Special Quote #4

Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly, I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it."

--Theodore Roosevelt

Special Quote #3

You can't sell solutions unless people realize they have problems.

Special Quote #2

Marketing creates wealth, but marketers have to prove it.

Tips to Have a Trade Show Booth that Draws Potential Customers

The key to great trade show exhibiting is marketing - Having a strategic exhibit marketing and tactical plan of action is a critical starting point. To make trade shows a powerful dimension in your company's overall marketing operation, there must be total alignment between the strategic marketing and your exhibit marketing plan.

Here are a few points to make your trade show booth popular in the exhibition:

• Think neatness and visibility when putting your trade show display together.
  Use a display board to hang some of your products at customer eye-level to draw them into your display. Make sure your display is organized and tidy; customers will be turned off by messiness or by having to do too much searching to find what they want. Have all your prices clearly marked.
  

  
  

• Build the impression of demand into your trade show display.
  
  Customers will want your products more if they think they're in high demand. Place a strategic sold sign on one or two items. You might even leave a display spot empty, giving the impression that you've been too busy to restock.
  

• Pull a crowd to your trade show booth.
  
  Use an interactive display, such as a quiz or game on a computer, a contest draw, a scheduled demonstration; it doesn't need to be fancy to draw people's interest and get them to cluster around your trade show display rather than the others. At a gardening trade show, I once saw over 50 people crowding around to watch an exhibitor demonstrate how to turn compost!
  

• Have a stock of promotion items that you can use as giveaways at your booth.
  
  Small items that people can take away and use (while being reminded about your business) are best. Be sure you place these items in a location where people will have to walk into or through your trade show display to get them.
  

• Use a prize draw or contest.
  
  Having some kind of prize draw or contest is a great way to collect contact information from booth visitors. You can give away promotion items to encourage people to participate.
  

• Make it easy for booth visitors to get information.
  Use signs in your trade show display to give information about prices, minimum orders, shipping costs, or any other basic information they might need to know, to save them the trouble of having to wait to ask when you're busy with another potential customer.
  

• Make sure you have plenty of promotional literature on hand.
  
  You'll want to have a good supply of color fliers and brochures as well as order forms, price sheets and business cards that you can hand out to booth visitors so it will be easy for them to find all the information they need about your business later. You should also have a press kit prepared for the trade media.
  

• Be ready to do business.
  
  Be sure you have a good supply of order forms, pens, credit card slips, or anything else you need to conduct sales and keep track of people's orders.
  

• Have your trade show booth manned at all times.
  
  Someone has to be there to greet browsers, engage them in conversation, and take their questions. If you can't be there every minute the trade show is open, you'll need to have at least one other person help man your booth.
  

• Actively engage trade booth visitors.
  
  Give people who approach your trade show display a friendly welcome, and let them welcome their questions. Be sure your body language is friendly; don't stand there with your arms crossed over your chest, for instance. "Chat" with booth visitors, and find out what aspect of your business they're most interested in. Be prepared to offer specific solutions to their questions. The trick is to draw them in without intimidating or overwhelming them.
  

• Follow up promptly.
  
  Send out email, regular mail, or make the phone calls to follow up on the contacts and leads you made during the trade show as soon as possible. The faster you send them out, the more your business will stand out from the rest.
  
  Trade shows can be incredible sources of contacts and customers for your business - if you choose your trade show venue carefully and plan in advance then you will have a successful trade show experience.
  
  Author: Kishor Nayak is a Business Consultant working with International clients.

Ten Key Shopping Trends

Ten key shopping trends Porter Novelli encourages retailers and marketers to consider right now:

1. Willing to Wait. Consumers want to buy, but in this economic climate they're willing to wait until the price is right. For marketers, it's imperative to identify specific areas of pent-up demand: Who is waiting to buy which products, and what will trigger them to spend?
   
2. Decidedly Undecided. For many consumers, it's not that they don't want to buy--they have the urge. It's that they don't know what they want. The implication for marketers: For some consumers, the emotional high that comes from acquiring the purchase is more enticing than the item itself.
   
3. Discount Dash. With millions of Americans deciding whether to spend a little or spend nothing at all this holiday season, the outlook seems bright for discounters. That means non-discounters need to compete on value, because they can't compete on price.
   
4. One for Me, One for Me. The International Council of Shopping Centers found that 81% of Americans who planned to shop on Black Friday weekend intended to buy something for themselves--up from 69% in 2007. With funds limited, consumers are asking themselves, "Should I be altruistic...or narcissistic?" Either answer adds up to sales.
   
5. All in for Next-Gen. Familiar technologies such as computers and music players are facing likely sales declines of 10%, but newer products such as Blu-ray players, smartphones and HDTVs are expected to do well. To build sales, marketers should consider bundling the old with the new.
   
6. Online on Top. More consumers than ever will be shopping online this year, looking to save time and money, avoid crowds and find a better selection of products. Companies who can make online and interactive marketing work even smarter and more efficiently will win.
   
7. Text to Shop. Scarborough Research data shows text messaging delivers a young, multicultural audience for marketers by providing a very locally targeted vehicle. Amazon.com is already tapping into texting over the holiday period to deliver its Deal of the Day, which recipients can purchase using their phone. The critical point for text marketing pioneers is to figure out how to use this tool without becoming a nuisance.
   
8. Future Tense. Black Friday retail performance was better than expected, but all signs point to tough times ahead for retailers. If sales contract and retailers scale back, marketing communicators will need to work a lot harder and a lot smarter to earn their keep.
   
9. Just Saying No. Not long ago, consumers blithely made impulse buys with cash or credit. But the less secure about cash flow shoppers become, the more they will have second thoughts. Retailers and product marketers must become adept at engaging with "second thought" consumers; they are likely to see a lot more of them.
   
10. The Cause Effect. As consumers shift from impulsive frenzy to second-thought hesitation, the notion of supporting a good cause may just provide a means to convert those second thoughts into buying mode. In a post-boom, post-greed retail climate, incorporating social and/or environmental responsibility into purchasescould be the acceptable new version of instant gratification.
    

Excerpt from Capital Communicator.

Hiring a Small Business Marketing Firm

A small business marketing firm can lead you out of troubled waters and into your field of dreams. A small business marketing firm should take an integrated marketing plan and put into place a strong foundation for you to build your growing business upon. That is the key in finding a successful small business marketing firm that will help to grow your business. Integrating graphics, copy and growth ideas is what will make or break your business plan. Finding a small business marketing firm that has a talented and easy to work with staff will be important in your decision to work with them. With staggering small business failure rates, having a marketing firm that is ahead of the game will keep you in the game. Work hard to find the right small business marketing firm that will help you work smarter and at a reasonable cost.

Have You Created an Impossible Business?

It's easy to think that any business can be successful if you work hard enough, but there are many situations where this just isn't so. Consultants, coaches, and other service professionals often start a business believing that all they need to do is charge a "reasonable" fee and sell "enough" of their time. But unless you do the math to prove or disprove your assumptions, you may be creating a business that can never succeed.

New consultants, coaches, and other professionals almost always overestimate how much they can earn and underestimate the amount of time and money required to successfully market themselves. They also forget that they will have to cover not only their living costs and business expenses, but pay self-employment tax, buy their own health insurance, provide for their own retirement, and allow for unpaid vacation and sick time. If earning a decent living as a self-employed professional sometimes seems impossible to you, start asking how it could be possible. What can you change about how you are marketing yourself, how much you are charging, and how you are packaging your services? While it could be that success will come if you just work a little harder, it's more likely that you first need to start working a little differently.

Making Time for Marketing

"I don't have time to market." It's a common complaint from self-employed professionals. When you are the only one who can serve the clients, manage the business, and perform all the sales and marketing functions, time becomes the most precious commodity you have. How can you find time for marketing with so many other important priorities? There are many time management techniques at your disposal, of course. You can defer tasks or delegate them, chunk down projects to smaller steps, and set aside time on your calendar for making calls, writing letters, or updating marketing materials. Perhaps you have already tried all those methods and discovered that time is still scarce.

Maybe the real answer is not to find more time for marketing, but to MAKE time. Every day, you take part in many time-consuming activities that don't include marketing. What if you could integrate marketing with all those things you are already doing?

Here are some examples of how that can work:

1. Attending workshops, business mixers, and cultural events. Whenever you plan to attend an event like this, consider inviting a business contact to join you. Just extending the invitation will contribute to building a stronger relationship between you. If your contact decides to attend, you can often get to know each other better in a more relaxed way than meeting one-to-one.
   
2. Having lunch or coffee with a prospect or colleague. If you are already planning to take time meeting with someone, add a third or fourth person to the party. Those invited will usually appreciate the opportunity to make new contacts themselves, and you may find conversation flows more easily when there is a group.
   
3. Traveling to another city. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, arrange to meet for lunch or dinner with a client or colleague. On a business trip, this is usually much more enjoyable than dining alone. As a tourist, a meal you would be eating anyway takes no time out of your vacation schedule, plus you'll often get local tips about where to go and what to do.
   
4. Taking a walk, visiting the gym, and other forms of exercise. Meetings with business associates don't have to take place in the office or a restaurant. Invite someone to join you for a walk in the park, run around the track, or a game of tennis. You don't have to learn to play golf in order to get exercise and do business at the same time.
   
5. Reading an article. Any time you read an interesting article in the newspaper, a magazine, or online, think of three people you could send it to. Writing a short "thought-you-would-be-interested" note and forwarding the item will take only a moment, but can make a big impression on the recipient.
   
6. Shopping, dining, or running errands. Every time you leave your home or office, you meet new people. They are behind the counter at the office supply store, in line at the coffee shop, sitting at the next table, or shopping in the same aisle. Whenever you find yourself chatting with strangers, remember to introduce yourself by name and occupation. You'll be surprised to discover how often this will lead to a connection that can result in business.
   
7. Attending social events. The best business relationships often begin casually in social environments. Keep your business cards in your pocket when you attend a wedding, housewarming, holiday party, or your child's soccer game. After you ask, "How do you know our hosts?" or "Which child is yours?" make your next question, "What do you do?"
   
8. Relaxing. You may have a long list of marketing projects that will take time but not your full attention. Consider doubling up these mundane tasks with a fun activity or some pleasant company. Enter business cards into your contact database on your laptop at the beach. Make phone calls from the hot tub or a park bench. Review your prospect list while watching old movies or listening to music. Ask your kids to help you stuff and address envelopes. Take your project to a friend's house so the two of you can work together on marketing.
   

As you can see, there are many ways to include marketing activities in your busy life. So instead of wishing you had more time for marketing, why not make marketing a part of the time you are already spending?

From C.J. Hayden, for About.com

Generations at Work and Why We Collide

The term "generation gap" came to prominence in describing the disparity between kids of the first postwar generation and their parents, sometimes called the G.I. Generation. But another gap inevitably exists on the other side of the Boomer generation. This gap, created by differing sensibilities and economic realities, has put passing the leadership torch from Boomers to Gen X-ers low on the priority list. For the past 20 years, Boomer-led organizations have been highly focused on cost cutting and downsizing, often to the detriment of emerging leader training and mentoring programs. Furthermore, Boomer culture tends to emphasize competitiveness, self-importance and youthfulness-qualities that may make it hard for Boomers to grasp their responsibility to mentor and prepare their successors. In fact, some organizations are choosing to invest in short-term solutions, such as retirement postponement incentives that keep knowledge-rich Boomers in the workplace longer, rather than in long-term training and development initiatives for future leaders.

Given the lack of consideration or preparation for the future that most organizations have demonstrated to date, it is quite likely that Gen X-ers are going to find themselves suddenly in the driver's seat and expected to steer organizations through complex, chaotic and uncertain terrain, prepared or not. How can this next generation of leaders take charge and seek out the knowledge that they will need to lead well? How can they step up and prepare for their future? It is unlikely the status quo will change. As has been the lifelong truth for those who grew up as latchkey kids, Gen X-ers must continue to figure out what to do to take care of themselves. In short, if you are just waiting in the shadow of the Baby Boomers, push aside the apathy for which Gen X is known and use the coping skills you grew up with to effect positive change.

Self-knowledge is the most important tool that good leaders possess. When you are aware of your strong points and have insight about your shortcomings, you can chart a path for yourself to advance and succeed. Resist the compulsion to be overly self-critical; you are simply taking an inventory of your abilities and what you need to learn. Consider how your values, such as a desire for work/life balance, can be leadership strengths, and how a lack of political savvy may be a limitation. Successful leaders need to understand how to inspire people to work toward meaningful goals, and these skills can be learned if you are willing to do the work.

Excerpt from Donna Hickey

Special Quote #1

It's not what you do, but how you do it!

Sales and Marketing Must Work Together

In this economy, it is more important than ever to capture and nurture every sales lead and to pass only the most qualified leads to Sales. Salespeople can't rely simply on a consultative approach because it is time consuming and reactive. Marketing can't focus on simply generating leads and hope that sales can close that gap between "vague interest" and "fully qualified opportunity alone." Sales and Marketing must work together to make the sales process more proactive. Marketing must expand its role to pick up where the consultative salesperson falls short by blending the proactive nature of marketing with the consultative selling approach.

There is a significant change taking shape in business-to-business selling. We are seeing in business the rise of Marketing to supplant Sales' dominance. It is a dramatic and rapid evolution changing the way suppliers and buyers initially contact, interact and then transact business. This requires an interactive dialogue and interaction between buyer and supplier across all channels of communication. Website, blogs, trade shows, sales team, support, customer counsels, social network marketing, and touch points which have yet to be conceived, every touch point must be integrated, consistent and proactive.

This is not the first dramatic shift in business-to-business sales and will not be the last. This approach benefits both parties in a sale by minimizing the interactions required to make a buying decision.

Customer First Perspective for Web content

How do you define good Web content? The push to make all content look as though it came from one person is what used to drive marketing campaigns and make companies rich. However, this created enormous disconnect between the customer and the company. Your customers just aren't into that anymore. They do not want to be condescended to; they're an incredibly sophisticated, increasingly impatient and skeptical audience. They expect to be written to (and understood) by their content providers. What Customers Want: Short lists The ability to search for information easily To offer feedback on what they like and don't like Scannable articles, with bullet-points and images (nothing gratuitous though… only if it serves the content) Humor (they don't want to have to take you, or themselves, all that seriously) Authenticity (phoniness on the Web is as obvious and transparent as that flash content that, come to think of it, seems to have died down…) If you work on Web content and are interested in people and their opinions — and are comfortable with giving up some control — you'll be okay during this transitional time. It's a messy, subjective process.

Jump Start A Partnership

Stand out from the competition by generating more visibility and value with the right partners and methods. When partners serve their mutual market better together everyone wins. At the very least you get introduced to your kind of customers through businesses they already know and trust.

1. Print joint promotional offers on your bills and/or receipts.

2. Offer a reduced price, special service, or convenience if customers buy a minimum amount of services or products from you and your partner. Make a much better offer when they buy a larger amount.

3. Hang signs or posters promoting one another on your walls, windows, or products.

4. Mention one another's benefits when you speak at local events, write articles or are interviewed by the media.

5. Describe the situation where you and your partner's products or services work well together.

6. Pool mailing lists and send out a joint promotional postcard.

7. Promote your partners' products during their slow times, and ask them to do the same for you.

8. Share inexpensive ads in local shopping papers or a nonprofit event program.

9. Give a joint interview, demonstration, or Q & A. session to local media.

10. Put one another's promotional messages on Lucite stands on counters or floor stands in waiting areas.

11. Encourage your staff to mention how your partner's products can be used with yours.

12. Give your partner's product to your customers when they buy a large quantity of your product, and ask your partner to do the same.

Frugal Marketing

We all know that marketing is an important part of any business. It's how we get the word out about our products and services to prospective customers and clients. If we want our businesses to be successful, marketing is not something we can skimp on. Large companies spend millions of dollars on marketing each year to maintain their brands' market share. For most small businesses, there aren't millions of dollars in the entire budget, let alone available for marketing. Some small businesses commit a large portion of their budgets to marketing. They produce elaborate ads and reserve premium ad space, have all sorts of fancy promotional items made, and sponsor lavish events. This helps them gain visibility, and possibly market share, but at what cost? In some cases, profits suffer unnecessarily due to overspending on marketing.

Marketing doesn't have to be that expensive. There are methods of marketing that are costly, and some are even free. These methods may not be as flashy as the ones that cost lots of money, but they can be very effective. And in many cases, they have a much better return on investment. It might take a little time to learn the ropes and make connections, but it can save you a substantial amount of money.

There are plenty of marketing techniques that you can employ at a low cost. But did you know that it's possible to get great results without paying a dime? Publicity is easier to get than you might think. Writing press releases and distributing them can get your business featured in newspapers, and possibly even on the TV news. You might be surprised at the things that the media will find newsworthy about your business. Some of the best topics for press releases include special events, correlations with national news stories, and joint ventures. Marketing might seem impossible when you're on a tight budget, but there are plenty of ways you can reach your target market without breaking the bank. Some methods have no cost except your time. Frugal marketing is alive and well, and it can provide great results for the small business owner.

Following Up is Essential

If you’re an entrepreneur operating and managing your own small business, you have many responsibilities. You are your own secretary, bookkeeper, marketing director, sales person and ‘deal closer’ among other things. Even if you do not like the sales side of things, you have to do it. Part of the sales process that’s too often overlooked is follow up. Consistent follow up can dramatically increase your conversion of leads to paying clients.

Follow up should be started when you first make contact with a new prospect. If you meet someone at a networking event, take some time to make notes on their business card and follow up with them the next day with a handwritten note. Even if this person is not a great lead for you, they may know someone who would be.

5 Tips for Enhancing Sales

Educate your customers. Entrepreneurs whose businesses are ahead of the curve need to help customers understand the value of their products or services.

1. Put prospect identification on the front burner. Keep developing sales leads and cultivating the people or organizations most likely to become your customers.
   
2. Make an offer the customer can't refuse. One professional association offered $250 off on next year's annual conference if members signed up and paid now. Only $50 was not returnable if the member could not actually attend.
   
3. Don't give up. Persistence pays off—as long as it's friendly and helpful and not overbearing.
   
4. Show customers that you are an asset to them. Prove that you can improve their businesses or enhance their lives.
   

Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

Common Sense = Key to Success

Many childhood lessons are applicable to owning and operating a small business. However, it appears that not enough common sense makes its way into business practice. Marketing is about standing out in a flurry of consumer choices. It is about becoming a destination in what has turned out to be a very volatile and recessionary business environment. Marketing is extremely important during a recession. Often, entrepreneurs wait for the world to beat a path to their door. This is the old "mousetrap" approach, based on the belief that if you have a better product, the world will beat a path to your door. But that doesn't apply in the real world. It is important to take your business and your ideas to the world.

In an effort to save money it is easy to try to do everything yourself, and that is where small businesses drop the ball. Larger firms have the resources to delegate tasks to other employees, consultants or subcontractors, while smaller firms do not. The ability to delegate responsibilities to qualified people gives a firm a tremendous advantage. The firm runs more professionally and there is less waste as jobs are done quickly and correctly. What tends to happen in a small business, where the owner does almost everything, is that jobs are not necessarily done well. Sometimes taking shortcuts to save money results in more waste and may even cost more in the long run.

Why do small business owners get themselves into such tough spots? One reason may be their psychological makeup. Entrepreneurs tend to be go-getters who like a challenge and who are not terribly afraid of risk. The entrepreneurial persona does not readily identify limitations, whether personal or professional. When the business idea takes over, common sense may take a back seat. Many entrepreneurs hear negative feedback from family and friends when they tell them about their business plans. Rather than fighting negative feedback, it would be wise to re-examine the business plan.

• Is there room for improvement?
  
• Do others' recommendations ring true?
  
• Do they make sense?
  

Common sense is critical in business. Today's business environment is highly volatile. Small businesses will be pounded by loss of consumer confidence, tighter finances and declining sales. It is time to keep your eye on the ball, and to remember to show up in the marketplace in a decisive and confident way.

60-Second Guide to Building Word-of-Mouth Referrals

Even in today's media-driven world, there is no better form of advertising than word-of-mouth—a personal referral from someone whose opinions others trust and respect. Small business owners are among the biggest beneficiaries of word-of-mouth referrals, as they require no advertising and marketing budget.

While you cannot always control how and when referrals come about, there are many ways to start and sustain a positive buzz about your business. In just 60 seconds, we'll show you how to attract high-value, low-cost word-of-mouth referrals.

0:55 Recruit Cheerleaders
Build a team of supporters for your business—friends, family members and colleagues who routinely talk up your business to their friends and acquaintances. Make sure that they know enough about your qualifications and capabilities to make an accurate and convincing case to others.

0:49 Network, Network, Network
Get involved with professional associations related to your industry or field. You'll get to know experts and colleagues in your specific market. And, they may know of immediate or potential opportunities for your business. Other good networking opportunities include local or regional business associations, Chambers of Commerce and non-profits aligned with your field.

0:34 Capitalize on Your Current Customers
At the conclusion of all successful projects, thank your customers for their support and express your interest in working with them again. Also encourage them to pass along your name to others. If your operating budget can handle it, consider offering discounts for customer referrals.

0:27 Become a Knowledge Source
Take advantage of opportunities to show what you know by offering free presentations or articles on timely issues to business, professional and community organizations and publications. Make sure that your presentation/article is relevant to listeners' interests, not a thinly veiled commercial for your business.

0:20 Keep in Touch
Don't wait for customers to call you. Contact them from time to time to see how things are going, personally and professionally; what issues or trends they're dealing with; and perhaps alert them to an event, article or Web site that may be of interest. Also consider issuing a newsletter to current and prospective clients with relevant news, tips and other information that can help their business, or simply brighten their day.

0:13 Give as Well as Receive
Every small business should have a network of colleagues and associates to call on to handle excess workload, or provide service or experience you may not have. These relationships almost always result in "reciprocal referrals" to you.

0:01 Do a Good Job
There's no better source for a positive referral than a happy customer. And remember that the quality of your service says as much about you as the quality of your work or product. Responsiveness, the ability to help out with tight deadlines, and a willingness to do those all-important "little things" (e.g., working in small jobs for no charge) builds goodwill and a good reputation for your business.

See more 60-Second Guides.
Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

5 Tips on Developing a Marketing Plan

1. Determine specific goals and the time frame in which you want to achieve them. Communicate the goals to your employees.
2. Decide what tools can best help you meet your goals and how they will be used. These can include the Internet, newsletters, direct mail, special events, trade shows, advertising, and more.
3. Come up with a budget that reflects your goals.
4. Delegate responsibility for implementing each segment of the plan.
5. Monitor the results and make adjustments as necessary.

Excerpt from SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

Top 10 Tax Tips for Small and Growing Businesses

From the AllBusiness.com Finance & Accounting Center

Taxes are one of the most important issues facing small and growing businesses. And like a company's profits, its annual tax bill will in part reflect the owner's skills and knowledge. Business owners need to be sure that they are meeting all of their responsibilities to the tax man -- and also seizing every opportunity to reduce their taxes. These tax tips will ensure Uncle Sam is not getting more than his due.

1. Writing It Off: Deductions. Businesses can deduct all "ordinary and necessary" business expenses from their revenues to reduce their taxable income. Some deductions are obvious—expenditures in such areas as business travel, equipment, salaries, or rent. But the rules governing write-offs aren't always simple. Don't overlook these potential deductions:

• Business losses. Business losses can be deducted against a business owner's personal income to reduce taxes. If a business owner's losses exceed personal income for the year, some of the year's business losses can be used to reduce taxable income in future years
  
• Trips that combine business and pleasure. If more than half of a business trip is devoted to business, deduct the traveling costs, as well as other business-related expenses.

2. Employee Taxes. If a business has employees, a variety of taxes will have to be withheld from their salaries. Among them are:

• Withholding. Social Security (FICA), Medicare and federal and state income taxes must be withheld from employees' pay.

• Employer matching. Businesses must match the FICA and Medicare taxes and pay them along with employees.

• Unemployment tax. Businesses must pay federal and state unemployment taxes.
  

3. Quarterly Estimated. This area trips up many an entrepreneur and is especially vexing for home-based businesses. Failure to keep up with estimated tax bills can create cash flow problems as well as the potential for punishing IRS penalties. Among the issues are:

• Who should pay? A business probably must pay quarterly estimated taxes if the total tax bill in a given year will exceed $500.

• How much should you pay? By the end of the year, either 90 percent of the tax that is owed or 100 percent of last year's tax must be paid (the figure is 110 percent if a business's income exceeds $150,000). Businesses can subtract their expenses from their income each quarter and apply their income tax rate (and any self-employment tax rate) to the resulting figure (their quarterly profit).

4. Sales Taxes. Most services remain exempt from sales tax, but most products are taxable (typical exceptions are food and drugs). If a business owner sells a product or service that is subject to sales tax, he or she must register with the state's tax department. Then taxable and nontaxable sales must be tracked and included on the company's sales tax return

• Having what is considered a "presence" in a state is the criteria used by the IRS to determine whether or not you are liable for paying state sales tax.

• If you do not have a physical presence in another state, but sell items via the Internet or by catalog in that state, you can be subject to a state’s "use tax," but typically not to their state sales tax. A "presence" in another state does not necessarily mean that you have a retail outlet in that state. If you have an office, warehouse, or employees working for you in that state, the IRS may consider you to have a presence in that state. Make sure you are aware of your sales tax responsibilities in all states in which you are doing business.

5. Keep Tax Documents for at Least Seven Years. Good record keeping saves money. Some things like copies of business tax returns, licenses, incorporation papers, and capital equipment expenses should be preserved indefinitely. Keep any tax-related documents (e.g., expense receipts, client 1099 forms, and vehicle mileage logs) for a minimum of seven years.

6. Charitable Contributions. Unless your business is a C corporation, charitable contributions typically "flow through" the business and are claimed as deductions on the individual tax returns of the shareholders of the company. That's true whether you're running a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability corporation, or S corporation.

• If you want to get the maximum tax benefits, you should know these basic rules:

• Contributions of more than $250 require a letter of receipt from the qualified organization. For contributions of less than $250, a canceled check is sufficient.




• In general, donations of property can be deducted for their fair market value at the time of the contribution. You cannot deduct a contribution that has already been written off as a depreciated asset.




• You cannot deduct the value of time or services that you volunteer.




• You cannot deduct the part of a contribution that benefits you. If you receive a gift in exchange for a charitable donation, for example, you can deduct only the amount of the contribution that exceeds the value of the gift.




• In general, you can deduct contributions only in the year you make them. Pledged contributions cannot be deducted until they are actually paid.

7. Important Tax Deadlines for Businesses. April 15 isn't the only important tax date for business owners. The following dates are important to keep in mind:

• Annual returns. Most annual returns are due April 15 for unincorporated companies and S corporations. C corporations must file annual corporate returns within two-and-a-half months after the close of their fiscal year.





• Estimated taxes. Estimated taxes are due four times a year: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15.




• Sales taxes. Sales taxes are due quarterly or monthly, depending on the rules in your state.




• Employee taxes. Depending on the size of your payroll, employee taxes are due weekly, monthly or quarterly.

8. Deducting Loans. Most business loans are not considered business income. One notable exception is a situation in which you negotiate with a creditor or lender to reduce your debt. If any debt is forgiven, you will owe taxes on this amount. On the other hand, business loans can offer substantial tax benefits. The principal and interest you pay on your loan are business expenses, and you can deduct them from your taxes as such. In order to take advantage of a tax deduction, you must report the total amount of the loan, and the assets and expenditures financed must be necessary to operating the business.

9. Tax Audits. The very thought of an IRS audit is enough to make most business owners break into a cold sweat. But not all audits are created alike: There are several different types of tax audits, ranging from simple requests for a particular piece of information to comprehensive reviews that cover every aspect of a business.

• Correspondence Audit This is a relatively simple procedure in which the IRS asks you to document an item on your return by a specified date. This is usually a routine test for compliance with certain items on your return.




• Office Audit The IRS may ask you to report to a nearby IRS office and document one or more items on your return. You may be able to send them copies of this proof in advance of the appointment and resolve the issue without actually going to the office.




• Field Audit This is the audit most people dread. The IRS will ask you to provide documentation of various items on your return and to meet with an IRS agent for a thorough review of your records. Be prepared to answer the auditor’s questions, but don’t volunteer information.




• Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program Audit This rather lengthy and detailed audit asks you to document and prove every single item in your return. The IRS and Congress use the data from these audits for research and statistical purposes. These audits are arbitrary, and anyone can face them regardless of how carefully they prepare their tax returns.




• Criminal-Investigation Audit If you are suspected of tax evasion, the IRS will conduct a criminal-investigation audit. If they prove that you have purposefully not paid your income taxes, you can face substantial fines and even jail time. Obviously, you should retain qualified legal counsel if you face this type of audit.

10. The IRS. The IRS small business Web site provides a wealth of information to small and growing businesses. There's a section for businesses getting off the ground that includes a handing checklist and advice on choosing business structure. It's particularly helpful on important topics such as employee taxes and business tax deductions. In addition, it has a list of small business resources with links to other government resources for small businesses.

Find business tax information and other finance and accounting tips at AllBusiness.com. AllBusiness.com is a leading provider of practical information and services for growing businesses. Copyright 2006 AllBusiness, Inc.

5 Tips on Advertising Basics

1. Be consistent in your ad message and style including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, invoices, signs and banners.
2. Newspapers, radio and TV stations are helpful in producing the advertising that you will be running with them.
3. While word-of-mouth advertising has been around a long time, it usually falls short of being able to attract the number of customers needed to be successful in business.
4. Promote benefits rather than features. A benefit is the emotional satisfaction your product or service provides, or a tangible performance characteristic.
5. Know your competitors. Knowing everything about your competitors is just as important as knowing everything about your own business.

Excerpt from SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

Variety is the Key to Marketing

Many companies are perfectly aware of the fact that they need to have a nice amount of variety in their marketing, but knowing that and putting it to good use aren't always the same thing. There's a little test I think most companies should do, where they look at their marketing and they ask themselves how much of their marketing is focused in one area or another. Take the exact types of advertisements you create, and figure out what percentage of your marketing is dedicated to each.

The best kinds of marketing campaigns are the ones that never rely too heavily on one type or another. The first thing to consider is that you need to keep up a constant marketing stream. Any pause in marketing might have a big impact on your sales and hurt your company in the long run. That's why each marketing campaign should flow easily into the next.

The right type of marketing for the right occasion changes quite a bit and anyone who has been around long enough should know that. The more variety you naturally have to your marketing the better positioned you are to take advantage of any shifts in the marketplace quickly. Never allow a single type of marketing to dominate everything you do. Variety is the name of the game. Make sure you have the right amount of variety for your marketing.

Down Economy = Marketing Scrutiny

Deeper understanding of customers is essential in a down economy. Ideally, marketers have been building this knowledge and segmenting customers along the way. Starting during the downturn can be a challenge when budgets are tight. Businesses with a strong balance sheet are likely to have more marketing flexibility during tough times. The impact of decreased spending and tanking consumer confidence is being felt by companies across the board. Often, none feel it more strongly than the marketers within those small businesses. Now is the time for marketers to prove their value by demonstrating the revenue-generating potential of their job. The knee-jerk response to shrinking sales is to focus on growth through customer acquisition. But you must concentrate on understanding and keeping your current customers.

Understand your customers
Marketers must look at their customers in a new light as they begin to tighten their belts. That means understanding what customers expect and what is important to them in a slowdown. Don't assume your previous customer insights hold true, as economic challenges can change consumer views dramatically. Focus research investments more on customer behavior and tracking tools and less on branding. Create and disseminate engaging and relevant messages based on a solid understanding of customers' preferences, needs and behaviors.

Concentrate on current customers
During a slowdown, it is smart to generate more value from current customers than to pursue new ones. In tough economic conditions, customers also feel vulnerable and are more likely to stay with a company than make a switch. Capitalize on the trust and goodwill that you've created with existing customers and find ways to help them navigate the slowdown. That's a strategy that will build both business and loyalty.

Analyze and segment
Customer profiling, clustering and value models are essential to identifying which customers spend the most, learning how to lift sales and detecting high-value customers showing signs of diminishing value. New behaviors are sure to emerge during a slowdown. Proactively assess and respond to them.

Knowing who to market to is often overlooked when marketers are forced to focus on just scrapping up enough resources to market to anyone. By focusing on these steps for gaining better customer understanding marketers can demonstrate their value as an asset with the potential to help any business ride out even the lowest of economic tides.

5 Tips on Getting to Know Your Customers

1. Determine what you need to know. For example, what do they like or dislike about your product or service? How do they feel about the way your company handles complaints? Are they repeat customers? Why or why not?
2. Use one or more survey methods to measure customer satisfaction, such as direct mail, telephone calls, or focus groups (groups of 6-10 people who share their ideas about your product or service).
3. Hire an outside market research firm to develop questions and interpret findings, unless you have an experienced person in-house.
4. Have employees keep ongoing written records of customer compliments and complaints. Review these at staff meetings.
5. Once you know what your customers want, make the adjustments and improvements necessary to keep them coming back.

Extracted from SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."

Making your trade show experience green

As a small business you must do everything you can to stand out among the best. Showing that you care about the environment give you a competitive advantage. One way to do this is to make sure you show you are committed when planning your trade show presence. Consumer and industry trade shows are now “greening” themselves. The shows make it known that they are environmentally friendly through marketing, promotions, publicity and often advertising. It only makes sense that you make your customers aware of your eco-friendly practices, too.

Booth

Remember bigger is not necessarily better, especially when you consider the environment— your natural strategic partner. Your booth is your calling card. It either draws people in or repels them. When you consider how you want to best represent your brand (your company, products and services), you need to keep it simple. Since consumers are not as familiar as you think about what constitutes a green product, it’s better to keep things as straightforward as possible. Just show them what your green features are, then tell them why they are important—the story behind it and what’s in it for them. This same strategy can be applied to most any part of your show experience.

Marketing

How you market is equally as important as what you say in your marketing pieces. You can say all you want, but your actions always speak louder than your words. To successfully market green, you need to consider:

• How will you make your brand known without too much waste?·
• How will you make consumers aware that you are keeping the environment in mind when marketing?·
• How will you package your information?·
• How will you drive potential customers to your booth in the most environmentally friendly fashion while being true to your brand?

Take the time know to really green your trade show practices and rise above those just claiming to be green. Consumers know the difference. You can’t fool them.

By Russell Irby, Tradeshow Director and Consultant

Five Ways to Blow Your Trade Show Budget

Trade shows are a great way to connect with current and potential clients, but unless you know what you are doing, it can be an budget disaster. Here are five simple and correctable problems:


1. Always read the Exhibitor Manual

Never ever pass it along to someone else to fill in and send out, because you will never know what is in the package. Do you know the drayage rate, the electrician rules, the shipping time frame? If you don’t know, you are wasting your money because you do not know when you are paying fair value or being overcharged, when to complain legitimately, and when to just walk away.

2. Never wait until you are there

Floor prices are your penalties for not thinking ahead. If it costs you $200 to contract before the show when you fill out the forms in the Exhibitor Manual, it may cost you $300-$400 when you walk onto the floor and decide... now I want carpet cleaning, extra electrical or another service.

3. Know the Show Rules

Think you can just build your exhibit yourself? Sorry the Fire Marshal says take it down. Fire codes are local to the exhibit city. Grab fabric, load the exhibit space with literature, etc.? See the Fire Marshal. Hang your own sign or lights? See the local unions or labor force. It will cost you floor prices – or taking down your whole exhibit if you do not know the rules of the show.

4. Staff the booth properly

The wrong staff will send the wrong message. Trade shows are unique and unless there is a clear definition of your purpose at the show, and you have matched the staff to your expectations and the expectations of attendees, it can be a big waste of money.

5. Do not ignore pre-show promos

YOU will be at the show but have you told anyone else? How about your clients, prospects, folks you met at last year’s show, folks you want to do business with? It is so much easier to attract attention before the event than after the show... so let them know you will be there and what you can do for them at the show, as well as after the show.

Take it from me...correcting just one of these can save money. Correcting all five can provide substantial savings.

By Russell Irby, Tradeshow Director and Consultant

E-mail me for more information

Promoting Your Business on YouTube

No matter what kind of business you have, its success depends on two things: It must serve a need, and you must find customers. Most new businesses fail simply because the right people never heard about them. And this is the paradox for entrepreneurs: People aren't paying attention to traditional marketing and advertising anymore. But free advertising is alive and well. Whatever you want to call it --- buzz, word of mouth, peer-to-peer or viral marketing -- you can't just manufacture it. You must earn it -- by engaging your target market.

YouTube is nothing less than an online video phenomenon and if you aren't already using it as a tool to promote yourself or your online content, you should really give it some thought. YouTube is a video sharing community website owned by Google that offers a unique way to promote your business on the web. You should be tapping into the huge and ever-growing YouTube community, which can virally spread the word about your products and services, ultimately driving traffic back to your website. Here are some tips to using YouTube to promote your business:

1. The first thing you need to do, if you haven't already, is to create your own YouTube Channel. This is your first step towards becoming a video creator.
2. Video Contests. At its core, YouTube is a huge video contest to see who can garner the most video views. Thus, a logical and proven campaign strategy is to channel the YouTube community’s natural posting and viewing behaviors by sponsoring a contest. To maximize your investment, use the contest by seeking media coverage. And don’t forget to promote the contest on your Web site or micro-site.
3. YouTube and Events. Make your company the most talked-about exhibitor at events by using YouTube.
   

Internet social networks allow entrepreneurs to build their business one customer at a time. It's the same as having a "street team" pounding the pavement for you. When you're successful, your loyal customers begin spreading the word for you, generating true word of mouth.

Marketing the Easy Way in 10 Minutes a Day

Marketing a small business is one of the most difficult activities any entrepreneur will face. It's full of challenges and obstacles that demand preparation, dedication and determination to win the game. It's just like playing football - success will ultimately be determined by your commitment to win and your desire to compete. Are you eager to find a simple way to add new clients but already busy and struggle to find blocks of free time to "do marketing." The key is to keep your intention of wanting to do marketing in the top of your mind. Look for opportunities during the day to follow a few of these marketing tips.

1. Talk to new clients. Ask the clients how they found you. Perhaps a friend referred them. Then underscore that you build your business on referrals. Send the referrer a note thanking him or her for the referral.
   
2. Have a standard note that you write for this therefore it can be done in less than 5 minutes. The note is another way to stay top of mind with the referrer.
3. Make it a game to see how many times a day you can seamlessly add a request for a referral to your conversation! Whether it is another professional or a current client, look for an appropriate time in the conversation to make this request. You want the request to be natural not pushy.
4. Slip in a success story or respond to a compliment with, "If you ever come across someone with a similar issue, I would value a referral from you.
5. Use email or LinkedIn to connect to a former client, a school classmate or professor or a business acquaintance. A short email lets them know you were thinking of them and is a great way to get them to think about you!

Over the years that you have been in business I am sure you have done some or all of these. The point is to do them consistently week after week. By staying connected to your network and asking for referrals your practice will grow effortlessly!

Michelle Clark, PMP
Amici Communications

Using Social Networking Sites to Boost Business

You are probably well aware that social media marketing is a fast-growing phenomena , tapping into the rising influence of communities such as blogs, wikis, and networking sites. I highly recommend small business owners to take advantage of this medium to create low-cost buzz about you and your business. If you join these active communities, you can build relationships and promote your products and expertise. Social networking online community sites bring millions of people of various origins and interests together. It can be considered an alternate community especially for people who spend most of their times in front of their PCs, either for recreation, business, or whatever purpose they have.

How?

1. Join a professional networking site. You must be committed to market and you work the community or you will get nothing in return. Some examples are LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, and Facebook.

2. Become a commentator on a well-trafficked blog in your industry or field. Get familiar with a few blogs compatible with your business. Visit your industry or professional associations and trade journals to see what they offer. Get up-to-speed on the blog's tone, issues, and attitudes before you engage and don't be surprised when you start generating reactions.

3. Contribute to a community whose members could be your potential customers. Check the comments, forums, and profiles of a community, you can determine member interests, locations, and a rough sense of demographics. Once you've identified a community that matches your preferred customer, there are a number of ways to get noticed.

4. Launch a blog. The first impression is everything. Connect with your readers through an about page and welcome message. One of the best ways to make a lasting impact is to connect on a personal level with your readers. That means letting them know who you are.

5. Create a viral video campaign. Online videos are cheaper and easy to create and upload. Try producing a two or three minute video that dramatizes or explains your online site or your market niche and yourself. Then upload the video to MSN, YouTube, or other video communities to drive traffic to your Web site.If you link the videos to community pages on social bookmarking sites, you create a little network that search engines will find. Soon you will get more referred traffic and, potentially, more customers.

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Join in groups and forum discussions. Share your knowledge and pick some business information along the way. You can smoothly introduce your products or services to your fellow members during discussions by citing an anecdote relating to your products or the advantages that people can get from them. Upload tutorial videos, if you have any, and provide a link to your website.

Michelle Clark, PMP

Chief Marketing Officer

Amici Communications

Making the Most of Trade Shows

Tradeshows... Most small business owners either love them or avoid them altogether. Even if your firm is not exhibiting, attending tradeshows is a great marketing opportunity for your firm. Under the right circumstances, a tradeshow could be the most important event you attend all year.

One of the biggest misconceptions about tradeshows is that you have to be an exhibitor to make them worthwhile. In fact, tradeshows present unique opportunities for business owners to interact with industry insiders including vendors, other owners, and even potential clients. If you want to host an exhibit, a tradeshow is the perfect place to do it. But if you don't, you can still get benefits from your tradeshow experience.

How…

Set Goals: The best way to fall short of your tradeshow goals is to not set goals in the first place. Before you get your heart set on a specific tradeshow, take a few minutes to consider what you hope to accomplish. If you want to introduce a new line of products into the marketplace, then a tradeshow catering to consumers is the way to go. However, if you want to get current on current technology, a tradeshow catering to industry insiders is probably a better option.

Be Selective: Depending on the size of the tradeshow, you might not have time to visit all of the exhibitions. If that's the case, you need to prioritize your time to make sure you see the booths that are most important to you. At the top of your list should be booths hosted by companies that are similar to yours. It might be the best opportunity you have to check out your competition.

Get Educated: Many tradeshows offer seminars, training sessions, and addresses by industry insiders. Take advantage of these opportunities to educate yourself about current events in the field and marketplace trends. Since some tradeshows offer training on new equipment and processes, you may even want to consider bringing a few key employees along for the ride.

Create Networks: Networking alone is a good enough reason to attend at least one tradeshow a year. Where else are going to find so many people interested in your type of business under one roof? Although passing out business cards is okay, you'll achieve better results by targeting and reaching out to individuals who are actually capable of helping your company meet its goals.

Build Relationships: One of the reasons people attend tradeshows is that they provide opportunities for travel and fun. But while you are having a good time, you can also be giving your company a leg up by building new relationships and strengthening old ones. So instead of feeling guilty about enjoying a little downtime, relax, kick back, and solidify your industry connections.

By Russell Irby, Tradeshow Director and Consultant

E-mail me for more information

Extraordinary Business Success Comes From Within

If you are a growing small business looking to obtain and retain top talent read the tip below to develop a high performing organization.

1. Create the best. To achieve the extraordinary, you need extraordinary people. Creating them involves three stages: locate and recruit volunteers, screen and select the cream of candidates, train and motivate for excellence.
2. Dare the impossible. Give your employees demanding, high-impact jobs and the results will blow you away. Give them anything less and not only will your resources be wasted, but your employees will soon be off seeking challenges somewhere else.
3. Throw the rule book away. High impact performers thrive on innovation. As the chief innovator, you need to stay alert to opportunities and threats in your environment, encourage a shared vision with clear goals, develop a tolerance for the unusual and bizarre and reward bold ideas that work.
4. Be where the action is. A true leader leads from the front. As a leader you must share the risks, the hardships and the defeats as well as the victories.
5. Commit and require total commitment. If you are totally committed to a project or purpose, your employees will follow you, regardless of the sacrifices. Communicate face-to-face, make commitments public and don’t stop when the going gets rough.
6. Demand tough discipline. If you want your organization to succeed, you have to help your employees develop self-discipline. Set the example by obeying rules from above.
7. Inspire others to follow your vision. As a leader, you must first have a clear vision of where you want your organization to go and what you want it to be, and then make it compelling and meaningful to others. Promote your vision with a motto and other tools.
8. Accept full blame; give full credit. You can delegate authority, but not responsibility. Hold your employees accountable for their failures, but don't leave them holding the bag. When your employees prevail, give them credit for the victory—completely, unselfishly and publicly.
9. Take charge! To be the kind of leader that employees will respect and follow, you must dominate the situations right from the outset, establish your objectives early in the game, communicate with their team, act boldly and decisively, lead by example and follow your instincts.

Adapted from Secrets of Special OPs Leadership: Dare the Impossible—Achieve the Extraordinary by William A. Cohen.

Keeping Your Business Afloat in a Bad Economy

Do scenarios like those sound familiar?

The prospect who seemed excited about your product last month is stalling this month. Another company says they want to buy from you, but want you to cut your price in half. Then you found out your biggest client is going to start using an overseas company to do the work they had been outsourcing to you.

Here are a few tips to consider:

Reinvent your business

The smaller and leaner your business already is, the faster you can shift gears and get back into action. Take a hard look at your strengths and weaknesses and possible markets. If you're not selling online, why aren't you? Don't guess…analyze your existing sales and talk to prospects. What do they need? What can you provide? What's the best way to deliver solutions to them? What's going to bring in the most profit? Revise your business plan based on your answers and then start to work your plan.

Contact former customers

Don't assume that a customer who stopped buying from you in the past will never buy from you again. Customers' needs and circumstances change, just as yours do. The customer who went with a lower-priced competitor may be dissatisfied with the quality or service and be receptive to a call from you today.

Call former prospects

The bigger a business, the slower they are to move. The project that was put on indefinite hold last quarter may become urgent now. Touch base periodically. The more recently you've contacted a client, the more likely they'll be to remember your name and number when they are ready to buy.

Contact competitors of present or former customers

If a company needs what you sell, there's a good chance their competitors do too. Industry groups you belong to, trade shows, seminars, and friends in the industry can all help you identify likely prospects.

Sell additional products and services to existing customers

Often the easiest way to bring in new business is to sell more to your existing customers. You may be able to sell more of the same product to the same contact, or sell the same product to a different division of the company. Keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities and be sure your customers are aware of all of your capabilities.

What’s Your Business EQ (Etiquette Quotient)?

Test your workplace manners with this “Busiquiz” to see just how fast you will be “smoothing” your way up the ladder of success.

Read each statement and write down “true” or “false” for each. Then check the answers below to gauge your climb.

The Quiz

1. When shaking hands in business, a man should wait for a woman to extend her hand before offering his.
2. When introducing business people, say the name of the most important or senior person first.
3. When talking on the phone, your tone of voice counts more than your words.
4. The first place to go when you arrive at a business/social function is the bar.
5. Women may remain seated to shake hands in business.
6. Business casual means dressing down one notch from business professional.
7. You should always use a subject header when sending an e-mail message.
8. The guest decides when to start talking business during the meal.
9. If the information on your business card is incorrect, draw a line through it and write the correct information on the card.
10. If you can’t remember someone’s name, don’t attempt an introduction.
11. Handwritten notes are out of place in the business world.
12. Name badges are worn on the right shoulder.
13. A woman’s handbag, if small, may be placed on the boardroom table.
14. Small talk is not appropriate in a business environment.
15. In today’s relaxed business environment, it is not necessary to ask your clients’ permission before using their first names.

Grade Yourself

1. False. It is no longer necessary for a man to wait for a woman to extend her hand. In business, everybody shakes hands regardless of gender or age.
2. True. Always say the name of the most important person first or the name of the person you wish to honor. Follow that with “I’d like to introduce...” or “I’d like to introduce you to...”.
   
3. True. Studies show that 70% of your message is conveyed by your tone of voice and 30% by your actual words. It’s not what you say but the way you say it that counts.
   
4. False. No matter how hard your day was, resist the urge to go straight to the bar. After all, these business/social functions are more about business than eating and drinking.
   
5. False. A woman who remains seated to shake hands in business appears to lack confidence. She sends a message that she is not as important as the people who are standing.
   
6. True. Business casual did not start out as an excuse to wear your favorite old clothes to the office. It is still business, and you should always look professional.
   
7. True. Why would anyone want to open an e- mail message with “no subject”? You always want to give the recipient a reason to read your message.
   
8. False. The host is the one who decides when to end the small talk and get down to business. As a rule, the business discussion begins after everyone has ordered so the conversation will not be interrupted.
   
9. False. Have new cards printed as soon as possible. Handing out outdated business cards sends a poor message.
   
10. False. Always make the introduction. Everyone notices when you try to avoid it and will suspect that you can’t remember the other person’s name anyway. The best thing to do in this situation is to confess your loss of memory, beg forgiveness, and ask for the person’s name.
    
11. False. Handwritten notes are very impressive. They give the idea that you went to extra effort, whether this is true or not.
    
12. True. The right side is the correct side. Since you shake hands with your right hand, the eye naturally travels to the right shoulder.
    
13. False. The only objects that belong on the boardroom table are those that are necessary for the meeting.
    
14. False. Small talk is the basis for building and maintaining relationships in business.
    
15. False. While most people prefer to be called by their first name, use titles and last names until you are told otherwise.

What’s Your Score?

• Give yourself one point for each correct answer. If your score is 13 points or higher, you are speeding up the ladder of success.
• If you earned between 9 and 12 points, you’ll most likely make it to the top.
• If you scored 8 or below, chances are that you can climb the ladder, but you won’t make it all the way to the top.

Adapted from Lydia Ramsey a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, and corporate trainer. She is the author of Manners That Sell—Adding the Polish That Builds Profits.

E-Mail Overload... Not Anymore

Use e-mail as a tool for clear, efficient and compliant communication. E-mail offers numerous opportunities for employees to deliver their organization’s message—and it presents many challenges to clear communication. More and more people just can’t keep up with e-mail. Do not let this happen to you. Get a grip on the problem before it is too late.

Slash the number of new messages

Everyone is at the mercy of time...and too much time is wasted going through unwanted e-mails. Your first goal is to reduce the amount of incoming e-mail. So cancel subscriptions to unwanted mailing lists. The messages become a nuisance if you don’t have time to read them. A good spam filter reduces the amount of spam reaching your inbox.


Take advantage of subject lines

Subject lines should relate to the body of the e-mail. So be as descriptive as possible. Subject lines that say things like "question" or "hello" should be avoided. Recipients won’t know what the message is about. If you have a one-line e-mail, put it in the subject line. This will save you and the recipient valuable time.

When possible, create a set of codes with your co-workers. Placed in the subject line, codes help you process and prioritize messages. For example, use "FYI" for informational messages. Use "AR" for action required and "URG" for urgent messages.

Forwarding and copying

Be courteous when forwarding an e-mail. Summarize the message and say why you’re forwarding it. This is particularly helpful if the e-mail contains several messages.

Don’t copy someone on a message unless it is necessary. And explain why you’re copying them. Recipients won’t need to guess your intentions. This means less back and forth messages.

Respond appropriately

Not all e-mail requires a response. If you receive an e-mail addressed to several people, you may not need to respond. If a response it required, it may not need to go to everybody. Be succinct; restrict your messages to a few sentences. If you can’t, pick up the phone or talk in person.


Be disciplined

Avoid the temptation to check your e-mail every few minutes. Check it every hour on the hour for important messages. If you can go longer, do so. Of course, this might not be feasible in some work environments. Set time aside each morning and evening to process your inbox. When you’re done, it should be completely empty. File messages you need to keep. Set reminders for messages that require you to follow up.

Respond to messages immediately, so you only read them once. There is an exception to this rule. If emotions might govern your response, give yourself a cooling-down period.

Adapted from The Kim Komando Show

Optimize Your Network & Support Team

In a headwind economy it is vital to keep costs down without sacrificing the reliability and performance of your IT infrastructure. I have found that many of the small business clients that we work with are not using their technology investment to it's full potential. Given the chance to review workflow and business processes we are often amazed by the ease of discovering ways to leverage existing technology to benefit clients far beyond the cost of the service provider. It is very rewarding to contribute to the success of a small business that is facing challenges in this economy!

Small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) can't afford the loss of man-hours or revenue due to their network and critical systems going down. You do not have to go without the benefits of having the IT infrastructure and support that larger companies enjoy. Consider hiring a Microsoft Small Business Specialist to review your network and recommend infrastructure optimizations. You may be able to leverage your existing technology investment to reduce other costs. Be sure you hire the most reputable person you can find and the return on your investment will be easy to measure.

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If you are in the Maryland/DC area Real Computer Solutions president Ashot "Vinni" Mirzaians M.C.P., GSEC and his team have provided our clients a tremendous amount of support at reasonable cost.


Michelle Clark, PMP
Chief Marketing Officer
Amici Communications