Archive for January, 2009

Online Bookkeeping Resource Tool For Small Businesses

The recently launched beta version of IAC-EZ is an instant, affordable, online bookkeeping application for small business owners.

Based on their belief that self-employed individuals and small business owners should be able to manage their own books to stay in better control of their business ….. without having to struggle, spend money or learn complex skills ….. IAC-EZ is designed specifically to take the hassle out of bookkeeping for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

You can try it out for free at IAC-EZ

Want to know a little bit more? Here’s a testimonial from happy user Alexander McMillen, President/CEO of Sliqua.com.

“With previous bookkeeping solutions, such as Quickbooks, I was reluctant to keep up-to-date records and would put things off to the last minute. But with IAC-EZ, not only is keeping up with the books easy, but it’s FUN. I cannot believe that I’m saying that bookkeeping / accounting software is actually fun to use, but it truly is. Within a matter of hours, I’ve already imported three months of expenses with ease, and all my customers and invoices were imported from Freshbooks automatically. IAC-EZ is really Bookkeeping MAGIC in the making. Great job folks!”

Stimulus Package Targets Small Business Loans.

It looks like the SBA loan programs so heavily weighed down from applied fees are getting help. SBA loans are desperately needed by businesses in the Jacksonville area to stay afloat and reshape their business model for the coming recovery. Many local banks are not making SBA loans as they have had trouble selling them to investors on the secondary market. The economic stimulus package as proposed would begin the process of making the loans attractive again.
It appears most of the curent SBA programs for lending are addressed. There is something here for everyone as the 7a program is for working capital, while the SBA 504 is designed for fixed asset purchases like building and equipment.
We are hoping that the package also straightens out the SBA Community Express program which was a pilot program that worked very well here in North Florida. We do not see SBA Microloan activity in North Florida and it is hoped that the stimulus program makes thes small loans more accessable.
Keep checking this blog for more details or contact the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida at 904-620-2476.
From the U.S.

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It Does Matter To This One

Writen by SK Wong

The latest statistic by the Internet World Stat on active domain, i.e. active websites on the Internet is seventy-two millions three hundred thousand over sites.

If you are one of the active website owner, congratulation! If you are one of those aspiring person who have some niche product or knowledge or skill and intended to venture into Internet Marketing and Online Business but taken aback by the sheer number of active websites, and thought to yourself, “What the heck, it won’t not make any difference?” Think again! Read the following story.

A man was walking on the beach in the early morning enjoying the morning breeze and sun rise. He then saw from a distance, a teenager was picking up something and threw it into the sea as he walked alone the beach. The man was curious and walked faster and caught up with the teenager. He saw that the teenager was actually picking up the starfish that was being washed ashore by the tide the night before and threw them back into the ocean. He then asked the teenager what he was doing. The teenagers replied that he was trying to save the starfish by throwing them back to the sea.

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Business Planning Help Finding The Help That You Need

Writen by Leon Chaddock

Business planning help is help that is structured to help your business in any way that you need it. It can help you to get your ideas worked out. It can help you to find the legal aspects of your business and take care of them. It can even help you make decisions that you are too close to making. Business planning help is a resource that will allow you to move forward without moving back first. That is something that many individuals struggle with.

So, where can you find the business planning help that you need?

? One of the best methods for getting the business planning help that you need is to contact an attorney. Yes, this may be more expensive, but when it comes to setting up and running your business, having someone with a legal edge to it may make it go much more smoothly. Even if you just get some solid advice from them, take advantage of them.

? Don’t forget your software. There are many software programs and applications available to the new business owner. They can do just about every aspect of your planning needs.

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Wise Words On Website Content

Writen by Matt Jackson

Websites come and websites go; it’s a fact. It’s also a fact that websites which have exceptional website content don’t go very often. In order to win and retain business you need to be able to attract, keep and excite people’s attention but for many that isn’t always an achievable target. However without website content that can do this and do it quickly you are losing visitors and potential customers to your competition so if you can’t create the website content that will achieve this and more you should consider getting someone who can.

Website content for visitors.

In bygone times keyword cramming your website content was the order of the day; it got you ranked high on search engines affording you plenty of hits to your website but in due course people realised that the visitors they were winning weren’t actually taking advantage of the offers on site or clicking the affiliate links. Search engines also cottoned on pretty quickly to the art of keyword cramming and eventually devised a cunning plot that penalises you for the excessive use of keywords within your website content. This article uses a keyword density of just over 6% for the keywords ‘website content’ and that is just about right.

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A Stimulus Program Entrepreneurs Can Access Immediately

The big debate in Washington centers on how quickly measures proposed in the stimulus package will make their way into the economy to help ordinary Americans – including, of course, small business owners. Well, Intuit Inc. has just announced a “Small Business Stimulus Program” that entrepreneurs can take advantage of right away.

Here is an excerpt from Intuit’s media release on the program (you can read the full release and elements of the stimulus program by clicking here):

“America’s entrepreneurs are getting a much-needed boost to start and grow their businesses with a new initiative from Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq:INTU), maker of the best-selling QuickBooks® financial software. The company’s “Small Business United” campaign features a stimulus package aimed at helping America’s 27 million small businesses save money, get more customers and save time.

“The stimulus package includes:

• Free software and services from Intuit valued at nearly $1,000 per small business to help them succeed. Four out of five Intuit customers agree that using QuickBooks helps their business succeed.

• $315,000 in small business grants to give entrepreneurs the extra boost needed during a tough economic climate.

• $50,000 in donations to organizations that help budding entrepreneurs get started and advise existing businesses looking to grow.

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Public Domain Wealth Secrets

Writen by C Richards

Today, anyone with a little knowledge of computers and CD rewriter software, can make a very good living online from converting freely available products to highly-sought after, cash generating products.

Now that we all have access to computers and the Internet, anyone can very easily find readymade products, copy and alter them, re-brand them and make them their own. It’s perfectly legal and what’s more, there’s a willing and accessible market ready and waiting to pay you for them.

Fortunately for those already involved in this lucrative business, very few people actually know where to get the best Public Domain products. And surprisingly, many people don’t have a clue about how to make money from them.

Much has been written about profiting from the Public Domain, and many Internet marketers have dabbled in this area themselves, if only to find out how easy it really is. There have been many books and courses written about the subject and with new products falling into the Public Domain almost daily, there’s always the chance that someone will discover a new niche market and make a small fortune.

The type of products freely available in the Public Domain include books, courses and reports, music, films and software, photos, graphics and works of art.

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The Dos And Donts Of Launching A Small Business Website

Writen by Adil Wali

Launching a new small business website is often a long and painstaking process. And for most small businesses, the endeavor rarely ends in success. The terrain is mapped with freelancers, firms, and consultants that don’t offer the same services and most certainly don’t charge the same prices. Projects are often riddled with unclear expectations, missed deadlines, and ridiculous hourly rates. What’s worse is that many developers have the audacity to ask for even more money halfway through the project. Even after all of the hard work is complete, most companies don’t even see a return on investment.

If you haven’t been there, you probably know someone who has. IT outsourcing and procurement is often times so traumatizing that many of us vow never to deal with it again. But the whole process need not be so difficult and fruitless. The purpose of this article is to aid you in launching a successful website with minimal pain and effort. Who knows, if you play your cards right, it may even be within budget and on time!

The Don’ts

Don’t spend too much on web hosting. If you are a small business that is just beginning to define your online presence, you don’t need a whole lot!

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Death by Regulation: Is Peer-to-Peer Lending Next?

One of the more promising alternatives for accessing capital by small business owners has been the growth of “peer-to-peer lending” – arrangements where borrowers and lenders transact without the traditional intermediaries (such as banks). These networks are also known as social lending networks.

As an Inc.com article describes them: “Through peer-to-peer lending websites, small-business owners or other people seeking a loan can borrow directly from individual lenders, eliminating banks from the process. On some sites, like Prosper.com, lenders bid on the interest rate they are willing to give a borrower. On others, like LendingClub.com, interest rates are based solely on the borrower’s credit history and set by the company itself.” (Read the full Inc.com article here: “Getting a Loan Just Got Harder.”)

Around 2005, this type of lending began getting traction. As credit and capital got tighter in 2007 and 2008, peer-to-peer loans really took-off. By some estimates, outstanding loans in 2007 amounted to $647 million.

Quite possibly, due to their success, as well as the positive media coverage that such lending received, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) became very interested in peer-to-peer lending sites.

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Best Small Business Resources ….. “Follow Me” Toll Free 800 Service

This simple tool makes business easier….AND more profitable for your small business.

What is it? Kall8.

What is Kall8? Kall8 is a toll-free number, but the definition of Kall8 service doesn’t stop there. In fact, it only starts there because Kall8 adds a lot more features and capabilities with the toll-free service. Consider for example:

* The user can go online at any time and change where their Kall8 toll-free number rings to. This is ideal for sales reps, real estate agents, etc who need to be always available to their customers.

* The user can setup a schedule, so that the Kall8 number rings in the office during business hours Monday through Friday, and to his cell phone or home phone after business hours.

* Kall8 also will take a voicemail message for you, which you can listen to by calling your voice mailbox from any phone, or have your voicemail emailed to you.

* Calls can be recorded, so that if you are doing a conference call for a great business deal, you can listen to the call afterwards to make sure everything is covered based on exactly what was said.

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Employee Monitoring Business Risks For Employers And How To Avoid Them

Writen by Usman Ul-Haq

E-mail and Internet use are integral parts of the typical worker’s daily routine. Because of its speed and overall convenience, e-mail has replaced the interoffice memorandum as the preferred method of communication. Employee access to the Internet also is important as a means of conducting job-related research and transactions.

For these reasons, employers often have little choice but to provide their employees with Internet access and e-mail accounts. At the same time, however, employees’ use of these capabilities carries downside risks for the employer.

One issue posed by employee e-mail and Internet use is loss of efficiency. Recent studies show that businesses lost an estimated £5.3 billion to recreational workplace web surfing in 2003.

Another report indicated that employees are costing their companies nearly £1.5 million a year in lost productivity by spending an average of thirty minutes a day using e-mail for personal, non-work-related reasons.

Another challenge is the risk that employees’ computer use will expose the company to legal liability.

For example, according to another survey, almost 72% of the pornographic sites on the Internet are visited during work hours. Openly viewing sexually explicit websites or sending offensive material obtained from the web may create a hostile work environment.

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Make Your Artist Website Sell

Writen by Josse Ford

Summary

Here’s the scoop on what you must know when designing a website to showcase your art, impress galleries, and win over collectors. Learn how to avoid the mistakes most emerging artists make when creating their online portfolio.

1. You need an artists website

Any artist who can classify themselves as either “emerging” or “mid- career” will definitely benefit from having their own website to promote their work. At this stage of your career it is important to be able to have a place where anyone in the world can easily access and view your work.

2. Know who you are trying to impress

Are you trying to engage a Soho gallery to sell your $20,000 paintings or sell $5 prints to children in Korea? That Soho gallery might not be impressed when they see your online-store selling prints and art cards ? but on the other hand, you could make a very handsome living if you really knew how to market those art cards

3.

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