Small Business

The regular old 9 to 5 may seem like a theme from the past. More and more businesses opt for shorter work weeks, give remote access to their employees, or simply do not require as many bodies in the office.…

Many small businesses believe marketing is advertising, public relations, social media, promotions and other messaging methods. Those are examples of marketing communications (marcom), the "Fourth P" of the Four Ps of Product, Price, Place and Promotion. If your messaging team…

Whether you are invited to participate in a group business meeting with outside customers in a restaurant—or are going it alone—there are a few things to keep in mind to make it a success. You don’t want to embarrass your…

Perhaps you’ve noticed that everyone in your department seems to be overworked, so you come up with the brilliant idea to hire an intern. You wouldn’t have to pay them a salary and they could pick up the slack wherever…

Many small businesses need help in setting up new equipment or have problems with other purchases, prompting them to contact customer service. This could be issues with computers, software, or assembling furniture. The idea is for customer service to provide…

Businesses of all sizes need to pay their bills on a regular basis to maintain a good reputation in the marketplace and stay afloat. A small business needs to be savvy in paying bills, even with a computerized system. You…

Working with family members is commonplace, whether it's in a capacity of a partnership or a boss/employee situation. And it can be a rewarding experience to work with family members but there will likely be challenges and complications involved. With a…

Start-ups and small businesses can struggle with high costs of keeping talented employees. The best team members often want a significant benefits package including things such as substantial health insurance plans, sophisticated retirement plans and extended time off, but these…

Hiring the right sales manager can be a make-or-break proposition for your small business. Quite often, you might have to promote an existing salesperson to prevent the defection of a top producer. Here are some helpful guidelines for preparing one…

It is common for small businesses to have employees who work non-business hours. Here’s how to ensure they are safer when they’re in the office before standard opening time, after closing time, weekends and holidays. Improve exterior office safety Take…

Small businesses can better compete with their larger competitors by using sales data to learn how to increase sales among different audiences. Analyzing information about successful sales can help a marketing team understand why a sale took place, while analyzing…

Want to earn some extra cash to pay bills or build savings? There’s never been a better time to start a side hustle. With the rise of the internet, social media, and the sharing economy, it’s easier than ever to…

Remember looking out of the window of your family car as a child, or walking down your town street and being able to read for the first few times? Though often taken for granted, reading is a privilege: currently, 750…

Ever since Facebook introduced their new political ad filters, it has drastically altered what small businesses can advertise even if their content isn't politically themed. Whether it's because of how the advertisement is worded or the imagery it contains many…

The key to increasing profits from sales is to analyze your sales results to figure out not only what people are buying, but also how and why. This will help you sell the best products at the best prices using…

Auto attendants (also known as 'IVRs,' Interactive Voice Response Systems, or 'PBXs,' Private Branch Exchanges) have become the norm for many large businesses. Auto attendants save businesses thousands of dollars in time and resources. PBX services are readily available for…

When deciding whether or not you should have a full-time staffer or use a contractor for your IT needs, take into consideration two keys factors: how much IT work you have and what your budget is. You'll need to ask…

Many businesses donate money, products or services to non-profits, or ask their staff members to volunteer at local charity events. If your company is like most, you don’t have the money to help every worthy organization that makes a request.…

Do you have an idea for a new product or service? Are you interested in starting a business in a familiar space such as a restaurant, pet-sitting service or gift basket company? Is your current business looking to diversify into…

Small companies often get comfortable with their vendors, allowing service providers to raise rates or avoid improving their offerings for many years. For example, once a company has an insurance policy, ISP, utility provider, printer, copy machine lease or other…