Localized Marketing: Opportunity Is Waiting In Your Backyard. Posted by Jessica Sanders on April 30, 2012 in Marketing [ 0 Comments ] While most companies are making the most of social media marketing and other online opportunities, you don’t want to overlook a valuable opportunity right in your back yard: localized marketing. This is just as it seems – connecting your marketing at the local level. Need a reason to get started? According to the Google Mobile Study, 92% of smart phone users search for local information, products and companies on their mobile device.
Seek Out Allies It’s important to remember that you’re not the only business in town. Niche businesses: Team up with another business in your field to make a bigger impact. Finding Your Opportunities Localized efforts present a variety of marketing opportunities for a company new to the scene. The local football game: Sponsor the game and offer a discount to ticket holders.
Photo credit: blog.hubspot.com. What to Know Before You Run a Background Check. Posted by Amanda DiSilvestro on May 1, 2012 in Employee Background Checks [ 2 Comments ] Sometimes, running a background check doesn’t necessarily insinuate that you suspect criminal activity. Though employee violence or theft are common reasons to run a background check, you may only need to understand an applicant’s driving history or credit reporting because its applicable to the position they apply for or responsibilities they carry out. Here are the four things you need to know about performing a background check on a potential employee: 1. There’s a right way and a wrong way When it comes to conducting employment screenings, become intimately familiar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA requires that you get written permission from the candidate before you investigate anything that may be part of what is called a “consumer report.” 2.
What does a background check include? 3. 4. Documentation is also vital in these instances. Photo source: joysjukejoint.blogspot.com. 5 Things You Can Do to Research a Job Candidate. If you’re in the process of hiring for a position in your company, then you’re most likely trying to figure out how to find the right person for the job. You want to find someone that’s not only great for the position but will also be with your company for the long haul. Following are five things you can do to research and pre-screen job candidates—before you hire them. 1. Telephone screening tests Screening a job candidate on the phone helps you to determine his or her experience, qualifications, salary desires, and workplace preferences—which can help you figure out if this candidate will be a good fit for your company.
Some questions that you could ask during a phone screening test include: • What’s the minimum salary you’d consider? 2. 3. 4. 5. These are just five ways that you can pre-screen your potential employees to ensure that you’re getting the right person for the job. 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Business. If you’re thinking of starting a small business, then there are many different things that you will want to consider. Starting a business isn’t a simple task, and jumping in without doing the necessary research is never a good idea. So before you decide to start a business, be sure to ask yourself the following five questions. 1. What type of business would you like to own? 2. 3. 4. 5. These are the top five questions that you will need to ask yourself prior to starting up your own small business. The 4 Biggest Challenges to Starting a Business (and How to Overcome Them)
There are a number of great reasons why you should start a small business – working for yourself, earning more money, a more flexible work schedule, building your skillset, etc… As with anything worth doing, building your own business is not without its difficulties. Sometimes these challenges may seem bigger than they really are, and sometimes they keep us from fully pursuing an idea. But as most small business owners will tell you, the risks and challenges are usually worth the rewards and are worth finding solutions to in order to realize your dream. Consider these 4 big challenges to starting a business, and if you haven’t already, start thinking about your personal contingency plan for overcoming them: 1. Having to wear all of the hats yourself can be daunting. How to Overcome This: Be honest with yourself about your strengths and understand that, when you’re running a business, your time is precious. 2. 3. 4. Photo Source: youquoted.com, examiner.com.
The 7 Must-Haves for Starting a Business From Home. Sometimes starting a business can be like the first day of school. You’ve taken yet another big step toward the future, and while you may be cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead, you’re also eager to put into practice everything you’ve known and been taught up to this point. It’s an exciting and nervous time. And just like the first day of school, when you’re starting a business from home, you need supplies. To make sure you’re well equipped, be sure to get your hands on these 7 must-haves for your home office: 1. High-speed Internet connection This one should go without saying, but it has to be mentioned: broadband Internet connection is an absolute must-have if you’re starting a business from home. 2. Setting up a phone number specific for your business not only reinforces a professional image, but also allows another way for prospects and customers to get in touch with you. 3. 4. 5.
You never know when you’re going to need that one critical document or spreadsheet. 6. 7. Phone Service Enters the Cloud. These days, it seems like every tech company and software producer likes to say it’s in “The Cloud.” A major cable company recently launched a cloud-based phone service for businesses in an effort to pull customers away from traditional telecomm giants. The company promises to offer business with “on-the-go” employees affordable, reliable, high-quality service that can be accessed anytime anywhere. This kind of promise should certainly perk up the ears of small businesses and large corporations alike, but what is this mysterious cloud and what does it mean for businesses when it comes to basic, but critical, functions like phone service?
What is the Cloud? The cloud is any system of Web servers that store data and applications that users can access through a network. Those of you who use a web-based e-mail program like Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo already have some familiarity with cloud computing — whether you realize it or not. Advantages of the Cloud Source: HowStuffWorks.com. The Pros and Cons of Deregulating VoIP Phone Service. Since the rise of VoIP phone service in the mid ’90s, government at the state and federal level has struggled with how to regulate it.
Although it looks and acts an awful like traditional phone service, the federal government is hesitant to impose traditional telecom rules on the industry out of concern for quashing innovation. However, at the state level, lawmakers are concerned about their ability to protect consumer rights and ensure access. Nationwide regulation of VoIP has been slow to catch on as the regulating body at the federal level — the FCC — and state governments have been in a power struggle. The United States isn’t alone when it comes to the murky definitions of VoIP. Current VoIP regulations The FCC needs to decide whether to treat VoIP as an “information service,” which would make it essentially regulation free or a “telecommunications service,” which would hold it to the same scrutiny as regular telephone companies.
Cons of Deregulation Pros of Deregulation. Can Startups Save Both their Money and the Environment? Posted by Rachel Hyun Kim on April 18, 2012 in Business Start Up Advice [ 0 Comments ] When starting a business, money is often a constant concern for entrepreneurs. Unless they have secure a significant amount of funding or won the lottery, keeping cash flow positive can have individuals saving wherever they can. And with employees to hire, bills to pay, and deadlines to maintain, sustainability may be the last thing on the entrepreneur’s mind. However, saving both the environment and your wallet does not have to be mutually exclusive. Maintaining a green business from the start can not only reduce your carbon footprint, it can also help save money in the long run. Saving money and the environment can seem like a tricky paradox. 1. If your business operates from an office, changing several business practices can help save costs throughout the space. 2.
A dedicated office space can take up a major portion of the startup’s budget, with rent, utilities, and other costs. 3. 4. 5. What Will an Arrest Record Search Reveal? Posted by Amanda DiSilvestro on April 17, 2012 in Employee Background Checks [ 0 Comments ] The principal purpose of an arrest record search is to help you identify the bad seeds in a sea of candidates. Conducting an employment background check involves searching a person’s criminal and arrest history by accessing numerous sources of information. These criminal histories should return all the information about a person’s interactions with the law, and in most states, you’re entitled to consider this information when making employment decisions about the candidate. What Arrest Record Searches Will Reveal You might consider arrest records to be the most revealing of all the public records you can look into when conducting a criminal background search on a potential employee.
Counties and their courthouses are usually the best source of criminal information on any given individual; they tend to have the most complete and up-to-date history. These records can go back 20 or 30 years. 10 Tips to Keep Your Energy Throughout the Day and Be More Productive. Posted by Guest Author on April 11, 2012 in Small Business Efficiency [ 2 Comments ] Everyone in business wants to get more done every day, and few can deny that our productivity is directly affected by our energy level. Here are 10 tips to keep your energy up and help you go strong throughout the day.
Exercise Early Working out first thing in the morning will get the endorphins and blood going in your body. This increases your energy level and sets you up for a strong start to your day. While you may find it difficult to get up 30 minutes to an hour earlier each day to fit in this morning exercise, after a few days you’ll be glad you did. Breakfast of Champions While this may seem like common sense, a pop tart or cereal high in sugar with a glass of juice isn’t the best way to treat your body early in the morning.
Give Me Coffee! A cup of coffee first thing in the morning after your workout does wonders. Chunk Your Day That’s chunk, as in block or piece. Close the Door Take a Hike Drink Water. Quoted Projects > To-Dos. The Benefits of Synching Your Business Phone with CRM. These days, companies have a multitude of platforms they can use to reach potential clients: Everything from billboards to websites to social media to direct mailing. But phones continue to have a crucial role in not only attracting new customers, but also retaining them. So, when it’s time to implement Customer Relationship Management (CRM) at your company, its imperative to include your telephone system in the process. First, consider the purpose of CRM: To locate and keep clients.
Companies that use CRM maintain healthy relationships with customers by carefully gathering information about them and tracking company interactions with them, creating a valuable record that can be accessed by anyone within the company who needs it — from sales people to customer service representatives. And, despite the growth of online communication, phones continue to be a major source of interaction between a company and its customers. Improve Intercompany Communication Improve Customer Relationships.
The 10 Coolest Add-ons for VoIP Phone Service. VoIP is quickly gaining ground on legacy phone systems (one report sited 114 percent growth in the second half of 2011) — and for good reason. Not only is the cost of switching to to web-based telephony unbeatable, but service providers and other software creators are continuously developing new features that are revolutionizing the way companies manage calls. Here are 10 really cool features you can add on to your VoIP phone service to make your business run more efficiently and effectively. 1. Video Conferencing - Connecting remotely has become increasingly important to businesses as they strive to make global connections, so versatile video conferencing software is key.
These days, there are numerous services that offer dynamic video conferencing that includes features like HD video, video recording, file sharing and annotation, and more for multiple users. You’ll never need that conference room again. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Should You Start a Business or Start a Company? In everyday life, the words “business” and “company” seem interchangeable. But when it comes to starting a business or a company, the technical differences actually become quite obvious. While I’m simplifying the interpretation of the words, to start a business is to be focused on building a product for a market – product development, technology, sales, marketing, etc… To start a company is to consider the larger picture – HR policies, company culture, investor input, potential acquisitions and growth, etc. Daniel Tenner of swombat.com breaks down the difference between a business and a company: A business is a set of people, processes and tools that have been structured around a product to enable it to make money.
Ideally, a business is profitable, but it may not be. Ideally, a business doesn’t depend on any one specific person being a part of it (including the founders), but it may rely on some exceptional people. Starting a Business Satisfaction. Being your own boss. Responsibility. Why Start a Business? Here Are 5 Great Reasons. Every entrepreneur has his or her own motivations for starting a business. But the truth is that launching and growing your own company can be a taxing, emotional endeavor. If you can acknowledge the risks and muster the courage to take that first step, the rewards of having your own successful business is unmatched.
In 2010, 63% of entrepreneurs told SnagaJob.com that starting their own business had been more personally fulfilling than they ever thought it would be. The desire to start a company is abundant: 54% of Americans age 18-34 want to start a business or plan to in the future. If you want to start a business, consider these 5 benefits: 1. Follow Your Dreams It sounds cliché and idealistic, but starting your own business has everything to do with following your dreams. 2. When you work for yourself, you’re in a position to define your own role and pursue the tasks that excite you. 3. 4. Starting your own business allows you to shape the workplace culture that ideally suits you. 5. Starting a Business: Where to Begin? VoIP Providers: Aren’t They Really All the Same? Home Telephone Service vs. Business Telephone Service: What’s the Difference? Setting Up a Business Phone System: Everything You Need to Know in One Article. What If Your Background Check Reveals a Criminal Record?
VoIP Providers: Aren’t They Really All the Same? What Does a Background Check Include? An Industry-by-Industry Guide. Setting Up a Business Phone System: Everything You Need to Know in One Article. Stumpedia. The free online bookmark / favorites manager (turbo) Media Shower: Red-Hot Content. Optimized For Search. Optimized For Sales. 5 Things You Can Do to Research a Job Candidate. Photo Wall Stickers. Send us your favorite photos and we will turn them into custom vinyl pictures for your walls. Facebook. How to Start a Small Business Without Leaving Your Desk. The 5 Best Businesses to Start in 2012. Starting a Small Business: The Essentials for the New Office. IP Phone Service: Can Your Network Handle It? Background Checks: Legal Information for Small Business Owners. Is VolP Phone Service Reliable Enough for Your Business? VoIP Phone Service vs. Skype: Which Is Better for Your Business? VoIP Phone Service vs. Skype: Which Is Better for Your Business?
Employment Background Checks: Your Legal Rights. Employment Background Checks: 5 Outstanding Free Resources. VoIP for Small Business: How Much You Can Save. Starting a Business: Contractors or Full-Time Employees? How to Start a Business With No Money. Starting Your Own Business: Stories of People Who Followed Their Dreams. Starting a Business: How to Make Your Own Marketing Materials. 5 Cost-Saving Ways to Automate Your Business Phone Systems. Why IP Phone Service Rules: 10 Awesome Things Your Landline Can’t Do. Starting a Business From Home: The Ultimate Checklist. Startup Costs: How to Start up a Business For Under $350. Phone Systems - Find Business Phone Systems Vendors. VOIP Phone Service - Find VOIP Phone Service Vendors. Phone Systems - Find Business Phone Systems Vendors. Compare Business VoIP Phone Systems & Prices | Resource Nation. VoIP for Small Business - Business Guides & Articles - Business.com. VoIP - Find VoIP Vendors.
Getting started.