Group, Fan Page or Both?
March 9th, 2010 by admin
In today’s social media-driven marketing frenzy, online business owners are expected to be top in their game in using tools like Facebook and Twitter to their advantage.
Tags: Great Referrals Aren’t Accidents
March 8th, 2010 by admin
Just like casting for fish, the process of meeting people, staying in touch, and then asking for their business is something that requires patience and practice.A few years ago, a long-standing member of a business networking organization was talking about canceling his membership–not because he wasn’t getting enough referrals, but because his referrals were coincidental.That’s right.
Go Ahead, Start That Side Business
March 8th, 2010 by john
If you’re working for someone else, chances are you’ve thought about being your own boss at some point.One of the easiest ways to become your own boss is to start a sideline business while you’re working for someone else.But how do you manage the challenges of having a job, a business and a life? Here are some tips. Content Continues Below Choose a Sideline You’re Passionate About “My sideline business was created out of passion.
Work-from-Home Doesn’t Have to Be a Stigma
March 6th, 2010 by john
Some people think that hiring a home-based professional to help their business is a gamble. Home-based entrepreneurs aren’t productive or professional enough, right? They get distracted easily
What’s Your Business Telling You?
March 5th, 2010 by admin
By Dan BriodyTo many small-business owners, the facts and figures their daily work casts off are more incidental than instrumental. Reluctantly storing it all on disks, in file cabinets and on scraps of paper strewn about the back room, business owners often think this constant stream of information is useless (except maybe to the IRS).
15 Small-Business Tax Deductions
March 5th, 2010 by john
Opportunities abound for small businesses to cut their tax bills. The key is understanding what’s deductible for your business. A good tax preparer can guide you, but it is your responsibility to save receipts throughout the year.”Organization and good record keeping are the keys to lower tax preparation fees and painless IRS audits,” says Sam Fawaz, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Y.D. Financial Services in Franklin, Tenn.
The New Double Bottom Line
March 5th, 2010 by john
As an entrepreneur, you’ve certainly heeded the call of passion for your work. Maybe you even subscribe to Marsha Sinetar’s sage chestnut, “Do what you love, and the money will follow.” But until a few years ago, there was a distinct difference between starting a business with an eye toward the bottom line and taking the same plunge for social good. Then along came the L3C.Often called “the for-profit with a nonprofit soul” by Robert Lang, one of the architects of the business structure, an L3C is a hybrid model that allows owners to do well by doing good
The Truth About Franchise Earnings
March 5th, 2010 by john
The first question that every prospective franchisee asks a franchisor is, “How much money can I make in this business?” Since the FTC passed the franchise compliance rules in 1979, the most common answer to this question has been, “We can’t tell you because the FTC won’t allow us to.” This statement is simply not true and never has been.In the original 1979 FTC regulations governing the sale of franchises, the guidelines specifically allowed franchise companies to make what were called “earnings claims” as long as a specified set of rules was followed. In the revised FTC rules adopted in 2007, they again allowed for what they are now calling “financial performance representations” to be made by franchise companies under specified parameters. In fact, under the current rules, if a franchise company elects not to provide financial performance representations to a prospective franchisee, they must make a disclosure to the candidate stating that the FTC does permit them to do so in Item 19 of their Franchise Disclosure Document.A company may make any financial representation it wants as long as it complies with the FTC rules, which aren’t really tough to meet
‘Caller ID’ for Your Website
March 3rd, 2010 by admin
If you think you need online forms to collect contact information from your website visitors, think again.
10 Common–and Effective–Emotional Triggers
March 2nd, 2010 by john
It is important to appeal to consumers’ emotions when crafting marketing messages. Think about how you feel when you hear marketing messages and how those feelings affect your own buying decisions. Just like you’re moved to action by an emotional response to marketing messages, so are all consumers.
