Daily Biz Solutions

By Stephanie Chandler

If you’re one of the 58% of Americans who have considered starting a business but don’t know how to proceed, help is at hand. The following steps will show you how to transform your dream of business ownership into reality.

1.      Figure out what you want to do. You’re not alone if you know that you want to work for yourself but aren’t yet sure what exactly you want to do. Start by making a list of your interests, talents, and skills. Talk to your family and friends and begin brainstorming ideas. The sooner you begin your quest, the sooner you will find the answers.

2.      Start saving now. It is wise to have at least one year’s worth of living expenses in the bank before you quit your day job. It will take time to make a new business profitable, and it could take longer than you expect. Start saving now so you can be prepared for the worst while you hope for the best.

3.      Educate yourself. You can take classes through your local Small Business Administration (www.SBA.org) or seek free small business counseling from the Service Corp. of Retired Executives (www.score.org). Business books and magazines are also essential, and so are industry-specific trade associations.
Read the rest of this entry »

Your marketing strategy is the axiom to your marketing plan. Small business Marketers know that a Marketing Plan is an essential tool to stay competitive and that it remains a work in progress due to the ever-changing market.

That said, drafting your plan does not mean that the information in it is ‘carved in stone’. Your strategy must remain flexible to change with internal and external factors. Following key elements while drafting your strategy will keep you focused and your message consistent as changes occur.

There are eight elements that your strategy must contain to remain competitive and build your business.

1. Real Customer – Many small businesses take on any type of customer just to make a sale and lose sight of the prospects that have the greatest potential. They approach everyone equally and hope for the best. This is a poor tactical approach which is not a growth strategy. Ideally, your strategy should try to address customer needs which currently are not being met in the market place and which show adequate size and profitability. A good strategy implies that a small business cannot be all things to all people and must analyze its market and its own capabilities so as to focus on the ‘real customer’ it can serve best.

2. Establish Goals – If you believe you can succeed, you will eventually succeed. When you have a strategy and clear set of marketing goals there will be little to stop you. This is where writing down goals is essential to the drafting of the rest of your plan. If you do not know where you are going, how are you going to get there?

3. Differentiating Factors – Being unique in the marketplace is an imperative small business marketing strategy. Uniqueness can be a make-or-break element in today’s business world. How do you set your small business apart? What are you offering that your competition is not and how are you delivering your product/service?

4. A Clear Target – Creating a small business marketing strategy requires you to become and expert at target marketing. The two things you are always short on are time and money. When you miss your target market you are wasting both. For your marketing to be cost effective you need to pick a target audience, or your niche, to focus on. By marketing to your target audience, who you know already have a need for your product/service, you immediately increase your campaign’s likelihood of success.

5. Strong Message – Marketing is all about communication. When you communicate well, you make sales; if you cause confusion, you fail. It’s that simple. Creating a strategy for a consistent marketing message is critical to your success.

6. Brand Identity – You may think that as a small business you are not big enough to need a branding strategy. Nothing can be further from the truth! Every business needs an identity that is part of a focused strategy. How do you want the market and your customers to perceive you? Take this time to know your positioning in your competitive field.

7. Positioning Plan – All business battles are won and lost in the minds of your clients and prospects. They decide what is in their best interest and if your product will benefit them. The best you can do is to position yourself with your strategy to be the best choice, lowest risk they have in their buying process. Ensure that your company’s inside reality is the outside perception in your prospects mind.

8. Financial Projections – Show the returns on the investments you plan to make, broken down by product line, for one to three years. After campaign decisions are made and implemented you need to evaluate how well they are performing. Set standards of performance and evaluate results against them.

A strategy is a continuous process of testing and adjustment. It represents flexible ideas that will guide your marketing decisions. Keep your eye on these seven strategy elements to stay focused and consistent as your marketing plan is drafted and updated.

Toni Grundstrom is a freelance writer with emphasis in the Marketing field. She has worked for a professional legal association, government entity, and small businesses. With 17 years of experience I provide valuable content in all aspects of Marketing. Click Here for additional information about drafting your Small Business Marketing Plan. This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box, are unchanged. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Toni_Grundstrom

One of the biggest challenges facing many business owners and professionals today is being able to get control of managing documentation and communication. In today’s fast-paced global marketplace, being limited by the restrictions of standard fax technology can seriously limit your company’s ability to respond quickly enough to be competitive.

If you depend on being able to get the right fax documents in the hands of the right people at the right time, it may be beneficial to look into getting a Fax Over IP system, such as the FaxAgent system available through Axacore. These types of systems provides smart technology and reliable solutions for businesses of all sizes who need to improve their fax capabilities.

There are many benefits of utilizing a VoIP Fax fax system, regardless of the size of your company. These types of systems allow customers to set up to unlimited user accounts, system profiles, and domains. They can also be configured so that faxes can be sent over any IP enabled network. Users can interact with the fax server over any public or private network.

This means you’ll never have to lose out on an opportunity because you weren’t near your fax machine, or couldn’t print a document so that you could have it faxed. Taking advantage of the latest fax technology can help your company stay ahead of the competition now and into the future.

Conducting business during the holiday season can be challenging, especially if you depend on getting a certain amount of new business every month. With the exception of retail, most business slows down during this time of year. Most people are caught up in shopping, wrapping, and hosting or attending holiday parties.

How can you make the most of this “downtime” to ensure that you’re ready to hit the ground running after the New Year’s confetti has settled?

First of all, don’t abandon the quest for new business entirely. Although it may be more difficult to win new clients now, you’ll certainly fail if you don’t try at all. Stick to your normal methods of prospecting – cold calling, networking, online marketing, etc.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Stephanie Chandler

Is your busy schedule running you ragged? Studies show that we are running at a faster pace than in generations past. Between work, family and the daily demands of life, there is little time left in a day to decompress. Unfortunately, when you don’t take time out to relax, you can be headed for trouble. Emotional and physical problems are often the result of over-stressed, over-tired adults on the go.

If you’re running on empty, it’s time to make some changes. Following are ways that you can find more time in the day and ultimately take better care of yourself.

1. Identify commitments you made that you dread including memberships, time-wasting meetings, etc. Learn to say no and eliminate them.

2. Start and end each day with a To Do list and then prioritize each task. Odds are that you won’t accomplish every task on the list so tackle the most important items and then forget about the rest when the day is over.

3. Make a list of goals. This will help you focus on what is important. Goals should include short-term and long-term plans for your business, personal life and family.

4. Set a schedule for daily and weekly activities and put them on your calendar. For example, dedicate one hour per week to updating your blog or decide that you will make sales calls between 9am to 10am each morning. When you start blocking out your time for tasks, not only will you use your time more wisely, but you will start meeting goals and will put an end the multi-tasking cycle.

5. Get organized. Countless hours can be wasted due to missing paperwork and lost time can equate to lost income. Schedule time to take care of the clutter and either hire a professional organizer or dedicate yourself to getting systems in place and finding a home for everything in your work and home space.

6. Check e-mail no more than two to three times per day (morning, afternoon and end of the day). Organize messages with folders and try to touch each message only once.

7. Take frequent breaks throughout the day. Sitting at a desk all day is a recipe for disaster resulting in back and neck problems, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Get up, walk around, stretch, breathe, have a glass of water and take a few minutes to clear your head.

8. Keep your energy up with small meals throughout the day. It’s easy to skip meals when you’re in the heat of the workday, but this can actually impair productivity. Instead of reaching for a caffeine fix, grab a granola bar, piece of fruit or a cup of yogurt. Keep snacks on hand to make it easy to keep your personal engine fueled throughout the day.

9. Leave early at least one day each week. Treat yourself to some time alone or spend some quality time with your family.

10. Quit doing it all yourself. Outsourcing is a great way to reclaim your time. Think you can’t afford it? Consider what you earn hourly. If you can hire someone to take care of tasks for less, then it’s probably a worthwhile investment. Hire a virtual assistant to help with paperwork, have your laundry picked up, get a landscaper or house cleaner and have your groceries delivered.

Even implementing just a few of these suggestions can make a dramatic improvement in your well-being. And if any of these suggestions leave you feeling guilty, shake it off. Work will always be there, but if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be of any use at work or at home. Take care of number one and the rest will fall into place.

About the Author:

Stephanie Chandler is a small business expert and the author of FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. She is the founder of www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of resources for entrepreneurs and www.ProPublishingServices.com, a custom writing business specializing in electronic newsletters, information marketing, and sales copy for websites and brochures.