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Career Planning Starts with Self-Assessment
One of the biggest mistakes that individuals make in their careers is to go aimlessly through school or work in an entry-level position with no clear direction (goals). They wait until the homestretch — graduation, layoff, or departure — before...
Creativity is King in Small Business
In my last article, “The Reality of Buying Wholesale,” we looked at some of the controls that the largest companies in the consumer goods market place on their distribution channels. As we learned, some of these companies make it impossible for the...
Do the People in Your Organisation Dress For Success?
What really amazes me, with all the personal and professional development seminars people attend, from executives in corporate world, business owners and employees alike, very little investment has been made into the way they look ... personal...
I Can't Afford A PR/Publicity Campaign -- Can I?
It’s a phrase I hear over and over again from many entrepreneurs, small businesses owners and inventors: “I’d love to hire someone to launch our publicity campaign professionally, but we can’t afford it, so I’m just going to have to do it on my...
Why Americans Find Predatory Lending Offensive
"Menis - the author translates as "indignant rage" - It is the kind of rage arising from social betrayal that impairs a person's dignity through violation of "what's right." (p21), Achilles In Viet Nam - Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character,...
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Four Ways To Make Your Small Business Appear Big
Are you running your business on a shoestring budget? Are you
constantly asking yourself, "How can I compete with "big"
businesses when I'm barely keeping my head above water?" The
solution is easier than you may think: Change your clients' and
prospects' perception of your business by using these four
simple techniques:
Business cards - Your business card is one of your most
important marketing tools. Oftentimes, you may not have the
money to buy expensive business cards and settle for free
business cards that sometimes include the manufacturer's
marketing information on the back. Although these cards are free
(not really because you pay for shipping), they give clients and
prospects one perception of your business: CHEAP! There
are many online business card printers such as Professor Print
(www.professorprint.com) and 48 Hour Print
()www.48hourprint.com) that provide quality
cards at an affordable price that can enhance your company's
image.
Email - As you design your company's marketing materials,
be sure to include your company's email address along with other
pertinent information. Due to cost or lack of knowledge, you may
opt to use a free email account such as Hotmail, Yahoo!Mail, or
your ISP's email account. Although this may save you money, it
labels your business as small and untrustworthy. Invest in a
truly unique email account from providers such as GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com) to establish your
company's
identity and brand (ie. yourname@yourcompanyname.com).
Attire - Your first impression is a lasting impression.
Whenever you attend business-related functions, always strive to
be the best-dressed professional at the event. Not only does
this boost your confidence and self-esteem but also helps to
establish your credibility and your company's credibility in the
eyes of others. Believe it or not, it only takes five to ten
seconds for people to form an opinion about you before you have
said a word. You never get a second chance to make a first
impression.
Website - In this day and age, every business, small or
large, needs a website. Clients and prospects expect you to have
a website where they can find out more about your company's
products and services. By having a professional and informative
website, clients and prospects will be unable to distinguish
your small business from your big business counterparts.
Take an assessment of your company using the above four
techniques. Make the commitment to improve problem areas. If you
follow these simple techniques, you can transform your company's
image from small to big.
About the author:
Lisa Sims is the President/CEO of The IT Mechanic, a
technology consulting company that provides website design,
software development, and software evaluations for
organizations. She is also the founder of The Business
Professionals Network. For additional information, please visit
www.theitmechanic.com
or www.bpronetwork.com.
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| United States Small Business Administration |
| An electronic gateway of procurement information for and about small businesses. Search engine for contracting officers, marketing tool for small firms, ... |
| www.sba.gov |
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| SBA |
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| www.sba.gov |
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| Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
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| www.smallbusiness.com |
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| www.smallbusiness.gov.au |
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| Business & Small Business |
| Online and print small business publication. Information to help start, grow or manage a small business. |
| www.entrepreneur.com |
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| Microsoft Small Business Center |
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| SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" |
| A nonprofit association dedicated to encouraging the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide through counseling and mentor programs. |
| www.score.org |
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| Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource |
| IR-2006-2, January 3, 2006 - Temporary and proposed regulations will significantly reduce tax filing burden for nearly 950000 small business owners. ... |
| www.irs.gov |
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| Welcome to Small Business BC your business resource in British ... |
| BC Business Services offers assistance and resources for those running or starting a business in British Columbia and Vancouver. |
| www.smallbusinessbc.ca |
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| Small Business Service | Home |
| Provides information and advice to help small businesses realise their potential. |
| www.sbs.gov.uk |
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| NSW Small Business |
| A site developed by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development for small businesses. Topics include management, resources, current issues and ... |
| www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au |
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| Business Management & Advice: Small Business Resources & Information |
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| Small Business Funding Opportunities (SBIR and STTR) |
| Links to Small Business Funding Opportunities and SBIR / STTR Applications. |
| grants.nih.gov |
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| Microsoft bCentral Small Business Directory |
| Directory categorized by industry with company business card feature. |
| sbd.bcentral.com |
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| Our site has moved! Please update your bookmarks! |
| Facilitates the sharing and exchange of information among small business development centers, the small business administration and other business-oriented ... |
| sbdcnet.utsa.edu |
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| Small Business Development Corporation |
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