This guest post is part of our ongoing Small Business Perspective series, and is written by Theresa Gould, owner of RobnT Business Solutions in Chicago, IL.
It seems that some small businesses are thriving in the current economy, yet there are others are barely making it. You could say that I am one of those just barely making it. However, I am trying to beat the recession by helping others, then hope they can help me. Read more…
Anyone graduating from business school has learned how to write one, what components are required, and why they are important to have. But the business plan is something that has come under fire recently, as more and more business experts seem to be arguing that you don’t even need one, and that they are outdated. With business changing so rapidly every day, they are also irrelevant, or so the argument goes. Read more…
It’s something that every small business should stop and ask themselves, at least every once in a while: How much is my business worth? Most small businesses probably don’t even have a solid grasp, or a truly accurate assessment. While you can always hire an outside consultant to take a look at your assets and determine what your business might get on the “open market” the truth is you can get a good idea of what you’re worth by following some simple steps. Read more…
In the past we’ve discussed the benefits of using Twitter as a business tool (here, here & here), and it is becoming a necessity for every business in today’s social media driven landscape. In these stories, we offered some insight into what Vistaprint and other large companies have done as examples to learn from. However after reading Sarah Neeleman’s column in the Wall Street Journal, it’s clear there are things that everyone can learn from small business owners who have averted a crisis and PR headaches via Twitter. Read more…
Recently we discussed the benefits of using and monitoring online review sites like Yelp to help support your customer service efforts. I wanted to share a story about how my family business recently used an online review site to connect with a customer and help defuse a negative situation. Read more…
This guest post is part of our ongoing Small Business Perspective series, and is written by Caprice de Lorm, owner of de Lorm Designs in Orange County, CA.
Branding. We’ve all heard about it. We all want to do it well, brand our companies in a way that resonates within our company, evokes recognition and positive thoughts from current and potential clients, and attracts the “right” audience for our services and products. Read more…
There is no question that our current President and his administration have embraced the Web like never before. Speeches, pending legislation, and information on all kinds of government programs are now outlined online, including ways to get in touch and communicate directly with the government. The highest offices’ use of social media has had a trickledown effect across the Capitol, with everyone from aides to Senators and even the Pentagon getting on the Internet/social media bandwagon. The one group that seemed to be slow to embrace these tools and methods was the government’s Small Business Administration. That was until recently; the SBA now has a presence on YouTube. Read more…
The following guest post is brought to us by the Internet Marketing Center, which can be found at: www.internetmarketing.com
It’s easy to get swept up in the tide of new and exciting SEO strategies to help boost your website to ever-higher rankings. But when was the last time you had a really good look at your site to make sure it was performing at its best for you?
It’s probably been a while… perhaps you haven’t even had a chance to review your site since you first posted it! But it’s always a good idea to set some time aside every few months to make sure your site is still optimized for the search engine spiders. Read more…
This guest post is part of our ongoing Small Business Perspective series, and is written by Audrey Clark, owner of Professionals Now, LLC in Tampa, FL.
When big events come to town, it could mean big opportunities for your small business. I had a personal experience when the Super Bowl came to the Tampa area last year, and it resulted in networking opportunities as well as knowledge that has helped carry me through as a small business since. Read more…
This guest post is part of our ongoing Small Business Perspective series, and is written by Katharine Napoli, owner of Computerized Office Services in New Jersey.
My company provides billing and bookkeeping services to healthcare providers and small businesses. One of the greatest challenges I face is cash flow. Invoices go out to customers on a regular basis but somehow the payments don’t come in on a regular basis. Read more…
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