We're at the halfway mark of 2011. How's your business doing? This month, we've got great tips on what NOT to do with social media, how to use some social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to improve your visibility, and, in honor of Father's Day, a piece on what Brandon Yanofsky learned from listening to his dad talk to (or yell at) Customer Service. We hope you can pick up a few useful tips, and share some too!
The recent major earthquake in Japan has put disaster planning on the minds of many small business owners. There are earthquake zones all over the U.S., so few companies are truly immune from this type of natural disaster. Fortunately, a little advance planning can go a long way toward keeping your business operating after an earthquake.
The other week, I helped facilitate a Small Business Basics seminar with my local chapter of SCORE. The topics of personal credit and business financing came up, and I was surprised to hear some of the misconceptions regarding the two. I thought I’d share a few here and set the record straight...
Imagine you're sitting at a farmer's market table selling your hand-knit caps -- or maybe you're at a client's home, cleaning the carpets. Or you're a musician, selling your latest CD in a club. When it's time to pay -- instead of turning away customers without cash on hand, or having to present an invoice and wait for payment -- you just get out your smartphone...
Many small business owners ask me, “What blogs should I be reading?” I’ve compiled a list of the top ten I recommend. Well, actually twelve, because you should also be reading Tree.com and Blistmarketing.com (that’s my blog) :) ...
Maybe you've thought about hiring people to help you with your small business, but the idea of managing personalities, paying social security taxes, and all the other perceived barriers make your head spin. But what happens when your successful small business grows to the point where you have to hire more employees?...
Since the downturn, many laid-off workers have plunged into business ownership. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's Annual Index of Entrepreneurial Activity reports 565,000 new businesses were created last year, a rate that's a 15-year high. But is that really a good thing? Business advisor and frequent Fox News commentator Carol Roth doesn't think so...
Unfortunately, many small retailers go into business because they love a certain product and think everyone else will love it too. Often, they don’t have a financial team in place or the financial knowledge needed when they run into trouble. That’s why financial retail experts Pat Johnson and Richard Outcalt created The Retail Owner’s Institute (ROI)...
“Why spend $20 a month on email marketing software when you can just send emails yourself? I asked other business owners this question when I started my first business. It seemed like a waste of money to use email marketing software when I could just send email with Apple Mail. Right? Actually, I was quite wrong. You most definitely want to use email marketing software...
It's no secret that bank lending has been sluggish in the downturn. The question is, with that door still shut to many entrepreneurs, what else can you do to get money for your business? There are plenty of other ways to get the capital you need to grow. Here are ten methods for finding money aside from a bank loan...
As small business owners, we tend to juggle a lot. The sales. The accounting. The hiring and firing. At first, it's understandable. After all, we are starting out in a business endeavor, with little, if any money. But as we grow, why do we simply refuse to let others help us?...