Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Small Business Marketing

  • How to Use Flickr in Your Business
    08/29/2008
    Flickr isn't just for sharing kitten photos with grandma. It isn't just a photo sharing site at all. It's also a way for you to draw more Web traffic to your business and reach out to customers you didn't even know you had. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it's not--just follow these tips.
  • Using Newsletters to Connect With Customers, Employees
    08/22/2008
    I've been pestering my auto mechanic to do a newsletter. He has a website. He's launched a referral program. A newsletter is the next logical marketing step and would complement what he's doing. But he's resistant, and I can understand that. As an already overwhelmed small business owner, the idea of adding one more to-do to an overflowing list isn't appealing, especially since, compared to his other tasks, generating a newsletter probably falls somewhere near the bottom of the urgency scale. But it may be time to move it up the priority list because newsletters can offer a big (and fairly inexpensive) assist when it comes to keeping your company in peoples' forebrains.
  • Tips for Rewarding Long-Term Customers
    08/06/2008
    In the quest to gain new business, it's easy for business owners to forget about the clients who have been with them year in and year out. But long-term clients are largely responsible for a small business' growth, which is why savvy business owners should let them know they're appreciated. Here are some ways to reward customer loyalty, making it more likely to continue.
  • How to Connect With Customers Using Twitter
    07/30/2008
    You might have heard some of your colleagues and friends talking about Twitter, the latest social networking site that keeps your contacts updated frequently on your whereabouts and activities. But did you know that Twitter could potentially provide you with a fresh new marketing strategy? Read on to find out how Twitter could benefit your business.
  • Three Basic Steps to E-mail Marketing Success
    07/29/2008
    While today's e-mail programs have endless options to make campaigns polished and high tech, what matters most at the end of the day is if your e-mails are doing what you want them to do: adding to your bottom line.
  • Pursuing Sponsorship Opportunities
    07/14/2008
    In business, people talk about doing well by doing good. From employing environmentally sound business practices to giving a portion of proceeds to charities, there are countless ways for your business to give back. A prime example of an opportunity to boost your business by helping out your community can be found in event sponsorship. Read on to find out how to choose the right events and get the most out of your sponsorship.
  • How to Pique Customer Interest With Promotions
    07/09/2008
    I once received promotional material for a new mall that included a letter with a car key attached. The letter explained that during its opening weekend there would be a new car at the mall and my key might just be the one that opened it. Did I really believe that out of all the keys they sent out mine would be the lucky one? Not really, but that didn't stop me from giving it a shot and visiting the new mall. I didn't win the new car of course, but I did help fulfill the promotion's true purpose: I visited the new stores and went home with several shopping bags.
  • Advertising on a Shoestring Budget
    07/02/2008
    I would like to advertise more, but, I have a limited budget—especially these days. What about shoestring advertising?
  • Surviving Economic Slumps
    06/11/2008
    Sales slumps are an inevitable part of business cycles, whether they are seasonal or due to a market downturn. Here are some survival tactics to help you weather financial storms.
  • Your Small Business Can Benefit from Google
    05/21/2008
    Google is the most widely used search engine on the Internet. But a search engine is not only a valuable research tool for the conventional Web surfer, it is also a commodity for both the traditional and not-so-traditional small business owner. An increasing number of entrepreneurs are discovering other valuable aspects of Google for establishing and building their business.
  • Make Your Web Site's Frequently-Asked-Questions Page More User-Friendly
    05/07/2008
    If you've ever scoured a Web site's frequently-asked-questions page without finding the answer to your question, you know firsthand that an incomplete FAQ has the power to taint a customer's impression of an otherwise well-meaning company.
  • Google U: Five Essential Tips to Maximize Search Engine Marketing for Your Business
    04/11/2008
    What if customers who knew exactly what they were looking for could find you in a matter of seconds using Google? Hey, it really does happen, and here's how it can happen for your business.
  • Keeping up With the World Wide Web: Determining If You Need a Web Site
    04/10/2008
    I know I am supposed to have a Web site, but since I have no plans to sell my product online I just don't see the need for a site. My business has been around forever and we have done just fine without one. Am I wrong?
  • Blogging: Fad or Fixture?
    04/03/2008
    Steve: It seems that blogging is here to stay, wouldn't you say? I have been told that it makes sense for a small business to blog, but I don't really get what it would do for my business. Do you?
  • To Advertise or Not: Deciding When Advertising is Right for Your New Business
    03/26/2008
    Advertising is an inescapable part of life, a fact evident each time you turn on the television, drive past endless billboards or sit down to check your email. As a small business owner with a limited budget, you may be more sensitive to the ads surrounding you than most. Do you have a recurring fantasy about the kinds of commercials you'd like to make and how much business they'd bring in? Have you been setting aside money to start your advertising campaign? While most businesses pay for advertising eventually, make sure the time is right before plunging in. Read on to find out if the risk of the expense will pay off for your business.
  • Beginner's Business Mistakes
    03/12/2008
    Going into business for yourself may feel like a gamble, but unlike an honest card game, there are several things you can do to stack the deck in your favor. For example: learning from the mistakes of others can give you a leg up on the competition. Here are some of the most common errors new entrepreneurs make, and a few tips on how you can avoid them.
  • Get off the Credit Card Come-on Lists
    03/07/2008
    It always pays to read the fine print, and this is especially true when it comes to the hundreds of unwanted credit card offers you find in your mailbox each year. There is probably not a day that passes that you don't get at least one junk mail enticement to sign up for a credit card for which you've been "pre-approved." Between airlines, hotels, associations and the credit card companies themselves, billions of credit card offers are sent out every year.
  • Grow Your Business by Speaking
    03/06/2008
    If you want to grow your business and reach a lot of people quickly, consider developing your skills as a professional speaker. There are dozens of trade organizations in every major city that need speakers for their weekly or monthly meetings. As a featured speaker, you receive instant credibility and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Your event (and you!) will also be promoted to the entire membership of the organization, even if only a fraction of the members attend.
  • Is Online Marketing Right for You?
    02/27/2008
    Though it's possible to somewhat target your audience through traditional media outlets, one of the Internet's advantages is its ability to reach specialty customers. So think about the market you serve. Do your products and services appeal to a wide range of people or do you need the business of a special few?
  • Networking Outside of Your Industry
    02/25/2008
    Being a part of industry associations can be a key to success for small business owners, as they serve as life lines to industry news and events and help you connect with colleagues and keep an eye on your competitor.
  • What Do Your Words Look Like?
    01/11/2008
    If you're conscientious, you think carefully about the words you choose, whether it's an e-mail message or a formal report. Making yourself clearly understood helps you get your message across and helps your readers benefit from what you're saying.
  • Looking Good in E-mail
    01/03/2008
    A lot of people let down their hair when firing off an e-mail message, writing far more informally than in reports or even memos. E-mail has a conversational feel to it, a cross between a chatty phone conversation and a formal business letter. It's generally OK to follow the tone dictated by the internal culture where you work, or play. If people don't capitalize the first letter of sentences or pay attention to spelling, don't sweat trying to dot all your Is and cross all your Ts.
  • Testimonials: How Important Are They?
    12/27/2007
    You have all your marketing ducks in a row: a great Web site, brochures, sales flyers, maybe even a weekly e-newsletter. But many businesses often overlook perhaps the most important marketing piece that can often make or break a sale: the client testimonial.
  • Use Your Blog as a Marketing Tool
    12/26/2007
    Do you have a blog? Ever considered starting one? According to CyberJournalist.net, as of last year, there were 50 million blogs out there in cyberspace, and blogging keeps growing as a popular method of communication, especially among young adults. As a young entrepreneur, however, you have to be more careful about how you represent yourself online than most of your fellow students do. When handled correctly, your blog could even help you increase business. Read on to find out the dos and don’ts of blogging.
  • The Spirit of Giving
    12/07/2007
    Christmas is getting closer, and with all of the focus on fourth-quarter profits, closing out the books for the year and present buying for family and friends, it's easy to let the materialism in the marketplace overshadow the true spirit of the season. Looking for a way to regain perspective? There are multitudes of meaningful ways to share your generosity and give back to your community. Why not get your whole business in on the act? Here are some ways to inspire the spirit of giving within your company and make a lasting difference.
  • Simple Ways to Thank Your First Clients
    11/28/2007
    The first clients bringing business your way deserve special acknowledgment. These people took a leap of faith, perhaps even leaving other service providers, to come on board with you — though your record was largely untested. Showing your appreciation to this group of people will assure that they’ll be with you for a long time to come.
  • Promoting Podcasts
    10/10/2007
    Also known as webcasts or online broadcasting, podcasts are multimedia files that can be automatically downloaded to subscribers' personal computers or played on mobile devices such as iPods. If you prefer to communicate via the spoken word, podcasts can be a viable tool for conveying information to employees, clients or prospects. However, you will have to take certain steps to help the right people find your messages.
  • Tracking Trends for Your Small Business
    09/24/2007
    A surefire way to stay ahead of the competition in your business is to keep abreast of innovations and trends. Entrepreneurs must constantly update, enhance and be on the cutting edge of new ideas and technology that will spark and maintain their business.
  • Finding Your Niche in a Crowded Market
    09/19/2007
    Did you start your business because you saw something that you could do better than your competitors? Perhaps you knew you could offer a product or service they lacked. Or maybe you leapt ahead without giving your competitors much thought. Either way, figuring out how to make your company stand apart and marketing this uniqueness to customers is crucial for your business success. Here are some steps to get you started.
  • Attending and Hosting Webinars
    08/30/2007
    For many entrepreneurs, attending business seminars can be beneficial. Yet many factors like travel time and expenses can deter them from going to as many as they would wish. Likewise, holding your own seminars may be an ideal way to bring together employees and/or clients from geographically diverse locations, even though the logistics can prove challenging.
  • The Significance of E-mail Signature Lines
    08/23/2007
    Sending e-mail inevitably takes up a portion of your workday. But rather than seeing it as a chore, think of your e-mail correspondence as yet another way you can promote your small business. Promptly answering customer inquiries, sending e-newsletters and following up on recent leads are all ways that you may already be using e-mail to keep your company growing. One of the most basic ways to advance your business through e-mail, however, is also one often overlooked. A signature line attached to your outgoing mail can serve as an electronic business card, not to mention help you better brand your business and inform your customers. So before you hit send one more time, make sure your signature line says all it needs to about you and your business.
  • Responding When Your Company Is Criticized Online
    08/01/2007
    Before blogs and online forums began proliferating the Web, a company could quietly take care of its product quality and customer-service problems. But today, everything from manufacturing snafus to controversial statements by executives is potential fodder for a debate in cyberspace. And not only on blogs and traditional forums. Critiques and praise about products and companies are multiplying on MySpace.com, Facebook.com and other social networking Web sites.
  • Beefing Up Your Web Site Content
    07/26/2007
    On the Web, content is king--or it should be. If you want people to visit, stick around and come back to your small business' Web site, give them substance.
  • Five Expert Tips for a Successful Media Kit
    07/19/2007
    Do you ever wonder how newspapers and magazines choose the sources they do for articles? And do you ever ask yourself, "Hey, why didn't they call me? I would have been a perfect source for that!" If you answered yes to both questions, you probably don't realize how important a media kit can be to your business.
  • Maximize Your Chances When Responding to an RFP
    07/12/2007
    If your company becomes involved in a Request for Proposal process (RFP), there are specific issues that require careful attention, not only to maximize your chances for selection from among other candidates, but to avoid getting into a situation that could prove extremely time-consuming and costly, both before and after the selection.
  • Why You Want Some Customers Who Complain
    04/30/2007
    It's vital for a business to encourage customers to complain when they're dissatisfied. Complaints should be thought of as opportunities for improvement. While every small-business owner would like to have a perfect company that satisfies every customer who walks through the door, in the real world, this isn't possible.
  • Getting Your Site Found Through Web Searches
    04/27/2007
    If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? This old riddle might be updated for the Information Age: If you create a Web site, and no one sees it, have you done anything?
  • Recreating Company Loyalty
    04/13/2007
    Company loyalty, the once traditional bond between an organization and its employees, is rapidly becoming an obsolete concept. As the employment scene becomes more volatile, with manufacturers shrinking and folding and rapid technological change driving endless change in the business world, company loyalty is a thing of the past to many people in the workforce.
  • Marketing to Baby-Boomer Women
    04/04/2007
    Women in the baby-boomer generation are fast becoming the most powerful consumers in America, influencing as much as 80 percent of the $2.1 trillion that boomers spend on consumer goods and services, according to a Boom: Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer--the Baby Boomer Woman (American Management Association, 2006). At the peak of their careers, these women have more discretionary income than ever and make most of the purchasing decisions for their household. How do you get their attention? Before revamping your marketing materials, Authors Mary Brown and Carol Orsborn recommend considering these facts about the boomer woman.
  • Getting Involved in Your Community
    03/29/2007
    One of the best ways a small business can remain vital in a changing community is by making itself a key part of it. Why do so many customers remain loyal to their small businesses when nearby big-box stores offer the same product or service at a cut rate? One key reason is that people think of these businesses and their owners as important members of their communities and will do their part to keep them around.
  • Improve Your Business Writing
    03/22/2007
    Your letters, memos, reports, e-mails and other documents are supposed to generate responses from your readers, helping you close sales, solidify contacts and set meetings. If these goals are not met, your productivity and professional recognition diminish. The following are 10 guidelines that will make people sit up and take notice when reading your correspondence.
  • Paid Search Advertising Options for Small-Business Owners
    02/23/2007
    Small-business owners want increased control of marketing dollars and are demanding visibility into performance and return on investment. But, developing and executing integrated marketing plans that are both tactical and strategic and deliver the performance businesses expect can be a daunting experience. There are a myriad of marketing possibilities to juggle, including direct mail, ad-placement in industry publications, Yellow Pages, TV/radio and, more now than ever before, the Internet.
  • Tips for Selecting a Graphic Design Firm or Advertising Agency
    01/17/2007
    The selection of an individual or firm to handle your marketing is one of the most important decisions a small company can make. Often, the choice involves a trade-off between quality and price--or at least between experience and price. Some full-service advertising agencies and graphic design firms are geared to work with deep-pocket corporations and will be beyond a small company's budget. Many, however, provide excellent service at more reasonable rates.
  • Think Globally When Marketing to Overseas Customers
    01/10/2007
    If you want to expand your market to include international customers, consider how your marketing messages will play outside of the United States. If you're accustomed to communicating exclusively with American audiences, it's easy to forget that certain messages won't work elsewhere. For example, if your send a marketing newsletter filled with references that are strictly American, you may risk alienating prospects in Europe.
  • Making a Name for Your Web Site
    01/02/2007
    Some people don't care what name you call them as long as you call them something. Some Web site owners feel the same. Yet a Web site's "domain name" can be a powerful way to get people through your virtual door.
  • Attract and Keep Customers by Offering an Ironclad Guarantee
    12/21/2006
    A guarantee is a statement, usually accompanying an advertisement for products or services, that gives assurance of customer satisfaction. It is, in effect, a formal promise that money will be refunded or some sort of compensation given for a product or service that is not found satisfactory.
  • Giving as a Group
    12/14/2006
    Holidays are a hectic time for small businesses as they're focused on wrapping up projects for the year while juggling the countless disruptions like parties and other pre-holiday distractions. But did you also know that the holidays can give your business the opportunity to build teamwork skills, attract better employees and improve your chances of holding onto the great employees you already have? Workplace volunteer programs, which are much more prevalent during the holidays, are a great way to accomplish these goals and more.
  • A Brand New Show
    12/01/2006
    The list of names in Sew What? Inc.'s portfolio reads like a major concert lineup: Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Neil Young, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their work has even graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and has helped a family find comfort in a new home on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
  • Five Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Conference
    11/28/2006
    You probably have a one or two business conferences you would like to attend this year. If you're like the typical conference-goer, you plan to select some lectures and workshops, maybe take some notes, learn something new, have lunch with colleagues, do a little networking and then go home.
  • Trade-Show Savvy
    11/10/2006
    Trade shows offer a priceless opportunity to build awareness of your company and your services and maybe even gain new customers. But whether you attend one or 20 trade shows throughout the year, if you don't take the right steps to leverage the opportunity to your benefit, it will always be a disappointment. Attending a trade show in not cheap, and the last thing you want to do is waste your time and money.
  • Bag of Tricks
    11/07/2006
    Not every small-business owner can afford to launch a slick marketing or advertising campaign or pay for a public relations professional to help with publicity. For most small-business owners, it is up to them to create a buzz about their products and services. If your marketing/advertising budget is limited, how do you promote your business enough to attract a steady stream of new and loyal customers? It may be easier than you think.
  • The Importance of Being Honest
    11/06/2006
    Advertising is regulated both by the Federal Trade Commission and at the state level, and non-compliance can be costly. Before you release any advertisement, it pays to check out the state and federal rules to make sure you are in compliance.
  • Publicity Part II: The Secret to Getting Publicity
    10/12/2006
    Believe it or not, there is actually one little-known secret to getting publicity. And it has nothing to do with hefty PR budgets, fancy press kits and expensive spokespersons. The secret is this: You have to think like a reporter.
  • Publicity Part I: Do You Have a Plan?
    10/11/2006
    You're running your business on limited budget. As the owner, you wear more hats than you can even remember on a given day. But we're going to ask you to put on one more, one that is often overlooked but can be the key to bringing you more customers and growing your business: publicity.
  • Nurture Marketing: Always Being Connected
    09/07/2006
    The concept of nurture marketing has been around for a long time. However, with narrowing customer markets, fierce competition and an abundance of consumer purchasing options, nurture marketing is changing from a want to a critical need for survival. Much of nurture marketing involves basic common sense: Treat others the way you would like to be treated to keep in touch with prospects (new and existing customers) and develop and cultivate relationships to generate new business.
  • Building Loyalty in Your Business
    08/30/2006
    Why spend time and money chasing new customers with glossy marketing campaigns if you can't be sure that they'll stick around? Selling to people you already know is much more profitable and predictable. And part of the payoff is that your regulars will spread the word about your business to everyone they know––advertising you can't buy.
  • Joining the Blogging Community
    08/17/2006
    By now you have probably heard of Web logs (more commonly known as "blogs"), online journals that feature opinions, news and Web links that you can share with readers. Whether you create your own blog or contribute to someone else's, you can use a blog for several purposes.
  • Keeping Callers Waiting Without Irritating Them
    08/09/2006
    In your business, you will sometimes have to keep callers waiting while you figure out answers to their questions or find the right person to answer their questions. You could just leave the phone off the hook, perhaps, but callers' eavesdropping is only desirable to a point.
  • The High Cost of Low Prices: Discounted Prices Don't Always Guarantee Bigger Sales
    07/25/2006
    When Yvonne Shortt started Rego Park, N.Y.-based Waddevah five years ago, she knew how she was going to win sales: low prices. But slogging it out on the sticker price meant losing money in her wholesale and online retail accessories business.
  • Class Act
    07/25/2006
    Small-business owners who offer educational classes to customers have discovered: If you teach them, they will buy.
  • Curtain Call: Winner of the 2006 Dell/NFIB Small-Business Excellence in Customer Experience Award
    07/25/2006

    Sewing is a lot more than a needle pulling thread at Megan Duckett's Sew What Inc. Technology plays a starring role at this Los Angeles-based small business that specializes in theatrical drapery and custom sewing jobs for the theater, cinema and special events industries.

  • Uncommon Enterprise: On the Fly
    07/25/2006
    When it comes to providing advertising to customers, the sky's the limit for Jay Saber—literally. Saber, owner of Woodside, Calif.-based Roof Ads, offers companies over-the-top exposure for their businesses: For between $5,000 to $200,000, Saber paints a business' name or logo across a rooftop.
  • Learning Lessons from the Competition
    07/17/2006
    There's an old saying: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Small-business owners would be wise to learn this lesson since a good way to make sure your small business measures up to others is by knowing your competition. You don't have to plant spies in your competitors' organizations or try to steal company secrets, but there are a variety of ways that you can get some clues into what's working for them—and what may also work for you.

  • Web Site Magic: Eleven Ways You Can Engage Visitors
    07/13/2006
    No question about it: the World Wide Web has become a powerful marketing arsenal, responsible for an ever-growing volume of profit in virtually every industry. Whatever the trends show, at the end of the day what matters is your own Web site. Does your content have what it takes to fully engage visitors and motivate them to buy? If you're not able to answer this question, you might be missing sales volume and profit.
  • Creating the Proper Work Atmosphere
    07/07/2006
    Choosing the wrong work atmosphere will cost your business. You want to choose the work atmosphere best suited for your business to maximize the number of people willing—and wanting—to do business with you. Though all businesses should be professional, you can demonstrate that professionalism formally or informally. So, on which end of the pendulum should you err? Business professionalism is a form of formality, and friendliness a form of informality, and both profit a business, so how do you choose?
  • Creating a Company Web Site
    06/02/2006
    By now, most people realize that to be competitive in today's fast-paced business environment, having a Web site is an absolute necessity. Making the decision to get a Web site up and running is simple. The hard part is deciding whether to pay a professional Web designer to do it or to do it yourself.
  • Business First: A Stronger NFIB, An Even Better America
    05/25/2006
    For a successful advocacy organization like NFIB, it's not just about the numbers. Politicians in Washington, D.C., and the state capitals aren't impressed by how many members you claim on your rolls. Groups like the NRA and the AARP aren't successful because they have millions of members. What elected officials want to know about any advocacy group is how many members contact them on issues, support their campaigns, vote on Election Day and otherwise participate in the political process.
  • The Lure of Small
    05/25/2006
    Ever feel second best when you're looking to hire a new employee? Compared to small businesses, large corporations have more money, name recognition and benefits to attract the best and brightest employees. But bigger doesn't always mean better.
  • Uncommon Enterprise: Crowd Control
    05/25/2006
    Joe Biggins hangs out with some real dolls--though some might call them dummies. But Biggins isn't fazed. After all, these dolls are the core of his one-of-a-kind business, the Inflatable Crowd Company, which supplies plastic mannequins for crowd scenes in movies like "Million Dollar Baby," "Cinderella Man" and "The Phantom of the Opera."
  • Test New Waters
    05/25/2006
    Expanding into new areas that complement your existing business is a good way to boost profits. But experienced business owners say look before you leap.
  • Brushed With Greatness
    05/25/2006
    After spending a week styling hair at the White House, Luna Howard knew her small business had made the cut.
  • A Perfect Fit
    05/25/2006
    Some small businesses are getting money from large, national brands.
  • The Next Big Thing
    05/24/2006
    A college campus is a great place to make contacts, introduce new products and sell, sell, sell. Take advantage of the thriving marketplace you’ll call home for the next four years and make an impact on the consumers there. Here are some great ideas and resources to use to market to your peers.
  • Marketing Styles: A Glossary of Terms From Today’s Marketplace
    04/25/2006
    Today, multiple theories of behavior and motivation abound, and technology has given big and small marketers the ability to analyze and segment the marketplace in a variety of ways. The result? A variety of marketing styles, each designed to capitalize on a unique facet of consumer behavior.

  • Advertising Is a Two-Way Street in the Internet Age
    03/31/2006
    Whether you run a small, part-time business out of your home or own a multinational corporation, tapping into the power of the Internet can help you generate sales. It can also backfire, if you don’t respect Internet conventions and simple courtesy.
  • Making the Most of Remnant Space Advertising
    03/24/2006
    A marketing tool that many small business owners don't know about is "remnant space advertising." Remnant space advertising opens up when media outlets do not sell all of their advertising space or time. This unsold space or airtime is called remnant space and can often be bought at big discounts.
  • Time to Grow
    03/22/2006
    So your business is a success, and you’re ready to take over the world? Here are a few tips on evaluating your basic needs before expanding your business.
  • Losing a Large Client
    03/20/2006
    Losing a large client can be scary. Most businesses, however, will face this scenario at one time or another. The key to getting through such a loss is keeping it in perspective and learning the lessons that the experience can teach.
  • Bartering: A Viable Alternative to Doing Business
    03/15/2006
    If you examine its history, you will see that bartering--trading what you have for what you want without exchanging cash--is, perhaps, the oldest form of business and commerce, a practice dating back to the days of hunters and flint spears.
  • Looking Good in Print
    03/09/2006
    More and more, the research, education and communication we do involves photons and electrons flying around cyberspace. Yet a surprising amount of that data still winds up in a physical format that was invented in China in the second century: Paper.
  • Personal Branding: A Surefire Way to Make Your Business a Household Name
    03/03/2006
    "Branding" refers to a name or trademark that gives your company an easily, quickly recognizable image. Simply put, it’s what your business stands for in terms of quality, service, dependability, security and niche. Because of these characteristics, your products or services sell, and your business thrives.
  • Business Ethics Programs Encourage Loyalty, Teamwork and Honesty
    03/01/2006
    With the almost universal awareness of the need for ethical behavior in today’s business environment, establishing a formal business ethics program benefits a small company in many ways. You can state such a program in a written document attesting to your company’s dedication to honesty, fair play and ethical behavior in all aspects of business.
  • Turning Your Art, Hobby Into a Small Business
    02/27/2006
    Many artists dream of finding galleries to display and sell their work. While this is a possibility, it's not an easy one to achieve, and it takes years to build the reputation necessary to command the kind of fees that pay the bills.
  • You and Your Legislator: Making Your Visit Work
    02/24/2006
    You notice a piece of proposed legislation, and you can’t help but think, “A law like that could make a big difference to my small business––and to my life. I’ve got to visit my legislator and let him know how I feel.” But how do you prepare for a legislative visit? What makes such a visit effective?
  • Basics of Co-op Advertising
    02/20/2006
    For you, the small-business owner, co-op funds offer a variety of benefits.
  • Five Ways to Make Your Web Site Stand Out
    02/13/2006
    Excerpts from Web Site Cookbook, the following are five ways to make visiting your Web site a meaningful experience for your customers.
  • The Art of the Handwritten Note
    02/10/2006
    There are many occasions related to your business where a personal note would be appropriate and have more impact than a quick e-mail message.
  • It's Been a Month: Keeping Resolutions for Your Small Business
    02/01/2006
    Like many small-business owners, my New Year's resolution is to make more money this year, but how do I actually keep that promise? The secret to keeping your business resolutions is to put a plan in place early on and then take consistent action to follow the plan.
  • Finding Inexpensive Out-of-the-Box Marketing Ideas
    01/30/2006
    When your marketing ideas seem to be getting stale or unproductive, it may be time to come up with some unusual, out-of-the-box concepts. Coming up with highly innovative yet effective concepts is usually considered the domain of high-ticket advertising agencies, but these may beyond the budget of many small companies. Here are some ways to come up with out-of-the-box ideas inexpensively.
  • Mastering the Business Meal
    01/24/2006
    American culture is generally informal, but following a few simple guidelines during business meals will win you points with colleagues, prospects and customers, plus increase your chances of better service when you "meet and eat."
  • Increasing Sales by Capitalizing on an Untapped Market
    01/23/2006
    In order to reach target objectives and stay ahead of the competition this year, it is critical for businesses deliver better services to existing customers and expand their markets by developing new customer bases. One largely untapped market is the disability market—which can be an economically advantageous niche for business.
  • Drawing the Hispanic Market
    01/20/2006
    Being able to effectively communicate with as many people as possible is a key element in promoting and maintaining a business. One way to do this is to consider the needs of the fastest growing minority group in the country––Hispanics.
  • Creating Momentum in the New Year: Building Upon Successes of 2005
    01/12/2006
    It's natural to look back on the previous year and focus on all of the things you want to change. But if you want to enhance your small business' success, you must also look at all of the things that went right. By focusing on these areas even more in 2006, you can take your business to even greater heights.
  • Using the Holiday Slowdown to Brainstorm
    01/06/2006
    With all of the daily responsibilities a small-business owner faces throughout the year, getting bogged down in the details and losing sight of the big picture is easy. So the slowdown that occurs during the holiday season and directly afterward provides an excellent opportunity for business owners to brainstorm ideas for the rest of the year.
  • Making a Fresh Start in the New Year
    01/05/2006
    It is always a good idea to take stock at the beginning of the year and come up with some new ways to build your business. Here are some ideas you may not have considered.
  • Promise Power: New Year's Resolutions Once a Month
    01/03/2006
    Make those important Jan. 1 resolutions, and you can find yourself headed toward personal and professional growth. But just suppose you adopted the resolution habit every month. Imagine the things you could accomplish if the first day of each month becomes a time to plan and chart progress.
  • Thinking Big: Taking Your Small Business Around the World
    12/30/2005
    If you want to really understand how vitally important it is that we all begin to think globally, I suggest you read The World is Flat by New York Times international columnist Thomas Friedman. His book is a fascinating dissection of just how radically different business has and will become. So how do you operate globally? Here my seven steps. (Keep in mind that the easiest way to go global is to simply set up a Web site and ship internationally. The answers here are for the business that wants to physically be present in other markets.)
  • Fax Laws: Help or Hindrance?
    12/22/2005
    Legislation recently passed in California means that effective Jan. 1, 2006, anyone sending advertising faxes to or within California must have prior written permission from the recipients. This law is more stringent than recent federal legislation passed this summer, the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005. The federal law permits the sending of unsolicited business faxes, including ads, when there is an "established business relationship" between sender and recipient.

    The new California legislation specifically states that the EBR exemption of the federal law does not apply in California to advertising faxes. Its interpretation is that everyone sending ad faxes to or within California must have prior written permission to do so.
  • Cold Weather Driving: Are You Prepared?
    12/15/2005
    Whether your business involves just driving around town, or you’re a hardy road warrior, it’s a good idea to keep a basic emergency kit in each vehicle your company operates. The items listed below may not only help you out of a jam, but might also help someone else––who could become a new and grateful customer. While this may sound like a lot, much of it can fit into a fairly compact plastic storage box. Some of the items, such as a flashlight, you may want to keep in a handier spot such as a glove box.
  • Share the Spirit: Giving Back During the Holidays
    12/08/2005
    There are few if any better ways for a business to accomplish some genuine good and enhance its status as a corporate citizen of the community than reaching out to those in need. Community outreach acknowledges a company’s membership in the community, and during the holiday season, when needs are often more apparent and more pressing than at other times, you can find many opportunities to reach out and help.
  • Word-of-Mouth Marketing
    10/25/2005
    Remember that tired cliché, talk is cheap? If you are looking for an inexpensive way to promote your business without breaking your small-business bank account, creating a buzz about your business through word-of-mouth campaigning may be the way to go.
  • Blogs: Trend or Wave of the Future?
    10/20/2005
    The Web log or “blog” is definitely the Internet flavor of the month. But even when chocolate is the flavor of the month, that doesn’t make it less tasty. Sometimes, trendy is OK, and this is one of those times.
  • Unnecessary Marketing Costs Can Drain Profitability
    07/22/2005
    Most small-business owners are reluctant to cut back on marketing once their overall plan is in place because they feel that doing so may jeopardize revenue. It’s true that, when it comes to marketing, it takes money to make money. But it’s important to periodically review all marketing costs to ensure that every dollar spent generates maximum returns.
  • Going Metric: Not Including Metric Measurements in Ads Could Cost You Business Overseas
    07/08/2005
    Many small businesses in the United States place ads in international magazines, newspapers and other media. To be globally friendly, measurements in ads should include both metric and non-metric terms.
  • Newspaper Advertising 101: Using the AIDA Method for Creating Ads
    06/16/2005
    Q: I have always run my business on a referral basis, but now I would like to begin to do some newspaper advertising. The thing is I don't really don't know much about it. Can you help me?
  • Keeping a Customer Is Just as Important as Getting a New One
    06/10/2005
    One of the biggest mistakes service-based companies make is believing that great service alone will keep a customer. "People often think that giving good service is all that's required, but that's a fallacy," says Bob Johnson, executive director of the National Association for Information Destruction, an international association for service-based companies that provide information destruction services.
  • Building an Online Media Room
    06/08/2005
    In today's virtually-connected world, first impressions mean everything. Whether you're creating a Web site or making e-mail contact with a potential client, the first impression you convey of your business is a lasting one.
  • Are You Ready for an E-zine?
    06/07/2005
    In his great book Purple Cow, marketing guru Seth Godin suggests that the way for a business to stand out in today's crowded marketplace is to "be remarkable." And while that is a great suggestion, it begs the question: How does one let their customers know that they are in fact remarkable?
  • The Four Phases of a Sales Presentation
    06/03/2005
    Speaking broadly, you can think of every sale as having four distinct phases. These phases sometimes blur into one another, or course, as the interaction between two or more individuals proceeds. But in general, the phases can be described as follows:
  • Business Ethics in a Global Marketplace
    05/16/2005
    When it comes to business, the world is shrinking – the global marketplace is becoming more accessible with each day and every transaction. Although business has brought people together, culture has kept us different.
  • Gauging the Success of Your Web Site
    02/11/2005
    How do you know you're doing a good job and discover which areas need improving?

    If you're an employee, it can be through performance reviews. If you run a publication, it can be through readership surveys or focus group studies. And if you're a webmaster, it can be through Web analytics.
  • Economical Ways to Get Traffic to Your Site
    01/07/2005
    A great way to encourage people to visit your Web site is to put your Web site address on everything: business cards, menus, signs, ads and postcards -- even printed receipts and invoices. A better idea is to give people a specific reason to visit your Web site: to sign up for your e-mail list or to find out about new products and offers.
  • Marketing on a Tight Budget
    11/04/2004
    If your company has a non-existent marketing budget — or if you would like to add economical strategies to your marketing plan — the following tips can help.
  • 'Tis the Season: Early Planning Is Key to Holiday Gifts and Promotions
    11/01/2004
    For consumers, the holiday season is a time for gifts, food, parties and merriment. But for savvy small-business owners, the holiday season is a time to show clients and customers an appreciation for their business and further cement the professional relationship in the process.
  • Marketing Your Business Through Your Own Expertise
    08/12/2004
    Your marketing plan can make your business. It gets your name out there, targets potential customers and draws them in. An important part of the marketing plan that many people forget is that you need to sell yourself, not just your company and your products.
  • Use Direct Mailing to Your Advantage
    08/06/2004
    Direct mail could just be your key to success--if you do it right. When it is sent to the right audience, it offers a perfect way to reach out to past customers and target new customers with messages that make them feel appreciated.
  • Educating Your Customers
    05/12/2004
    Classes can serve as a great marketing tool to current customers and potential customers.
  • Creating a Usable Marketing Plan: The Long and Short of It
    04/07/2004
    The length and comprehensiveness of a marketing plan depend on the plan's ultimate use.
  • Target Your Marketing to Fill the Gaps in Your Schedule
    03/12/2004
    In the fairy tale world of entrepreneurs, the small business owner in The Elves and The Shoemaker really had it made.
  • Tapping Into the Hispanic Market
    09/12/2003
    There are now over 30 million Hispanic people living in the United States, making the group the largest minority in the country.
  • Marketing to Your On-Hold Customers
    01/27/2003
    The next time you pick up the phone to call another business, pay attention to what it has done with its on-hold message.
  • Creating and Marketing a New Product
    12/16/2002
    If you have a new product you're thinking of bringing into the marketplace, there are many considerations you have to take first.
  • Everything You Need to Know About Telemarketing
    10/03/2002
    With an effective script and the right telemarketers, small and mid-size business owners can generate sales without having to spend large amounts of money on advertising.
  • Don't Stop Pedaling--Your Marketing Efforts Will Pay Off
    09/27/2002
    It's often surprising (shocking may be a more appropriate word) to the owner of a new company how much time and effort goes into even the smallest details.
  • Keep Customers Close at Hand With Email Marketing
    09/12/2002
    If you've thought about using email to connect with customers, you're not alone.
  • Does Attending Trade Shows Help Grow Your Business?
    07/12/2002
    It's important to consider a few issues before you sign up for a show and pay your money for a booth.
  • A Rose by Any Other Name
    07/12/2002
    Few things are more important to the success of a business than the name of the company.
  • Invigorate Your Business
    06/28/2002
    Here are a few ideas for giving your business--and hopefully your enthusiasm--a quick and easy boost.
  • Create Your Own Customer Survey
    06/27/2002
    The semantic differential tool consists of pairs of adjectives and/or short phrases printed on a sheet of paper.
  • The One-Month Customer-Information Blitz
    06/24/2002
    While there's nothing wrong with hiring marketing experts to survey your customer base, you have a much quicker and less expensive means of finding out all you need to know about why your customers do business with you.
  • Common Sense Marketing Techniques Don't Have To Be Costly
    05/13/2002
    Marketing programs don't have to be expensive. There are common sense marketing techniques small business owners can use if they're willing to put forth the time and effort.
  • Develop an In-House Marketing Department With Existing Employees
    05/06/2002
    As a small business grows, many owners find they don't have time to handle marketing and public relations functions. Instead of outsourcing these tasks, take a look at your staff and see if there is someone who could handle the duties.
  • Use Your Invoices as Marketing Tools
    04/02/2002
    Customers usually examine invoices closely before paying, so whatever information you choose to include will likely be seen. So why not add a little marketing punch to your invoices?
  • Don't Wait Until You Need New Business to Begin Marketing
    04/02/2002
    Many small business owners drop off marketing as soon as they get enough work to fill their time. Today's Workshop shows why this can be a mistake.

  • Start Your Own Marketing Brain Trust
    04/02/2002
    If you feel that your company would benefit from outside marketing expertise, consider contacting anywhere from four to six marketing pros working with other companies.
  • Follow the Money
    04/02/2002
    In today's Workshop, Edith Helmich discusses some interesting facts about the changing U.S. demographics
  • The Last-Mile Problem
    04/02/2002
    Finding the keys to future wealth
  • More Is Not Always Better
    04/02/2002
    In business, so many of us are afflicted by the "more is better" syndrome.
  • Give Your Business an Edge
    04/02/2002
    You know that your products or services are better than what customers can buy at the megastores or receive from larger, more impersonal organizations.
  • A Powerful Marketing Tool: The Loss Leader
    04/02/2002
    A proven marketing technique is the use of a "Loss Leader," in which one item that you sell is significantly reduced in price (perhaps even below your cost) and used as the lead in your marketing.
  • A Dynamic Marketing Tool: Gift Certificates
    04/02/2002
    Every business that requires a large number of customers to be profitable should consider offering gift certificates to help expand their customer base.
  • Set a World Record With Your Marketing
    04/02/2002
    Almost every small business can benefit from some form of free marketing.
  • Timing Is Everything, Part II
    04/02/2002
    In this Workshop, contributor Jeffrey Moses discusses the best days of the week for most businesses.
  • Online Affiliate Marketing Programs, Part II
    04/02/2002
    Affiliate programs are booming on the net. They allow web sites to sell products that someone else stocks and ships.
  • Seven Criteria for Acting on a New Product Idea
    04/02/2002
    Today's Workshop offers suggestions on how to tell the difference between profitable and impractical new ideas.
  • The Economic Power of Women
    04/02/2002
    Amid all the old jokes about women holding the purse strings is a business reality.
  • The 80/20 Rule
    04/02/2002
    Are you familiar with the 80/20 Rule, which states that 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customers?
  • Setting High Goals
    04/02/2002
    You probably have established specific goals for yourself and your company. But are you setting your goals high enough?
  • Keep Your Business in Hand!
    04/02/2002
    You may not have people asking you for cards every day, but you should be giving them out every day.
  • The Ever-Changing American Middle Class
    04/02/2002
    The great middle class, the backbone of the American economy, is changing.
  • You, Too, Can Be Trendy
    04/02/2002
    It doesn't matter what type of business you have -- the better you can keep in tune with changing commercial trends, the more successful you'll be.
  • Doing Business the One-to-One Way
    04/02/2002
    Authors Don Peppers and Martha Rogers propose a whole new way of doing business in "Enterprise One to One" (Currency/Doubleday, 1997), a follow-up to their successful first book, "The One to One Future."
  • Birthday Marketing Can Rev Up Your Business
    04/02/2002
    Psychologists tell us that most people identify with and respond strongly to their own name. People also respond strongly to anything that has to do with their birthday.
  • Keep Your Marketing Dynamic
    04/02/2002
    Marketing is a competitive field and, whether you realize it or not, there are certain things to be wary of when it comes to down to the details of advertising and promotion.
  • Timing is Everything, Part I
    04/02/2002
    If the ching-ching of cash registers is your favorite sound, you need to know which times of the day and which days of the week your cash registers are most likely to ring up high volumes of sales.
  • Online Affiliate Marketing Programs, Part I
    03/14/2002
    Let someone else handle the inventory and shipping. Affiliate programs are booming on the net.
  • Repeat Business: Foundation for Success
    03/14/2002
    What does it take to get your customers to return? It depends on what your business is, how often they need your services, and how well you're reminding them to come back.
  • How to Attract Senior Customers
    03/14/2002
    Recent data report that people in the United States can expect to live about 30 years longer than their counterparts did at the beginning of the century.
  • Designing Dynamic and Effective Surveys
    03/14/2002
    This workshop discusses how to create a survey form or questionnaire to be sure that you're gathering the information you really need.