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Costing At No Cost
Cost estimation is always a crucial topic in many industries. For converters, it may be one of the keys to success… or to failure. The estimation comes into play for several reasons: to prepare production budgets, for cost management and to...
Does Your Small Business Really Need a Website?
Before you spend any money on a Web site ask yourself these questions. The answers will help you understand first, if you need a Web site, and second, how a site can enhance your business.
Do you really need a Web site for your small business?...
Getting Your Employees' Attention Back to Work
It is 9:00 am on a Monday morning. Do you know where your employees’ attention is? Is it on work?
Picture this. You are at work. The phone rings. It is your aging father’s neighbor calling to say that Dad is walking around outside in his...
How To Build a Profitable Business
It’s never too soon to start saying thanks to your clients, vendors and referral sources for what they contribute to your business. Everyone loves to be appreciated and acknowledged, so start now and do something every month.
Keep in contact...
XBRL - A Small Cap Advantage
INTRODUCTION
Recent revelations of shady accounting practices have fueled investor demand for more transparency in corporate reporting. New regulatory rules such as Sarbanes-Oxley are also driving the need for faster and more accurate reporting of...
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How Any Small Business Can Boost Profits Online - Even When ALL Your Customers Are Local
I talk to many local business owners here in my little hometown that tell me they want a website. When I ask why, they generally say something like, "Well, I just think we need one. Most businesses have them now."
But realistically, if you operate a local dry cleaner, restaurant, pet shop, hair salon, lawn service insurance agency, dental or law office, why should you have your own website when all your customers/clients are from the community?
There's only one reason. TO INCREASE SALES!
If that's not your goal, then don't waste your time, or your money, getting a website for your business. Period.
So how does your business make money on the global information highway when you only have local customers? Here are five easy, fool-proof strategies that will help make it happen.
Strategy #1: Get your own domain.
Just like your retail space or business office, you need to have your own "cyber real estate" to do business online. So you must own your own domain. Register the name of your business or come as close as you can if the exact name is already taken. Either way, make sure the domain name is simple, fairly short (2 or 3 words), and easy to remember. With your own domain, you can edit content and keep your site up to date, developing it from empty "land" to your own client-centered "branch location."
Strategy #2: Use professional web design assistance.
Do you feel comfortable doing what's necessary to produce a superior, professional, eye-catching website design? I didn't think so! Then why would you even consider designing your own website? And worse yet, you can't trust your web design to the lady down the street, to a college kid, or to your brother-in-law! Professional design is a necessity if you want to profit online, so don't skimp.
Strategy #3: Grow your email list to EXPLODE sales!
What if you could reach every customer or prospect you get with the touch of a button and for a minimal cost? You can. Your website must have a listserver to make consistent sales. With a listserver, you can build a huge list of email addresses for people interested in your products and
services and send unlimited non-spam messages to them.
The faster your list grows, the more people you'll have getting your messages and responding to your offers with REAL sales. So do WHATEVER you can to capture a prospect's email address - at the checkout counter, over the telephone, through all your printed materials, anywhere and everywhere you can.
Strategy #4: Market to your list(s) early and often!
Businesses that are making money online are doing so because they are 1) building their email list(s) and 2) using their listserver to deliver regular messages to it.
These messages can be: * a company newsletter * updates on your products and services * helpful hints and case studies, so that customers get more value from what they buy * contests, special event announcements, promotions, etc. * specials, sales, offers, discount coupons, etc.
Strategy #5: Automate your follow-up with prospects.
You make money in business with follow-up, by getting in touch with your prospects again and again and again, until they buy. The Sales Manager software enables you to do just that, by giving you the technology you need to send up to 25 automated, personalized follow-up messages within a 90-day period. Now, automatically, you will have a follow-up system working for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, contacting the prospects you otherwise would have neglected and lost.
BONUS Strategy: Send automated reminders for meetings and appointments, and to renew sales.
Include reminder service software with your website if it fits your business. You can easily send automated email reminders for appointments in a professional practice, when you have meetings with prospects, or when you sell products that are reordered over and over. These reminders enhance your credibility with your prospects and clientele.
About the Author
Jerry Buchs is a marketing and public relations consultant for businesses and organizations of all sizes. For a free consultation to help you profit online, call Jerry now at 440 985-2813 (ET) or mailto:webmaster@makemoremoneynow.com?subject=SmallBiz_Help
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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 |
The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle. ... |
www.sba.gov |
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Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
Find Small Business plans, advice, tutorials about organization, corporations, entrepreneurship, and smallbusiness. |
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Yahoo! Small Business: Domain Names, Web Hosting, E-commerce ... |
Yahoo! Small Business provides products and services that enable you to establish and grow your business on the Internet. Services include domain name ... |
smallbusiness.yahoo.com |
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Small business advice business start up small business finance ... |
business start up small business finance start up advice. |
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Smallbusiness.gov.au redirect to business.gov.au |
Business Entry Point - Helping small business in big ways. An Australian Government initiative. The content from this website has now been consolidated into ... |
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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 |
Your home for information about Microsoft's small-business products and services, tailored business advice, technology tools, and more. |
www.microsoft.com |
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The Small Business Advisor - advice for starting and operating a ... |
Advice and assistance for starting and operating a small or home based business. |
www.isquare.com |
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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 |
Looking for business management and advice? Our website includes small business resources and information that can help you. Visit the small business ... |
www.businessweek.com |
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Small Business Lawyer, Attorney, Law, Legal Help - FindLaw for ... |
Information and legal sites relevant to small business. |
smallbusiness.findlaw.com |
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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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Facilitates the sharing and exchange of information among small business development centers, the small business administration and other business-oriented ... |
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Small Business Development Corporation |
Our business information services provides guidance to improve business skills and knowledge on advice on starting, buying, selling and expanding a small ... |
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