Small Business Info

Great tips to help improve your leadership skills

When the small business environment gets rough, the one thing employees need to be able to count on is their managers. A good manger can lead their employees through any challenge and come out on top and with the trust and respect of their staff members. So what qualities does a good leader possess? Here are a few you need to work on:

]]> Financial Obligations
A good leader doesn't let the business get in financial troubles. When cash flow problems arise and rumors of cut-backs start to fly, it can all be directed at poor leadership. Your job is to let your employees know their jobs are safe and you will do everything in your power to keep it that way. It is important to control the finances of your company by constantly monitoring the cash flow and looking for expenses that can be cut to provide you with extra money to put into your cash reserves. Having a rainy day fund for businesses will also pay off in the long run and it will help your employees feel safe and secure in their jobs. Make sure they know that you do have a large fund to cover all the expenses if something happens, like the economic problems that have plagued businesses over the past 2 years.

Lead them to new clients
When your employees hit a brick wall, you need to be the person that comes in to save the day. It is your job to help lead your employees to new clients and customers that will keep your business heading in the right direction. It may be time to rethink your marketing and sales strategy and look for new ways to attract customers. Start doing things that you normally wouldn't do like attending smaller conferences to attract a niche market, social media marketing, blogging, and even passing out flyers on a street corner. You need to do everything in your power to get your name out there again and focus on boosting your sales. Once you have a great system, teach it to your employees so they can follow suit and gain that extra motivation they need to work hard again.

Improve your working environment
You are in charge of the work environment. Take a look at how things are currently running. How many of your employees are happy to be at work? Do they like the current work processes? If you have excessive costs or you are struggling with equipment failures and product defects, it may be time to introduce Total Quality Management or another assessment program that will help you fix the way your business runs.

Another part of improving the work environment also comes down to fixing the way your employees interact with one another. Which employees are working hard at their jobs and getting along with others? Which employees don't seem to care anymore and tend to get into arguments with their co-workers? You need to jump on this attitude shift as soon as possible and fix it before it gets worse. Your attitude will have a lot to do with your employees attitudes. Address their behavior that has been affecting their co-workers and talk them through their problems. Look for different ways to offer them personal challenges that will make they feel needed in their job titles. Meshing a handful of personalities together is not an easy job, but with patience and dedication you will be able to do it. One in eight employees will leave a job they love because of the attitude problems and toxic work environment they feel. Do not let this happen to your staff and jump on these problems quickly before they get worse.

Great PR for free

Public relations helps your company spread the word about who you are. PR allows you to book interviews with the press, host large parties and events, and it can lead to a big sales increase if you do it correctly. Some people will hire a PR firm, which is a great way to handle PR but small businesses don't have the extra money to pay a PR firm to do everything for them. Instead you can do your own PR for free, even if you haven't received formal training, we have a few tips you can use that will help:

]]> Tip # 1 - Sell your story
Since you are a small business owner, you already have a juicy story for the press. You may not be a millionaire, but if you are doing pretty well for yourself and you have gained the respect of your customers and competitors, the press will be interested. Make sure you stick to the facts and the truth, but provide the press with an interesting story. Start with your local newspaper as they are usually inclined to run these type of stories first then you can branch out to a statewide paper and potentially a national paper. Keep in mind that the media loves to hear stories about new inventions and how a simple person has made something out of nothing.

Tip # 2 - Target your specific audience
When you are writing up a press release, you need to target your specific audience. Make the press release compelling and hook the media in the first sentence in or paragraph. You want to write the press release the same way a reporter would if you really want to get a story run about your small business. Your goal is to get your press release on the desk of the reporter that covers that particular genre so a good title and a great opening paragraph will make it past the screening process and to their desk.

Tip # 3 - Write when you have interesting news
If you are sending press releases out every time you have a product launch or for every little event, the media will quit paying attention to you. Press releases are used to generate PR for free, but you don't want to become annoying to the media by sending them out all the time.

Tip # 4 - Media outlet
Always know the type of media professionals you are working with. Newspaper reporters may keep to the facts and they want a press release that is written in the same format. A magazine reporter on the other hand may like a press release that is a little more intimate and conversational. Always research the company you are sending the press release to along with that particular reporter so you can find out their reporting style so you can make the press release look interesting to them.

Tip # 5 - Make it seem urgent
When you send out a press release, you need to put a timeline on it or else it's not really considered news. You should add a timeline to increase your chance for media coverage. Add a few elements to it like why it needs to be covered now because it relates to a recent news story they covered or it relates to that particular time of year.

As you can see writing compelling press releases are just one simple way to brand your business and get your name out there. If you have a good story to tell, make sure it gets heard by the media and by your target audience so it can help to boost your sales.

Getting noticed

Small businesses need to find a way to get noticed if they would like to remain in business for several years. Some business owners are able to make their clients feel special that it helps to develop long-lasting relationships. Others impress their competition that it inspires them to work together. No matter how you want to say it, getting noticed is going to do more for your small business than anything else. Are you ready to get noticed? Good, here are some simple ways to do it.

]]> Tip # 1 - Go to conferences
If you are serious about getting noticed, you need to head out to conferences where your target clients and competitors are. Impress your audience with a nice booth along with free samples that are useful. If you have ever been to a medical conference, you have no doubt come home with bags of things like pens, lotions, tape measures, and just about anything you can name. Handing your clients something other than a business card will help them remember who you are and they will immediately put a face with a name if you take a different approach than your competitors.

Tip # 2 - Build connections
The great thing about going to conferences is that it allows you to build connections in the industry. This is a great way to create a useful network that you can rely on for word of mouth marketing when you launch a new product. You can also use your connections to break into a new audience where you can build your sales and strengthen your mailing list. Your connections will also be able to provide you with new mailing lists that you can use for targeted mailings and customer surveys. The more people you meet and add to your connections, the more impressive you will look in the industry.

Tip # 3 - Help your customers
A great way to get noticed is to help your customers. Work on strengthening your relationships with your customers by sharing your knowledge and experience with them. Your customers want to see you as a leader in the industry. A great way to do this is to start up your own blog and to start writing articles that can offer good advice. Offering free advice to your customers is a great way to share your knowledge and your customers will come to value the information you are putting out there. Go on social networking sites and participate in the discussion groups and forums. When you are out there and providing information to your customers, more people will start to notice you and pretty soon you will become a household name. As you go on sites where your customers are, people will start to become emotionally attracted to your company. They will have a new respect for your business and they will start to mention your name to their friends.

Starting a blog also allows you to show your competition that you are passionate about your industry. You are showing your customers that you are committed to making their lives better in some form and you are showing your competition that you are not going to go away anytime soon. The key to blogging is to do it often. Try to post a new blog at least once a week. People want new information and the longer you wait in between posts, the more they will see your information as outdated. If you publish articles, put up a new one daily or at least a new batch weekly. This shows that you are providing new information all the time and you will start to gain a large following.

Finding money to launch your business in a bad economy

Depending upon the size of your small business idea, you most likely won't need millions of dollars to get started. Even if you don't need a large amount of funding, it can be difficult to find the money especially when the economy is bad. During a bad economy, lenders will tighten their lending rules and unless you have a high credit rating, a solid business plan, and enough invested into the business, they will not take a risk by lending you the money.

]]> Many small business owners find themselves dipping into their personal savings account to fund their small business because they just cannot get the financing they need to get started. Google was founded on credit cards, so it has been known to work to look for other financial sources to fund your business, but it's a big risk on your personal financial future if your small business is not successful. What other options do you have?

Consider small, independently owned lenders. Look into a small business lender that can give you a few small checks to get your small business up and running. While they may only be able to offer you $10,000 or $15,000 you will at least have some of the initial money you need to start your small business. Getting a small loan will give you a ton of confidence because it will tell you that even though the big lenders don't believe in you, someone else does. Having confidence and motivation like this will help you brainstorm different ways to start marketing and turning a profit.

Private investors. If you really don't want to turn to lenders or credit cards with large interest rates, private investors are a great option. Private lenders generally come in the form of rich family members or friends. Ask them for money and encourage them to share their business idea with their friends. While it may not seem like it, $1,000 can go a long way especially if you have 20 people that decide to invest that much into your new business idea. Just make sure you keep your word and fairly compensate these investors once your business starts to turn a profit.

Personal loans. You do have the option of obtaining a personal loan to start your small business. Companies like Citi Financial are known for offering personal loans to just about anyone with a credit score above 600. The trick is that they are going to charge you a large interest rate, around 20 percent. Most personal loans are 5 year terms and they allow about $10,000 to be borrowed without any type of collateral.

Home equity line of credit. Some small business owners have used their own homes and assets to secure a loan. It's a risky venture as the lender will come after your home if you default on the loan. Losing your business is hard, but losing your home will be pretty difficult and terrible on your family. Don't get in over your head and opt for a loan that you really cannot afford to pay back.

Credit cards. Similar to personal loans, credit cards should be used with caution. The interest rates are high and they are going to get worse in a bad economy. However, credit cards may be your only option. If you have good credit, you may qualify for a credit card that doesn't charge interest for 12 months. This is a great way to borrow the money and hopefully pay it back before the interest rate starts in a year. Proceed with caution because credit cards have a huge impact on your personal credit score and you could be doing yourself a world of damage.

Encouraging employees to become creative

In order for your small business to thrive, you need to continue to encourage your employees to be creative. Creativity allows people to feel needed by their employers and they will have a strong devotion to the company when some of their suggestions are used in the company processes. How can you encourage employee creativity? This article will explore some great tactics that have worked for many small business owners:

]]> Hold brainstorming sessions
One of the best ways to encourage creativity is to hold regular brainstorming sessions. When you feel like you have hit the wall, hold a brainstorming session with your staff to see if they can help you. After all, this is one of the main reasons why you hired them and it shows them that you trust in their instincts and abilities.

Brainstorming sessions are a great way to energize your staff and to come up with new ideas for the company. Sometimes your staff members that are hired to do finances can come up with interesting ideas that exceed the marketing teams' ideas. Don't count out any employee and give everyone an opportunity to be creative.

Harbor a stress-free work environment
A wonderful way to boost your employee's creativity is to create a work environment where they feel free to come up with new ideas. Give them plenty of sunlight along with new equipment that will help them easily do their jobs and don't place stressful deadlines on them. You need to keep the stress level to a minimum in order to help your employees find that extra motivation they need. Encourage your employees to exercise during business hours as this helps many employees reduce stress and gain extra strength and motivation to work hard. Exercise releases endorphins, which help to spur creativity in a lot of people.

Tear down barriers
Creative work environments happen when employees are able to interact with each other. Tear down the things that may be keeping them apart like large cubicle walls and seniority issues. You want everyone to feel like they are equals and that they can come to each other at any time for help and advice. Lowering the cubicle walls just a little bit allows them to see each other and talk to one another more, which will help them bounce ideas off each other. It's a simple way to get them to talk to one another and it can foster creativity.

Listen to ideas
As a manager, you need to be receptive to new ideas. Some of their ideas may not seem new or creative but you can help inspire them to keep thinking outside the box by just listening to them and providing them with feedback. As you are listening to them, write down a few of the things they are saying and then talk about things that you have done in the past that may be similar and then ask them to tweak that a little bit more and come back to you with a different approach. This may be one of the best ways to help them think outside the box a little bit more and it can help them find the direction that you are heading with this new creative approach.

Get out of the office
Sometimes creativity comes when people get out of the office. Take your staff away for a weekend retreat where you can all sit together and bounce ideas off one another while sitting on couches in your pajamas. Getting comfortable and relaxing together is a great way to foster creativity as your employees are encouraged to talk in a safe environment.

Easy ways to motivate your employees

Productive employees begin with small business owners that can encourage them to think outside the box and show them that they are needed. A motivated employee is productive because they are eager and excited to do their job. They have a strong desire to be the best at their position and they want to earn the trust and respect of their co-workers and managers. How can you learn to motivate your employees to become successful at their jobs? Here are some suggestions:

]]> 1. Praise and recognition. Employees don't always need to have compensation when they do their job and they often feel resentful toward the company if you only recognize them when they do something wrong. You need to watch your employees closely and look for times when you can praise them for doing a good job. If you find that they are struggling, take time to sit down with them and give them a few tips on how they can do better as this will give them some extra confidence and motivation to work harder.
2. Make sure they have an adequate work load. Sometimes employees are overwhelmed and their employers do not notice. You also have the employees that are completely bored out of their minds. Increasing their job responsibilities is a wonderful way to motivate your employees. Calling them into your office and taking some of the burden off their shoulders will also feel like they can breathe again and they will be able to be motivated about their job again. When you find the right balance of work for your employees, you have successfully found a way to encourage them to find a satisfying career path and you can show them where they can go with the company if they continue on this path.
3. Be clear with your instructions. Employee morale and motivation will diminish when employees feel confused and frustrated with their instructions. Always give clear instructions to your employees and encourage them to come and talk to you if they feel confused. This is the best way to help them stay focused on their job duties and to feel a sense of pride when they work hard and accomplish their goals.
4. Encourage your employees to work together. Assign a few employees to work together on a team. Sometimes the employees that have lost their motivation to work hard need to have a little pick me up from their co-workers with positive attitudes and this is a great way to help them get back on track with their goals. Working as a team is a wonderful way to bring unity to your staff and it's a simple way to build a healthy work environment.
5. Give your employees feedback. When you give an assignment, be sure to follow up with feedback along the way. Quite often managers don't give feedback to their employees and this will leave a person feeling confused about their job and wondering if they are doing it correctly. Point out the positive and negative things so your employee can see what they are doing right and where they need to improve.
6. Hold regular meetings to show your employees how their job really does impact the entire organization. Sometimes employees feel unnoticed and they stop trying to do their jobs because they feel like no one will notice or care if they don't do their job. Always make sure they feel appreciated. Give them a longer lunch hour once and awhile or treat them to lunch. Doing little things to show that you really do appreciate them is one of the best ways to motivate them and to increase their job satisfaction.

Deciding to raise or lower your prices

Every business struggles with the decision to raise or lower prices. When an item is no longer selling, lowering your prices may be the only way to clear it out of your inventory. Raising prices will happen often as you need to compensate for the increase in prices of your supplies. Small businesses that are in the food industry often have to raise their prices because things like cheese will rise and the only way they can afford to keep buying it is to raise their prices. You may be able to ease some of your customers woes about the price increase by telling them about the increase in vendor prices and a few of them may be okay with paying more for the same product. Now, how can you make the decision to raise or lower your prices? Here are some easy steps for you to follow:

]]> How much do you want to raise or lower your prices?
While no one is going to complain about things when you lower your prices, you will have some backlash when you raise your prices. If you know you need to raise your prices, try making a big announcement so your customers aren't caught off guard. This will give some of them an opportunity to stock up on some products before the price goes up.

You should only raise prices up enough to provide for the demand of your product and raw goods. Keep the price hike manageable. When you raise your prices too much, you are going to get a lot of backlash and lose a lot of customers. If you are concerned about one large price hike, you can start with a series of smaller hikes each quarter until you eventually reach your ideal price. Small hikes are often unnoticed and most customers will easily adjust to it compared to a large price hike.

When should you implement the price increase?
Timing the price increase is going to be a big part of successfully implementing new prices. You want to pick a time when your customers will not notice it. Choosing the time of least resistance is the best way to increase prices. Watch your sales numbers over the past few years so you can find out when your customers are buying and increase prices when they aren't. Watch seasonal changes too as a lot of customers will resist price increases when they come close to holidays and other times, like when their tax bill is due. Raise prices in the fall instead of in winter in order to gain the same amount of sales for a larger profit.

Give them value
One thing you may do when you are increasing prices is to change the design of the package. Changing things often implies a new value to the product and your customers will justify the price increase because you have increased the value of the product. The packaging is where the customer is going to become initially attracted to your product and if your packaging is starting to look dated, they will pass right over it and move onto your competitors. Use the price increase as a way to continue doing market research to keep your company one step ahead of the game.

Another way to add perceived value to your product is to look at the way you advertise it on the label. If you are advertising it based on the quantity inside, look for a new way to say you get more for what you pay for. For example, what sounds bigger to you, 13 ounces or 1 pound? When you are shopping, you are most likely going to look for the bigger number, even if you really are getting less.

Cutting costs for small businesses

Every business is concerned with saving money right now, especially small businesses that have a smaller amount of working capital at their disposal. You can try to increase revenue, but this can often be extremely challenging when you are dealing with a struggling economy and customers that just don't want to buy. For small businesses, the phrase "stretching the dollar" really applies to their business. This article will explore some of the different ways you can work on cutting costs.

]]> Monitor employee spending
It can be really easy to get in over your head. Comparing your business to your competitors can easily be your downfall as you might invest in equipment and even employees that you really cannot afford. Watch where your employees are spending your money and try to limit their spending. Many times they will waste money at office supply stores because they wait until you are out of a product that you can purchase online for a lower amount. Look at where else your employees are wasting money and try to reduce their spending as soon as possible.

Multiple bids
Another way to cut costs is to watch your vendors. While you may be loyal to a certain vendor, they may be charging you more money than you can get with other companies. Get a membership to Sam's Club or Costco and start buying a few supplies as you don't need to pay the shipping costs on them. You can get cheaper deals on water and some other supplies by shopping at warehouse stores than you can by ordering them through your vendors. Get multiple bids and see if your vendor will match those prices. As they see that you are constantly looking for the best deal, they will work harder to meet your needs and they will do their best to keep you satisfied.

Reduce mailing costs
Sending out a large marketing campaign via traditional mail can become expensive quickly. It's always a good idea to try and cut costs here and there by turning to email instead of traditional mail. Try doing a email campaign first and measure the effectiveness of this campaign before you send out mailing pieces. If you do want to do a traditional mailer, make sure you keep your address list up to date and clean. You can waste a ton of money paying for mail to be returned to you because the customer moved. Faxing documents instead of mailing them is another way to save money.

Reduce energy costs
You can waste a lot of money on energy costs. If you have not already done so, turn your office green. Start shutting off all of your equipment at night. Alter your business hours to be 4 days a week versus 5 days a week. Change all of your light bulbs to energy-efficient bulbs, and teach your employees how to conserve power and water. Install automatic lights and set your temperature to go back when no one is in the office. Encourage employees to turn off their computers at night and their monitors as they continue to suck power during the night when they are not in use.

Buy used equipment
It is important to try and provide your employees with upgraded equipment and one of the best ways to do this is to buy used or refurbished equipment. You can often find great deals that will keep your employees up to date with technology for half the cost. Ebay.com is a great place to find used equipment; you can also find some through your IT repair center. Furniture is another thing you can save money on as well as you can buy from a used furniture store.

Changing to keep up with the demands

In order to keep your customers happy, you need to look for new ways to change your company's image or products once and awhile. You need to keep up with new changes in order to stay with the times or you risk looking outdated. Have you ever been to a mom-and-pop organization that looks like its still 20 years behind the times? While it may not be a huge deal to you because you like their food, it can be a completely different thing if you are dealing with a dentist or even retailer.

]]> So what can you do to change your small business to keep up with the demands of your customers? First, start conducting market research to find out what your customers are interested in. Hold conversations with them and discuss some of the things that they look for in other businesses in the industry and what attracts them to your products. You must also talk about some of the upcoming changes in the industry and find out how interested your customers are in these changes.

Take a look at adding a change to your logo along with the packaging of your products. While you may not need to change your product itself, changing the way it looks is a great way to show your customers you are always looking for ways to reinvent your company. Changing your appearance is a simple way to keep your existing customers attention and it's a great way to attract new customers. Take a look at some of the big corporations like Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola and look at how many times they have redone their logo and product packaging. This is a simple example of how they try to keep up with the times and how they continue to engage their customers.

Some other ways you can change the way your company looks is to change the verbiage of your marketing campaigns. Adding an action word to your campaign or even changing your mission statement can help you attract new customers.

What about all those old products sitting on your shelves? How do you plan to get rid of them? Slashing prices is a simple way to attract your customers quickly and to get rid of products that are just tying up your cash flow and making it difficult for you to expand your business. It's better to try and sell something for less than to not sell it at all.

How else can you change your business? What is your current customer satisfaction rating at? Keeping your customers happy and encouraging them to come back for more is one of the best ways to continue driving in business for several years. Your customer service levels will improve if you start to improve your workforce. Begin with the training of your employees. How well do you train them? Do they have confidence when they are in the office and dealing with customers? If you prepare them for every possible situation, they will have an easier time dealing with customers and they will learn how to interact with them easier. When you feel prepared for something, you are less likely to look confused and unorganized when you are dealing with others. This is one of the best ways to show your customers excellent customer service skills because you don't need to contact someone else to find out what the price is for a particular item and you don't have to pass them onto another sales associate. You are there to interact with them and they have your full attention. Be responsive to their needs and they will recognize this and will have a deeper respect for your business.

Bringing in the business the easy way

Attracting customers is easy for some small businesses, especially when you are first starting out because you are new and exciting. Retaining customers is a whole different world and trying to attract customers after you have been in business for awhile can also be a bit of a challenge. If you would like to bring in some new business, here are some simple tips to try out:

]]> New marketing techniques
A great way to attract customers is to try new marketing techniques that appeal to them. Perhaps you have been avoiding the blogging and social media world because you don't think its right for your business. Now is the time to give it a chance because you will surprise yourself and find out that it is a great way to attract customers and it's a great way to strengthen your relationships with your existing customers. Try sending out press releases to your target market to gain some media coverage for free. If you have a great story to tell or you have a new product that is going to `wow' people, you definitely want the help of the media to spread the word.

Customer service
When you have excellent customer service skills, word will spread to your target market and new customers will become interested in your business. Start your new customer service satisfaction ratings with the way you initially greet and interact with your customers. When they come in the office or call you, do you make them feel special and important? Remain professional on the phone and let your customers know that you mean business, but you are also there to help them. A good voicemail system will come in handy after-hours or when you are on the other line. Just make sure you get back to your customers within 24-48 hours or you will lose them. The next thing you can do to boost your customer service ratings is to know your products and your business inside and out. Your customers want to deal with a person that knows what they are talking about and not a person that needs to keep asking other people. Proper training goes a long way when you are working with customers. Look for ways to make your customers feel appreciated. Send out some marketing campaigns that offer discounts to existing customers only, it's a great way to gain their respect and to bring in a big boost of sales.

Find your audience
As you are trying out new marketing tactics, you need to look for ways to find your audience. Narrow down a large market to a smaller one so you can make some great connections with customers that can become life-long customers. When you work with smaller markets, you don't need to spend nearly as much on marketing campaigns and you can still get a great return.

Another great way to find your audience is to start attending trade shows and to start holding events. This is a great way to bring in a new audience and to make a name for yourself in the industry, which is essential to let your competitors know you are going to be around for a long time. If you don't attend conferences, be sure to send your marketing materials to place on a table so some of your target audience members can still find out who you are and learn a little bit about your products.

Sample marketing
To gain some new customers, launch a sample marketing campaign. This is when you send out sample marketing pieces to your customers where they can learn about your company and to find out if this is something they are interested in. Small samples often hook in new clients and it won't cost you a lot of money.

Are you alienating your business with poor marketing?

A lot of small business owners are actually hurting their business because they have poor marketing skills. Some people think marketing is nothing more than posting a few ads in a newspaper and sending out some flyers and direct mail pierces. Your writing skills may be hindering your ability to successfully market to your customers and your personality may have a little bit to do with your marketing abilities as well. Here are a few mistakes you could be making and what you need to do to avoid making those mistakes:

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Avoid the "me" factor. When you are marketing, you are promoting your business, but you don't want to make the entire marketing campaign sound like it's just about you. Look for ways to show the audience how you are there to help them instead of how you are there to take their money.

Regurgitation. If you take your old marketing campaigns and they sound exactly the same every single month, people will start to ignore them. Sure you would like to have some consistency but never changing it makes it look like you do not have any original ideas.

Copying. While you need to stay ahead of the competition, you never want to be caught copying their work. This is one of the worst marketing campaigns you can do as it does nothing to add credibility to your company and it just simply shows people that you cannot come up with your own ideas.

Too competitive. If you have seen the ads of the companies that constantly say how their competition doesn't have this or doesn't have that, you know how obnoxious those ads can become. Don't get so caught up in the competition that you neglect to tell people what you do have. You don't have to constantly knock other companies down to show your customers why they need to believe in your company and why they should start buying. Backing up your words with facts is a better approach to competitive marketing.

You are too pushy. If you find that you are using hard sales language and you are pushing yourself on your customers, they aren't going to stick around for long. People want to make the decision to be sold, they don't want you do to it for them. Avoid sounding like an infomercial and focus on building relationships with your customers instead.

Too much text. This is a common pitfall for a lot of companies. You have so much information to tell that you end up putting it all in your ad and it is so busy and overrun with text that people don't even pay attention to it. Cut to the chase and quit rambling or you are going to turn off a lot of customers. The power of white space is important so try not to fill it up with tons of extra stuff.

Lying? Are you caught lying to your customers? This is one of the worst marketing tactics to follow. Sure it will give you a few calls, but once your customers hear the truth, all credibility you have gained will go out the window. People can see right through outrageous claims and they will dump your company quickly if you follow this terrible marketing technique.

The blah factor. Have you ever picked up and ad and just thought "blah?" Being boring can destroy your marketing campaign and you won't be able to attract new clients this way. You want to engage your audience with action words and different advertisements instead of using the same old campaign over and over.

Adding consulting to your business

Several hats are worn by a small business owner, one of which is learning how to be a consulting expert. Hiring a consulting firm to do this hard work for you is a good idea, but it isn't always feasible with budget restrictions. Before you decide to add consulting to your business, consider the following:

]]> 1. Do I have previous consulting experience? Do any of my staff members have consulting experience?
2. How many clients are asking for consulting help from our business?
3. Is there a need in our industry that has not yet been exploited by other businesses?
4. Can we find the resources to start consulting?
5. Do I have employees that can take on a bigger workload and can handle the extra responsibilities?

If you go through these questions and you can come up with logical answers, adding consulting to your business may not be such a bad idea. In the beginning you are going to make some mistakes, learn from them. You are going to have customers that become frustrated with your business, talk to them and iron out the problems so you can find solutions. Now if you are ready to try your hand at consulting, here are some basic guidelines:

Research. You cannot become a consultant overnight. It takes most business owners years to learn how to become good consultants so you too need to take your time to learn all about the consulting world. Start with a small amount of clients to make sure this is an extra responsibility you can handle and that it is something you want to do and then once you have achieved success you can start to move forward.
Hire new employees. If you don't have talented staff members that can branch out into the consulting world, hire some. This is a new niche market you are dealing with and you need to have the right people in your business that can do the hard work. Hire at least one former consultant that can help train your staff and move forward with this new venture. A person with experience is going to do wonders for your company and can help you tap into this new market.
Be organized. In order for consulting to work, you need to stay organized. You must be able to pay attention to details and provide your clients with information quickly. An unorganized company will only destroy itself and you will lose clients and possibly your business if you don't take the time to do it right.
Patience. It is going to take a long time for your new consulting business to start running like a well-oiled machine. You must remain patient with it and do your best to learn from mistakes. Trust and credibility only come with time and this is something you will need to learn as you move forward with your consulting efforts.
Network. A great consulting firm is able to network. You need to be comfortable in your new job title and you must be able to go out on a limb from time to time. Networking is one of the best ways to build relationships in the industry that will be able to help you. Keep a business card with you or another handout that you can give to new people that will help your business. This will go a long way to get your name out there and to build great relationships.
Be aggressive. Now that you are in a new industry, you need to be aggressive. Keep your eyes open and jump on new opportunities before your competition can. Always follow up with your previous clients to keep a strong bond with them. This will help you attract new clients and it will build a nice reputation in the industry.

A change of attitude, a change of environment

Do you find that your work environment seems toxic? Do you have employees that work against each other instead of as a team? What your small business may need is a change of attitude.

]]> Every workplace is going to be filled with a number of different personalities and people that used to get along just fine may rub each other the wrong way now and this leads to a toxic work environment. To overcome a toxic work environment, here are some things you can do:

Remove pettiness
As much as you don't want pettiness to happen in the work environment, it will. From people that roll their eyes, to sarcastic remarks that are aimed to dig at one another, to backbiting, pettiness can literally destroy a healthy work environment. The employees that are on the receiving end of rude remarks and eye rolls will take it personally and they will have a difficult time coming to work. As a small business owner you need to quickly address this toxic behavior before it gets out of control. You can hold a staff meeting to address the behavior with everyone so one employee doesn't feel like they are being singled out. If the behavior continues, you will need to call this employee into your office and have a discussion about their attitude problems. Try to find out why they are behaving this way and it may come down to having an intervention with 2 employees that are having problems with one another.

Foster communication
In order to build a productive work environment, you need to make sure everyone is communicating effectively. Discuss some of the basic rules of communication like the importance of listening instead of talking over one another and having common respect for each other. Communication also deals with non-verbal cues like rolling your eyes and looking disinterested. Encourage your employees to use every method of communication from sending each other emails to holding small meetings will help to develop solid communication and this will help to avoid confusion and frustration between staff members.

Goals
Many employees have attitude problems at work because they feel they are overworked or underworked. As a small business manager, you need to sit down with each employee and discuss their roles and responsibilities. Find out how they are feeling about their job and if they feel overwhelmed or underworked. Setting goals for each employee will help them find a way to accomplish what they need and they will find it is much easier to feel needed in the office. When you reach out to your employees and they feel that you really do count on them, it will be easier for them to get up in the morning and come into the office. They will feel a sense of devotion and purpose to their job that they may have not been feeling for a long time. Keep the goals attainable and be sure to encourage them along the way to keep them motivated.

Be positive
The problem you will find with many small businesses is the owner is the person that is causing attitude problems. Do you come into the office on time? Do you lock up daily or are you constantly leaving early? How long are your lunch breaks? While you may own the company, you still need to hold yourself accountable to the same rules that you are enforcing upon your employees. You also need to come into the office excited and ready to work. When you are upbeat and positive, you will set the tone for the rest of your staff and their will check their negative attitudes at the door.

Tips for renting your small business location

The cost of the physical location for your small business's daily operations can be one of the most significant costs that you are faced with paying as the business owner. If working out of your home is not a viable option for you and buying your own business location is out of the question, renting is a good solution. Here are some helpful tips on choosing the right rental option for your budget and needs.

]]> Look for something smaller rather than larger when you are choosing a rental location. These days fewer and fewer small business owners are able to afford large and spacious rental properties, making it hard for the owners of these rental properties to rent out their space and earn their money. Instead, you find that more and more of these locations are being rented out in sections to a number of different small business owners for a lower monthly cost. Additionally, if you are just starting out, you may not need a lot of space. If you can save money by getting by with less space, you will be better off financially.

It is a buyer's market and this fact is true even when it comes to rental properties. As a renter you have a lot of say when it comes to asking for concessions and choosing the duration of your lease. Although you may come across renters who only offer specific lease durations, more often you will find that renters would rather have their properties making money for them than not. Shorter leases are generally better for new business owners who have not yet developed a strong track record. If your business has been around for several years already, it could be to your advantage to have a longer lease if it means locking in today's lease amount for several years.

Other concessions that you want to consider negotiating with a potential renter include locking in terns as well as rates. You may want to negotiate renovations into the price. You could even ask to have maintenance fees like janitorial expenses, repairs, parking spots, garbage removal, snow shoveling services, and management fees paid for by the landlord. One concession that you should not expect is to not have to pay the security deposit. Security deposits are more important now than ever before. In fact, landlords are requiring stricter security deposits to cover their losses in the case that the business they rent to goes under (an all too common occurrence). Landlords are small business owners too and they need to make sure that they are not renting out their spaces and making all kinds of concession just to have their renter leave a 5 year lease 6 months into the agreement.

If there are a lot of options for rental spaces in your area, it is a good idea to work with a broker or realtor who knows the properties in your area and can help you to narrow your search. If you are looking for a highly specific location with specific terms, you may be better off having someone else help you negotiate the terms of your lease. You should know as much about your landlord as possible. Just because they offer a great property, doesn't mean that they will be a dream to rent from. You have a right to know that your landlord is credit worthy so negotiate running a credit check on the owner of the property into the deal. They have a right to look into your history to make sure they will get paid; you have a right to ensure that you will get what you are paying for.

The pros and cons of small business interns

Interns can be a great asset to your small business but not if you think that all you are going to get out of the deal is some free labor. The potential benefits of having small business interns goes far beyond hiring someone to pick you up some lunch and answer the phones. If you need someone to do the mundane office tasks that you don't have time for hire a personal assistant. If you want the fresh ideas that an intern interested in following in your shoes has to offer, an intern may be the right choice. Interns tend to bring creativity and enthusiasm to work that is usually unmatched. An intern is an individual who has the potential to provide your business with the fresh ideas that you may exhausted a while ago. In exchange, your intern will receive valuable work experience that they can use to get that much more ahead when it comes time to look for a job.

]]> If you are ready to start hiring some interns, be aware that the process of finding that golden intern is one of the cons of small business interns. While a good intern can prove invaluable to your business, a bad intern can really be a disaster. Finding the right intern for your small business is going to take some searching. Don't limit your search to the closest trade school or high school. Speak to the teachers or guidance counselors at several schools and take advantage of their knowledge of the students under their jurisdiction. They may know of a person who would be a good fit. Make sure you provide the educators with ample information about your business, your expectations of how many hours your interns will work, etc.

Once you start getting some resumes, look for interns who you think will be proactive and enthusiastic. Address any questions that your potential intern candidates may have. Check social networking sites to make sure that your candidates aren't keeping information from you. You can even run background checks. Yet, even with all of this prep work, you could end up hiring someone you will regret. The risk is there and your intern could either be a real winner or a serious disappointment.

One of the greatest advantages to having an intern is that you provide them with the experience and do not necessarily have to pay for their services. Some business owners feel guilty about not paying their interns and will therefore offer them an hourly wage or at least a daily stipend. Other business owners provide their interns with a nice gift at the end of their internship. The choice is yours, just keep in mind that money can motivate.

The type of work you give your interns will dictate the kind of return that you see from them. If you are thoughtful about the training and projects that you assign, you will reap the benefits of your intern's unique skill set and ideas. Limiting your interns or providing them with mundane tasks will only foster ill feelings and could do more harm than good. Make sure that you share your passion with your intern. Let them take part in something big, something that clearly contributes to the big picture of what you are trying to achieve with your business. Share your success with your interns and let them feel like they are a valuable part of your team.

The pros and cons of having inters for your small business lay largely in how you decide to treat those interns. So choose them wisely and treat them well. You may be surprised at what they can contribute.