you have these, this could be for you.

While this is something that requires a lot of work, you will be rewarded handsomely. Focus on creating a positive reputation for yourself within your field & your earnings will be higher.

PERSONAL SHOPPING - If 'retail therapy' is your thing and you really enjoy shopping, and you have a knack for selecting terrific style, great dress sense and color co-ordination comes naturally, you could make a excellent personal shopper.

You can interview clients, find out what they want, shop for the necessary things, dress them up real nice, and make some money.

The list of low cost business ideas is just truly limitless. There are so many different things you could do... auctioneering, piano teaching, window cleaning, background checking, tutoring, mortgage brokering, Feng Shui consulting and the biggest one... the internet.

WEB BASED HOME BUSINESS - If unlimited income potential appeals to you, this is the absolute best option for a home or small business. There are so many benefits including near zero set-up cost, no stock & no staff, financial freedom, work your own hours and you can literally run it from the kitchen table. Click here to learn more about this super successful model.

Some Great Small Business Ideas

2009-06-09T20:53:00.002-07:00

Small businesses are these days preferred by many individuals rather than jobs. They need to work for about 6 to 8 hours per day and get limited salaries. They can plan their own time and work towards gaining substantial profits if they start their own business. You can start a business even if you just have any small business idea but you don't have any ready capital. It is so because many banks offer you loans to start your businesses.

You can take a personal loan or a business loan or a mortgage loan too. The banks review your business and idea and do their own research and evaluate the feasibility of the idea. If they think your business proposal can work, they provide you a business loan on the basis of certain terms and conditions. Therefore, you can put your small business ideas to use very easily. Given below are some small business ideas.

1. Business planner:

It is one of the most exciting jobs that one ever can do. You have to actually plan out the business strategies for your client and help him or her gain maximum profits. To start this business though, you need some expert knowledge about start up businesses. You should know all about the financial transactions and other important aspects.

2. Event organizer:

If you have the skill to organize things, you can definitely go for event organizing as your business. People need event organizers to organize marriages, receptions, meetings, trips and all other things that need planning. You can act as the planner and plan out the things foe them considering their financial capacity. This can be the most exciting job that one can ever get. Along with the knack of organizing things, one needs to be creative in mind to organize events in the most elegant way.

3. Public relations:

If you are good at pursuing people, you can start your own business as a public relations official. In this job you need to organize press releases or press conferences. You need to be the link between the media and the public on one side and the events on the other side. As a public relations official you act as a perfect link between the company and its customers. A public relations career is extremely respected everywhere and there is a lot of money in this business.

4. Computer repair:

You can start computer repairing business if you have taken a hardware course. You can also hire experienced computer repairmen and build a team of them. Computer repairing is as easy as any household repairing work. But you should definitely see to it that you have a degree that goes with your business or you can get caught into scandals even if you are perfect at your work.

Thus, one can easily start a small business instead of doing a job. It is not necessary that one should follow ideas already used by people but, one can also innovate and develop new ideas to start a small business.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.bigstrategies.co.uk

Locating Your Source For Small Business Ideas

2009-06-09T20:53:00.001-07:00

Starting a small business is the dream of many a frustrated entrepreneur. There can be nothing more rewarding than following a vision and answering only to you. However, as with any endeavor that has the potential to reap such great reward, starting a small business means an extraordinary amount of work; not the least of which is discovering what particular business will bring you the most satisfaction and possibility for success.

Small business ideas abound, but finding them is another matter entirely. For those looking for small business ideas, the beginning stages can feel confusing and overwhelming. Luckily, there are a great many resources dedicated to providing small business ideas to entrepreneurs looking to make that great leap of faith.

First and foremost, business schools can be a great resource for small business ideas. Faculty and students alike can be a fantastic sounding board for those looking to enter the business community. Additionally, an on-campus library - suited for extensive research and with access to the most-up-to-date materials - offers a fantastic place for which to brainstorm and strategize.

Additionally, small business ideas also exist in the heads of those who have already made their foray into the small business community. Call on entrepreneurs in your local area and pick their brain. Often, having made the transition themselves, small business owners are more than happy to share their experiences with others in similar situations.

Finally, the Internet has the most comprehensive and current information available for those looking for small business ideas. While it may take some time to sort through all of the information, it's worth the time. You'll find information for small business organizations that can help you with planning and financing; you'll find chat forums where small business owners and enthusiasts can exchange information and share experiences; and, of great importance, you'll familiarize yourself with the largest purveyor of commerce today. In most cases, starting a small business also entails the establishment of an online presence to augment your visibility and increase sales. In fact, often, this is essential. So navigation of the Internet can be fundamental in your preparation.

Small business ideas are available for anyone looking to entrepreneurship as their next step of life. A large amount of research and an even larger amount of heart will ensure your journey into small business ownership is a successful and profitable one.
For easy to understand, in depth information about make money online visit our ezGuide 2 Make Money Online.

Small Business Ideas That are Easy to Set Up

2009-06-09T20:52:00.001-07:00

What we do to earn a living is a very big part of our lives and therefore it is equally important that we should enjoy what we do and look forward to every morning as we get out of bed. If you are one of those persons who have to force themselves to go to work then you should consider becoming your own boss. I know starting a business can be a very expensive and time consuming affair but there are many small business ideas, which are relatively easy and inexpensive to set up.

We are after all living in the twenty first century and the internet has brought many things within very easy reach of the average individual and there are many small business ideas that can be set up over the internet. Many of these small business ideas require very little capitol and time to set up and then it's up to the individual to work and make the business as big as they want it to be. You don't have to be a computer nerd or an internet guru to make these businesses a success because many of these small business ideas can also be set up with very little technical knowledge of computers.

Let me give you a few examples of small business ideas that can be easily set up over the internet. You could start your own web business selling custom jewelry, you could become acquainted with the stock market and trade from home, you could offer a resume writing service, you could repair laptops, you could become a web publisher and build websites to earn revenue, and you could even open a dessert catering business out of your home. There's no end in sight when it comes to small business ideas that you can set up on the internet.

One of the easiest small business ideas to set up on the internet is affiliate marketing. With this business idea you don't even have to create your own product because you are simply helping to sell other peoples products and getting paid commission to do so. Google Ad sense is another small business idea that is very easy to set up and the best thing about this business is that, once it is up and running then there's very little you need to do to maintain it. If there is a small business idea that is as simple and effective as this, then I would like to hear about it as quickly as possible.

It is almost impossible to list here all the small business ideas that you can set up on the internet. All you need is the desire to leave the rat race and do something different. You just need to sit down and brainstorm and you will come up with many small business ideas that you can set on the internet. You need to do your research and decide what you will enjoy doing the most, this is the key to making any business a success because the more you enjoy it the more you will work at it and then may be you could also become one of those people whose life has been changed by the internet.

Nim Aulakh is a writer and webmaster. He has already many articles published.He also works as a professional driving instructor. He has many websites and blogs.You can learn more small business ideas by visiting Business And Marketing Today .

Small Business Ideas

2009-06-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Although lots of people have great small business ideas, the practical application of such ideas is the one that matters. Even the stage when you make up your mind about what to do to be in control of your life, job and career can prove extremely difficult sometimes. You should begin by some overall issues that are necessary for the implementation of any small business ideas you may have.

Let's say you want to sell services or products, most expert small business ideas advise that only one item be supported as the focused efforts increase the level of competence and the chances for success. Moreover, when you dedicate your efforts to something you know well, results will appear sooner than if you devoted time to a totally new element. Do not ignore a certain hidden psychology in sales according to which your belief in the great features of the product is passed on to the customers, and this should set the line of conduct to only promote what you believe in.

Try to keep in mind the do's and don'ts common to most small business ideas. For instance, the cash-flow projection for twelve months in advance is necessary for any business that needs to grow. Then, spending a lot of money to start in a grand way could prove a fatal mistake when you lack a reputation and the credentials that help earn money. Stay low and take cautious steps without bringing about the risk of debt, mortgage or bankruptcy.

If you don't know what small business ideas to implement, perhaps it's good to investigate the opportunities and see what suits your case best. There are people who resign before they have their own business ready to make money. The problem is that sometimes things may not work the way you expect them to and competition with the former employer have severe consequences.

Familiarity with the domain you take your small business ideas from is essential for smart investments. Such knowledge comes with thorough personal documentation, from studies or from lots of working years in the field. Presently, there are even courses that assist people with their marketing difficulties, but such consultancy should be prior to the implementation of the small business ideas as such.
Learn more about small business ideas

Best Practices For Small Businesses

2009-05-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

Small businesses can often be beaten out by larger competitors simply because they have better practices than small businesses. The good news is that there are a number of practices that can translate to small businesses. These strategies and tactics are some of the best-kept secrets and can make a business much more successful in the long run.

The act of borrowing ideas from other companies is called "best practice benchmarking" and can lead to vast improvements in business structure if done properly. Since most small businesses have a much smaller budget than big businesses, the practices learned can save money and be even more beneficial for them than for the big companies. If a small business emulates another business's way of cutting costs, they will be able to do in a shorter period of time.

To begin borrowing practices from others, there needs to be a clear understanding of their methods. The best way to go about using successful practices is to do heavy research and ask questions to find out how others were able to achieve their goals. This step is important because if the practices are not studied well a small business will usually end up failing or wasting precious resources that they cannot afford to lose. A helpful tool for finding out better business practices is to send surveys to businesses that are successful in that job field.

Although emulating successful business practices is the goal, it is important for individuals to modify the practices to fit with their own business. Not everything will translate and there will be small, yet crucial modifications that need to be made.

Some of the most popular practices that small businesses borrow deal with communicating with others and saving money. One way business owners cut corners is by having a company meeting with their top employees to discuss strategies for conducting better business and the direction they want to see the company head. Individuals may also sponsor retreats or getaways for top executives, helping workers to bond and communicate better. This practice will also help get everyone on the same page as far as product development and business plans. Business owners can also poll and survey their employees, or the employees of other companies, in order to get their opinions on typical problems they face.

Many well-known businesses are now helping others research their successful practices in order to find the best methods for their companies. Some of these businesses are Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Target. The research to be studied includes strategy models for how to run a successful partnership and real life examples of ways they saved money and cut costs. The research also includes access to popular certification programs and what those businesses learned from the courses. They also showcased the various rewards and recognition systems that they provided to their employees to encourage hard work and better communication.

The great thing about small business practices is that they rarely have to do the dirty work because big corporations have already done it. There are so many different business practices that translate from big corporations to small businesses, and small business owners can take advantage of the abundance of opportunities available to them. If small business owners can modify these popular practices in a way that will work with their company, they can save more money and have a more successful business with little effort.

Greg Heslin is a best selling author on various legitimate work from home opportunities. To learn more about real work from home opportunities and see "check proof" of how some people are making $1,758 a day working from home, you can visit his web site at: http://www.Work-From-Home-123.com

The Solitary Secret To Running A Successful Small Business Eludes Many Entrepreneurs

2009-05-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

There is no shortage of tips and techniques about how to open and manage a business of your own. Be cautious about following much of the advice from self appointed business gurus, many of whom have never owned or managed any kind of small, independent business themselves.

Most can talk the talk but few have ever actually walked the walk.

Frankly, going it alone is not for everyone. The reality is the life of an entrepreneur can be unkind, tough and too often, short.

When you open your own business you will need to slay all manner of dragons that constantly rise up to crush rookie business owners. Making it on Main Street requires more than strong mojo.

Motivation is important but the real key to making it on your own is to clearly define (on paper!) what is (or will be) truly unique about your business and exactly who your target market is, where they hang out and how you can cost effectively reach them.

Far too often, people plunge into business based upon what they know and what they want to do. People who love to cook open restaurants. Above average mechanics launch vehicle repair shops. Number crunchers start accounting businesses. This is the Ready-FIRE-Aim approach.

Once the euphoria of the launch is over, reality sets in - Hey, this is one heckuva lot of work for not so much money. That is when the new business owner realizes that perhaps they missed something in all of the blood, sweat and tears invested in starting their enterprise.

The survival statistics for new business start-ups remain grim in spite of the hard work and preparation done beforehand: detailed business plans; pro forma sales and expense projections; business formation documents; location and signage issues; leasehold improvements; permits and licenses; attending entrepreneur classes; hiring staff . . . as a PARTIAL list!

The cycle is all too familiar. A new business opens. Sales soar then taper off. The fledgling business advertises to bolster sales. Ads fall flat. The pruning shear comes out: trim overhead, cut services and possibly prices. Bring expenses in line with real revenue rather than initial projections. Work harder. The American Dream is at stake here.

Some hang in. Many do not.

Here is a hard cold fact regarding starting, managing and sustaining any small business: get in and stay in the MARKETING GAME from day one.

Write this simple description down: Small business marketing is about identifying people with specific needs and challenges and getting these people to notice you, like you, trust you and buy from you. That is the solitary secret to small biz success.

Silver bullet theories come from many directions. There are no magic potions for small business success. The best way to succeed is to sop up and act out the above definition of small business marketing. Ready, AIM, fire.

Resist handing off your marketing strategy to an in-law or acquaintance that used to do some public relations for a Fortune 500 company or an employee who once upon a time sold ads for The Daily Bugle in Toledo. Before you do that or in the event you have already made that kind of mistake, stop now.

Identify exactly what is unique about your company (as opposed to your competitors) and precisely who your specific target market is or will be. Sound simple? It is not.

How do I know?

90 per cent of small business owners and managers have not, cannot or will not get their arms around the basic marketing concept stated above. I am not sure why this is so. What I do know is that doing it right . . . from the start . . . beats doing it over later on.
Bob Schumacher presents real world insight, tactics and strategies to small business owners and managers written in plain coffee-shop English. His website http://www.20do80.com includes 74 complimentary small business marketing and advertising articles plus a free book on creating effective ads.

Best Internet Fax Service For Small Businesses

2009-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Internet fax services have become very popular because both individuals and businesses have realized how cost effective this alternative actually is.

However, as everything in life, once demand for this kind of services started picking up, so did the multiple offerings from several online fax service providers.

In general, I would say that regardless of the service you choose, you will be saving a lot of time and money, because you will avoid things like ink, paper, maintenance and other inconveniences of the fax machine, while you enjoy a set of practical advantages like superior accessibility and privacy.

Nevertheless, since these days you will find a lot of internet faxing providers, choosing the best one will ensure that you get the most and save the most.

After carefully comparing about 11 online fax services, I set what I consider the minimum standards for an online faxing service, based on a combination of several factors which I explain:

1. Number of pages included. Since you usually pay a small monthly fee (usually under $13), the most important thing to consider is how many pages are you allowed to send and receive each month.

3. Toll free number. This is always a big plus for your costumers, so it is a must that your online faxing service offers this option.

3. No contracts or commitments. If anything, today's business environment demands flexibility and being tied up by a contract is not the best idea.

Among all of the services I have researched, I actually found one that offers this ideal combination plus all of the basic and advanced features any good online faxing service should have.

Visit the Online Business Review to share with us in depth information about online business oriented tools and resources proven to deliver results.

Ten Tax Planning Ideas for Small Businesses in 2009

2009-05-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

If you are a small business owner looking for cost cutting ideas here are ten tax planning ideas that may result in substantial tax savings. The following article highlights planning areas often missed by business owners. You should consult a qualified tax advisor to determine if any of these areas are appropriate for you and your business.

S Corporation: Set up an S Corporation to avoid self-employment tax on profits. If you conduct business as a sole proprietor, a partnership, or a limited liability company the first $106,800 of 2009 profits are subject to a self-employment tax rate of 15.3%. The profits in excess of $106,800 are subject to a Medicare tax rate of 2.9%. These self-employment tax rates are in addition to paying income tax on the profits. An S Corporation is not subject to self-employment tax on the profits earned. But you must take "reasonable" compensation as salary subject to F.I.C.A.
Bad Debt Expense: A reserve for bad debts is not deductible, but you can write off accounts receivable in the year in which they become uncollectible. Be sure to take advantage of writing off all those uncollected accounts at year end.

If you used a collection agency, you can deduct a portion of the debt that will go to the collection agency as a fee (around 25%). You can write off that amount at the time you turn over the receivable to the agency.
Medical Expense: For 2009, eligible self-employed individuals can deduct from gross income 100% of the amounts paid for health insurance coverage. The deduction is limited to net earned income from the business, less the deduction for 50% of the self-employment tax. Also, you cannot take the deduction for any month you were qualified to participate in an employer sponsored health plan.

If you conduct business as a corporation, set up a corporate medical reimbursement plan. Medical costs are generally personal expenses deductible only to the extent that they exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). However, medical reimbursement plans set up by C Corporations let you deduct all the medical costs you incur for yourself, your spouse, and dependents. These plans must cover all eligible employees.
Equipment Expense: For 2009, Section 179 of the Tax Code lets companies deduct up to $133,000 of new equipment, subject to certain limits. (This limit is reduced by the amount by which the cost of section 179 property placed in service in the tax year exceeds $530,000.) Passenger vehicles are excluded from the expensing election. A passenger vehicle is defined as having a loaded gross vehicle weight of less than 6,000 pounds.

The tax code also allows an accelerated method to depreciate the remaining value of that equipment – it’s faster than the straight-line method of depreciation.
Home Office Expense: Write off home-office expenses. You can take this deduction even if you use the space for administrative purposes, as long as there is no where else you can work. When you use one room in your six room home as an office, you can deduct one-sixth of your costs for utilities, security, homeowner’s insurance, etc. as well as all costs for the room such as carpeting. Although you can also claim the depreciation on your home used for home office, you should consult a qualified tax advisor prior to doing so to understand the impact it will have on the exclusion of gain when you sell your residence.
Travel Expense: Deduct business trips by putting your spouse on the payroll. When spouses are on the payroll, even at low salaries, cost of business trips that include the spouse can be fully deducted. You should also be aware that putting your spouse on the payroll in 2009 will also double the amount of Social Security tax owed up to the first $106,800 of income.
Hiring Children in the Family Business: Put your children on the company payroll. When you employ your children in the business, for 2009 you can pay them up to $5,350 in salary free from Federal tax. The “kiddie” tax doesn’t apply to wages, so children under age 18 get this tax break, too. Have your children put $4,000 into a Roth IRA, where it will compound tax-free over time. When the money is left in the account until they turn 59 ½, they will never have to pay out any tax or penalties on that money or its earnings.

If your business is not incorporated, and the children are under age 18, neither you, as employer, nor your children will owe Social Security or Medicare tax on their wages.
Retirement Planning: Put more money away in your company retirement plan for yourself than for your employees. Business owners who are more than 20 years older that other company employees can set up a defined-benefit pension plan instead of a defined-contribution plan. Because they are funding a specific benefit (not putting away a percentage of salary) and have fewer years to do so, owners can contribute more to the plan for themselves than their employees.
Claiming Business Losses: Make the most of business losses. If your company has a net operating loss in 2009, it can be carried back two years or carried forward up to 20 years to offset future profits. To get a refund, file an application on Form 1139 for corporations and Form 1045 for sole proprietorships. Most refunds are sent out by the IRS within two months.
Education: Set up a company tuition-reimbursement plan to pay a child’s school cost. Businesses can set up plans that pay up to $5,250 in tuition per employee annually. Business owners’ children must work for the company, be older than age 21, own no company stock and cannot be claimed as a dependent on the owners’ tax returns

Alan is managing partner at Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP, a leading Bay Area CPA firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alan has more than 23 years of experience in public accounting, and works with some of the most successful venture capitalists in the world, helping to develop innovative financial strategies for business enterprises. Alan earned a B.S. in Accounting from Brigham Young University, and an MBA (Taxation) from California State University at Hayward.

5 Benefits To Running A Home Business

2009-05-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

As the internet continues to evolve and expand, more and more people are looking to start their own home business. And who can blame them; there are a plethora of benefits to working for yourself from the comfort of your own home. Here are five benefits to running a home based business.

1. Freedom
At last you have some freedom with your job. When running your own business, you can get into whatever you wish and take it wherever you want. Every move you make is up to you. There is not a person that can force you to take a project a different direction. Just be careful about slacking off and taking advantage of this freedom.

2. Schedule
Part of having the infinite amount of freedom comes the ability to work whenever you want. There is no schedule you have to work around whatsoever. Seeing that the internet is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, you can work whatever hours you want. Just make sure that you actually get the hours of work in that you need to.

3. Boss
As a home business owner, you are the boss. You no longer have to worry about taking orders from someone that you completely disagree with. As mentioned above, you can take a project any direction you choose to. You can also go at your own pace. You do not have to feel rushed to finish a certain task. Or you can fly past something else that you would have normally been held up on.

4. Family time
Many entrepreneurs enjoy the ability they have to spend more time with the family. When you have your own business, you have the benefit of working from your own home. This means you no longer have to miss dinner because of traffic or miss your kids’ extracurricular activities do to a last minute project. In addition, you can plan a vacation around everyone else’s schedules as oppose to yours because you are the boss.

5. Work from home
Perhaps the best benefit from having a home business comes from the fact that you work from home. No longer do you have to get up early and deal with traffic. No longer do you have to dress a specific way to go to work. And best of all, most people work their best in a comfortable surround. There is no place like home.

The list of benefits from having your own home business could literally go on forever. This article provides you with just a few ways you too can benefit from having your own business.

How to Establish Business Credit for Your Home or Small Business

2009-05-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

In the United States most businesses at some point will have to seek some type of lending assistance. Whether it is for business start, business expansion, or just to cover the expenses during an economic downturn, your ability to obtain financing for your business could determine whether it will survive. Despite your less than perfect or even bad personal credit your business can obtain A1 credit with a little knowledge and work.

First, your business must stand on its own two feet. This means you must establish your business as separate and independent entity from you as a person. You will have to incorporate or form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to give your business its own identity and it will, also, protect you personally. It is important to note that the owners of sole proprietorships and partnerships are personally liable for debts of the business, so you will not be able to obtain separate credit with these business structures.

After you have incorporated or formed a LLC for your business you will have to obtain a Federal EIN. Federal EIN or Tax ID Number, can be described as your business’ Social Security Number. This number maybe obtained on the phone or online by contacting the Internal Revenue Services (IRS). After you have received your Federal EIN Number you need to open a checking account in the name of your business and using your business’ Federal EIN Number. Your monthly charges maybe a little more and you maybe required to make a larger deposit to open a business account but it is a necessity that you open a business account and not a personal.

Next you have to open business credit files with the business credit reporting agencies. The three main business credit agencies are Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Business Credit USA report. These and other agencies report business credit in very similar ways as personal credit. Once this is done you have to establish credit and build your credit score.

To get started you must obtain business credit cards that are not personally linked to you. You should obtain 3 no more than 4 credit cards. When you receive the cards withdraw half of your line of credit on each card. Deposit this money in your business checking account. Over the course of the next four months pay off all of the credit cards by making monthly payments. After you have paid off all of your cards close one of the credit card accounts.

Also, go to the bank and apply for a business loan for a couple thousand dollars for a term of 6 months. You may have to co-sign for your business but that’s ok. Just make sure the bank list your business as a primary guarantee and that they will report your business’s payment history to the business credit reporting agencies. Again, deposit the money in the business checking account and pay the loan off in three to four months, making monthly payments. After the loan is paid wait two months and go back to the bank and borrow another couple thousand dollars. This time it is important that the loan is not personally linked to you. Your business should be the sole guarantee of the loan. Pay this loan off in 4-5 months.

After you have paid the bank always maintain a minimum balance on two of your business credit cards. The total balance for both cards should not be no more that $500. You may also contact a few vendors and suppliers and request a small amount of credit for your business. Follow these steps and you are on your way to establishing A1 credit for your business.

Austin Clark, is a business attorney and consultant. He is the editor of WIZ AT BIZ ,an online business resource center and Wizatbiz PRODUCTS

How Start Up Business Grants Can Really Benefit New Small Home Businesses

2009-05-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Start-up grants can help benefit small or home business in
many ways. Grants for home businesses are offered by federal or state
agencies and other organizations. There are also offices such as small
business development offices to help the small business grant seeker
with advice on how to get grants. The grants for small businesses or home business are usually dollars
that do not have to be repaid and can be used for anything from
start-up expenses to inventory or construction expenses.

Using start up business grants to benefit small businesses are
sometimes unknown to the new home business entrepreneur. They might not
know these small business grants are available or they may think they
all have to be repaid. Not true. Thousands of government dollars are
given away each year to help small businesses through their start up
process to ensure their success. Others think these start up business
grants are only for rural or minority-owned businesses. This is also
not true. While there are specific start up business grants for rural
and minority owned businesses, they are not the only ones out there.

What are the requirements and how can a start up business grant really
benefit my small home business you might ask? There are not as many
requirements as you might think, nor will all of them require mounds of
paperwork to obtain that small business grant. Here are some tips on
how you too can benefit from small business start-up grants.

First, it doesn’t matter if you’ve never owned a business before, or if
you are a long-time business owner. Small businesses need help and
government and state grants are available for the taking if you look in
the right place. These small business start-up grants can be used in
every business area from starting up a daycare service to building your
eBay business. Organizations that offer start up grants to help
small businesses realize that people aren’t always able to get a bank
loan or utilize personal funds. These organizations don’t want to see
the small business owner fail and realize that small business are the
backbone of the business industry today.

The myth that most agencies that offer small business start up grants
require an arm and a leg of work that you can’t tackle is simply not
true. In fact, most agencies will help you through the grant process
and offer seminars or effective ways to get your grant proposal
noticed. Grant proposals firms are available, but not always necessary
if you know what kind of things grant makers are looking for.

Seek out government, state or local grant makers and schedule a meeting
with a local representative. Discuss what grants they offer to help new
business owners with their start-up costs. Choose grants or
organizations that are offering grants you feel you qualify for. If
you’re looking to start up a dress shop business, don’t waste time on
rural development offered grants. Check around to find a grant that is
specifically designed for your small business or small business idea.

Some grants
for starting up small businesses can be vast in description
and claim to cover everything under the sun, so be careful. The best
advice when seeking a start up grant to help your small business is to
read and re-read grant guidelines all the way through. The last
sentence of any grant guideline might disqualify your company, location
or idea. Understand the grant maker and what they are seeking. Don’t be
afraid to call or meet with grant makers. After all, they wouldn’t be
offering these funds if they didn’t think people need them right? Do
some research, gather your financial paperwork together and start
searching for that start up grant for your small business—you’ll be
rewarded for your efforts and it’s easier than you think!

Leon Edward shares information on government business funding, Federal, State ,Local Grants , where to find start up business grants, sources, how best to fill out applications, grant management step by step tips at Start Up Business Funding Get a free ebook Report - How To Find Legitimate Home Based Businesses, Internet Business Ideas , Free Training at Internet Business Ideas

Small Business 8 Survival Tips You Need to Read

2009-04-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

I once conceived an idea, not original, but original to me, for a self help book that consisted entire of one line repeated over and over on each page of the book.

Do it yourself. Do it yourself. Do it yourself...

You get the idea, that no amount of self help information will be of any practical purpose if it is not put into action. While a self help book consisting of only one sentence might be tantamount to anarchy for a segment of the publishing industry, it has a modicum of truth.

It goes without saying that these are strange economic times. If our entire financial system is presently being renegotiated and reinvented, then where does small business reside in the pecking order?

The least obvious answer is at the top!.

Small businesses are really the economic engine that drives the health and well being for most capitalist countries. A countries economy is measured by their economic output or gross domestic product, but it is entirely made up of of small business owners like yourself.

Stated simply, the health of your business has a direct impact on the health of your neighborhood, your city and ultimately your country. Having said that, do not hold your breathe for that bailout cheque they are reserved for the businesses that made the biggest mistakes.

Here are some things to keep in mind while negotiating these tough times.

Keep your eye on the ball
Stay focused on the things that matter. Everything can be a distraction if you let become one. Set your goals commit them to a calendar. It is the only way you can to measure success or failure.

Connect the Dots
Of course, you have to be able to see the dots in order to connect them. Never miss a chance or opportunity to grow your business. Warren Buffet will tell you he made most of his money when times were tough.

Get Perspective
Get outside of your business any way you can. Ask a colleague for input. Being immersed in a problem is the hardest position from which to solve it. The forrest for the trees cliche rings true.

Stay Connected
You cant sell to yourself so now is definitely not the time to hibernate.

Knowing The Risks
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the inherent risks to all the actions you take. Remember inaction is a risk in and of itself. Acting rationally rather than reacting spontaneously is the order of the day.

The solution to most problems often lies in the question. If reckless spending has put you in a hole, chances are only reigning it in that will get you out. This is true in most cases unless your a federal government. We will soon see where spending your way out of a problem gets you.

Offer before Asking
Doors magically open when you offer to help or lend support to others. Not only will you feel better, you open yourself up to the unexpected good things that can happen. Always be cognizant that good things still happen in bad times.

Stick to your Plan
Stay committed to your plan, but know when something is not working. Remember that business cycles, so keep your words palatable. You never know when you have to eat them.

Get the Bad News up Front
Have you ever noticed that in the media, the bad news is always sugar coated? Sure it can always be worse, but sometimes things are bad enough that immediate action is required. Do not underestimate the size of a problem! Also, in the same vein, using past experience to predict the future is not a good idea. This time it really is different!

Blaine Arnot is the co-owner and creative director for a catering company in Vancouver BC, who seriously wishes he had taken typing rather than memorized the periodic table in high school.

Small Business Loans: Banks Aren't the Only Ones with Money

2009-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Small business loans are sought after by many small companies for a variety of reasons, but many do not know which type of financing they need, or where to start.

There are many reasons why company would want a small business loan. These reasons could include:

1. Working capital
2. Purchasing real estate
3. Renovating, or construction on, an existing building
4. Purchasing inventory
5. Taking advantage of business opportunities
6. Purchasing equipment or furniture

When most business owners think of business loans, they immediately look to commercial banks to meet their business financing needs. There is nothing wrong with this since banks do provide some of best and least expensive types of financing to small businesses. The only problem is that many do not realize how difficult it is to get approved for a bank loan or line of credit.

Small business bank loans have much more strict approval criteria than other forms of business financing. Expect to be able to show good revenue, great personal/business credit scores, significant time in business, assets to secure the loan amount (in some cases), and the most important part is convincing the banker they can trust you with their money. Some call this the 5 C's:

1. Character
2. Capacity
3. Capital
4. Collateral
5. Conditions

If your business is in less than ideal condition and cannot qualify for bank financing, but still needs a small business loan, where else can you go? Luckily there are countless forms of alternative small business loan sources to consider. Here are some of the more popular options.

Micro Loan-
Generally loans of 35K and under for new or start-up businesses. The SBA provides funds to community non-profit lenders who then make loans to eligible borrowers. Each individual lender has its own requirements. You will have a better chance of getting financed if the micro-lender is in your area.

SBA Loan-
Contrary to popular belief, SBA loans are not given by the SBA. These loans are actually funded by standard commercial banks, but are guaranteed by the SBA. That means that if a bank makes a business loan that defaults, a percentage of its losses will be covered by the government (SBA). This decreases the risk of lending money for the banks and, in turn, loosens the approval criteria for the loan.

Factoring-
If a business is in need of working capital, but has a lot of its cash flow tied up in accounts receivable, then receivable factoring may be the way to go. Accounts receivable factoring involves selling off a portion of receivables at a discount for immediate cash. A factoring company will purchase your receivables with an advance payment of between 70 - 90% of the total value.

Equipment Lease-
Instead of using a significant amount of a company's working capital to purchase equipment outright, leasing the equipment can be much more effective for newer businesses with limited resources. An equipment lease is when a lender purchases the equipment and then rents it to the business for a flat rate for a specified period of time. In many cases the business will be able to purchase the equipment at the end of the lease for fair market value, or a previously agreed upon amount.

Merchant Advance-
Technically, a merchant cash advance is not a loan, but rather a cash advance based on future credit card sales. Also called a credit card receipt advance, a merchant advance is when a lender advances a sum of money that is automatically repaid through a small percentage of each successive credit card sale. An amount 1-2 times the average monthly credit card revenue of a company can usually be expected.

There are many more types of financing available. These are just some common alternative forms of small business loans. Before you apply for a small business loan, educate yourself on the details of the loan and how it compares to alternatives. The more informed a business owner is the better.

Jarrett Pflieger holds a BA in Entrepreneurship and is a featured writer for BusinessFinance.com. Build business credit and search for business capital for free today at www.businessfinance.com/business-loans

Small Business Failure Comes From Too Many Accidents

2009-04-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

When you think of the accidents of life you are generally thinking about things that happen and were unintended. What causes many accidents? Very often it is lack of preparation, loss of focus or lack of education or foresight to name a few.

Too many accidents or just the wrong type of accident occurring once can derail you from your intended accomplishments or bring things permanently to a halt. To have consistent small business growth and the success you desire you must minimize the accidents.

The truth is that most accidents can be prevented. How do you do that? You develop new disciplines. Before I get to how to go about doing this let us take a look at a couple of other aspects of what I call Accidental Self-Employment.

In working with hundreds of self-employed business owners over the years and even in my own businesses, I have observed and experienced the negative effect of accidents. Quite simply, accidents are those things that we say, think, do or fail to do that take us off course and either delay or completely derail our progress.

As you know, if you are honest with yourself, most of the accidents we have can be avoided. These accidents just don't happen. They happen because you have created or allowed an environment to be created.

It is an environment that encourages the repetition of mistakes. Very often, it is an environment where the reason these negative things keep happening is because there is no leadership to embrace change and to make change. Successful small business is about embracing change and making it happen.

That's where new disciplines come in. If you develop new disciplines then you will minimize the accidents and the resulting loss of energy and time. How do you go about developing new disciplines.

First, you must be committed to change. Secondly, you need to understand what a discipline is. A discipline is a bridge between a thought and the action you take to make that new thought a reality. If you repeat the thought and the action over a period of time you have a new discipline.

In owning your own business it is your responsibility, as the owner, to set the example for embracing change by creating new disciplines. Now this may all sound good but the next part is crucial to the success of instilling new disciplines, whether it is for yourself, or your company, or both.

Start with something small where you can see an immediate positive difference. This will encourage you and others to create new disciplines and improvements on other things. Don't rock the boat and create more accidents by starting with something that is too big.

Start with the small things and work up to the bigger ones. Life and business are going to throw you some pretty big challenges. If you haven't mastered the small ones your chances of success are not very good on the big ones.

Apply this process to your business and life. You will cut down on the number of accidents while creating pathways to upgrade your business and your life. Growing small business is always about creating better ways to do things and upgrading.

Embrace change. Develop new disciplines. Do both and you will be creating the pathway to your business and personal growth and success.

Steve Scott is a business design and development coach who collaborates with and supports business owners and professionals who are committed to having more in their businesses and lives.
http://www.stevescottcoaching.com

5 Great Tools from the Small Business Administration

2009-04-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

If you're a small business owner, you need to check out the Small Business Administration website. You may have been reticent to visit as the SBA has not always been perceived as the most helpful or efficient agency out there. But they do, in fact, have some really helpful tools for small business owners that you should see. They're not only for businesses just starting out, but also for businesses that are well-established. Here are 5 tools to help you.

. Starting Your Business. This is a helpful section that provides great tips for individuals who are interested in starting their own businesses. The first piece of advice in this section is to find a mentor who can guide you through the many steps involved in starting a small business. SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a great mentoring group that is loosely affiliated with the SBA and provides free-of-charge guidance to those hoping to start small businesses. This section also includes comprehensive information about financing your startup, creating a budget for your business, and even a break-even analysis.

Other information included in this section covers buying a franchise, deciding on a business name, structuring your business, buying a business, obtaining a business license, and how to lease equipment for your business.

. Small Business Planner. This section includes questions to help you start thinking about what it takes to start your own business. It also includes a list of characteristics held in common by many successful entrepreneurs. Finally, an assessment tool can help you determine if you're ready to start your own business.

. Business Management. This is a great tool to help you think about the management aspect of your business. It talks about leadership skills that you'll need to be a successful business manager, as well as how to set up a business meeting, how to delegate tasks to employees, networking within your community, and running an ethical business.

. Exit Strategies. If you're chomping at the bit to start your own business, chances are you haven't given much thought to your exit strategy. After all, why would you be thinking about the end of your relationship with your business before even starting it? But an exit strategy is an essential part of starting your business because it will make a big difference in the way you start and manage it. This section talks about getting the most out of your company if you decide to sell it. It even goes so far as to discuss how to work with CPAs, how to determine the value of your business, and how to announce that you're going to sell your business.

. Tools. The SBA website has a huge selection of tools for you to use. Do yourself a favor and just look through them. Chances are, you'll find tools you didn't even know you needed! There are sections on regulations and statistics, a glossary of business terms, and some stories of small business owners who have been very successful. There are even videos, podcasts, chats, and forms for download.

Given the reputation of general inefficiency assigned to most government agencies, you may be surprised to find out that the SBA website is so thorough and helpful. It certainly isn't the only resource you'll need as you prepare to start your own business, but it's definitely a great resource to have at the ready as you go about the physical and mental preparations required of entrepreneurship. So add it to your toolbelt and enjoy your success!

Seomul Evans is a senior Small Business SEO specializing in MetaBest Search Engines and Link Building articles.

5 Keys to Small Business Success

2009-04-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

You've been to business school and learned it all, right? Not so fast. Sometimes, the most important lessons come to us via mistakes we've made. Here are the top five keys to small business success that you never learned in school.

1. Don't Be Such a Control Freak. One of the hardest things any small business owner has to do is learn when to delegate. Of course you want to do it all yourself because that's the only way it's going to be done right. But that only results in burnout and a bunch of employees who never learn anything. You're only doing yourself and your business a favor when you learn to relinquish some control. The more hands you have helping you out, the more successful you will be.

2. Baby Steps. You might be of the mind that your business should be everything you've dreamed it would be right out of the gate. But consider the "baby steps" approach. Start out small. Spend as little as possible at the very beginning. Score some successes early on and then build on them. Get rid of the stuff that doesn't work immediately. If you follow the "baby steps" approach, you have less to lose if you start off down the wrong path or have to scrap your whole plan and start over. Plus, it gives you a chance to research along the way by getting customer feedback as you go.

3. End Your Day Thinking About Your Business. Once you've left the office and finally spent some time with the family, your business is the last thing you want to think about. But spend just one more minute, right before you go to bed, thinking about one problem you're facing in your business. The beauty of our brains is that our subconscious minds work while we sleep. If you spend a few minutes thinking about a problem right before you go to sleep, you're essentially enlisting the aid of your subconscious to help you solve the problem. It's the easiest work you'll ever do.

4. Respect Your Computer Systems. Most small businesses take their computer systems for granted. They don't back up their data, they don't maintain their computers regularly, and they don't enlist the aid of professionals to care for their computers. In fact, we don't pay any attention to our computers until something goes wrong and we find ourselves in a crisis. If we treated our computer systems like factories treat their equipment, by regularly shutting down the whole works to perform routine maintenance, we'd get better performance and fewer problems from them.

5. Study the Numbers. It is a rare small business owner who actually likes to look at financial statements, at least when the business is just starting. Why? Because the numbers can be depressing. No one wants to look at the numbers when all they bring is bad news. But the truth is that you can't improve those numbers until you have the courage to look at them and analyze them. Looking at bad numbers can bring about feelings of failure or despondence. So try this trick: Once every week, pretend you're the accountant for your business. You have no emotional ties to the company. You're only job is to crunch the numbers. When you separate yourself emotionally from the message that the numbers give you, you're more likely to look at them objectively, without becoming despondent over or depressed about the news they bring. You'll find that looking at the numbers is actually a very liberating experience. It can help you eliminate activities that don't add value to your business and focus on the activities that help you profit.

Use these five keys to help you find success in your small business. You'll be glad you did!

Seomul Evans is a senior Web Site optimization consultant specializing in Internet Search Engines and a Search Engine Optimization Blog contributor.

Small Business Assistant Services

2009-04-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

As a small business owner it is understandable to sometimes feel as if you cannot compete with those larger conglomerates that also have larger financial resources available to them. But you can edge your profit margin ever closer to theirs and give them a good showing with sound business choices.

You may have to track your money a little harder than they do, but trust that they too have to track the flow of money in and out at some point. You can make a lesser budget work just as hard for you as if it were millions, if you do it right.

Keeping your employee ratio as low as possible so that you can avoid having to pay out large sums of what could be your businesses profits is one of those right moves. Such a suggestion may scare you. How will a number of office obligations be met if you do not have the employees to see that they are done? The budget savvy answer to that is to hire a small business assistant for the office services you would normally have to pay an employee to perform.

A small business assistant typically works off site in their own office, using telephone and internet connected computer to communicate with you and to contract assisting services to you. In some cases however, if your business is located near the business assistant, on site assisting is often possible. Do not confuse a business assistant who is able to provide you with on site assisting with one of your employees. These highly skilled business assistants contract for work you outsource to them even if they perform some or all of them inside your business, but they are not employees of your small business. On the other hand, do not assume that just because a professional business assistant is an independent vendor that they will not maintain a professional image and conduct while on your company site. They are professionals like you and know the importance of being professional at all times.

We would need another article to name all of the services provided by a business assistant to help the small business owner save money and get ahead. But we will mention as many of the service you could outsource to a business assistant as possible.

There are a plethora of marketing services that a business assistant can provide. From the creation of brochures, business cards, flyers, newsletters, and content articles for you to place on your business site. Online marketing, direct mailings, Geo farming, translation, lead follow up, website customization and SEO, and blog development are a few more of the services you can elect to outsource to a business assistant to meet your business marketing goals.
Management and office support services often include software customization, research, word processing, database and client care management, scheduling of appointments, data entry, merge mailing, and calendar updating, An on site business assistant can provide you with many office organization and management services.

You can get many of the services that those big execs pay heavily for at substantially lower rates from a professional business assistant, and that is what doing it right is all about. Event, meeting, and travel planning and if you are within the service area, personal shopping and errand services are made available. These services offer you the executive treatment without an executive price tag attached.

Use your resources wisely and they will work as hard for you as if you were a large conglomerate with unlimited capitol to play with. Give those big guys a good showing of what you can do by making sound business choices such as outsourcing for your business assisting needs and making other sound business choices.

Starting Your Own Small Business

2009-04-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

Starting a small business involves many types of decisions, steps and processes. The beginning is a big matter for the entrepreneur. You have to perform different activities to find out what you will be doing, when you will do it, and how you will do it.

You have to find answer to many questions. You will have different operations to perform like selecting the business, the industry, ownership form, finance, business plan, tax related issues, business process, site selection, licenses, registration and so on. The list is very big.

You have to not only perform these; but have to perform them fine. You have to prioritize the activities and perform them accordingly. For an inexperienced entrepreneur, the tasks become more needed.

Starting a small business may be divided into two stages: one is pre-startup stage, and the other is post startup stage.

Pre-startup Stage:
This stage is actually a planning stage. You have to plan your activities and act accordingly. This stage is very crucial as you plan out your whole business here only.

In this stage you will decide about the idea of business. The idea development will take sometime. Idea generation depends on many factors like your exposure, background, family, education, psychological state, prior experience, cultural background etc. Business ideas will vary from person to person. Your previous experiences will decide what you will do.

After you decide the idea, you will have to prepare a business plan. A business plan contains everything about the business idea like idea, market, process of producing or developing it, finance needed and finance sources, financial projection etc. You can make it yourself or you can delegate it to experts.
You have to arrange for the finance for your small business in this stage. Finance source may be different for you. You have to complete the entire certificate and license related works. You will need to find out the location and start the structure for future processing.

Post startup stage:
This is the implementation of the idea and plans. The entire plan that you have for your small business is to be done practically.

You have to mage the business in this stage. Already you have started the small business. Now you have to manage it daily. You have to mange the customer related issues, employee related issues, inventory and supply chain related issues, and production related issues.

Starting a small business can happen in three ways. You can start a new business, you can acquire already existing business, or you can start a franchisee of a reputed organization.

Starting a New Business:
You will start a new enterprise from scratch. This is a long term process and is really tough. You have to start and build all the systems in a business.

Acquiring a existing business:
If you want to acquire an already existing business, then it is a little easier for you than starting a new business. Here you get some of the systems of the business pre built. This will help you to start the business fast. You can select a business that you want to start. You can design it accordingly after you take it over. You will get customers existing already.

Franchising:
You can start a franchise, if you like to. Franchise business has many advantages. You do not have to build it up for is already built. You get the brand image facilities, the name, and support from the brand or the franchisor, and get marketing support. You do not have to think about the inventory, supply chain, marketing, advertising, and brand building. So, you can start a profitable business from the start.

How Small Businesses Waste Money

2009-04-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Most business owners subscribe to the thought that you "must spend money to make money". This can be true, but you also must know exactly where that money is going and the results it brings. A small business owner never has any money to waste.

Some ways that your business might waste money includes the following:

1. Manage your credit cards - If you have several cards, develop a computer program that will show you the exact balances, due dates, and the interest rate you are paying. Always be aware of other solicitations that save you money and possibly change your balances over to a new company. If you have any employee cards, see if you can set a limit on them. If not with the credit card company, make sure that the employees know their limits. Manage your credit cards wisely and never, ever miss a due date.

2. Develop an annual plan so you know where you will spend money. This helps you in several ways. The business person will be aware of what portion of the profits are going to advertising, towards incentives, towards accounting and other internal expenses, etc.

3. Do not over-purchase any products or services for a business. If you buy in bulk, the money is tied up and a place must be provided to keep the extras and that might be costing money not needed to be spent.

4. Developing an advertising budget and knowing just what resources to use is key to keeping money under control in a small business. You must advertise, but you also must get value for your money or you will soon be out of business. Keep a record of how much is spent, can you get payment terms, when is the most efficient time to advertise your particular product or service to get the most value for the dollar. Every dollar must be accounted for in advertising because the lifeline of your business depends on new and paying customers. Advertising is the way to get the word out to the community or the internet.

5. A small business owner will sometimes be under self-induced stress to manage all aspects of the business. Sometimes, leaving the control and decisions to others that are qualified is the best way to manage the business. Releasing control may be hard to do sometimes, but in a lot of businesses, money can be wasted because the owner cannot possibly be as efficient as the person who has studied or is knowledgeable about a particular field. For instance, if a business owner does not know accounting, many mistakes in reporting income and taxes can be made. A qualified accountant can possibly save more than the cost of their services in reduced taxes.

Take a hard look around your business and do not let anything be set in stone if saving money is the goal. Challenge everything that will cost money and see what can be done to change the situation. Any money that is saved, is money that can be put back into the business either in profits or in growth.

A business owner wants their business to be successful and will work hard to sustain growth. A business owner wants a way to continue making and growing money from a product or service that is interesting to them. After growing a business and being smart with cash flow, many business owners will sell their businesses only to start another business.

The reason is that business owners are independent types and challenges are rewarding when met and faced. Saving money through every day operations will help the business owner to meet their financial and emotional goals.

Grow Your Small Business in a Bad Economy

2009-04-14T20:34:00.001-07:00

Corpus Christi, TX – The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ May 2008 survey paints a picture of some very stressed out small business owners. Small business’ earnings are at their lowest point since 1992 and 9 in 10 owners surveyed expect the economy to continue to decline over the next six months.

Laura Harris, a nationally renowned speaker and author of the new small business owner self-help book “Surrender to Win” (October 2008 release), says, “The answer for small business owners in hard economic times is to hire and retain the right staff.”

Here are Harris’ 5 hiring tips:

1) Take enough time to get to know your prospective team member rather than hiring on a gut reaction. Part of the interview process should include introducing the potential employee to key staff so you know how the team members will interact. This process can be invaluable.

2) Don’t hire a prospective employee with an unprofessional phone voice or sloppy appearance. The first impression you have of a perspective employee is the same first impression a client will have of your company.

3) Hire an inexperienced person you can train to mesh with your style of leadership. Personnel with experience often come with old habits and pre-conceived notions. Training someone from scratch means you can mold them to perform the way you prefer.

4) ‘Steal’ good employees from other industries. Someone who goes above and beyond for their current company has a good enough work ethic to work hard for yours.

5) Hire someone with different strengths and weaknesses than your existing team rather than hiring someone just based on how much you like them. Adding staff should expand what your business has to offer.

And Harris’ 5 tips to retain and grow employees who think like owners:

1) Every company needs a foundation of uniformly enforced rules and guidelines on which to agree. Create a detailed employee handbook and stick to the guidelines so everyone (including you) knows the company policy. Having rules in writing helps the employees understand what is expected of them so they can succeed as a group member.

2) Invest in your employee’s education by paying for courses and offering time off to take classes. Rather than worry your team member will get so smart they’ll leave or want a raise – worry your business will remain stagnant if you don’t invest in employee education and they don’t grow their current level of expertise.

3) Help your employees put their families first. Allow time off for children and parents when it’s needed. Putting family first doesn’t detract from the job – it creates a well balanced work environment for the boss and the employees.

4) Hire responsible people, take the time to train them well and give them room to work. Micromanaging stifles creativity, creates second guessing and leads to stress for both the owner and the employee.

5) Be loyal to your staff and they will be loyal to you. Spend time investing in the right person so they stay with you. A resignation or firing is disruptive to the flow of business and bad for the morale of everyone remaining on the team.

And Harris says sometimes it’s not the employee you need to fire – it’s the client. “Know what type of client gives you the highest return and is the most hassle free. Gear your advertising and public relations toward taking on new clients like those.”

Owning a small business can be less stressful and more successful with the right team members and clients.

Small Business Owners Should Practice "Tough Love"

2009-04-14T20:32:00.001-07:00

Whether it's recession time or boom time, small business owners should look at the way they operate in order to maximize their revenues. Many small businesses are run a little loosely, because many owners believe they lack the overhead and the staff to require a lot of strict policies and procedures.

That's a mistake, according to Jim Muehlhausen, CPA and author of The 51 Fatal Business Errors and How To Avoid Them, from Emerald Publishing (www.51errors.com).

"Every business owner is enrolled in the world's most expensive business school: The School of Hard Knocks," Muehlhausen said. "Instead of acquiring business knowledge the slow and expensive way, business owners need to capitalize on the hard-fought lessons of others. That's why benevolent dictators are the best small business leaders, because ruling by committee against that landscape rarely works."

Small Business face more challenges than the large corporations with huge cash reserves to help them through financial crises. They are more susceptible to market fluctuations, have fewer clients to support them and generally have more transient staff. On the flip side, they also make up 70 percent of the businesses in the U.S., so as goes small business, so goes the economy.

In order to swim with the big fish without getting eaten, Muehlhausen suggests that small business owners get a little tougher and smarter to survive the nasty water.

"There are several practices that are considered standard operating procedure that actually work against small business owners," Muehlhausen said. "First, many insist on learning hard lessons themselves rather than learn from the mistakes of their competitors. To compound the problem, they also tend to hire employees away from their competitors without realizing that chances are that the employee may be leaving because they had been fired, or they are about to be fired. In essence, they wind up with their competitors' rejects, who they wind up firing soon after."

Muehlhausen also stresses that CEOs need to be benevolent dictators to be more effective.

"Managing employees is a lot like parenting," he said. "Employees may not like what you do, but you'll have to do it, anyway. Many CEOs are afraid to be authoritarian, but they should do it, anyway. They should remember two things – first, being authoritarian does not mean you can't be nice, and second, it's the CEO's name on the big door. No one else will be blamed for the failure of staff. An autocrat is not automatically a jerk, and businesses aren't a democracy. Hire good people, listen to input, but after you've listened, call the play and make sure you have a team on board who's going to execute it."

Requisites To Small Business Enterprise Launch

2009-03-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

If you asked fresh graduates about their immediate plans after school, many would answer seeking employment, which is obvious.

Once we secure good jobs, we never stop and think about the core founders of such a renowned company we have just become part of.

Thriving and smart enterprises were once small businesses with unlimited funding, workforce, physical resources and so on.

This would be especially so if the core founder’s idea then appeared inapplicable in light of challenges provided by the environment to small businesses just starting up.

Today, we are enjoying fruits of people, who in spite of all the ridicule and criticism of their business ideas did not give up their vision and over the years their enterprises have expanded splendidly.

Such big companies should be the inspiration to those who dream of starting up small businesses that should then grow to be a source of employment for generations.

I would like to share some few points that I think should be requisites to launching a small business enterprise.

Probing our minds for business ideas

All small business to be launched must start by setting up the purpose they wish to serve, which is entirely the duty of the starter.

We then would need to set free the creative genius in us so as to generate top and unique business ideas ahead of planning how to implement them.

If we do not do this, then we may only invest in one or two of the many existing businesses and depend on the probability of a customer choosing our products and services while leaving those of our rivals.

One could even do this, but locating a unique marketing niche ensuring that once you launch would make progress is the way forward.

To ensure that your business idea is well developed and mature, seek advice and carry out a through market research on the same.

Have an action plan

Having tested your business idea in the market, the next step involves planning about implementing it.

It will address the issue of initial costs for starting a small business of your choice in terms of funding, labor, physical and time resources as well as the sources.

Not unless the owner needs to operate from home, there has to be actions to find the most strategic location or an office and expenditure to incur at the start and monthly.

The office will need to be equipped with some furniture, machines and the like and these costs must be reflected on this action plan.

Additionally, planning ahead ensures that you make decisions concerning the workforce at the initial launch stage.

You are able to answer the question of whether your ‘green’ business would need an extra hand to facilitate management and the costs involved.

The owners also need to set the time limit in terms of when to start up the plan and the period it is expected to take till completion.

All this will just be in paper because the owner will be examining his financial strength to set the short-term goals, with the hope that the market mechanism changes to his or her favor.

Implement the plan

This now will be nothing short of action as per the objectives of the plan, which is very challenging.
An original article by Esteri Maina on SMALL BUSINESSES

Small Business In Online Market

2009-03-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

Within any big businesses community there are many small businesses. To tell you the truth, small business is the whale on the back of which the big companies all sit. Why you ask? There are some advantages of being a small business. First of all, it can be started at a very low cost and be often performed on the part- time basis. Another advantaged feature is its independence. It is a very nice and pleasant feeling to be a Boss. Freedom is the indicator to why many people leave big business and set up their own company. Also small businesses can respond to the market place very rapidly, thus they are more flexible. By the way, usually small businesses are family run business. From here you can see that it is could well be a mom and pop operated business with family supporting.

Small business suits the internet industry very well. A well designed website can bring a lot of customers to a small company, because small businesses serve a very particular and specialised niche in the internet marketing. Small businesses are wide spread in many countries. Classic examples are online shops like baby shop, bakery, delicatessen, food store, department store etc. Also services like accounting, photography, canvas printing, hairdressing and consultancy are very common to the economic system in cyber space.

A well designed and promoted web site can bring millions of clients from worldwide areas. Users utilise the internet search to find a necessary product or service, thus a global website helps small business to advertise its goods and raise its turnover. In general, the volume of sales improves in some period of time due to well thought- out online marketing policy. Alongside this diversity of firms there are many small web design companies offering their services. These small web design companies really can help to run your business better. Their services are of high quality and are tailored to meet the individual needs and requirements of every particular client.

Honestly, small design companies cope rather well in matching the business aims of the company with the clients' ideas. Once a good web site is created, web design company should focus on the sites' promotion as well as being able to explain and emphasize the benefits of online commerce. Providing highly useful, efficient and successful websites, web design companies use the most recent and up-to-date technologies, development software and tools such as Flash, Java or Ajax. In order to raise the page rank of the website, internet marketing companies also provide to their clients a search engine optimization (SEO) service. It enables the site to achieve high rankings in the major engines like Google, MSN or Yahoo. This optimisation is essential to create a good amount of traffic to the site.

Traffic means clients, conversions bring money, money means business is 'cooking with gas'! There are often other additional services that web design companies can offer small companies. Small companies can take advantage of logotype design, redesign of the website as well as web marketing services such as article backing, paid advertising or Pay per Click (PPC) service. All these bring visitors to your website.
Finally, we can summarise that creative and unique web design, dynamic and productive optimisation or promotion can lead to a good business development model, increasing turnover and subsequently increasing company value, within a relatively small time frame.

A web site starts with a general idea, goes on with design, programming, then optimization. And every big section is divided into many, many small segments, parts. If you do not want to know about a complex process of web site building, just trust Kaweb, a web design Birmingham company established in , with creating a web site for you. Be sure that the result will exceed your expectations.

Small Business Banking For Your Website

2009-03-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

The internet has provided a whole new world of opportunities for tech savvy entrepreneurs. It provides people that have the technical and creative skills to produce a website the opportunity to set up a small business and sell products. This is irrelevant of the types of products that they sell. There are an increasing number of drop ship companies that deal with the distribution of the stock. All the web developer has to do is create a portal from which the products can be sold and then get traffic to visit the store and buy the products.

The website creator deals with the payment from the customer and instructs the drop ship company to dispatch the products. Often the hardest thing for someone setting up an online business for the first time is appeasing the legal side of things and the financial side of things. Small business banking can help you with all aspects of a new business.

Having the Idea

The hardest thing is having that million dollar idea. So get thinking! The best types of online businesses are those that sell products. Services such as booking a taxi or advertising a hair salon are significantly less lucrative. The easiest things to sell are products that could be bought online. An example that has been used before is an online sweet shop. This is a relatively new thing to sell online as the favoured method of buying sweets is to enter a sweet shop. But one entrepreneur saw a gap in the market for high end sweets and sold them online and made a massive success out of the business. The products were durable enough to post and demand grew as the site became better known.

Choosing a name

Finding a catchy name is the most important part of the process of setting up an online business. The name needs to be catchy enough to be remembered easily so that people that search for things online can think of your name. For a name to be picked up in search engine it is useful that it contains a search phrase. For example, 'traditional sweets'.

Writing a business plan

The core thing that is required to make a business successful is to write a business plan. A business plan is very important to ensure that your winning idea can be turned into a lucrative business. Profit and loss accounts and cash flow forecasts can help you keep track on the in goings and outgoings of your business to ensure that you make money. Many banks will help you with a business plan so that you can make sure that you are structured in your approach to business and as a result make the most of the investment that you make.

Registering for VAT

Currently companies that register sales of 67,000 pounds or above must be registered for VAT. Companies that earn less can register voluntarily. This is a vital aspect of the financial side of the business.

Collecting the Payment

Once you have built your site, found customers and sold your products you need to find an efficient way of collecting the money from them. Many banks will help a small business by providing a service that makes this easy for customers to use and this may be a good alternative to Pay Pal or Worldpay services. Once this system is set up you will be able to maximise the performance of your website.

About the Author

Shaun Parker is an expert on Small Business Banking. He shares his extensive knowledge on banking to help advise start up businesses.

Solutions for Small Business Computer Networks

2009-03-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Computers have become very much a part of lives today. With each passing day we are becoming more and more dependent on the wonder machine. They are absolutely essential as regards businesses. As regards small businesses the first and foremost thing that would be necessary is to have an efficient and effective computer network setup at the work place. A computer network essentially means linking up of the computers in the office area. The most important advantage of having such a system in place is that it saves plenty of time. Small businesses are no different and they too would benefit hugely with having such a system in place. Small businesses also use computers for their day to day smooth functioning. There are companies which offer exclusive small business computer network. This could help in the effectiveness of the business operation.
Computer network installation is the first step in having an integrated computer system at the work place. There are experts in the field that lend their services for doing so. Once the computer network installation is completed the functioning of the business enterprise becomes easier. A well-established computer network setup helps in the growth of the business. If not, with such tough competition around it is likely that businesses which do not use the potential of the computers to the fullest will be left out in the race. Companies which set up the computer network also provide the computer network maintenance. Such enterprises provide the necessary computer network maintenance from time to time and this ensures that the network system functions smoothly or else it may result in huge losses for your business. For the smooth operation of any business computer network solutions is absolutely essential. A small business computer network is as important as that of a large business enterprise. A good computer network would help in file sharing which would help in saving time. The use of other devices can also be shared. For e.g. an integrated computer network system would result in the sharing of peripheral devices such as the printer and this would invariably save money for the enterprise. Over a period these savings would make a huge difference especially in case of small business enterprises. Data can be shared at a faster pace and there can be a smooth flow of information and communication. Even data recovery is more effective with such a network system in place. If one computer fails due to any reason such as a hardware problem then the data can be recovered from another system where it has been saved. So this also makes it a safe system of operation.
All Computer network solutions can be found with the firms that offer computer network installation and other services. A good computer network at an office place has far reaching benefits for the business enterprise and its growth. It is best to approach a well known company that offers such services and have an effective computer network setup in place at the earliest.So this also makes it a safe system of operation.
All Computer network solutions can be found with the firms that offer computer network installation and other services. A good computer network at an office place has far reaching benefits for the business enterprise and its growth. It is best to approach a well known company that offers such services and have an effective computer network setup in place at the earliest.

About the Author

Crawley Ashford consults for small business without an IT Department or with an IT Department in setting up computer networks, IT Network Spam Filter , IT Network Firewall setup, Hawaii IT Services & Support, Small business computer network cabling , IT Consulting, Product Sales, Programming.

Small Business Ideas - The Good and The Bad

2009-03-05T02:07:00.000-08:00

It is not enough to come up with small business ideas. You have to come up with small business ideas that are viable. In other words, you need to bring something to the small business community that is workable. In order to understand this, let's look at two classic examples of business ideas. One was good and one was really off the tracks.

Does anyone remember the Edsel car? This car was hardly a winner. In fact, it was considered one of the biggest "lemons" in car manufacturing history. Even in the planning stages, advisors kept noting that this was not a car that was going to do big business. There were even serious concerns that it would do any business at all. Mainly, the design of the car was loaded with flaws. It was also a large, gas-guzzling car debuting during a weak economy. Even the name given to the car "Edsel" was a loser. Yet, they trudged on in the marketplace and sales of the Edsel were a disaster. It simply was not a viable product. Ultimately, it was a $400,000,000 failure.

Now, consider the example of Federal Express which was one of the greatest small business ideas in history. Without a doubt, not only was the concept of Federal Express viable, there was huge demand in the market for such a concept. The United States Post Office did not offer overnight delivery. The concept was considered to absurd and unfeasible. Then, along can Federal Express in 1972. The company not only delivered on its promises of delivering when it "Absolutely, positively has to be there overnight" it did so effectively and inexpensively. Again, this was one of the greatest small business ideas of all time. Granted, it did not stay a small business for long. FedEx quickly grew into a multi-billion dollar company!

What is most striking to note here when comparing these two tales is their stark financial differences. Edsel could not succeed in the marketplace despite being backed by the weight of the multi-billion dollar Ford Motor Company. As previously mentioned, Federal Express derived from the world of small business ideas. It was launched by a small businessman named Fred Smith. Smith did not run Federal Express or any of his small business ideas out of a huge corporate office in 1972. Some may find this surprising, but like other small business ideas Smith originally devised FedEx from his home. So, how could Smith succeed with such limited resources while Ford failed so miserably? How could Smith's small business ideas trump the government's ability to deliver mail? Like other good small business ideas, Smith produced a business model that was viable and need based. In other words, his small business ideas made sense. Additionally, there was an actual demand in the market for the small business ideas he was offering. With these two components working in his favor, it should come as no surprise that Smith's small business ideas were a massive success.

The lesson to learn here is that all small business ideas must be viable for them to work. If not, the small business ideas will not survive in a competitive marketplace. If, however, the small business ideas one comes up with are feasible then the odds of success will increase.

Of course, viability alone will not yield immediate success with any small business ideas. Solid business plans, marketing strategies, capitalization, and time investments all play a vital role in turning those small business ideas into successful, realized businesses. However, all the planning, marketing, money, and labor in the world can not make small business ideas that aren't viable successful. Keep that fact in mind when you brainstorm your small business ideas!

About the Author

Samantha Lewers is the founder of Small Business Champions Club, offering money making and success strategies from the world's most successful people. Visit Small Business Champions Club to claim 5 free gifts valued at $147.

Small Business Web Hosting Reviews

2009-03-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

As a small business owner, you have too much to worry about. The last thing you need is to concern yourself with evaluating the 1000's of small business web hosting reviews available. That's why I've written this article to highlight some of the better hosting companies from our small business web hosting reviews web site and to help you quickly evaluate them on your own.

Website Wizard and Website Templates

If you don't have the experience to create your own website from scratch, don't worry. Some of the best web hosting companies have great wizards and tools available that allow you to choose a website template and then drag and drop your businesses' information into place. These WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) tools can save a small business owner like you days in frustrating web design.

If a website wizard is a priority for you find a provider that provides plenty of pre-built website templates (at least 500) and an easy editor. The best small business hosting company that provides this is Host Gator. You can even try their tool before you commit to their services. Try it out and make sure it will work for you.

Free Domain Names

If you're starting a website for your small business, you need a great domain name. Domain names can cost between seven and twelve dollars a year. The top small business web hosting companies pay this fee for you so as long as you remain their customer. In fact, some of these companies provide you with two (you should always have your website registered 2 times under .com and .net).

For this reason (and others), my small business web hosting review website recommends IX hosting as the top available company. Not only do they provide you with 2 free domain names, but they give you 8 free static IP addresses.

Marketing Support and PPC Credit

If you're reading about small business web hosting reviews, it means you're looking for another way to promote your business. The top web hosting companies not only offer you domain names for free but they also provide your business credit toward the top PPC (pay per click) and other various online marketing programs.

Don't overlook this. If you're paying $12 a month for your site and are getting over $250 in advertising expenses paid for, it can pay for the cost of your website many times over! If marketing credits are important to you, our small business web hosting review site suggests IX hosting or Midphase hosting.

Database Support

Many small businesses overlook the importance of robust database capabilities in their small business web hosting providers. This can be a major mistake. Even if you don't plan on programming any database functionality into your website, many built in forms and email applications utilize these databases to function properly.

If you plan in doing any sort of lead capture and follow up system on your website (and you should) make sure your small business hosting provider provides either MySQL or standard SQL. All of the companies on our small business web hosting review website support all of the major databases.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a small business web hosting provider. This article has highlighted some of our top choices from our small business web hosting reviews, but we have also created a website that evaluates the pros and cons of various top small business web hosting companies (see the about me / resource box for the link). I invite you to use that site as you evaluate your next steps. Choosing a site to host your small business website is a big decision. Make the right one.

Good luck!

About the Author

As a website developer and consultant, Brian Anthony has extensively evaluated the majority of web hosting alternatives for small businesses. He provides in-depth reviews for small business web hosting here.

Why Is Passion In Small Business A Necessity?

2009-03-05T01:58:00.000-08:00

The small business world will always contain plenty of ideas, competition, and talent. There will almost always be some other company doing exactly what you do. They may do things better than you or worse. And so we always end up asking ourselves what is it that we can do better than them? What can we do to differentiate ourselves from them? Well there is always one thing that is available to you and that is passion?

There is one major difference between owning a small business and just working for someone else. The small business owner can't just up and change jobs. If the worker doesn't like where they work or what they do for a living they do have the option of finding another job. The small business owner does not have that option. So it becomes even more important to do something that they have a real passion for.

I write articles on small business topics that I hope can help small business owners and entrepreneurs because I love small business. I love the fact that a person can take an idea and develop it into a money making enterprise. I love the fact that a small business owner can then use that money making enterprise to help others by offering better wages and benefits to employees. That customers can be helped by giving better service, and products. And that a business can give back to its community more effectively that can just one person.

Small Businesses can have a great deal of impact on a great many people if you wish it to. I write articles and run my website because I have a passion for small business. I want to help others with their businesses. If you run your own small business or are considering joining the ranks and becoming an entrepreneur then you need to make sure that you find something that you can be passionate about doing. I know I have that passion. The question is do you?

Passion for what you do increases your willpower to get things done. Running your business should not be a chore. It needs to be enjoyable. How else can you expect to survive doing what you do everyday. If you consider running your business a chore then you might as well quit and go find a job. At least then you'll have less responsibility.

With passion comes the energy you need to get the job done. As business owners we need all the energy we can get. Coffee and energy drinks can only get you so far. You have to want to get things done. Knowing that what you are doing will make a difference to someone should help give you that energy. Your company was hired to provide something to someone. And you are not just a cog in the process of providing that something. You are the driving force. And you need to remember that.

Passion inspires others. Your employees want to believe that what they do makes a difference. A difference to your business and your customers. They want to believe that what they do will make a difference to them in the future. Seeing that you are passionate about your business and the future will inspire them. Your passion can even inspire your customers because passion shows. If they see how passionate you are about your business and your relationship with them they will be inspired too. Inspired to put their faith in you.

In business passion is the difference maker. If you don't love what you do how can you inspire others to put forward their best effort. If you show them you are truly passionate about what you do then they know you are giving your best effort and that may inspire them to give theirs. So remember that having passion in small business is a necessity. It is that extra edge.

About the Author

Cash Miller is an expert in small business affairs. To receive more tips that can help your business and allow you to crush your competition you can sign up for his FREE Newsletter. Once you've signed up your going to receive access to 5 FREE E-Books that can help your business prosper. And as a Bonus FREE Newsletter Members can expect to receive an additional FREE E-Book each week

Different Types of Small Business Loans

2009-03-05T01:56:00.000-08:00

When defining the term small business loan, it is important to understand the definitions of both a small business and a loan. In the United States, a small business is defined as a privately or independently owned and operated business that employs less than 100 people. And a loan is defined as something furnished on condition of being returned. Therefore, a small business loan is something furnished to a privately owned business with less than 100 employees that must be returned.

That being said, there are many different types of small business loans, various ways in which a small business loan can be acquired, and a small business loan does not have to be lent through a bank as many may have been be misled to believe.

One of the most popular types of small business loans are SBA loans, loans that are distributed through private lenders such as banks, credit unions, etc., and are backed by the Small Business Administration. Since banks are usually the lenders of these loans, they typically come with strict requirements including excellent credit scores, collateral, and fixed monthly payments. These requirements are to ensure that the borrower holds up his/her end of the deal, and repays the loan in a timely manner. A small business owner who has excellent credit, collateral, and a well thought-out and put together business plan and presentation may be able to receive a sufficient amount of money through an SBA loan.

The SBA also backs micro-loans which may be easier to obtain, but the maximum micro-loan amount is $35,000 and the average SBA micro-loan amount is only $13,000.

Another type of small business loan that many business owners may be unaware of is equipment leasing. As implied earlier, a loan does not have to be given and/or received in the form of money. Instead of providing small businesses with the funds to purchase equipment, equipment leasing companies actually supply the equipment. Small businesses can rent the equipment, and return it, and they may also be given the opportunity to eventually purchase the equipment.

As bank lending practices tighten and business owners move away from traditional forms of small business financing, business cash advances are becoming an increasingly popular form of small business loans.
Business cash advance lenders purchase a business' future credit card sales. This allows merchant business owners to receive a sum of cash upfront in exchange for a small percentage of their business' credit card sales until the business cash advance is completely repaid. Business cash advance lenders do not require borrowers to have excellent credit scores or collateral, making them easier to obtain than many other types of small business loans. The repayment procedures allow for flexibility unlike most small business loans that require a borrower to repay a specific amount on a specific date every month.

The aforementioned are only a few of the existing types of small business loans. As a small business owner seeking small business financing, be sure to look into the various types of small business loans before choosing one. Discovering which small business loan is best for you and your business could save you both time and money, and in the long run, can be more beneficial for your business.

About the Author

David Castro often writes articles about Small Business Loans for Merchant Resources International - To Learn more Visit Us at http://www.cashprior.com

Setting Up And Running Your Small Business Practice

2008-09-28T01:29:00.000-07:00

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.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Going Zero Carbon: An Approach for Small Business

2008-09-28T01:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-28T01:22:00.000-07:00

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

Article Source: Content for Reprint

How to Eliminate the Frustration from a Small Business Owner

2008-09-28T01:16:00.000-07:00

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

Article Source: Content for Reprint

The Easy Way to Market Your Small Business on the Web

2008-09-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

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

Article Source: Content for Reprint

What 's In Your Marketing Plan? A Small Business Guide To Online Marketing

2008-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking, "If we make a website using a few keywords, search engine algorithms will guide customers to us." But these days, everyone has a website, every website uses keywords, and it 's not difficult to hire web designers to create good-looking, perfectly functioning websites. Online marketing is becoming more difficult and more competitive, particularly for small business owners who seemingly can't compete with huge companies in search engine results.

How does a small business generate hits to its website? Is it possible to use the Internet to increase your market size? If search engines persistently bury your website on page 12 of their search results, there are solutions.

Think about it -- what are your potential customers looking for? Whatever your field, it 's likely that they're looking for expertise, intelligence, and creativity. And your customers are discerning -- they can tell when a marketing technique is phony -- and the only reason they so often go with the bigger companies is a perceived lack of alternatives. Many small businesses, in an effort to attract customers, try to emulate the marketing practices of larger companies, thus neglecting to show their own, knowledgeable perspective.

So, how does a small business show that it 's not only more personalized and trustworthy than larger companies, but also smarter and more dynamic? You have to speak to your potential customers. You must show them that you have the brains, the ability, and the creativity to suit their unique needs, far better than larger companies can.

In the age of the Internet, there are few things that people respect more than a well-written, informative article. If you're a small business owner, then there 's clearly at least one area in which you are more knowledgeable than anyone else. This is what makes you good at running your business -- yet why not also use this knowledge to increase the size of your market?

If you search the Internet for "how article marketing works" you'll find some very good article distribution services that can help you link your website in all corners of the Internet. There are thousands of websites that are always looking for fresh, informative content, and that would be pleased to publish your work.

First, though, you must write your article. Write it carefully, and make it informative; people love to learn new things. But remember, both publishers and readers can recognize a sales pitch, so don't mention the name of your business unless it is truly integral to the content of your article.

The important thing is that each time an article of yours is published, it will come with an "About the Author" box, which will contain a link to your website. Everyone who learns something from your article will want to click on the link. Your article will be like a tease; they will seek more of what you have to offer on your website.

So start writing as soon as you can. And remember, after you sign up for an article marketing website, you'll be asked to categorize the articles that you've written. Don't do this hastily; think hard about the categories customers would associate with the services you offer.

If the service suggests revisions to your work, try not to be offended. They are experts, and to make the changes they suggest is in your own best interest. Your goal is to increase your market size. They want to help you do it. Trust them.

Few businesses are aware of this marketing tactic, so it 's best to take advantage of it while you can. With the millions of businesses now marketing on the web, it 's important for the small business owner to realize that to simply include a few keywords on your website is not enough anymore.

Plus, through article marketing, you can generate thousands of clicks to your website, which moves your website higher up in the rankings of search engines such as Google and Yahoo. By writing informative articles, and having them distributed throughout the Internet, you can work your way up to page 1 in the search results.

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. Learn how to market your small business when you submit articles through Article Marketer.

http://www.articlemarketer.com

Article Source: Content for Reprint

10 Reasons Your Small Business Needs A Technology Services Provider

2008-08-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

Can your small business get both affordable professional-class IT service and peace of mind? The secret lies in having a technology services provider handle your technical solutions.

To stay competitive, small businesses must make the most of current technology. But it 's expensive, time consuming, and inefficient to maintain a full-time IT department like larger companies. A true Professional Technology Services Provider offers on-demand talent, depth of experience, deep resources and huge economies of scale. Here are the top 10 benefits you'll see.

Benefit #1: Stay Focused On Core Business Functions

People are happiest doing what they do best. And they get frustrated by tasks that distract them from it. Researching solutions, implementing new technology and fixing IT-related problems are extremely inefficient for non-IT professionals. Free up internal staff for revenue-generating functions and the business of business.

Benefit #2: Tap Economies Of Scale And Purchasing Power

Due to a single focus on IT, sechnology services providers achieve greater efficiencies and economies of scale. They consolidate purchasing power and have access to deep and broad knowledge bases. Using developed best practices, tasks are completed more efficiently than small businesses can do on their own. The means real cost savings-- both in time and money.

Benefit #3: Reduce Cost and Control Operating Expenses

The business value of technology services providers results in very hard dollar savings. In almost all cases, small businesses will spend 25% to 50% less than the cost of even one mid-level IT professional. Then take recruiting, training, vacation, sick days, turnover and other management issues out of the equation to see even more savings. Costs are budgeted, predictable and controlled.

Benefit #4: Access Highly Specialized Talent

Small businesses cannot cost effectively achieve the scale and flexibility to properly support their technology environments. Even a very experienced and dedicated IT employee has limits to skills and avenues for help. Professional technology services providers offer access to teams of IT specialists that deliver the cross-sectional IT knowledge needed to provide both on-going and critical support for small business networks.

Benefit #5: Get Services On-Demand

Many small businesses face the challenges of growth and the burden of scaling back. Both cases present a genuine HR problem when relying on in-house IT resources. Small businesses need the agility of just-in-time resources for emergencies and the flexibility to adjust technology support levels. With a professional technology services provider, sudden changes won't affect the livelihood or morale of employees.

Benefit #6: Help Employees Innovate and Stay Productive

Communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing allows employees to innovate. These capabilities are delivered through a multitude of technologies including file servers, central databases, broadband connectivity, mobile platforms, email communications, and many others. However, true productivity and business benefit can only be realized when this complex technology is properly planned, implemented and maintained. The best practices and comprehensive experiences around planning, implementing and maintaining such systems allow technology services providers to successfully deliver these productivity improvements.

Benefit #7: Reduce Downtime

Even a few minutes of systems downtime carry enormous business costs. Maximizing uptime must be a high priority. Small businesses can longer afford issues with internet connectivity, email communications, corrupt data or systems failure—the cost of reacting to these events is just too high. Professional technology services providers offer planned, measured approaches to pro-active systems maintenance, security, backup and disaster recovery.

Benefit #8: Get A Technology Edge Over Competitors

Don't just level the playing field: take advantage of new technologies for a competitive advantage. Technology services providers keep up with the latest solutions through ongoing training and real-world experience. They know how to implement the latest hardware, software, and network applications available. Just as important: they know which technologies are not worth the investment.

Benefit #9: Attract and Retain Employees

Employees want to work in an environment where their computers are up and running. Employees want to be competitive with their rivals and they want the technology tools that really help them deliver. Potential new talent will weigh your company’s technology prowess. Utilizing a professional technology services provider allows small businesses to meet these expectations and increases the ability to attract and retain employees.

Benefit #10: Access Otherwise Unavailable Vendor Support

Access to manufacturers is crucial in effectively supporting complex technology. When available, technology manufacturers traditionally provide basic or unreliable direct end-user support. With a well-established professional technology services provider, small businesses enjoy the benefits of priority access to Microsoft, Cisco and thousands of other technology vendors.

About the Author

Nick Pegley is VP Marketing for All Covered: Technology Services Partner for Small Business, providing IT consulting services in 20 major U.S. metro areas.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Effective Time Management and Your Small Business

2008-08-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Effective time management becomes one of the most important things you must do on a daily basis if you own a small business. For some people it doesn't seem to matter how long their day is. They just never seem to have enough time. The clock is ticking and it 's ticking too fast for comfort. It feels like they have a million things to do, a couple thousand of which were actually due last week and every new task is urgent and can't wait...

Sounds familiar? Well if it does you might be one of those people who just don't have a very good relationship with time. It is often a sign that you're not in control of your own day timer. You may have some things on your to do list that you set out to accomplish, but anything and everything that you come across interferes with your plans. Someone or something else seems to be claiming your time to the extent that you never seem to get anything done. You might be asking yourself: "How can I possibly get everything done?" Good question. The answer is very simple: "You can't and you shouldn't want to".

Wanting to get everything done is probably the main reason why so many people are short on time. They're trying to do too many things and fail to realize that there are only so many tasks that one person can accomplish in a day. Instead of focusing on getting everything done, focus on those things that really need to get done. Separating what 's important from what 's not important will help you prioritize your tasks. And once you've done this, just remember that priorities are in order. That means that when you're working on something with a high priority it is okay to turn down someone asking you to do something that has a lower priority.

Time is an area where we can be absolutely sure that everyone is treated equally. No matter where you're from or what your background is everybody has the same amount of hours in a day. The difference is in how we choose to spend those hours.

Every night before your head hits the pillow, take a piece of paper and write down the 5 most important tasks you must accomplish the next day. Write them down in the order of importance. Then the next day start on the first task and don't move on to the next task until the first has been finished. Then move on to the next item on the list. If you get sidetracked just come back to your list as soon as possible and move on.

Some pointers that may help you in this direction:

Become more efficient in your communication. This means: on the phone, in emails or letters, and of course in face-to-face conversations. A lot of time spent in communication is very inefficient. This is especially wasteful because you're not just wasting your own time but also somebody else 's .

Touch everything only once. This can be a really great time-saver. Every piece of information should preferably pass through your hands only once. This goes for mail, email, but also things like certain websites, articles, newspapers and other sources of information.

In order to do this successfully you will need to learn how to make decisions quickly. Some decisions just aren't worth too much of your valuable time. The ability to make decisions is one key to becoming successful anyway. So why wouldn't you want to speed that process up a little.

Effective time management will make your day more enjoyable because it allows you to be more in control of your time. Once you master this there is nothing you can not do to make your small business operate more smoothly.

About the Author

Sites-Plus.com offers small business grants and everything you need to start run your own small business. For small business training visit our website: http://www.sites-plus.com

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Do You Have What It Takes To Start A Small Business

2008-08-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Are you cut out to start your own small business. Some people are better off working for someone else then they are to take the plunge and start a small business of their own.

Statistics tell us that over 45% of small businesses fail within the first two years of starting up. On the other hand, millions of self-made business owners have gone on to become millionaires. So what do you need to become one of the successful ones? Don't worry if you don't have everything it takes. Training can develop many of the so-called essentials. All you really need to know are which ones are your strengths and which are your weaknesses. Here are some traits you'll need. It 's up to you to decide if you've got them, or if you'll work on getting them.

- Common sense. If you're not sure whether you've got it, ask your family. It 's the ability to make sound judgments about all manner of life issues. It can be a combination of past experience and knowledge and will help you get to the core of a problem by simplifying it.

- Specialized knowledge of your field. It 's no use jumping into something about which you know nothing. Most successful businessmen have gained much valuable experience in their trade well before they went into business for themselves.

- Self Confidence. When you start out in small business, the buck will usually stop with you. You are the one who has to make difficult decisions and wear the consequences. This is not always something you either have or don't have. You may have it in one area or situation and lack it in another. Training will help you to get it.

- The ability to get things done. This is actually self-discipline. It 's no use deciding to take the day off because it 's sunny and the surf 's up. There are things requiring your attention and if you leave them they won't get done. On the other hand, it 's no use being on the job if you fritter the time away on menial talks that should be delegated.

- Creativity. Sure it 's been done that way since Adam, but there could be a better way to do it - one that will save you time and money.

- Ability to lead. Do you get along with others or is there a long line of dissatisfied staff, customers, clients, friends and relatives behind you? Your ability to lead and get people to do great work is paramount to your success in business.

- Self reliance. If you can't rely on yourself, whom can you rely on? You need to be able to set goals and do whatever it takes to reach them. Sure you'll have others under you - eventually, but many small business owners need first to rely on themselves. If you want to start a small business, the best thing to do is get in there and have a go. You can learn as you go, but make sure you listen to others advice, even if you don't always follow it. Being open to new ideas and advice is important too.

If you want to start a small business and don't feel like you have the traits to be successful maybe you need to develop them. The traits listed above can all be developed to the point the are habitual. It takes time and effort. Sometimes it comes down to getting out of your comfort zone and as Nike said in their commercials "Just Do it."

About the Author

Jeff Schuman invites you to visit his small business resources
website for everything you need to start and run your own successful small business. http://www.sites-plus.com

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Are You Making These 5 Common Pay-per-click Mistakes In Your Small Business?

2008-08-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Because of the ability to specifically target your unique prospects based on interest as well as geography, the ability to tightly control your ad spend and to precisely measure results, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is probably the greatest breakthrough to come along in advertising since the launch of television. And, because of those same benefits, it’s much more affordable for the small to mid-size business owner to leverage for their business (as compared with television and many other advertising alternatives).

That being said, PPC is not as easy as it seems at first glance. Business owners looking to launch their first campaign will quickly discover how easily they can spend hundreds – and even thousands – of dollars in wasted efforts while they learn to navigate the PPC waters.

While entire books have been written on the ins-and-outs of pay-per-click advertising, there are 5 common mistakes that I see business owners making when I’m asked to evaluate their pay-per-click campaign strategies. These mistakes are easy to fix, and doing so will dramatically increase the effectiveness of your pay-per-click campaign!

The 5 most common PPC mistakes are:

1. Using your home page as the landing page. No matter which search engine you use for your campaign – Google, Yahoo!, MSN or any other – you can decide where to direct your new customers when they click on your ad. The most common mistake I see business owners make when they launch their PPC campaign is directing those clicks to their home page. The thinking seems to be that their home page is equivalent to the front door of their business, and they want their new customers to walk through – but that’s where they go wrong. With PPC advertising, your prospect is searching for something highly specific – that’s the “keyword” they’ve entered into the search engine. Having them land at your home page is the equivalent of having them ask you for a specific item in your store, and you telling them – “it’s in here somewhere, it’s up to you to find it.” Obviously you wouldn’t do that in person with your customers – and you don’t want to do it online, either. By designing what’s known as a “landing page” – the place where visitors “land” when they click on your ad - you can present your customer with exactly what they are looking for when they come to your site. Your landing page should be tightly focused to the keywords you are using for your PPC ad, with no other links or distractions to confuse your prospect. This dramatically increases their satisfaction with your site, as well as the likelihood that they will make a purchase from you.

2. Not customizing your landing page to your prospects’ keyword searches. The way an ideal PPC campaign works is something like this: a prospect enters a search term – for my business it might be “e-mail marketing.” They are presented with my PPC ad with “e-mail marketing” in the headline AND the ad copy. My prospect clicks on my ad and is taken to my landing page that is all about e-mail marketing. (I will have bid on both “e-mail marketing” and “email marketing” to capture searchers entering it both ways). The likelihood that my prospect will become a customer is high, because there is no confusion about what the page is about – no wondering if he’s in the right place or if we offer what he is looking for. A common mistake I see business owners making with their PPC campaigns is to try to combine several products or services into one landing page. This leads to frustration when your searcher clicks on your ad and lands on a page that they aren’t sure offers what they are specifically looking for. Make sure your landing pages are customized to the keyword your prospect is searching for – and quickly turn prospects into customers.

3. Using generic ad copy in your PPC ads. The tricky thing with PPC ads is you don’t have much real estate to work with. Google allows just 70 characters; Yahoo allows 190 characters (with spaces) in a text ad. When every single word counts, you can’t afford to use meaningless words like “high quality service,” or “established in 1903.” While these statements may be true about your business, they don’t target the specific searches your prospects are entering to find the products and services they are looking for. A mistake I see clients make in their PPC ads is to include these type of generic statements that don’t set their business apart. When you are writing your ad, you’ll want to include specific keywords that your prospects will likely enter to find what you have to offer. Your headline must be captivating and should include your main keyword. The next line of your ad should contain the single biggest benefit you offer to your customers. What sets your company apart from your competitors? That’s what goes in your PPC ad. The 3rd line of your ad should contain a feature of your product or service or an offer – special discounted pricing or something free work well here. By making your ad specific to the keywords that your prospects will likely enter, you’ll be well on your way not only to increasing clicks, but to turning clicks into cash as well.

4. Not securing high enough placement with your bids. All of the search engines use a slightly different method for determining the position for your ad. Google and Yahoo use a combination of ad relevancy (how relevant your ad is to the keywords you’ve bid on and the landing page you present to your visitors) and bid price. A big mistake I notice my clients making is not targeting their keywords tightly enough and specific enough to their product or service to allow them to bid high enough on those keywords to secure top placement on the search engines. It’s estimated that 85% of all PPC clicks occur on ads that appear in one of the top 3 positions on the page. That means, if you aren’t working hard to find keywords that are specific enough to your niche and not bidding high enough to secure a top spot, you are missing out on a good portion of the clicks that could be yours. Use a keyword tool such as Wordtracker to research keyword possibilities that you may not have considered. Look for a Keyword Effectiveness of 10 or greater – meaning that the keyword has sufficient search queries with the engines to result in significant traffic, without a lot of competitors bidding on the same keyword. When you place your campaign, use these keywords and bid high enough to secure a top spot, ensuring that the people searching for what you have to offer find your website – instead of your competitors.

5. Not testing your ads to determine their effectiveness. While there is a “formula” for crafting an effective PPC ad, slight changes – even changing one word – can have a dramatic impact on your click-through-rate (the percentage of people who click on your ad as compared with the number who see it). A mistake I see business owners making with their campaigns is to choose their keywords and then write only one PPC ad to display. All of the major search engines offer the capability of creating ad variations so that you can test different ad copy to determine what works best. This is known as “split testing” or “A/B” testing, as you are comparing the results of two different ads for the same keywords. Google will alternate the ads for you, and you’ll easily be able to see which ad performs better by looking at your click-through-rate. When you find an ad that outperforms another, that ad becomes your “control” – or the ad to beat. Put the under-performing ad on “hold” and create another version, changing one or two words or possibly just the headline. Then test that ad against your control. This is a continual process – you are always trying to beat your control to improve your number of clicks. Not surprisingly, advertisers who test their ads in this method are more successful with PPC, as they tend to know their customers better and are able to target their prospects with captivating ads that turn into an increasing number of clicks – and customers – for them.

Pay-per-click advertising has enormous benefits for the small to mid-size business owner. Avoiding these 5 common mistakes will help you save money and quickly turn clicks into customers – and increased profits – when you launch your next PPC campaign.

About the Author

Entrepreneur and outdoor photography adventurer Caroline Melberg is President and CEO of Small Business Mavericks, a division of Melberg Marketing. She has over 20 years of experience creating marketing communications materials and writing copy for some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. Her small business columns are syndicated online, and she publishes the popular eZine, "Small Business Maverick Secrets." Learn insider Maverick Marketing secrets you can use immediately to find new customers and increase your sales. When you subscribe, you'll also get a FREE copy of her e-Book, "Local Small Business Internet Marketing Secrets" - learn insider secrets to marketing your local small business on the Web today! Get your FREE subscription at http://www.SmallBusinessMavericks.com.rWant to use this article in YOUR eZine or business publication? You can, as long as you include the complete article along with my bio above!

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How To Start A Small Business Online

2008-05-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

If you would love to start your own small business online, you'll be joining millions of others who already do this. You can consider the many advantages financial freedom, scheduling your own working hours and the opportunity to create the job you've only been dreaming of as part of the dream. Unfortunately, most people really don't know how to start a small business online. While it 's true that the internet is saturated with information on starting new businesses, people usually end up more confused than ever.

Clear your mind, because prior to seeking more information on how to start a small business online, you'll need to ask yourself some important questions at the outset. What type of business do you wish to do? If its a product or service that you're good at, is there a demand for it? It'll help to choose a business that you love, rather than for the big bucks you are likely to make. If you're truly passionate about it, the big bucks will take care of themselves.

Don't be discouraged, if you need to know how to start a small business online, you'll find that it 's as simple as starting just about any other business. First, contact your local town council, they can provide you with information on the basic requirements to get you started, as well the state and federal laws that apply. Registration of a trade name is also mandatory in most states.

Closer to home, you'll need to consider other essentials to start you off. You may decide to open a business bank account or PayPal, i.e., whichever is required by law, or convenient. Business books will also be needed to keep track of purchase, sales and receipts, as will a good computer system. A website can greatly benefit your business, however, you need to consider the costs involved, particularly when you think about building your website. For a start, you'll need hosting and a domain.

Keep in mind, there are limitless options available to building your website. A single webpage is easy to build and sell your products, e.g., Google Pages, Windows Office Live, and a lot more. Blogging can also be useful and offers an unlimited number of hosted solutions, e.g.,Wordpress or Blogger. If you select one of these options, then you would do well to consider investing in a domain name, because even if you aren't paying for hosting, this will help to make your site look more professional and attractive to potential customers.

Spare whatever time you can to gather information relevant to your business. Talk to friends or reliable internet marketers who may already be running successful small businesses of their own. The internet can also provide you with an unlimited number of professional business models to guide you on how to start a small business online. However, at the end of the day, if you choose a business that you love and are truly passionate about it, you'll have the two basic ingredients for success.

About the Author

Terry Pierce provides helpful Strategies and Tips to anyone interested in creating a home based business or grow the home based business you already have. Find out how you can profit from an online business Today at my website which is at http://www.profitcatchers.com

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Starting a Small Business in Sacramento

2008-05-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking of starting a small business in Sacramento, then now is an excellent time, since real estate prices are down compared to the previous 3 years and retail inflation is also quite in control. Here are some helpful tips to help you start your own business in Sacramento.

Sacramento, the capital of California, has also had its share of foreclosure problems and hence has made the real estate prices stagnant. This is good news if you plan to start a new business because you can now get your business premises, be it a store or office or even a house at a reasonable rate. Sacramento has many departments, which could help you in getting started. One of them is the SBA or the United States Small Business Administration. This department can provide you business loans and arrange for venture capital. Their centers provide assistance to more than a million small business owners, by organizing many workshops, which provide the necessary skills and the right tools to start and maintain your business.

You can get around 85% or your loan amount approved within 10 days, with the SBA standing as guarantor, if you have provided the proper documents while applying for the loan, your projected opening day balance sheet, your projection of income, cash flow and expenses etc. The SBA can also arrange for venture capital for your new business. Under the Guarantee of the SBA, the venture capitalists offer funds for your new business but you will be required to share your profits with them. They can also arrange for debt equity investment and assistance in management.

The OSBD or the Office of Small Business Development of the City of Sacramento can also provide help to you by giving you the correct information and training you in the choice of business. It can also provide you with an Ombudsman and legal services for your small business. The SBDC or Greater Sacramento Small Business Development Center can also provide you with group workshops and training on licensing, permits, accounts, taxes, sales and marketing, and arranging finance. This program is subsidized through state government grants and is offered at no cost to the small business owner. The SETA or Sacramento Employment and Training Agency will help you find the right type of employees needed for your business. They also offer training to staff.

Just like starting a new business anywhere in the U.S. research well on the line of business you plan to start. Use the Internet, consult a mentor and ask around in your family or friend circle. Hire a good attorney and tax consultant to take care of your legal and accounting issues of your business. Hire local people to handle your sales and marketing side, who have good knowledge about the local market. This is especially important if you are opening a small hardware or grocery store. Get your licenses and permits right. Enquire about the local zoning laws especially if you are opening a car wash center or an auto garage, or if you are planning to open up an office in your home.

With its moderate weather and a right mix of immigrants providing you with ready labor, Sacramento is a good city to start your new business. So go ahead, convert your dreams into reality in Sacramento.

About the Author

Sacramento Limos are not all the same. Luxury Limousines has the best fleet in Sacramento to ensure your event is memorable. Check out our Limosine Fleet at: http://www.luxxlimo.com.

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Pursuing Government Grants For Your Small Business

2008-05-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

What is free government money? Here are a few facts about federal government grants. These grants truly are free government money. You do not have to repay this government grant money. You are not charged any interest on these government grant money. The grants are totally tax free money. You do not require any credit history or banking record to receive these grants.

All the facts above are very good reasons for ordinary people to pursue government grant money.

A commonly asked question is, are there really any government grant programs for the type of business I want to start, an online business?

The Answer, Yes, there are lot many government grant programs or free government money for all types of small businesses, including home based internet businesses.

But before we go into details about government grant programs or free government money for small business, let me caution you about some things.

The money is free but it is not free from government regulations and rules. The first thing you must know is that there is full monitoring and auditing of these government grants. You are expected to spend the money you request in particular manner and for the particular purpose that you applied for.

The grant money that was mutually agreed upon must be spent within a particular time frame. If you fail to follow the conditions set from the government, then there can be heavy penalties, sometimes leading to fines and maybe even your imprisonment. So make sure that the grant you are seeking for your small business is used for the specific purpose that you stated when you applied grant. And make sure the money is used within agreed upon time frame.

Another question that is very common is, how much money is really distributed by the US government for small business purposes?

The answer, can you believe that more than thirty billion dollars are given annually by the government to help small businesses? Yes It 's true.

The thirty billion dollars comes from more than eighty sources at the federal government level, all allocated for small businesses across America. There are also more than three thousand state level sources that sre the source of funding for almost any small business.

There are sub categories also. There are different government grant programs for women, for low income groups and for minorities. More than twelve millions is set aside for these sub category groups.

There can be two basic types of monetary help for small businesses. You can get start up capital to start the business. You can also get monetary help to expand your existing business. More than one million small businesses have received free government money on an annual basis.

What sort of businesses are covered under these government grants for small business programs? As I mentioned before, practically every type of industry, home base industry and so many others are covered under these programs. There are just to many to list in this short article. The research you perform will expose the exhausting list of qualified businesses available for these federal and state grants.

If your grant search is intensive and thorough enough you will have no problem finding a grant to fit your needs. When you do find one choose one that is suitable for your needs. Make sure that you qualify and are truly eligible for the grant. If you are persistent enough to get through all of the red tape and follow the application instructions as instructed you may be well on your way to benefitting from a free government grant for your small business.

I hope this article was of some use to you and good luck with your search for a federal or state government grant.

About the Author

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Small Business Loans: Secured or Unsecured?

2008-05-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

Working capital is a very important factor for the development of any business organization. The lack of this resource may have you face extreme difficulties, like not being able to meet your daily expenses or simply not reaching your expectations or increasing your level of productivity.

More importantly, if you just started your business, you will need a strong financial support to be able to properly execute your business plans and projects that are the very essential component for making your firm a successful business company in the market.

This financial help can be easily achieved through unsecured sources, like a business cash advance, which is the best alternative to the banks small business loans. Getting a business cash advance means that you will be getting the money you need from your future credit card sales. Even if you have a poor credit history, you can still easily apply for it.

Applying for a small business loan is probably the best financial support for your business. But with a business cash advance you can use the money in any way your business may need it. Achieving your fund needs for starting your own business firm, to manage your daily business financial needs like: paying due bills, buying equipment, office accessories, payroll, etc, all these can be easily accomplished through the help of small business loan.

If you want to apply for these types of loans, what defines the amount loaned is your personal credit history and not how successful your business may be, that 's why knowing about business cash advances come in handy.

In fact, it is your own personal financial status that will be considered for the approval of the small business loan, instead a business cash advance will be given to your business and its proven track record, so you may even qualify for a cash advance even with a bad credit history. These cash advances are easily accessible through several lending companies and banks.

Small business loans are available in both secured and unsecured forms of loans, also known as business cash advances. You will end up making your decision depending on many factors like, amount needed and whether you want to risk your personal assent or not . Any small, big and medium size businesses will, at one point, need ways of securing working capital.

For instance when taking a secured business loan, you'll have to pay a security or any other valuable asset. Most business owners that choose secured business loans, it 's because it offers higher loan amount and lower rate of interest as in comparison to that of business cash advance. On the other hand merchant who have chosen business cash advances know that they have its own number of advantages.

With a cash advance, the merchant is free from offering any sort of collateral. And the payback comes out of future credit card sales, with no fixed payments. Unsecured business loans make a great option for those looking for fast and easy loans.

All businesses have their own set of financial problems. But when you start a new company, the difficulties appear to be much bigger because the merchant lacks of practical experience of handling such situations as well as having limited financial resources. That 's why applying for business cash advances is acknowledged as very suitable option for most types of businesses.

About the Author

David Castro often writes articles about Business Cash Advances and Small Business Loans for Merchant Resources International - To Learn more Visit Us at http://www.cashprior.com.

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Starting A Small Business

2008-05-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Starting a small business involves many types of decisions, steps and processes. The beginning is a big matter for the entrepreneur. You have to perform different activities to find out what you will be doing, when you will do it, and how you will do it.

You have to find answer to many questions. You will have different operations to perform like selecting the business, the industry, ownership form, finance, business plan, tax related issues, business process, site selection, licenses, registration and so on. The list is very big.

You have to not only perform these; but have to perform them fine. You have to prioritize the activities and perform them accordingly. For an inexperienced entrepreneur, the tasks become more needed.

Starting a small business may be divided into two stages: one is pre-startup stage, and the other is post startup stage.

Pre-startup Stage:

This stage is actually a planning stage. You have to plan your activities and act accordingly. This stage is very crucial as you plan out your whole business here only.

In this stage you will decide about the idea of business. The idea development will take sometime. Idea generation depends on many factors like your exposure, background, family, education, psychological state, prior experience, cultural background etc. Business ideas will vary from person to person. Your previous experiences will decide what you will do.

After you decide the idea, you will have to prepare a business plan. A business plan contains everything about the business idea like idea, market, process of producing or developing it, finance needed and finance sources, financial projection etc. You can make it yourself or you can delegate it to experts.

You have to arrange for the finance for your small business in this stage. Finance source may be different for you. You have to complete the entire certificate and license related works. You will need to find out the location and start the structure for future processing.

Post startup stage:

This is the implementation of the idea and plans. The entire plan that you have for your small business is to be done practically.

You have to mage the business in this stage. Already you have started the small business. Now you have to manage it daily. You have to mange the customer related issues, employee related issues, inventory and supply chain related issues, and production related issues.

Starting a small business can happen in three ways. You can start a new business, you can acquire already existing business, or you can start a franchisee of a reputed organization.

Starting a New Business:

You will start a new enterprise from scratch. This is a long term process and is really tough. You have to start and build all the systems in a business.

Acquiring a existing business:

If you want to acquire an already existing business, then it is a little easier for you than starting a new business. Here you get some of the systems of the business pre built. This will help you to start the business fast. You can select a business that you want to start. You can design it accordingly after you take it over. You will get customers existing already.

Franchising:

You can start a franchise, if you like to. Franchise business has many advantages. You do not have to build it up for is already built. You get the brand image facilities, the name, and support from the brand or the franchisor, and get marketing support. You do not have to think about the inventory, supply chain, marketing, advertising, and brand building. So, you can start a profitable business from the start.

About the Author

Zach Thompson is a Glyconutrients Representative. His clients range from actresses to pro athletes. You can get a free Glyconutrients consultation by visiting the site.

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The Best Path To Small Business Funding

2008-05-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

From time to time, many businesses need to be able to find small business funding. It could be that things have been going well with your company and you are looking at financing an expansion project to take advantage of the potential for growth in your business, or it could be that your finances have taken a turn for the worse. Sometimes through no fault of ownership or management, the economy slows down, and sales begin to drop. When that happens your businesses cash reserves can become depleted, and your cash flow dries up. Without adequate cash flow, your business will die. When that happens, you need to be able to find a good source of small business funding to keep things moving in the right direction.

If your business is already established with a solid history of profitability and good credit, finding small business funding should not be too difficult, especially if the business has a relationship with a local bank. Depending on the amount that you want to borrow, it is typically just a matter of talking with your local banker to get the paperwork started. For smaller funding need of less than $100,000, many financial institutions do not require business plans, or any detailed reports of how the financing will be used. For larger amounts of money, the amount of supporting documentation that is required by the lender will increase. The amount of documentation required and the amount of money that will require additional documentation will depend on the lender. While there are many similarities between banks, the specifics will vary from bank to bank.

If your business has not been around very long, or if there have been financial and credit problems in the past, you may need to seek out one of the many lenders that specialize in unsecured loans in order to find the small business funding that you require. There are financial companies that focus on lending to businesses that may have been turned down by traditional lenders. These forms of financing are usually structured a little differently than conventional business loans, and the rates of interest will be higher, but the requirements to qualify for the financing are much lower.

Most small business funding comes in two forms. The first form is a traditional loan, where the money is transferred to the businesses account in a lump sum. Once the money is transferred, interest begins accruing until the entire loan is repaid. Thi9s form of funding is typically for businesses that have a one time need, and they require the all of money at that time.

The second form of funding is a line of credit. This is great for small businesses that have ongoing need for smaller amounts of financing. With a line of credit an account is set up, similar to a checking account, with a certain amount of money available through that account. As money is needed, it can be withdrawn from that account. Interest is only charged on the amount that has been withdrawn. If more money is needed, the business simply withdraws more from the account.

Finding appropriate financing is an important aspect of many businesses. For some, the ability to find the right small business funding is the difference between success and failure.

About the Author

David Castro often writes articles about Small Business Funding and Small Business Loans for Merchant Resources International - To Learn more Visit Us at http://www.cashprior.com.

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Selecting the Right Small Business Phone System

2008-05-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Choosing a phone system is not usually the first thing on a new small business owner 's mind. Even after your office is established and operational, your small business' phone system will likely function so smoothly that it will fade into the background.

But what do you do when you need to install a new small phone system or replace an existing phone system? Do you know the choices available to you and what every option means? Small business phone systems can seem confusing, but knowing the basics can help you buy the phone system that 's just right for your business.

The first thing to remember is that there are four basic types of commercial phone systems to choose from. The first, Private Branch Exchange (also known as PBX) systems, are known to most of us as the huge and confusing cabinets with dedicated operators. Luckily, there are smaller-scale PBX systems for your small business. Since many office workers are familiar with PBX systems, which are becoming more affordable every year, this is often the best choice for small businesses.

Another very popular option for small to mid-size businesses is the key system. This type of phone system consists of a key system unit that controls all of the other phones in the business. The KSU controls the features and functions of each phone, such as voicemail, and ensures that one line is never in use by more than one user at a time.

The key system allows in-system phones to dial each other directly via extension and lets the operator of the KSU supervise the operation of the entire system to ensure that all users' needs are met. The key system is also very expandable with new software.

These two types of phone systems have become very similar as technology has progressed. Features that were once available only on PBX systems are now readily available on systems that are referred to as key systems. Phone systems that share features of PBX and key systems are often called hybrids and offer the most features with the most expandability.

For very small businesses of two to 10 employees, a KSU-less system may be the most appropriate choice. A KSU-less system features phones that each contain the KSU-type technology so that they can provide the functions and features that key systems provide, but without the central unit.

One of the largest benefits to the KSU-less system is that it is not permanently wired into the building like other types of phone systems. Since the technology is contained in the phones, there is no complicated equipment to move when your business moves to a new building.

A newer technology in the small business phone system realm is voice over internet protocol, or VoIP. VoIP phone systems send voice calls over a broadband connection rather than phone lines. VoIP technology can facilitate your small business phone needs for a much lower cost and higher quality than traditional phone systems.

The type of phone system that you choose for your small business depends on your needs and expectations. The easiest way to see if a small business phone system is appropriate for you is to try it out. Just picking up the phones and pressing buttons can give you a feel for how the system operates. Make sure that features are easy to access and understand.

Any time you purchase a new system for your small business phone needs, remember to think of how your business will grow in the future. Ask the installer to give you much more wiring than you need currently to avoid having to pay for pricey future rewiring.

Keep your staff in mind. If you have a large staff, a KSU-less system probably will not be adequate for your needs; you will need to invest in a PBX or hybrid. Luckily, the prices of these sophisticated phone systems are coming down every year. If you time your purchase to coincide with the end of the quarter (when sales reps are hungry for sales), you may be able to get a new small business phone system for much less than you expect. Having the right phone system for your small business can make a huge difference in the way that you and your staff interact with each other and with your customers.

About the Author

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Why An Extensive Banking Strategy Is Important For Your Small Business

2008-05-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

You may be a small time entrepreneur just starting or a business or an executive with years of trading experience, either way you need to recognise the importance of efficient business banking. Your choice of account is a fundamental element in your business banking strategy and something that could seriously affect the progress of your business, be it large or small. Here are few advisory tips to help the small business owner to make the right banking choices and give your business the best chance of success.

If you are starting out as a limited company you will need to open a business account. While this may seem a chore, it is surprising how having a specialist business banking strategy can aid the clarity of your finances. On the other hand if you are operating as a sole trader you small business will not have to have its own account, you will be able to combine your personal and business finances. Finding a banking solution that accommodates both the needs of your small business and your personal life can be difficult, often, even as a sole trader it can be beneficial to have a dual banking strategy.

Another element of your business banking strategy should be the inclusion of a small business team in your account package. The advice that can be offered by these professionals can be invaluable and can help your business achieve success. While this type of banking solution may cost a little extra if you are not up to date with the latest financial developments, the effects can be catastrophic.

Of major importance for your small business is the banking charges that may be applicable to your account. Some of these fees will be fixed on a monthly basis while others may be based upon a pro rata system for each individual transaction that may be carried out. If your business is likely to perform many transactions it is advisable to take a monthly fixed charge option as it will probably work out cheaper.

Finding out about which banking extras come with your banking agreement is also important. These extras may include credit cards, free statements or internet and phone banking, which can be a beneficial. Some of these extras will be free for an initial period, so be financially wise and take advantage of this period and take all your can, after all when starting in business, the more help you can get while your business is small will pay dividends in the long run.

After making a detailed comparison of the different banking solutions offered by banks it will be time to open an account. Depending upon what type of company you will be running there are various pieces of information and documentation you will need for the process. Some banks may even ask for a business plan before they allow you to open account, this is an insurance on their part to assess whether your business model and idea is viable.

If starting a limited company you will need a Certificate of Incorporation before your banking can begin. You will also need several forms of identification, for yourself, but also for any other signatories that may have access to the account. This list of signatories will also need to be produced so the bank knows exactly who will have access to the funds.

It is worth remembering that you are not tied to any bank or account for life, it is possible to change. If you do sufficient research however you should not have to change and your business should benefit from having an effective banking system behind it. By following this brief advice you should be able to find an account that fulfils your business' needs and adds to the chances of success.

About the Author

Financial expert Thomas Pretty looks into the importance of small business banking solutions to the success of your company.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

4 Small Business Myths Revealed and Squashed

2008-05-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the thought of being an entrepreneur? What could be more fun than being your own boss and kicking that 9 to 5 routine, working just about when you when to, taking a day off on a whim, spending quality time with your family and friends! Do you think? Well, the grass is always greener on the other side. And on this side, it definitely is; provided you cross over with your eyes open.

Let us go through some of the most common myths and learn why you are better off keeping your eyes open.

Myth # 1) Small businesses are widely supported by government funding and venture capitalists -
Sure, the state government has set aside funds for small businesses. But this funding is limited. And it is targeted at special types of businesses, a specific group of people and even to encourage businesses in specific regions or geographies! All these are special eligibility criteria and you are expected to meet them before you can apply for these grants. You may have a great business idea. But that in itself is not good enough to attract interest from Venture Capitalists. To back up a great business idea, you shall need to substantiate your proposal with a great business plan. Also, you shall be required to outline a plausible strategy to fuel the growth potential of your proposed venture.

Myth # 2) Small startups do not need business plans -
Any business needs a Business Plan to get started. Why is it important? A Business Plan helps you pen your ideas about the business and make it work on paper. It helps you uncover potential problem areas and address them before you get into the real work arena. It also helps you learn more about your business by forcing you to research on the subject matter.

Myth # 3) I will save a lot on expenses and taxes -
This is not entirely true. All business have their specific set of expenses. And you cannot get a rebate on all of them. While a few home based businesses can claim tax breaks, you cannot add your electricity bill or cable expenses to the list! You are only allowed to claim a legitimate part of reasonable business expenses and a small percentage of your home expenses backed with proof of use for business.

Myth # 4) I will have all the free time in the world!-
No can do! Sure, you will be able to take advantage of flexible work hours and take your dog to the vet! But being an entrepreneur is a full time job! It requires focus and dedication and maybe even extra hours of work, especially in the first few years as you try to get the business on its feet. And the returns may not always justify the effort you put in. Very few business owners will agree that they can take off for that game of tennis at any given time.

Small business myths are so wonderfully appealing, and so believable that we rarely stop to think twice. There are benefits to having your own small business, but be aware of the realities of owning your own business - talk to others who have owned their own small businesses for a while and research how to own and grow your own small business before starting it.

About the Author

Doug Brown uses his 30 plus years of business building experiences to educate people and businesses on how to dramatically increase their revenues. Free Report "17 Strategic Steps to Steps to Achieving a Six Figure Income or More" at http://www.whatisyourplan.com/.

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Be Organized And Your Small Business Will Thrive

2008-05-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Operating a small business might take over your life if you are not careful and organized.

Unlike within big companies where you may possibly take into service scores of men and women to do an assortment of tasks, running a small business entails the small business owner to do lots of the tasks themselves. Some of the everyday jobs would be things like doing your accounts, lodging trademarks, carrying out the ordering etc. Often as you start in small business, you can not get enough money to sign up other men and women to do these everyday jobs.

What I have in my opinion discovered is that if you do not keep a tightly-controlled diary and document your discussions and tasks that it will not take long before you will be swamped by all of the things you have got to do to keep the business running on a daily basis.

It is this phenomenon that very often leads small business owners to surrender and fail in the first twelve months. Let me advise you this - the warning signs that this is beginning is when you say to your other half on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon that you are going down to the place of business to finish a bit of office work for a few hours. Once you get into this habit, you will by no means ever stop doing it and the business will eat you up really speedily.

I strongly advise all small business owners keep a calendar. My preference is to use Microsoft Outlook. Not only does it include a task calendar that you can consult day-after-day when you schedule your work. But you can also keep track of your appointments to make certain you do not miss anything. If you do this, then you will find over time you may perhaps get through this phase of being disorganized and start to thrive.

In addition you will notice how long it is taking to do the different tasks that make up your business. This will help a lot when you eventually get someone else to do those tasks for you.

Additionally, consider setting up a Mastermind Group. I read a book a little while ago called Think and Grow Rich by a man called Napoleon Hill. He talks with reference to the thirteen secrets to success to gain massive financial wealth. One of the things that I gained both from this volume as well as being a small business chief was that I required a Mastermind Group.

The Mastermind Group is a range of professional people who can support me accomplish in my objectives for my business. Literally anybody can be part of your Mastermind Group and some of these may be individuals such as a lawyer, an accountant in addition to others among your peers who could be of assistance to you in starting your business.

In addition, it could also comprise personalities who are not inside your business world which will give you a different perspective on thing and bring some balance to the group.

The Mastermind Group is in fact those people you turn to for advice and direction. You do not automatically have to take their advice nonetheless a very good Mastermind Group will allow you to discuss what is materializing in your business and what to do about it.

About the Author

Go here for information related to starting a new small business in australia. To search through all the pages of the website, visit the Starting A Small Business page

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Small Business Coaching: Are You Ready To Become A Success Story?

2008-05-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

Small business coaching is hot. A few years ago the only coaches anyone talked about were sports coaches. But today, PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimates that there are 30,000 business and life coaches worldwide.

Thousands of small business owners and managers turn to coaches every day to improve their personal skills and business results. You can, too. But first you have to determine if you're ready for coaching. Then you have to select the right coach.

Are you Ready?

Rosa started her business out of her home. She made money, but not as much as she felt she should. She was frustrated that she couldn't find time for her family. That 's when a friend suggested that a small business coach would help.

That 's a typical situation. Most small businesses owners don't start out using a coach. They usually come to coaching when they've had some success and when they know they could have more. They usually come to coaching when they're ready to listen and when they need a little knowledge and a little nudge to do the right things.

The best coaching in the world won't help you if you're not ready to be helped. So before you go hunting for a good small business coach, answer the following questions.

Are you ready to listen to the things you need to hear? A good coach will ask you about things you haven't thought of and push you to think outside the box. That 's often scary.

A good coach may also tell you to change the way you do some things. That 's hard for many small business owners because it means admitting that you've made some bad decisions and choices.

Are you ready to take a hard look at your business? Even the best coach can't help you if your business can't deliver quality to enough people at the right price. Sometimes a business simply can't succeed because the market is too small or too hard to reach.

Are you ready to pay the price? Coaching does not come without a price. You will pay a price in both money and time. You may even realize that you need to invest in new things for your business.

Coaching is not a magic bean. You have to work at success every day. I tell my clients that success is based on persistency and consistency, not magic."

You're ready for coaching if you see coaching as an investment in yourself and your success. Your next challenge is to find the right coach for you.

Choosing the Coach for You

Great coaches, like great chefs and great football players, are rare. And, sometimes, even a great coach is not the right coach for you. Here are some ways to evaluate coaches.

Look for a coach who 's run a small business. Before I started coaching I built two successful small businesses. I've really "been there and done that" so I know what my clients are going through.

I also use coaches myself. The ones that work best for me have small business experience. Small businesses are different from big businesses and you need a coach who understands the special challenges.

Look for a coach who 's been doing it for a while. My job as a coach is to help you know what to do, but it 's also to help you do what you know. It takes time to learn to coach well.

Look for a coach who won't nickel and dime you to death. It seems to me that there are two kinds of coaches when it comes to billing. There are coaches who charge you by the minute, hour or session. And there are coaches who are always accessible or available for short conversations between sessions, if needed without piling on extra charges. I find the latter works better for my clients.

Look for a coach that you're comfortable with. Successful outcomes demand a productive relationship between you and your coach. It won't work if you feel talked down to or belittled or if you feel like your coach doesn't care about you. If you feel any of those things, look for a different coach.

Look for a coach who 's picky. The best coaches are selective about the kind of clients they work with. We expect a lot of our clients and we limit the number of clients we work with so we can concentrate on helping each one succeed.

After some soul searching and some research Rosa started working with a small business coach. It wasn't always easy, but together they found ways to help Rosa 's business grow and help her reap the benefits of success. They took her business and life to a whole new level.

It can happen for you, too. If you're ready, if you're willing to embrace change and if you're willing to pay the price, a small business coach can help you become an amazing success story.

About the Author

David Mason is President of Mason Performance Development Inc., and author of Marketing Your Small Business for Big Profits. Visit Your Big Profits and sign-up for The Performance Development News, a weekly ezine with free marketing tips.

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Getting Loans for Small Business

2008-05-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Businesses need cash to operate. Whether yours is a new or an existing business, you rely on a healthy cash flow to keep your business performing the way it should. Unfortunately, the cash is not always flowing the way it should. For those times you will need to know where you can find loans for small business.

The economy has a big impact on the financial health of any business. Sales might be booming, and the money is pouring into your business, then the economy turns, and that income can dry up very quickly. No income means a reduced cash flow. Over time, that reduced cash flow could drain any cash reserves the business may have built up. When that happens, it is necessary to find another source of temporary cash to get your business through.

For established businesses with a good credit history, obtaining a loan for small business is not typically that difficult. Chances are you already have established a relationship with a bank, and that will make it easier to get your loan. If you do not already have a relationship with a bank, it may take a little more effort to get your loan, but if your business is established, and your credit is good, most bankers will be willing to work with you.

If your business has not been in existence for very long, or if you have run into financial difficulties in the past, it may be a bit more difficult to get one of the loans for small business that are available. Rather than going through conventional channels, you may have to speak to a lender that specializes in unsecured loans.

These lenders will usually base the loan on existing credit card transactions. When you apply for the loan you will be required to show credit card transaction records for the previous three to six months. Once the credit is approved you will repay the loan by turning over a percentage of your credit card sales to the lender until the full amount of the loan is repaid.

There are two types of loans that are typically available to small businesses: lump sum loans, and line of credit loans. Lump sum loans are just what the name implies. When the loan is approved the total amount of the loan is transferred into your account in a lump sum. Interest begins accruing on the entire amount of the loan once the transfer occurs.

The second option that is available is to establish a line of credit. With this option an account is established, similar to a checking account. An agreed upon amount of money will be available to your business, and you can withdraw the money from the account as needed. This is a great option for businesses that will have ongoing need for cash, but they may not know exactly how much will be needed. They can withdraw as much or as little as they need, and the remaining balance will still be available to them when they need more money. A big advantage of this option is that your business only pays interest on the amount that is outstanding, rather than the entire amount available.

Being able to obtain loans for small business is sometimes the difference between success and failure for small businesses. Keeping the cash flowing means keeping the doors open.

About the Author

David Castro often writes articles about Loans for Small Business and Small Business Loans http://www.cashprior.com. for Merchant Resources International - To Learn more Visit Us

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Marketing Your Small Business

2008-05-17T20:21:00.000-07:00

Small business marketing may be the most important part in owning and maintaining a successful small business. A good portion of the marketing effort is determining the needs of your target market and then explaining that you provide solutions to meet those needs. Contrary to popular belief, it is a lot more than posting a sign or handing out flyers. Though many of the philosophies and tactics may be similar, small business marketing is an entirely different discipline than marketing of large companies. Successful marketing is not just a tactic or strategy; it is an entire process and you are sure to fail if you are not enthusiastic about your small business.

Done properly, marketing can and will attract all the clients your small business can handle. But I would suggest you get to a place where you work only with clients who value what you have to offer. If you commit to following simple small business marketing systems, strategies and ideas you can significantly increase what you charge for your services. Unfortunately though, most small business promotions focus only on how great their products and services are. But you need to stay focused on what products and services your ideal clients want and need.

Heres another big no-no to avoid. Instead of marketing only when you need money or cash flow, commit to marketing your products and services all of the time. It is very important to consistently market your products and services because as I have been saying for years, success is based on persistency and consistency, not magic.

Planning is also a key ingredient to the success of any small business. Developing a small business marketing plan will be one of the most crucial elements to your success. By creating your marketing plan you will eliminate the panic and need for an instant solution to financial problems because you can avoid many of the ups and downs that result from the all to common stop and start marketing. Your plan does not have to be set in stone, it can evolve as you and your business grow. The important thing is your dedication to consistency with your marketing.

The lack of persistency and consistency will lead to an unused marketing plan. This in turn will lead to spits and starts in your cash flow. Successful entrepreneurs who have a small business marketing plan make more money in less time. When you start to think of who your ideal client is and what products and services they want or need and then combine that with your marketing tools and techniques, an effective marketing plan is not far behind.

As you are probably starting to see small business marketing is an entire process, a synergy of the individual tactics and strategies. That 's right, small business marketing is a system where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Another common misconception is that small business marketing is just common sense. Nothing could be further from the truth. An understanding of how small business marketing is conducted is essential for you if success is your goal. You do want results and success dont you?

Its all about determining the needs of your target market and then providing solutions to meet those needs. So many people believe that marketing their small business is all about running advertisements, but it isnt. If you are serious about your success in business, then make understanding marketing an on-going priority.

The ultimate result of small business marketing is to attract more new customers and persuade existing customers to purchase your products or services in higher quantities and more frequently. The successful can attribute their success to having a strategic plan and following it consistently. When you create a marketing plan you will be able to compete at a higher level. Your odds of winning the game significantly improve when you take the time to create a plan.

To your success!

About the Author

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Small Business Start Up Costs

2008-05-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Small business start up costs can prove to be frustrating and stressful for a beginner business owner. Several entrepreneurs are intimidated by small business start up costs and choose to avoid even trying their knowledge in a small business for fear of not achieving success. Because starting a small business involves many expenses, they often think that having such a business will just lead them to failure. Fortunately, there are various ways to finance start up cost for a business; the ones that can help you some of the mounting business costs.

A business plan is an important catalyst of any successful business. In the absence of business plan, you can not easily get an access to business startup loans offered by banks and investors. Letting them know about your business plan can give them confidence. If you have professional business plan, you are providing a blueprint for successful business because you are making a change for your own business to be showcased to potential business startup funding providers. However, in doing this, you must strive to design a business plan that is really convincing and that pictures your abilities to manage such business reflected in your plan.

A business plan, for the purpose of acquiring a loan for business start up costs, has numbers of components. The first few pages showcases the Executive Summary and the Table of Contents. This is followed by the company descriptions- one of the most essential portion of business plans because this explains the short history, the company backbone, as well as the future plans, to the potential investors. The company description sections also mirrors the plan for business possible expansion. In other words, in this section is where the loan providers are most interested to know.

In the company description, you will need to steer clear of discussing that your business is a startup business. Startup businesses are categorized risky investments by most investors. Instead, convey what you have poured to the industry that you are presently in or plan on entering. You can also discuss the things you did that made others become successful. Another is, you shall discuss the growth of your business in the recent months or years and your forecast growth. You have to be sure that during your business plan presentation, you must be in full enthusiasm and passion for your new business venture and so you will be able to acquire a loan for your business start up costs.

Marketing analysis, in a well-written business plan, must be included. This explains your feasibility/ demographic study regarding your potential clients- this can help to convince your potential investors for your start up costs for a business . This portion of your business plan also tells your potential investors on how you are going to promote your business to clients in your target market. This also must show how intense your marketing research to ensure that your product would hit a great demand.
In order to acquire a loan for your small business start up costs , comprehensive financial plan must also be included in your business plan.

Numbers of new and small businesses struggle with the enormous quantity of small business start up costs incurred in order to materialize their business plan. Many entrepreneurs design a professional business plan to help them offer potential investors with their roadmap that shall poise them for success in their new venture.

About the Author

Stephen C Campbell (MBA, MSc) is an Entrepreneur, International Business Consultant and has published more articles about business on niche marketing and market segmentation at

http://www.winningintheniche.com/

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Rule Of Four: What You Need To Know About Small Business Financing Credit Cards

2008-05-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Money is not everything. There are travelers' checks, money orders, and credit cards. When you start your own business, there 's a way for you to obtain much-needed capital, too. This way is called small business financing credit card.

Small business financing credit card, also known as small business starter credit cards, is a great way to keep your personal and business finances separate.

Personal Credit Card Versus Small Business Financing Credit Card
In the past and even at present, lots of entrepreneurs rely on their personal credit to get their business up and running. The problem with this is that they carry the debt from their business into their personal credit cards. Ultimately, they end up hurting their personal credit scores.

This is where small business financing credit cards come in. They offer higher credit limit. Additionally, they keep business and personal expense separate, thereby making it painless to track tax deductions. More importantly, you may write off your small business financing credit card 's finance charges and annual fees.

Why Get a Small Business Financing Credit Card

1. Build Credit
A small business financing credit card is a good way to build a financial history. Your business is a start-up; it 's unknown. This makes it difficult for your business to obtain loans. A small business financing credit card will remedy this. It will provide banks with the spending footprints they need to reassure themselves you're a responsible borrower.

2. Avoid Intermingling
When it comes to managing your expense, there 's one thing you should always do. Segregate, segregate, segregate. Do not mix business and personal transactions. This might later on create tax and money management problems.

3. Prevent Shoebox Accounting
It is always a nightmare to track business expenditures. With a small business financing credit card, however, you can turn the nightmare into one you can easily snap out of. Your credit card company will provide you with a year-end statement where you can find your transactions summarized, itemized, and categorized. With such a report available, there 's no need to keep a shoebox stacked with receipts.

4. Special Rewards
The credit card industry is so competitive providers fall over themselves to lure borrowers. Accordingly, a reward and discount program for small business credit card users was developed. Every time you use your small business financing credit card, you qualify for discounts and rewards, ranging from office supplies and plane tickets to phone services.

How to Manage Your Small Business Financing Credit Card Effectively
Credit cards, whether personal or corporate, will always be open to potential abuse. Effectively manage your small business financing credit card by:

1. Limiting card hopping
Sure, you qualify for multiple cards, but this does not mean you should sign up. You shouldn't. This will only tempt you to overspend. It will hurt your credit rating, too.

2. Steering clear of cash advances
Never use this credit card feature unless you need to bail yourself out of jail. It comes with whooping credit card fees and interest costs.

3. Avoiding late payments
The more delinquent your payments are, the higher the fees and interest rates you would be saddled with. Moreover, late payments hurt your credit reputation.

4. Using grace
Many companies offer a 21-day grace period to clients before asking them to pay for purchases. Turn this to your advantage by drawing up a schedule of your purchases and payments.

Use your small business financing credit card prudently. Remember, credit cards should be a financial safety net, not a trap.

About the Author

Planning to get small business financing credit cards? Visit CreditCardMonitor.org now and learn more about low interest fixed rate credit cards and credit card application online approval.

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Myths About Starting Your Own Small Business

2008-05-12T01:06:00.000-07:00

Before you jump into small business entrepreneurship, consider first the following myths which we will debunk.

1. Starting a Small Business is Easier Work

This isn't true. You'll probably work harder. A small business needs more work to survive. However, the potential to earn is more. The difference is, at work you would balk at overtime. With your small business, you may actually enjoy working overtime because you are caring for your own business.

2. MYTH: I'll be the boss.
You may be the boss of your company. But you will still have to please someone else: the client. So in truth, they are the boss. Make sure you keep them happy and well served.

3. MYTH: I Can Now Ratchet Up My Asking Price

We often think that we work too much and are paid too little. When starting a small business we may be tempted to think that we can now push for a price more befitting our skills. However, we should remember that we have competition who might be offering their services for a pretty low amount. We always have to be competitive and practical. And exorbitant pricing may not help our small business any much.

4. MYTH: I Don't Have to Deal with People I Don't Like Anymore!

Unfortunately, no. You might find that the clients you now have may be pushier than your boss. And as we said in number 1, your clients are your boss. The goal here is for you to have more and more clients. So from here does it follow that the more the clients, the more the bosses, the more the headaches?

5. MYTH: I Own My Time!

Yes, you do own your time. Unfortunately you will find yourself using more and more of this time to tend to your business. So ultimately, no, you won't gain much in the time department.

6. MYTH: I can't work any harder. I can't do all this.

Do you know that they most managers give more jobs to busy employees because they seem to know how to balance and allocate their time? The key to working more is to work smarter, not harder.

This will take a lot of organization, but being able to accomplish much in less time will prove to be its own reward.

7. MYTH: Freedom at Last!

Free from what? And free to do what. Yes, you will have more leeway to do things when you want to. But this does not mean that you will be free to do nothing. Or be free to do something else than tend to your business when you have to.

8. MYTH: I'm in Charge. There'll be No Mismanagement from Me.

You may think that your boss was foolish not to listen to your suggestions regarding work. But unless you are on the hot seat, you will not appreciate how hard management really is.

9. MYTH: If I'm good, I'll be a success immediately.
The unfortunate reality of life is that sometimes, talent and hard work are not rewarded. However, if one is patient with his or her small business, the chance that that business will turn out to be a success increases. So always be practical in your expectations of success. Don't count your chicks when the eggs haven't hatched yet.

10. MYTH: I Can Motivate Myself

No man is an island, remember? In any business, your first line of security is your friends and family members. They will help you assess yourself and should be ready with a kind word or two to motivate you to start your own business. But aside from them you should be driven yourself. Without this drive you might not find the fortitude needed to weather the trials that beset starting businesses.

About the Author

Daegan Smith is the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. Find out how we're creating financial freedom all across the globe and how to get in on the action FREE =>http://www.comlev.com

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Your Guide-Small Business Startup Kit

2008-05-12T01:02:00.001-07:00

A small business startup kit can be a helpful medium if you need help for starting to establish your own business. With all the stressful and intimidating events that go along with beginning a new business, this business idea list can help you manage some of your anxiousness related to building a successful business career. This also provides you an important checklist of information that is needed to your particular business. And, will also help you for your important decision on where, how to start as well as the questions to ask yourself before implementing your new business endeavor. So, there is a need for you to have a well-designed small business startup kit , so to help you step back and look at your business to be sure it has the potential to acquire success.

If you like to get a great set of information regarding your chosen business that you want to begin operating, then, look for small business startup kit. You can find such thing that deals with just about any small business venture you can visualize of. Not few of these kits have contracts, agreement, and legal forms to help you to be able to fallow government and policies that have bounds to your chosen business. You can also, of course accumulate relevant and most accurate information about on how to handle business in your area.

Aside from that, you can find on several websites and companies that offer a start up business kit that is designed for the business that you need to start. For example, if you want assistance on starting a small business for cleaning houses, you can search information related to this in the internet that specifically developed for your needs. Really, there are several websites that gives essential ideas about starting your own and this includes how to market your products and/or services. Also, knowledge on how to train newly-hired employees, effective, dynamic and competitive management, and also offer you hint on how to handle your business brings it in the right tracks over others' business rapid-growth in this arena.

This kit will also give help for you get the permits and licenses you need in order to operate a business in your area. Commonly, legal contracts and forms are integrated in your small business startup kit so that you are able to operate your business legally once you set-up the proper paperwork. This also includes information regarding errors others have made and advices coming from people who have experienced the same business that you planned for operating. You can utilize their stories, testimonials, as a spring of inspiration and as a medium to avoid similar problems they had that may come along the way. There is also sections of this kit that is intended for American Tax Law so you can be guided by this over several implementing rules and regulation abounding the type of business you want to get in.

Another thing is, this small business kit is also packed with essential information regarding contracts and copyrights that you may need for your business.

If you want to have small business solutions, you can turn to this small business start up kit as an inexpensive alternative guide for your business.

You must always remember that starting your own business can be both confusing and frustrating. So, you are in need to be guided by guidelines that have scope for your chosen venture. Though, you can find several resources to help you in your new venture, always remember to consider this small business start up kit for it is an ideal product, and you will find a essential information to help you succeed. It will even offer you with low cost business ideas to help you stick within the bounds of your business budget. With this kit, you can be well on your track to having a successful and prosperous business.

Businessmen usually get overwhelmed by many things that they have to do to be able to operate a business of success. With a small business startup guides, you can get much of the information you need as well as some important materials for acquiring success in your business venture. You can also find ways to stay within your budget, which is in the lowest cost business ideas and techniques to help you save money on business expenses. A small business startup kit is a powerful tool for helping your business dream turn to reality.

About the Author

Stephen C Campbell (MBA, MSc) is an international internet marketer and as published more information on business, niche marketing and market segmentation at

http://www.winningintheniche.com/

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Small Business Opportunties In Franchising

2008-05-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Franchising is a great opportunity to take a tried business plan that has proven successful and run a business of your own on that model. Of course, there are rules that must be followed and fees that must be paid, but in the long run buying a franchise that has already established itself in the market can be a very lucrative business. However, buying a franchise can be very expensive, which limits the individuals who are actually able to afford buying a franchise in the first place. But, there are some small business opportunities in franchising that do not require huge investments. This opens the window of opportunity for many other individuals to get in on a franchise without a huge investment.

The following small business opportunities in franchising are just a sampling of what is available. Check them out and maybe you will find what you are looking for. Also keep in mind there are many other small business opportunities in franchising out there that might suit you better than the examples below. If so, start looking and you will find plenty more at FranchiseGator.com!

Taxback Franchise

This small business opportunity is all about tax recovery. Taxback offers seven different ways to make money by providing a free service, which is tempting for many. The startup costs are low from $8,995 - $12,495 and no specific amount of liquidity is required. Training and support are available with this opportunity.

At Work Personnel Services Franchise

The At Work Personnel Services franchise focuses on providing staffing and other necessary resources to businesses. No barriers are set by the franchiser which gives the franchisee much more control over the business. Capital investment is $59,500- $105,000 with liquidity being $50,000. Training and support are offered while financing is not.

Contours Express Fitness Franchise

The healthcare market is booming so any franchise relating to health has a great chance to be successful. A Contours Express franchise is just one business opportunity that takes advantage of the increased interest in health and benefits from it. The capital investment is from $55,720 - $95,420 and financing, support, and training are all available.

There are so many small business opportunities in franchising that anyone can find one that fits their situation with just a little research. When looking for a small business franchising opportunity it is important to take into account your skills and interests in combination with the capital investment you are willing to make, your liquidity, whether or not you will need financing and the amount of control you will be able to have over the business. Once you understand your capabilities and personal desires for running a franchise then you will be able to find one that suits you and your situation much easier. Dont delay trying to find the best small business franchise opportunity for you because you just might miss the perfect opportunity. Evaluate your personal situation, the market you are interested in, and the small business franchise opportunity that ties it all together. With just a little research you will find the best opportunity for you.

About the Author

Find franchises, franchise opportunities and information for entrepreneurs at Franchise Gator.

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Tackle Small Business Costs

2008-05-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

Many first-time business owners are completely overwhelmed or unprepared by the amount of small business costs associated with operating a business. Small business costs often lead to the failure of many businesses, especially during the first year, or they even prevent them from getting started in the first place. Through a wide array of government and private programs, however, many small business owners have helpful options to help them finance their mounting small business costs.

A business plan is a required component of any successful business. Without a business plan, you are much less likely to obtain business startup loans from banks and investors. With a professional business plan, you have a documented, blueprint for success that you can show people who might potentially provide business startup funding for your business. To instill confidence in others, your business plan must sound convincing, realistic and demonstrate your abilities to start and operate a successful business venture.

A business plan for the sole purpose of receiving a small business startup loan must contain several components. The first few pages include the Executive Summary and the Table of Contents. After this is the company description. This is one of the most important sections of a business plan. Your company description will give potential investors a short history of your small business along with the future you are planning for it. It describes plans you might have to expand your business. For purposes of getting small business startup loans, this is one of the sections that loan providers and investors are most interested in.

In the company description, you will want to avoid mentioning that your business is a startup business. Startup businesses are considered very risky investments by most investors. As an alternative, outline details of what you have contributed to the industry that you are currently in or plan on entering. Without sounding arrogant, mention some details or things that you have changed or something you have done differently than others in your market that has proved to be successful. Also, discuss how your business has grown in recent months or years and don't be shy about your predicted growth. Your excitement and passion regarding your new business needs to be seen in the writing of your business plan to help increase your chances of getting a business startup loan.

One of the last parts of a well-written business plan, but certainly not the least important, is your marketing plan analysis. This is an explanation of your demographics using facts and figures and a study done about your new, potential customers and clients. This section also explains your advertising plans, especially your target market and how you intend to reach them. This section must show that you have done extensive research, appropriate with your market to ensure that your product or service has a large demand. In order to obtain small business startup loans, you will also need to include a sound financial plan, including pro-forma financial statements for your new business.

Many new and small businesses overlook the enormous amount of small business costs that will be incurred in order to operate. Many entrepreneurs create a professional business plan to help them provide potential investors with their roadmap for success in their new venture. Many banks and investors require a well-written business plan before they will even consider loaning the entrepreneur any business startup funding. With the help of loans and other business startup funding, small business owners can continue striving for success in their small business.

About the Author

For more information on small business ideas visit our Work At Home Blog

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Getting A Loan For Your Business

2008-05-12T00:10:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to get started in the small business world, chances are you will need some outside start up capital. Few, if any, small business owners got their start up money out of their own pocket. Fortunately, there are a plethora of available avenues for you to secure some funds to get your small business off the ground. Of course, to get these loans you will have to show a business plan indicating you know what you are doing and have a good chance of turning a profit within a recognizable time frame.

Neither banks nor the small business association nor outside investors are looking to simply give their money away. They will want to see a verifiable return on their investment. Of course, no business is a sure thing but you will want to make it seem like yours is. If you have a smart business plan, some collateral to put up and a business degree, getting a loan should be possible. Here are some of the available outlets for procuring that all important capital.

First of all, if you are looking to buy into a franchise, you will want to look in a different area than you would if you were starting your business from scratch. There are franchise financing plans and these are often times provided by the franchise company itself. For instance, if you want to open up a McDonalds, you will want to research the company to see if they offer plans for paying off your franchise loan.

These plans are often cheaper, better and easier to procure than loans from an outside source. If the franchise company you are buying into has no such program, see if your local lending institutions offer special loan programs for those looking to start a
franchise. If franchising is not your thing, you will want to look at the available loans to start up small businesses. One of the first places you will want to look is the small business association or SBA.

This government program is specifically set up to help young entrepreneurs such as yourself. They offer several different categories of loan programs and you will want to look at each of them and see what meets your requirements. These programs do require a certain amount of collateral, though sometimes the small business itself can be counted toward this. The small business association does not actually provide the money itself but will rather recommend you to good lending institutions through which you can secure
financing.

Another good place to start for a small business loan is your local bank, meaning the one you do business with. Banks are more apt to offer loans to qualified customers with whom they already have an account in good standing. They will not have to do a lot of credit checking, as they already have most of your financial information at their fingertips. Often, the financing and interest rates through your own bank will be better than you can find at other institutions.

Finally, avail yourself of venture capitalists and angel investors. These people or foundations are in the business of investing. More than any of the other options, however they will be keenly interested in how your business can make them money. If you have a good business plan, seek out these investors for some capital to start your company.

About the Author

Obinna Heche. Los Angeles - Californi

Delivering the best home based business ideas and

opportunities so you can work at home successfully..
http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Tips For Small Business Costs

2008-05-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Many first-time business owners are completely overwhelmed or unprepared by the amount of small business costs associated with operating a business. Small business costs often lead to the failure of many businesses, especially during the first year, or they even prevent them from getting started in the first place. Through a wide array of government and private programs, however, many small business owners have helpful options to help them finance their mounting small business costs.

A business plan is a necessity for obtaining business startup loans and funding for your business. Without one, most banks and investors will not even consider providing you with business startup loans or other funding for your new business. But a business plan provides more than just the opportunity to receive funding. Properly done it is also a blueprint for you to map out your future success in a written plan that you can stick to.

A business plan for the sole purpose of receiving a small business startup loan must contain several components. The first few pages include the Executive Summary and the Table of Contents. After this is the company description. This is one of the most important sections of a business plan. Your company description will give potential investors a short history of your small business along with the future you are planning for it. It describes plans you might have to expand your business. For purposes of getting small business startup loans, this is one of the sections that loan providers and investors are most interested in.

In the company description, you will want to avoid mentioning that your business is a startup business. Startup businesses are considered very risky investments by most investors. As an alternative, outline details of what you have contributed to the industry that you are currently in or plan on entering. Without sounding arrogant, mention some details or things that you have changed or something you have done differently than others in your market that has proved to be successful. Also, discuss how your business has grown in recent months or years and don't be shy about your predicted growth. Your excitement and passion regarding your new business needs to be seen in the writing of your business plan to help increase your chances of getting a business startup loan.

One of the last parts of a well-written business plan, but certainly not the least important, is your marketing plan analysis. This is an explanation of your demographics using facts and figures and a study done about your new, potential customers and clients. This section also explains your advertising plans, especially your target market and how you intend to reach them. This section must show that you have done extensive research, appropriate with your market to ensure that your product or service has a large demand. In order to obtain small business startup loans, you will also need to include a sound financial plan, including pro-forma financial statements for your new business.

Small business costs can be a large concern for entrepreneurs and first-time business owners. Fortunately, small business owners have access to business startup loans as well as other forms of business startup funding to help them overcome their financial stress. A business plan is an ideal way to show investors that you are serious about your new venture and that you know how to make it a success. With a some extra financial help, most small businesses can pull through the tough times and remain a viable business.

About the Author

For more information on small business ideas visit our Work At Home Blog