Small Business Resource

How To Create A Small Business Website …. That Actually Makes Money

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:07:17 +0000

OK … you’ve finally convinced yourself that you DO need to have an online presence for your small business. The next step …. creating a business website.

Your first inclination may be to focus on “what it looks like”. OK … looks are important. BUT … there’s much more to it than looking like a fancy brochure.

If you want your website to actually attract customers AND make sales for you….you need to optimize for targeted traffic AND have content that converts visitors to buying customers.

Rather than dive into a lot of detailed “how” and “why” …. I’ll just recommend a resource that will do it all for you. From soup to nuts.

Simply check out these links and DO IT:

Website Development Questions

Website Development Services

It Consulting Firms Helping Business Grow

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:07:19 +0000

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

IT consulting firms typically start with just a few people. And while it can be exciting at first for those people getting into the business, a few years of running the show can become monotonous and exhausting, and the need to expand becomes imminent.

Making Business Grow

Running a small business is a big job, particularly for just a few people who are required to do every aspect of the work. As the owner of small IT consulting firms, you need to plan to delegate some of this work to others in order to free up your time and allow more business. But you need to make sure your business is prepared to handle changes in workload before you begin.

Financial Stability

Sometimes small IT consulting firms will have an available source of funding that will cover hiring new employees. Other times you might have to wait to build income before adding personnel. Regardless, reviewing your finances will help determine where you are and when you can expect to support additional employees.

A Benefits Package

Good employees will expect to be offered a benefits package. Look into basic health insurance plans and find one that suits your small business. Since this is an expensive benefit, you can expect that the employee will pay the premiums, and that the health insurance coverage probably won’t start until three months on the job. You can offer additional benefits such as laptops, travel allowances, cell phone plans and uniforms to sweeten the deal.

Dependable Employees

Assigning responsibilities to others might be harder than you think if you are used to doing all the work yourself. As an IT consulting firm owner, you probably have developed high standards and have a hard time imagining anyone but you doing the job properly. Finding employees you trust is critical and will help ease the transition into a freer schedule. Giving new employees three months on trial will help you determine their working style and reliability. During this time, you can get feedback from customers and decide if the new hire is the right person for the job.

IT consulting firms are important to everyone today and yours needs to grow eventually. If you consider all the factors for business growth, you will have a better plan for your future.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consultants Secrets. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg helps computer consultants get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for Joshua’s free Computer Consultants Secrets audio training.

You Have To Touch Your Clients More Often To Be More Client Attractive

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:08:39 +0000

Writen by Fabienne Fredrickson

Every time I speak in front of an audience, whether it’s 50 or 1,200 small business owners, I get the same old question. Then following my answer, I always see a roomful of dropped jaws and gaping mouths.

The question? How often do I need to reach out to my prospective clients and clients?

The answer? A minimum of 25 times a year, preferably 52 or more times a year.

Silence. Jaws slowly creak open and begin to drop. You could hear a pin fall.

52 or more times a year??? I’m not kidding. The comeback I often get is “Are you crazy?!?” Nope, I’m not crazy and I know it works because I do it. Now that you know me a little better, you’re probably expecting that I tell you how to create SYSTEMS around this and you’re right. Read on?

The reason people go into semi-shock is they start to realize their boring cookie-cutter quarterly mailing isn’t cuttin’ it. It gets even worse when I’ve got someone in the front row who’s super-proud of their monthly e-zine, thinking they’re doing “what it takes to get clients” and yet they’re wondering why the pipeline of prospects is not full enough, and their bank account leaves a little to be desired.

It’s because they’re not “touching” their prospects (and clients) enough. Well, one of my clients, Jill Foster of www.TheMortgageArrangers.com, came up with a brilliant campaign during our coaching to change that. She got her hands on the list of Obscure Holidays (National Punctuation Day, National Poetry Day, National Wear Red Day For Women, etc.) and sends a postcard to her prospects, clients and joint venture partners each month (in addition to all the other ways she reaches her list). In each postcard mailing, she somehow finds a way to tie it in to the mortgage services she offers, while adding high content and high value. It’s funny, irreverent and gives her another excuse to be in TOUCH with her list.

Sometimes you want to be in touch to add high value and high content (this establishes credibility faster than anything else I know).
Sometimes you want to be in touch to promote your products and services (this keeps you in business).
Sometimes you want to be in touch to say “happy birthday” (this shows you care).
And sometimes you want to be in touch to just say “hi” or “I was thinking of you when I read this” (this shows you’re not heartless).

All these ways of TOUCHING your list build the “know, like and trust factor” that we’ve talked so much about in this e-zine. That’s because people don’t buy from those they don’t know, they don’t buy from those they don’t like, and they CERTAINLY don’t buy from those they don’t trust.

OK, how can you do this without going absolutely bonkers? It’s all about SYSTEMS, my friend, as always. Example: One e-zine per week (like this one). One mailing per month (your Virtual Assistant can stuff the envelopes and take care of the printing and postage). A few personal notes, handwritten. A Hallmark e-card. Etc.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Start thinking about ways to be on your clients’ and prospects’ radio screens over and over again, by bringing high value and high content, or just by touching base to say hi. Create a system for everything.

Not sure as to how to systematize all this and put your marketing on auto-pilot? I show you exactly how in the last chapter of the Client Attraction Home Study System?. Here’s where you can get your own copy: www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com.

Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Expert, is founder of the Client Attraction System?, the proven step-by-step program to help you attract more clients, in record time and consistently. To learn more about Fabienne’s Client Attraction Home Study System?, sign up for her FREE client attraction tips and no-charge teleclasses on attracting more clients, visit http://www.ClientAttraction.com.

Should You Take a Credit Card or a Loan for Your Business?

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:58:13 +0000

Small business owners who wish to grow their business are often in need of a loan to accomplish this goal. Most people think about taking out a loan to finance the growth of their business, but in some instances and depending on the amount of money, it may make more financial sense to use a credit card instead.

Business owners who are in financial trouble and trying to save their business may not have the credit rating necessary for a regular loan and may have to apply for loans for bad credit in order to secure financing for their business. These loans for bad credit are the solution if getting a regular loan is a problem.

There are many financial institutions offering attractive interest rates on loans. A closer look, however, reveals that many of these loans require a substantial amount of money borrowed to qualify for the low rates. Each financial company is different in how much is required to qualify for low rates, but if this minimum amount is not met, the interest rates can be quite substantial. If larger amounts of money are required, it makes perfect sense to get a loan, but any amount that does not qualify for these low rates may be better put on a credit card.

Benefits of Business Credit Cards

Applying for a business credit card is easier than applying for a loan. You simply have to apply for the credit card and then use it. There is no need to have a good credit score or have a large amount of equity in your business in order to apply for a business credit card.

When you use your business credit card to make purchases, it is easy to keep track since every purchase is recorded. This type of card is flexible because you don’t have to pay any interest on a loan, only on the purchases that you have put on your card. If the bill is paid promptly every month, there is no interest charge at all.

Business credit cards give you insurance because you are protected by law as well as by card policies. You are protected from fraudulent sellers and some cards even provide replacement and product insurance guarantees. Loans do not come with this type of protection. If your business should fail and you can’t pay your credit bills, the consequences are not as serious as those incurred with defaulting on a loan.

Business credit cards are not secured by the assets of the business, in the way that a loan is and this makes it very difficult legally for a lender to seize business assets. If you find yourself unable to make payments on the credit card, it is possible to negotiate with the credit company to come up with a payment plan.

It should be noted that whether you have a business or personal credit card, if your business is not incorporated and the card is not issued directly to the business, you are held personally responsible for any accrued debt. This continues even if your business fails and you may spend years working off the debt.

Many entrepreneurs forego using business credit cards because of the interest rate charged by credit companies. If you are able to pay your bills in full every month, this doesn’t present a problem. If, however, you cannot make the payments in full and are able to obtain a business loan with a lower interest rate, it may make sense to do this instead.

Incoming Searches that might interest you:

low rate interest credit card

Featured Business: Cool Moose Cafe

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:07:12 +0000

I really like Tony Jarvis. Here is a guy with an advanced degree that decided in 1998 that Jacksonville really needed a touch of New England in the form of a neighborhood breakfast/lunch/coffeehouse. As a CBA, I have seen coffee concepts come and go, but his Cool Moose Cafe is a neighborhood favorite. Located at Park and King , it is a small business anchor for this popular commercial intersection. Tony was one of the first to enroll in the FastTrac small business workshops I was facilitating when I was with the University of Florida. If you talk to Tony, you better think Red Sox Nation. Tony is as big a fan as any Gator devotee is in Northeast Florida. I love his coffee and it is a great place to meet clients for lunch. He understands that customer service, a warm atmosphere and great food are the keys to success. Tony is accessible to his clientele. They go there because they like the aforementioned qualities and that he is like able (for a yankee). Feel free to call this Jersey boy a Yankee, but a baseball fan from Boston, not so much. The Florida Times-Union just did a great video piece on the Cool Moose Cafe. Click here for the story.

Politicians vs. Economists

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:06:49 +0000

What’s the difference between a politician and an economist?

Too many politicians deal in a fantasy-like land, while economists (well, at least, a good number of economists) deal with reality.

Economist Thomas Sowell pointed this out in a recent column. He was focused on politicians who love to give things away, noting that in order not to take responsibility for the costs involved, often push those costs onto the backs of business owners.

Sowell wrote:

The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.??

Employers are ideal targets for such mandates, since there are always more employees than employers, and that is what counts on Election Day. Whether it is health insurance, time off with pay or whatever, these mandates on employers can be washed down with a little rhetoric about business’ “social responsibilities.” …

While you are enjoying all the goodies that politicians are sending your way, you may notice that your taxes are going up or that the money you earn or the money you have saved won’t buy as much as it used to…

If you are someone looking for a job — maybe a young person entering the labor force or a woman coming back into the labor force after spending a few years taking care of a small child- — you may find that there aren’t as many jobs available as there used to be before employers had to pay for “social responsibilities,” in addition to paying for the value of an employee’s work.

Sowell points that informing people that there are no free lunches makes economists less popular than politicians.

Raymond J. Keating
Chief Economist
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

How to Save Money on Technology For Your Business

webkriti — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:39:10 +0000

Fax machines, copiers, printers, computers, smartphones, tablets … it seems like every day there is some new piece of technology without which your business cannot function. The costs of all this technology can soon add up, but if you don’t make the investment you lose out on efficiency gains and start to slip behind your competitors.

Put these tips into practice to save money on business technology.

Why Replace when You can Repair?

All too often when a piece of technology is malfunctioning or not working, our immediate reaction is to simply throw it out and buy a new version. With something like a top-of-the-line Epson printer, repair can be more economical than the astronomical cost of a new machine.

In many situations the malfunction is simply due to a single worn-out, easily replaceable part and your technology can be as good as new. When you buy a new piece of technology, check and see whether it’s designed for easy access for repairmen or if any malfunction simply requires replacement.

Treat it Well and Keep it for Longer

It makes sense to do all you can to keep the technology that your business relies on running smoothly. Not only does this avoid time out of operation for repair and extend the life of your technology, it also keeps your equipment running well, so that you can take advantage of the highest levels of performance.

Service and maintenance can save you large amounts of money in the long run. For example, regular Symbol Motorola MC9090 service will cost much less than it would cost to replace the unit due to inadequate maintenance.

Buy Refurbished Technology

Some businesses are wary of buying secondhand technology due to worries about the stability and reliability of pre-used machinery and IT equipment. These are not frivolous concerns; after all, unreliable equipment can cause serious problems and often is not worth the discount it may offer.

This is why refurbished technology is such a popular choice. As it has been pre-used, you can find it available at a substantial discount, but the equipment has been repaired, refurbished and quality-checked so you can rely on it to perform well.

Negotiate in Bulk

It can be tempting to simply replace pieces of technology as they individually fail. For example, you might replace individual phones when buttons break. However, by negotiating for the replacement of all your phones at once by one vendor, you are in a better bargaining position.

In addition, you can be sure all your phones meet the same standard and are of the same generation, meaning that repair and servicing is easier. This principle applies to everything from computers to delivery trucks.

After reading about saving money on technology, you’re probably interested in learning more about Symbol Motorola MC9090 service. Guest post written by James.

As the Pain Trickles Down…

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:12:09 +0000

Many small businesses are created in order to serve the needs of the larger corporate sector. High end restaurants and caterers, decorators, landscapers etc. are not needed as many large companies disappear and those still afloat trim their spending to show they are feeling the pain to their stockholders. Those who lose their jobs are cancelling child care, house cleaning, lawn maintenance, music lessons, you name it. All of this leads to harder times for a wide array of small businesses.

Jacksonville is a case in point. All of the lost jobs in our formerly large development and home mortgage related industries have a direct effect on local businesses. All of those cancelled holiday parties add up and we are seeing a lot of clients who are likely to go out of business in the coming months despite best efforts to hang on. Read this article from Reuters called Small Businesses Feel Wall Street's Pain.

Can Accounts Receivable Factoring Help Your Business

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:07:25 +0000

Writen by Marco Terry

Are you stuck with great but slow paying clients? It is interesting how your biggest asset (great clients) can also be your biggest liability. But that is how business is. And as an owner you must adapt.

Whether you like it or not, slow paying customers are here to stay. As a rule of thumb, commercial clients pay their bills in 30 to 60 days. And lately, the trend has been deteriorating. So, what do you do if you have slow paying receivables.

Many owners try to go to the bank to get a business loan. Not surprisingly, few business owners get business loans. As a rule, banks will only finance companies that have long and established histories. This is not your case if your company is new or emerging from tough times.

If your biggest challenge is that you cannot afford to wait up to 60 days to get paid by your customers, then the solution is accounts receivable factoring. Most commonly known as factoring, this type of financing eliminates the usual wait to get paid. It provides you with the necessary funds to pay suppliers, meet payroll and take on new business opportunities.

And how does factoring work? Simple:

1. You finish the work and send an invoice to your client. You also send a copy to the accounts receivable factoring company.

2. The financing company advances you 70% to 90% of the invoice (a small reserve is held to handle disputes, etc.)

3. You get the funds in 24 hours

4. As soon the customer pays the invoice to the financing company, they rebate the reserve (less a small fee)

As you can see, accounts receivable factoring can easily be integrated into your business, providing you with prompt invoice payments. Usually, funds are advanced within 24 hours of submitting invoices.

Accounts receivable factoring is easy to qualify for. Accounts can be set up in as little as 4 business days. As opposed to business loans, the main requirement for factoring is to do business with strong credit worthy customers. So if you do business with good commercial clients (or the government), be sure to add factoring to your business tool chest.

About Commercial Capital LLC

We can provide you with factoring, invoice factoring and accounts receivable factoring. For a no obligation quote, call Marco Terry at (866) 730 1922.

It Consulting Steps To A Gradual Business Launch

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:09:46 +0000

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

In IT consulting, you need a step-by-step plan to launch your practice. There are 21 steps that will take you through the first 90 days of beginning your IT consulting business.

Preparing for your gradual launch will lower the risk associated with starting a business because you will have already prepared.

Step One. Overcome Three of Your Weaknesses

Pick 3 of your shortcomings to overcome them within the next 90 days. They can be personality, business or technical skills….you choose.

For example, you can decide to work on technical skills and pick three products to learn a little more about or get some evaluations units or preview copies. If you want to pick 3 business skills that are weak for you and learn more about them. It could be credit card merchant accounts, negotiating skills, learning to delegate, etc.

Don’t try to learn everything. Clients will hire you because you know how to get it done. If you don’t know the answer, they expect you to find someone who does. Know which vendor or contractor to call who can solve the problem.

Step Two: What Size Clients Are Your Best Match?

Identify any niches or industry that you may have some experience based on where you did some IT consulting or worked in the field. To narrow down and focus on just one niche, you need to have a substantial amount of experience.

You need at least 500 – 1000 people that you can market your IT consulting business to. Only a small percentage of them are going to be receptive to the marketing and an even smaller percentage are going to be the sweet spot clients of yours.

First, decide what size clients you are best suited for and then look at how many natural industries you will target for your initial IT consulting marketing. Focus on the sweet spot now and worry about specializing later.

Step Three: Pick a Company Name

Pick a company name that says exactly what you do and makes you unique. If you want to convey a certain geographic area or you want to convey a certain specialty, put it in the name. Bounce the name off some people who can be more objective. Ask them if they can guess what it is that you do from the name. You will save yourself a ton of time and marketing aggravation over the years of your name says that already.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101 Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting businesses get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to these field-tested, proven business strategies on the Computer Consulting 101 Blog.