Every small business that accepts credit cards knows about chargebacks. A chargeback is when a credit card transaction is reversed. Some (but not all) of the common reasons for chargebacks include:

• The customer did not receive the service or item purchased.
• The service or item purchased was not as advertised.
• The customer was charged the wrong amount or was charged twice.
• The customer didn't recognize the charge on their credit statement.
• Fraud, either as a result of identity theft or the credit card was used with the deliberate intent to request a chargeback later.

As a merchant it pays to know your stuff and be proactive. The more you know and the harder you work to anticipate and avoid issues, the more you can minimize chargebacks.

The good news is that many chargebacks can be avoided. Some of the following tips may seem obvious, but they are basic blocking and tackling that businesses sometimes fail to do.

Communicate Clearly and Provide Contact Information

Sometimes, a chargeback can come from miscommunication or unclear communications.

Advertise as accurately as possible and provide clear terms of service. Giving insufficient information can cause as many problems as giving inaccurate information, especially if you are selling online or via mail order and the customer doesn't have the opportunity to physically inspect the item. Err on the side of giving as many details as practicable if selling online.

If there is an issue, try to resolve it with the customer directly and reiterate your return policy if necessary.

Make sure transactions from your business are easy to identify on the customer's credit statement. It's a good idea to also include your customer service number or website. This way, if the customer doesn't recognize the charge, they can contact you directly.

Give Great Customer Service and Respond Quickly

Good customer service makes it more likely that a customer will come to you first if they are unhappy with a service or purchase, giving you the opportunity to fix the problem before a chargeback is filed.

For online orders, ship before you deposit the transaction. if an item is out of stock or there are delivery delays, notify the customer so as to manage expectations.

Have a generous return policy and state it clearly on your sales receipts or website. Then customers will come to you for a possible refund instead of going through the chargeback process.

Refunds or replacements are two ways to solve issues, of course, but being creative also helps. A generous discount for a future purchase may satisfy the customer. Sometimes instructions or assistance to resolve a problem installing or operating an item may be answer. But you won't have that opportunity to "make good" unless you respond quickly and professionally.

Avoid Technical Errors

Double-charging a transaction is an all-too-common occurrence in this age of technology. Make sure you enter a transaction into your point of sale terminal only once and deposit it only once.
Be sure to void any incorrect sales receipts and only process the transaction once.

If the customer is present, let them know that you have voided the transaction and tear up the old receipt in front of them. If you notice that a customer was charged twice or incorrectly, immediately correct it and refund the customer's account.

Deposit sales receipts and credit receipts at the acquirer as soon as possible.

Leave a Paper Trail

Create whatever paper trail might be necessary to verify the customer authorized the transaction and received their purchase. Make sure the customer has signed the receipt.

If you're shipping an item, be sure to get delivery confirmation. Keep a record of your sales drafts and do not alter them in any way.

Train Staff — and Explain Why

It won't be much help for you understand the issues that can lead to chargebacks and how to avoid them, if your staff doesn't. Take the time to not only explain what your staff should do, but why. That way you empower your staff to anticipate issues and make daily decisions to satisfy customers.

Think broadly, too. It's not just retail sales staff or customer support who need to understand. Consider such staff as your webmaster, who may be able to forestall duplicate online credit-card charges by putting a notice on a Web page not to click the back button during an online transaction, as it may result in a double charge.

Consider also your marketing staff, who are in a position to avoid misunderstandings by clearly writing product descriptions and terms of service. In other words, consider your end-to-end marketing, sales and customer support processes.

Practice Good Fraud Prevention Techniques

There are a number of things you can do at the point of sale to avoid fraud and the resulting chargebacks. Some quick tips include:

• Compare the card signature to the signature on the receipt and make sure they match.
• Swipe the credit card whenever possible – do not key in the card number.
• Never complete a transaction if the authorization request was denied. Instead, ask for another form of payment.
• For online orders, require the security code (the 3-digit CVV2 or CVC2 code, or in the case of American Express the 4-digit CID code).

You can read more about preventing fraud at the point of sale here “Fight Credit Card Fraud at the Point of Sale.”  MasterCard has created a very good Chargeback Guide, in convenient PDF form, which you can find along with other helpful resources at:  MasterCard Rules to Prosper By.

It may not be possible to avoid every chargeback, but following these best practices and policies will definitely help you minimize them.

Credit Photo via Shutterstock

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From the small business to a huge corporation, everyone is earnest to know the secret to customer retention. Let’s face the facts: It is sure much easier to keep a customer than to obtain a new one. So, how does one earn repeat business for years and years to come?

Customers That Stick explores this issue in the following infographic where they use various customer retention statistics to break down the three most important aspects of customer retention – why customers leave, why customers stick, and why retained customers mean more money.

[Click for full size version]

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Gathering data for marketing research has traditionally been costly and impractical for small businesses. Your company may need intel on a competitor or even someone to check on in-store displays of your product. But now a smartphone app, Field Agent App, puts a potential army of freelancers at your command.

Data Collection for Literally a Few Bucks

Fivver recently passed two million gigs crowdsourcing everything from website design to advertising services starting for as little as $5 per job.

The Field Agent App does something similar with data gathering. Anyone who downloads the app can conduct retail audits, secret shopping, even conduct polls or online research on your behalf for only dollars per gig. Participants are paid via PayPal as soon as they’ve completed the task requested.

Gigs pay at least $5 if travel is required and at least $4 if it can be done anywhere or at home. There are a few extra dollars cost if additional photos need to be taken or additional information gathered.

A video below shows one user taking a photo of a ketchup display and filling out some simple information then taking a picture of an outside sign listing gas prices. Payment for gigs has already been increased somewhat since the video was made.

A Few Things to Know About Field Agent

There are some things to consider about the service:

• Field Agent is certainly not a business model for those providing the services. Users can sometimes make enough extra money to at least cover a cell phone or other bill.
• The app is currently only available for iPhones. This cuts down the number of people who can gather information for Field Agent’s clients.
• The surveys and simple research are clearly not being done by professionals. But if you need very simple information collected the company claims to have a proprietary algorithm to guarantee accuracy.
• The company claimed to have about 260,000 users as of April according to a Reuters report. This includes participants in the U.S. and a few other countries. So the reach of the service may still be somewhat limited.

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"You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want." ~ Zig Ziglar

Referrals are the ultimate compliment in business. They mean people respect you for what you do, stand for and the results you have gotten for them.  It’s a sure sign of trust.

In business, networking and referrals are mostly common sense, following best practices and having good manners really. Recommending people that give great value, experiences and resources is something we should all be doing. It’s part of the “human referral effect“. Spreading good news about great work creates then kind of energy that comes back to you.

Not too long ago people did business with a handshake. Some people can still do this, but I have witnessed some very good handshakes go terribly wrong. Best to qualify aggressively and know who you are referring to and who is referring to you.

Referral marketing is one of the most effective ways of promoting products or services to new customers through word of mouth. These referrals often happen spontaneously and tend to produce very good sales outcomes. Several business sources report that 65% of new business tends to come from referrals.

Referral Tactics: Turn Referrals Into Solid Relationships

1) Tap People You Already Have Results, History and Relationships With

Take those results, that history and your relationships deeper. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Can you suggest some people you know who can benefit from what I do and the results we have gotten?”

2) Thoroughly Qualify People’s Background, Tenure and Results

Determining competencies, qualities, values and intangibles is well worth the effort, especially when entrusting people to others. Search people and companies on the Internet not only for current information and reputation – but any complaints or problems posted online.

3) Be Strategic About Meeting People

Who do you want to meet and who do you want to meet you? I like to call this “sphere-ing.” I look at all the people who have me in common but don’t know each other yet and I try to connect good people to each other that I feel have the right synergy.

4) Take Care Of People As You Want To Be Taken Care Of

Old fashioned nice is so welcomed in business. The consistency of our temperament, attitude, motive and intent gives people a confident sense of what they can expect from us.

5) Offer People a Sampling, Red Spoon Taste of Who You Are and Ask Them to do the Same

Find ways to give people a sampling so they can get a taste of you and your work. Think of the ice cream shop where they give you a little red spoon taste before you buy the flavor of your choice.

6) Blend in Person and Social Media to Open Doors and Engage

LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogging and eMarketing used in tandem can speed up, enhance and move the relationship and referral process forward faster than ever before. The world wide Web, technology and social media used for business are the greatest communication advancements since the telephone.

7) Build a Referral Culture and Habit Into Your Day to Day Professionalism

The more you consistently connect and refer good people to each other for the right reasons, the more you will become known as a “master connector.” This is a very good thing to be known for.

8) Don’t Wait for Others to Make the First Move, Be Proactive

If you see a great opportunity to make introductions and referrals, don’t wait for them. Take the initiative, which shows people you are interested in them and, in turn, creates interest in you.

9) Always Thank People for Referrals or Introductions

Acknowledge interactions with people, whether they work out or not, with a timely, sincere thank you privately and publicly. It’s an opportunity to show gratitude, humility and authenticity.

If you want to get referrals and turn them into rock solid relationships, become the kind of person that attracts them, inspires them and rewards people for having that kind of confidence in you.

Right attitude, right action, right referrals, right results. Be sincere and go make one today.

Referral Photo via Shutterstock

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If you run a website as part of your business, figuring out a revenue model for the content you publish is probably a big priority.

Content marketing is certainly a powerful way to promote. But creating a business model to sell that content as a product or service can be a bit trickier.

The recent failure of Internet behemoth AOL to make Patch, a network of hyperlocal news sites, profitable after years of investment only underscores that challenge.

Hyperlocal Should be Hyper Small

One of the major stumbling blocks AOL faced while trying to make Patch a success was its overhead.

Denise Civiletti, editor and publisher of RiverheadLOCAL.com, covering local news in Long Island, NY, told Ad Age recently hyperlocal sites can be hyper profitable. But they must stay small and keep their costs low.

It’s hard to say how profitable an individual Patch site needs to be. But Civiletti insists her site’s six figure sales revenue is plenty to support herself and the only other employee, her sales rep husband.

Premium Content is Another Option

Another possibility is to charge visitors directly for some or all of the content published on your site.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone proposed recently that larger sites like Facebook begin offering premium services. Those services could offer an alternative to advertising for people who wish to share and consume content on a site’s pages. Not everybody thinks that’s a great idea.

But Scott Fox, who launched his first ClickMillionaires forum in 2009 publishing content for lifestyle entrepreneurs, says he has run a successful subscription service for years.

Fox says the key is to regularly publish content users feel is worth the money. It’s also important to have a compelling difference between paid and any free content you offer, he says.

“Just look at your cell phone or cable bill to imagine how nice that recurring income is for those companies,” Fox explains. “I recommend that entrepreneurs try to build recurring revenues into their new online businesses, too.”

Failure Questions Photo via Shutterstock

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What's the biggest problem you have with your employees? Is it retaining them, motivating them or keeping them from wasting half the day on Facebook? None of the above. If you're like most small business owners, the biggest employee problem you have is finding good ones in the first place.

In a recent survey by Robert Half, 60 percent of small business owners report the biggest challenge they face in hiring or managing staff is simply finding skilled workers to do the job. (The second-biggest concern—maintaining employee morale and productivity—was far behind, cited by only 19 percent of respondents.)

It's hard to believe finding staff is still a problem in a marketplace where so many people are still unemployed, underemployed or looking to switch jobs. What gives? Some workers have been out of the work force so long that their skills have atrophied. Others, even those with jobs, haven't kept up with the rapid pace of workplace change.

But for many small businesses, the problem is not the kind of workers that are out there, but the way they approach hiring. Big companies have huge HR divisions, established brands and clear-cut pathways for employee advancement. For small companies, the brand recognition is likely not there, the recruiting staff probably isn't in place, and the advantages of working at an entrepreneurial business may not be readily apparent.

How can you get around these hurdles?

3 Tips that Could Help You Find the Employees You Need

Emphasize the Benefits of Working at Your Business

You may not have all the perks of a big corporation, but focus on what you do offer. Promote your company culture on your business website, in your want ads and in interviews. Is your company a fun, casual place to work? Is there lots of room to "wear different hats" and work with many different departments?

Job seekers value the ability to gain new skills without having to jump through corporate hoops—so focus on how employees at your company have the chance to really make a difference, even at the entry level.

Don't be shy about "selling" your company—that's what it takes to make your business stand out as a potential employer.

Recruit in the Right Places

Don't just place want ads on mass job boards like Monster.com. Small businesses will generally get better results from more targeted recruiting efforts, such as industry-specific or local job boards.

Use social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook to announce your job openings and drive interested parties to your website to get more information and apply. Use LinkedIn to advertise, tap into your connections to uncover leads on qualified candidates, and check out industry groups to find people who display leadership and experience in the fields where you're looking to hire.  Even if they're not actively seeking jobs, they might be interested in your opportunity.

Last, but not least, spread the word among informal networks like friends, family and people at your church or temple.

Bring in the Pros

If you're hiring for a key position or need to bring someone on board quickly, hiring a recruiting firm could be worth your time. Make sure to look for a recruiter who is familiar with your industry and also works with lots of small companies. Get referrals and opinions from other business owners who have used the recruiter, and always weigh the benefits against the cost.

Another option: Look into temporary staffing agencies.

These days, staffing services aren't only for assistants—you can hire a CMO, CFO or other C-level employee through a staffing agency. This gives you the option to "test drive" a candidate whose skills have been vetted by the agency. If you like what you see, you can offer them a permanent position.

Try these tactics and you'll boost your chances of finally finding the perfect employee—one with the skills and experience you need.

Employee Problems Photo via Shutterstock

The post The Biggest Problem Small Businesses Still Have With Their Employees appeared first on Small Business Trends.

It was another reminder of the vulnerability of businesses that conduct all or some of their activities online.

Both the New York Times and Twitter were hacked yesterday.  Or, at least, their domain names were “hacked” — i.e., hijacked for a time.

The two companies essentially had their domain names rerouted to different servers.  In the case of the New York Times, it was the entire NYTimes.com web URL that was affected.  In the case of Twitter, it was only the domains for the images hosted on Twitter.

A group claiming to be loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad claimed responsibility in a series of messages on Twitter.

The group, calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), also claimed to have hacked the Huffington Post, but that site does not appear to have been affected.

How The Hackers Did It: A Phishing Email

The SEA hacking attack was relatively low-tech (as such things go). It started with a phishing email.

The email enticed an employee of a reseller of Melbourne IT in Australia to give up login credentials. Melbourne IT provides online DNS services for The New York Times website, Twitter and many other clients.

Typically, a phishing email tries to get unsuspecting recipients to click on a link taking them to a fake page that may look exactly like a legitimate site. Upon logging in, the login credentials are captured.

Once the SEA had the login credentials, they were able to gain access to the DNS records for the New York Times website. They then changed the records to point to a different server. When visitors went to the NYTimes.com site, they saw a screen with an SEA insignia.

That’s because the DNS information was directing Internet traffic to go to the substituted server location for information, not to the New York Times' Web servers. Writes The Next Web, "DNS is akin to a 'phone book for the Internet' and is responsible for taking you to the website that you want to visit."

Although Melbourne IT changed the DNS information back promptly after the intrusion was discovered, the effects lingered. The reason:  it can take up to 24 hours for your ISP's caches to be cleared of information.

Almost a full day later, some people (including here at the Small Business Trends offices) were still not able to access the New York Times website. Up until nearly noon Eastern time today, New York Times Vice President of Communications, Eileen Murphy, was still responding to inquiries on Twitter from readers who said they could not access the site.

The DNS tampering also affected Twitter to a lesser degree. The SEA managed to access the DNS records for where Twitter images are hosted (although not the main Twitter servers). Twitter issued an official status update saying "Viewing of images and photos was sporadically impacted."

2 Lessons You Can Take Away:

1 ) Train employees to spot and avoid phishing emails.

Be wary of unexpected emails that seem to come out of the blue prompting logins. Look closely at the URL for any page you are directed to. Sometimes the pages look perfect, and only the URL is a giveaway that it's a phishing site.  Make sure employees are trained to watch out.

2) Secure the Logins for Your Domain Name Accounts

Small businesses typically have their domain name registrar manage their DNS. If someone gains access to your domain name account, they may be able to tamper with where your website traffic is pointed to. While domain registrars usually require multi-step security for transferring a domain name, that may not be the case for changing DNS settings.  Protect login credentials carefully.

New York Times Building Photo via Shutterstock

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What is the toughest challenge for an entrepreneur? Most times, it’s finding the appropriate funds to launch the business and then grow it.

So, how do you embark on this task?

The first and foremost step in materializing your business ideas is to collect the necessary money. Certain funding opportunities like grants offer very limited capital. It does not cover all the costs needed for a new business and entrepreneurs with for-profit enterprises are often refused grants. If you aspire to establish a non-profit organisation, the chances of getting grants are positive.

In the midst of these uncertainties, the wisest idea is to weigh all the options for finding the right financial match for your business. Below are some simple tips to guide you through the fundraising process of all the stages of a business cycle.

Where to Find Funds For Your Business

Bootstrap: Use Your Own Financial Resources

In the initial stages of your business, using money from your savings account may be the right option. Since you are in the experimental stage, taking loans may not be safe. Keeping in mind the chances of succeeding in the long run, you may decide to stick to the current business idea or shift focus to a new one.

If you are considering bootstrapping, you need to be careful of making use of your precious savings.

Ask Among Family and Friends

If you do not have adequate savings to invest in your business, there is no need to lose hope as there is another way. Invite your family and friends to invest in your venture. Once you are successful, repay the money to them.

Before any of your family and friends make an investment in your business, come to an understanding that it may a considerable amount of time to repay the money.

Crowdfunding

If you don’t have enough money in your savings account, you’re not ready for venture capital funding, you have failed to qualify for a bank loan and your family and friends are not willing to invest in your business, then you must be wondering whether there is any other way left. The answer is yes, and it comes in the form of crowdfunding.

Launched on January 1, 2013 under the JOBS Act, crowdfunding allows a wider group of small investors with fewer limitations. When it comes to investment in the early stages of a business, this option is ideal.

There are many sites offering crowdfunding. In such situations, you require selecting with utmost awareness. Carry out thorough research on top online resources for crowdfunding and decide on the best one for you.

Angel Investors

When your business advances to the next stage of growth and you need more capital to progress further, you may approach angel investors. Is the concept of an angel investors new to you?

If so, angel investors are wealthy individuals or a group of individuals that offer funds for launching a business in exchange of translatable debt or ownership equity.

You can locate angel groups on the Internet. They make their presence felt on the Web with an eloquent description of their objectives. These groups decide whether your business fulfills their requirements. If so, they will arrange a meeting to collect more data. Investments can start from $50,000 to $500,000 and even more.

Bank Loan

A growing business in the later stages may require funding for different purposes to ensure long-term growth. At this juncture, a bank loan can be the source of monetary resources.While applying for the loan, the financial institution will ask for detailed information about you and your business. This information is vital to secure a loan.

The process is lengthy and complicated. You can facilitate it by establishing an amicable relationship with the bank at the nascent stages of your enterprise. The point of contact need not be for a loan at first. It can be a merchant account, checking account or credit cards. With time, the financial institution will become familiar with your enterprise and you as an entrepreneur and you may find yourself in an advantageous position to avail of their services.

If you devise a business plan, taking into account these five options for funding, it will be easier for you to secure the capital you require, no matter which stage of business you are in.

Searching Photo via Shutterstock

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Small business owners realize the value of online video in marketing these days. The rise of Vine and Video on Instagram demonstrate video’s role in social media too.

But some entrepreneurs just can’t make time to create their own video on a daily basis no matter how important. That’s where Tawki comes in.

Fundraising Launched for Tawki Development

Developers expect Tawki to function as both a video production tool and a social media platform when completed. The Tawki team includes members with backgrounds in video production, Search Engine Optimization, social media marketing and site development. And developers thought specifically about small business users at every step in the process.

The group launched a campaign on fundraising platform IndieGogo yesterday in hopes of generating at least $100,000 to complete phase two of the site’s development.

Contributors could receive a range of rewards depending on the sizes of their donations. These rewards could include, in some cases, the option to become a beta tester or to give input on the product.

Video Production and Video Sharing

The first innovation the new platform will offer is what the development team calls one-click video production. With the entry of a keyword, Tawki will create very simple video with still photos, short video clips and background music fitting that keyword or phrase.

"It's kind of like stock photography, but in video form," said co-founder David Leonhardt.

However, Leonhardt said the video production tools would also allow some customization.

The system will allow users to upload their own photos or video clips, enter text, choose their own music, and add voice-overs. Beyond the basics, Tawki will also offer some custom animation options. See a sample of the kind of animation it will create below.

And that’s not all. Tawki will also help you easily share the videos you’ve created on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. Developers say the Tawki platform will also function as a social media site. So this will allow you to share your new videos with others quickly and easily on Tawki too.

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Whether your business is hospitality-driven, office-related, or sports-minded, having a television can boost your sales and lead to happier customers.

In today's 'want it now, want it fast' world, customer expectations are at an all-time high. Customers seem to want to stay connected to what's happening and have access to the outside world all the time, no matter where they happen to be. And a few magazines scattered on tables in the lobby are not enough anymore — people want to engage through visual technology.

That's where business TV comes in.

Today, TVs serve as customer service amenities for customers and clients who have to wait, and marketing aids for visitors to your business. Televisions lend themselves as efficient and inexpensive tools for conveying information to employees. In hospitality-related businesses such as bars and restaurants, TVs can be an important part of your offering mix to draw customers, and keep them staying longer and spending more.

Dollar for dollar, business television is an inexpensive marketing and customer satisfaction technique.

Let's take a deeper look at key points you need to know about business TV and the role it can play in your business:

What Kinds of Businesses Benefit from Business TV?

There are some obvious choices for business television, and some not so obvious ones:

Bars, Restaurants, Coffee Shops– Bars are a natural for TVs. Sports bars, in particular, need televisions with the most up-to-date sports packages just to compete. But think outside the box. Casual restaurants, coffee shops and sandwich shops can also also benefit from television — think morning news or local programming that draws in regulars.

Offices/Lobbies– Business TV gives visitors the impression that your business is vibrant and connected.

And for companies that use television integrally to serve clients – such as PR firms and advertising agencies — television is an important work tool.

Waiting Rooms– Whether a doctor, lawyer, car repair shop or dentist, use TV as an amenity that keeps clients feeling positive even if they must wait. TV can create a welcoming environment, and reduce anxiety.

Exercise/Fitness Centers– People today love to multi-task. Getting caught up on the news, watching sports or simply enjoying their favorite talk shows while they exercise, can make all the difference to those who don't like to exercise. It's an added amenity that can set your facility apart from competitors.

Your cable television service provider may offer packages designed specifically for your type of business or needs. That can make your choices easier.

Hardware: What Size and How Many TVs?

The answer to this question depends on the type of business, the number of people watching, the setting and layout. Here are some thoughts to get you thinking:

Sports bars generally need multiple large screen TVs, at least 50 inches or larger. You should have enough TVs where your patrons can watch several events from several locations.

In a small business lobby or waiting room of a professional, TVs can be the same size as what you'd find at home. For instance, in a doctor's office with two intimate seating areas, two 32" tabletop sets may be best for patients. In the lobby of your company's offices, a single 42" wall mounted TV may suffice.

When it comes to fitness centers, even small ones might have at least four wall-mounted TVs, 42 inches or bigger. For large fitness centers, the number of TVs needed could be much higher.

Where Do We Place TVs?

In places with high foot traffic or lots of people, flat screen televisions mounted high up on the wall, — perhaps one in each corner — will typically be the better choice, versus set top models or a TV placed in an entertainment center.

Consider traffic patterns and seating arrangements. Try to make it so that people (including wait staff) walking about do not disrupt others' line of sight. And try to ensure that every seat in the house has an unimpeded view of at least one TV. In larger or unique environments, speakers and acoustics may be another consideration. Tilting helps reduce glare, and tilt mounts are necessary for higher mounting applications.

Every business owner shudders to think about it, but you need to consider theft and vandalism. Wall mountings that are up high make it harder to reach TVs so they can't be accidentally broken. Some wall mounts come with the ability to lock the television to the stand with a key, making theft harder.

If your place of business is compact, you may be able to install the television hardware in-house. But for larger installations, bring in a professional audio/video company to lay out where to place television sets, and get the right configurations, including mountings. Professionals also have access to a greater range of hardware than you can buy retail.

Affordability and Tax Considerations

Your cable TV provider can provide service packages with the correct number of TV outlets for your facility, along with suitable packages of local, news, sports and/or entertainment programming. Look for packages specifically set up for businesses similar to yours. By bundling with Internet and related services, you may be able to get additional savings.

Finally, keep in mind that costs associated with business television can usually be deducted or depreciated on your business taxes.

You should always consult with your own tax advisor for specific tax advice, but for general background information we reached out to Barbara Weltman, the author of JK Lasser's Small Business Taxes. She says that the cost of monthly business television cable service and programming "can be viewed as an ordinary and necessary business expense, which makes it deductible" provided the TV service is used for business purposes.

When it comes to hardware, such as television sets, she notes, "Generally, the cost must be depreciated. However, the cost may qualify for the Sec. 179 deduction (up to $500,000 for 2013 as long as the business is profitable for the year) and/or bonus depreciation (50% of cost in 2013 as long as the equipment is new and not pre-owned)."

As you can see, there are good reasons to use TV in your business. And the cost can be affordable, especially when you factor in the potential for tax deductions and depreciation.

Gym Photo via Shutterstock

The post Putting Television in Your Lobby or Place of Business: What you Need to Know appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Internet marketing. When you hear this buzz phrase, chances are you inevitably think about social media, virility and PPC (pay per click) campaigns. While these are certainly some of the best avenues for marketing in today's digital world, the market is so saturated that it can be difficult to gain a foothold.

YouTube, for instance, has an astonishing 72 hours of footage uploaded to the site every minute. And millions of users and pages update their Facebook so often that posts easily get lost on the news feed.

With so much competition in modern day advertising, why not consider old fashioned, yet highly effective, ways of marketing online and in the real world?

Alive and Kicking: Old Fashioned Ways of Marketing

Mailed Newsletters

Yes, I mean physically mailed, not emailed – like with an envelope, stamp and mailman. Direct mail is considered one of the cheapest yet most effective ways to create customers in today's digital age. On average, the response rate of direct mail campaigns hovers around 4.4 percent. While the cost per lead is generally the same or comparable to the cost of email marketing, customers created through direct mail are more likely to perform repeat business.

One of the great aspects of direct mail is the ability to directly tie it into your current Web marketing efforts. For instance, encouraging direct mail recipients to enter a promo code as they purchase your product online is a proven technique to introduce the recipient to your website.

Promo Materials

Whether it's key chains and water bottles for an upcoming convention or fancy products for major giveaways, promotional materials are an easy way to help your business gain attention. Because physical items such as pens, bags and bumper stickers will circulate throughout a wider audience than the person who receives the promotional product, you will experience a higher ROI (return on investment) for this type of marketing.

In fact, you can even directly tie promotional materials into your digital advertising by always printing your logo on each product. This ensures that if a potential customer has a need for your products or services, they'll be able to easily recall your business or website and avail themselves of your offerings.

Earning Attention

Instead of paying the high price for short-lived marketing campaigns online, why not achieve attention the old fashioned way? By earning it.

In online marketing, we refer to this as SEO – search engine optimization. Through content marketing and website optimization, you can clearly define the purpose of your Web presence and business for the search engines. By regularly making your site a trusted resource in your industry, you will gain authority among consumers and major search engines such as Google.

Hosting a Contest

With all the focus on SEO and website design, it's easy to forget the simpler tactics that drive traffic quickly and effectively to your site. One of these tactics is to host a contest for your consumers and fans. By determining the winner via vote count, entrants will share their submissions with their friends, thereby earning more exposure for your business.

Entrants will inadvertently become ambassadors for your brand.

Mailbox Photo via Shutterstock

The post 4 Old Fashioned Ways of Marketing that Aren't Dead – Yet appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Many of us may skip our meals, but never forget to keep ourselves on top of social media – be it Facebook or Twitter.  As you know, Twitter is one such platform that plays an important role in facilitating conversations, sharing your thoughts and delivering news and information. Therefore, Twitter performs updates, modifications and adds new Twitter features every now and then designed to make your tweeting experience more enjoyable.

If you are one of the fans who use this powerful medium via your Smartphone, then there is indeed great news for you with the recent Twitter announcement of an update for its iOS and Android apps.  Twitter has added multiple new Twitter features such as photo galleries and a completely new form of two way authentication. Not only this, Twitter has made an effort to improve its list as well as search management.

But before you download the latest version from the Google Play and Apple's App store, stay ahead of this recent update.

Today's Twitter for Android and iOS allows you to enroll in login verification and also supports login requests directly from your mobile applications. There has been a growing complaint against twitter accounts being compromised by a breach of password data on the Web or through email phishing schemes. To address this problem, Twitter introduced a new security feature to effectively protect your Twitter account.

New Twitter Features for Smartphone Users

How is the Login Verification Approach Formed?

Once you login to your Twitter account, there is a security check to ensure that it is really you attempting to login. Next you will be asked to verify your email address and phone number. You have to go through these following steps to get into your account:

• Login to your account setting page.
• Choose "require a verification code when I sign in."
• Click on the link to "add a phone" and then follow the instruction.
• Once you enroll in login verification, you will be prompted to enter a six-digit code that is sent to your phone via an SMS.

Don’t worry; your existing application will work with this new login verification. You may wonder, "What if I login to my Twitter account on other apps and devices?" Yes, it is possible by visiting your application page to create a temporary password to log in and authorize that application.

Instead of just relying on a password, login verification keeps your account secured. However, even if it assures tight security, you must ensure that the following factors are properly checked:

• Use login verification.
• Use a strong password.
• Be careful of suspicious links.
• Make sure the operating system is up-to-date.

What are the Advantages of this Approach?

Added Context:

You can see browser details and location in the app, once a login request is made.

Extensive Support Internationally:

Login verification via SMS is mainly available through supported mobile carriers across the globe. All that’s required is Twitter's supported apps and an Internet connection to enroll in login verification.

No Need of a Phone Number:

You can avoid giving your phone number by using in-application approvals and push messaging. This is especially required when you create multiple Twitter accounts but only have one phone number.

No Worries, When You Lose Your Phone:

If you lose your phone, the backup code in the apps can be written down in a secured place to access your Twitter account.

How are the New Search Engine and List Management Approaches Formed?

Twitter's improved search engine is more in line with Google Universal Search. Coupled with displaying tweets and people, the new search also includes videos, social context and photos. From now on, when you start searching for something, the results will be widely classified into three segments:

• Photos
• Social Context
• People

Searches will auto-fill, providing the context of how you are connected to certain people on your account. It will also feature photos in an Instagram-like type of gallery. It enables you to view all the pictures a person has posted to Twitter. You can also request to "view more photos" which provides a gallery view of images.

The list has been successfully managed to enable you to create a new list, edit the existing lists, add or remove members or manage titles and descriptions.

It is quite interesting to see how Twitter is taking the time to put more effort into evolving its new Twitter features. While it has focused on iOS and Android, we hope that it brings the same functionality in the app to all devices.

Blue Bird Photo via Shutterstock

The post Explore the New Twitter Features for Smartphone Users appeared first on Small Business Trends.

If you’ve been receiving more credit card payments in your small business lately, you may soon be getting a notice from the Internal Revenue Service.

Media reports suggest the IRS has sent out 20,000 of these 1099-K notices since fall 2012 mostly to small businesses.

Form 1099-K is the return on which small businesses must report “payment card and third party network transactions” including credit card payments.

The official IRS website explains the reason for the 1099-K notice this way:

You received one or more of these letters and notices because you may have underreported your gross receipts. This is based on your tax return and Form(s) 1099-K, Payment/Merchant Cards and Third Party Network Transactions that show an unusually high portion of receipts from card payments and other Form 1099-K reportable transactions.

Specifically, the IRS is targeting businesses whose ratio of credit card to cash seems unusual for their industry, a CNN report suggests. The agency seems to believe these higher than average credit card reportings mean businesses are underreporting cash receipts.

Trends Show Credit Card Payments Increasing

It’s certainly important for small businesses to accurately report their earnings and pay their fair share. But it’s also possible a simpler explanation exists for high credit card receipts.

Customers in the U.S. are increasingly choosing plastic to make their purchases and small businesses here are eager to accommodate.

According to recent data, point of sale cash payments are expected to decline to just 23 percent by 2017. Over the same period, credit card purchases are expected to climb to 33 percent. They were only 29 percent of point of sales purchases in 2011.

What’s more, 68 percent of consumers between ages 18 and 33 will only shop at businesses that accept multiple forms of payment including credit cards. So this trend is likely to continue.

Tips for Dealing with an IRS Notice

If you receive a notice from the IRS about your 1099-K reporting, don’t panic.

1.) Your income tax return should already include the earnings reported on your 1099-K as part of your business’s gross receipts. So the IRS recommends checking all your tax records to determine whether the agency’s assessment is correct.

2.) The IRS also suggests you talk with your tax professional if necessary for some assistance and to decide how to proceed.

Hiding Cash Photo via Shutterstock

The post IRS Claims Small Businesses Underreporting Cash Payments appeared first on Small Business Trends.

As the app ecosystem continues its breakneck pace of growth – something to expected to accelerate as Google Play will start begins to offer textbooks in the fall – businesses would be crazy not to consider the app store part of their marketing strategy.

However, as App Store Optimization (ASO) is still in its nascent stages, it's important that marketers understand what they can and can't control before devising a strategy to market their app. Additionally, those looking to break into the marketing field may want to consider this a skill worth picking up.

Factors That Influence App Purchases

Before launching an app and beginning to market it, it would behoove the developer to understand the market – and how people make their decisions. These factors, according to Nielsen’s, demonstrate the importance of ASO pretty clearly:

1.  App Store Search:  63% of consumers use this channel to find apps.

2.  Friends and family recommendations:  50% of consumers use this channel to find apps.

3.  Editor's Picks and Top Lists:  34% of consumers use this channel to find apps.

However, many analysts predict that top lists will soon become a tool of marketers as more apps are developed which will diminish their value over time.

The Basics of App Store Optimization

ASO is still very new, as are the algorithms that control the rankings, so there will be many changes still to come and this will influence the ways companies can market their apps. In the appstore, marketers can really only control the appearance of the app's page. These factors include:

1. App Title

A good name is important regardless of what you're marketing, so it's important to pick an app title that is short and punchy – something that people will remember. Additionally, it's best to include a few keywords that describe what the app does. For example:  Zeebox – TV's sidekick.

Be sure to avoid keyword stuffing as it is also important that the app title read in a natural manner.

2. Description

As Patrick Haig, Vice President of MobileDevHQ, an ASO company, says, app descriptions consist of two blurbs – one above the fold and posted one below the fold. What goes above the fold should be concise and to the point – 1-2 sentences that outline the primary use of the app.

Below the fold can be a lengthier discussion of how the app works and should include screenshots. Though it sounds petty, screenshots will be one of the most important part of your app page. They make the app tangible and easy to explain to the consumer.

Once again, always include screenshots of the app, this is extremely important.

3. Keywords

This is something that is only available to those on the Apple iOS ecosystem, Google Play only uses descriptions. This field is only 100 characters – so be sure to be very specific and choose your keywords wisely.

4. Logo

Customers are going to be drawn to what they think is most beautiful, so the more appealing your logo is, the most likely you are to succeed. Pick a bright color as it will catch a shopper's eye and keep the size of the logo in mind. It will be a very small thumbnail most of the time, so too much detail will make it blurry and hard to see.

App Marketing

ASO will likely go through many change before there is a real system in place. In the meantime, a great way to market your app is to get it traditional SEO (search engine optimization) exposure and do things like press releases, reviews and build links to the page.

Additionally, be sure to listen to your customers. App ecosystems tend to be rife with reviews which are important influences for consumers. Be sure to respond to these concerns as a means to prevent bad reviews.

Launching an app can be a scary. However, as the mobile market continues to explode and app ecosystems continue to grow and improve, a well down launch is likely to be a profitable experience.

App Store Photo via Shutterstock

The post How You Can Make App Store Optimization (ASO) Digestible appeared first on Small Business Trends.

That post you just left on Facebook won’t interest your followers for long. In fact, several studies suggest most engagement for your post occurs in the first 5 hours after you create it.

Engagement, by the way, at least as defined by Facebook, means actions – likes, shares, clicks or comments – taken by a user when he or she sees your post.

That’s an incredibly short time to get your audience’s attention. Let’s face it. Some may go much longer without even glancing at their Facebook page. But that’s not all.

The Limited Shelf-life of a Facebook Post

Wisemeterics, the firm that did the latest of these studies and recently shared the results, dug a little deeper. Here’s what they found:

• 90 percent of a post’s total expected engagement happens within the first 12 hours after its creation. That’s just half a day!
• Your Facebook post receives 75 percent of its impressions — the number of times it’s displayed in the news streams of your followers or the people they shared it with — within the first two and a half hours.
• It gets 75 percent of its reach — the number of people impressions are sent to and hence possibly a lower number than impressions — in less than two hours.
• It reaches 50 percent of its global reach — the total number of Facebook users in the world who an impression will ever be sent to or shared with — in just 30 minutes.

Getting More From Your Facebook Content

There are a few ways to get more mileage out of your Facebook posts:

• Wisemeterics recommends optimizing the time you post messages by researching when your followers are online and when your peers and competitors post most of their content.
• You can also consider using Facebook’s new embedded posts to share your content on your blog or other website giving others the chance to see and possibly share it.
• Remember recent research also indicates social media content “liked” soon after posting generally gets more engagement.

Like Photo via Shutterstock

The post Facebook Posts Get Most Engagement in First Five Hours appeared first on Small Business Trends.

When starting a new business, planning for potential legal issues is essential. The last thing you need to be focusing on is damage control, particularly if you have a brilliant, game-changing idea that could be a thriving business otherwise.

To find out how to make sure your crazy startup idea isn’t going to get you into hot water, we asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council, an invitation-only organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following:

“What’s one valuable tip you’d give an entrepreneur with a disruptive technology/service to prepare for legal problems down the road? “

Here's what YEC community members had to say:

1. Consult With an Attorney

“Entrepreneurs should consider consulting with an intellectual property attorney while they are developing their products to avoid potential legal disputes. By doing so, they can possibly navigate around intellectual property battles instead of having to fight them.” ~ Doug Bend, Bend Law Group, PC

2. Build an Army of Engaged Users

“If you’re small, the existing institutions will fight you on their turf with lawyers and lobbyists. The easiest way to disrupt entrenched interests, such as unions and trade associations, is to bring the battle out into the open. Acquire and engage a passionate user base, and it will take on the old industries for you.” ~ Neil Thanedar, LabDoor

3. Put Together a Legal Team

“Get a high-quality legal team in place. Traditional industries are fighting back hard against new innovations, and if you don’t legally prepare in advance, you might struggle before you ever make it out of the starting blocks.” ~ Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

4. Don’t Over Plan Around Legal

“Disrupting old industries is inevitably going to cause some type of legal or regulatory challenges. You can’t avoid it, and you can’t plan around it. But don’t let the future threats of legal issues prevent you from building your company at the start. If you build something awesome, then you’ll have a reason to fight, but start with the building something awesome first.” ~ Eric Koester, DCI

5. Invest in Legal Support

“If you’re going to disrupt the status quo, it’s critical to know your rights, legal precedence and regulations that you may need to fight. Don’t go into this blind — even if you have legal training. Focus on the growth of your business, and hire a legal team that can research and fight for you. “ ~ Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

6. Invest in Liability Insurance

“Although it may not keep you out of court in our litigious society, a general business liability insurance policy may mitigate your exposure when you end up there. Even though most people know that insurance can protect them from personal injury and property damage claims, it can also cover claims of false or misleading advertising for startups, including libel, slander and copyright infringement.” ~ Peter Minton, Minton Law Group, P.C.

7. Include Board Members

“If you know you are gearing up for a fight, I would look to include board members who are either lawyers or have been closely associated with other companies that have had similar legal situations.” ~ Sam Saxton, Salter Spiral Stair and Mylen Stairs

8. Use Patent Lawyers to Protect Technology

“Disruptive technology from a small company attracts attention from larger companies with confidence in their legal budgets. Expect patent infringement and appeals to your patents as larger companies try to outlast your legal resources. Choose a patent attorney who is well versed in every legal protection possible and will apply for every patent you need before the technology is publicly known.” ~ Jay Wu, A Forever Recovery

9. Hide Under the Radar and Make Allies

“Incumbent companies will do whatever it takes to protect their market shares and interests to the point where they’ll find ways to sue you just to throw a wrench in your wheel. It’s best to stay below the radar while you’re getting your business in order, gathering funding, etc. During that time, look for large strategic partners that might benefit from your entry, and get them on your side. “ ~ Andy Karuza, brandbuddee

10. Be Prepared

“All entrepreneurs should assume that they will encounter some sort of legal issues once they start showing success. To combat these legal issues, start preparing immediately. Before you launch, you should perform your due diligence and create a list of all foreseeable legal situations. Review these with your lawyers to develop strategies to defend against or prevent these issues. “ ~ Kevin Tighe II, WeBRAND

11. Build a Relationship With Your Lawyer Now

“Begin building a great relationship with your lawyer before the legal issues arise. You need to be comfortable with their communication styles, confident that they won’t run up the clock unnecessarily and assured they understand that ultimately they are the advisors, and you call the shots. “ ~ Michael Simpson, DJZ

Legal Concept Photo via Shutterstock

The post 11 Tips for Avoiding Startup Legal Battles appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Small business owners and employees know the value of working across multiple devices. This allows you to access your documents from where ever you are without needing to lug a laptop or other device with you. Apple recently opened a beta of its iWork for iCloud free to all users with an Apple ID account letting you do just that.

The office suite package lets you create letters and other documents, create professional looking graphics and presentations, and edit document pages easily, according to reviews.

Comparable to Google Drive or SkyDrive

The new iWork suite is comparable to Google Drive or free Word, Excel and Powerpoint features available free through Microsoft’s SkyDrive. (iWork is compatible with Microsoft Office, by the way, meaning you can drag your Word, Excel and Powerpoint files into iWork’s file manager and edit them there.)

Reviews are mixed about how iWork stands up to these competitors. PC Magazine suggests the new suite doesn’t offer much not available already from the other two services.

Although Apple has apparently already had to limit the beta due to overwhelming public response. Apple is expected to formally launch the service in the fall.

The Important Thing About iWork

The most important thing about iWork for iCloud may be that it adds yet another tool for businesses of all sizes and professionals in many fields to work on documents from any computer or device.

In fact, as Apple points out in its introduction of the service, you can even do a presentation on another computer by simply accessing your iCloud account.

To get started with iWork you will need to either sign in to iCloud from your Mac or other Apple device or follow setup instructions for your Windows PC. See a demonstration of iWork for iCloud below.

Image: Apple

The post iWork for iCloud Now in Limited Beta appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Admit it: None of us are as graceful as we think we are. We've all "stepped in it" so-to-speak and sometimes, the results aren't pretty. Whether we're out for a run or walking within the confines of our home, we've all had a clumsy moment with unintended consequences. Likewise, no matter how appropriately you run your business, if you've been in business long enough, then you’re bound to receive publicity you don't like.

Meet Nivia, the focus of today's case study.

After releasing its "Re-Civilize Yourself" ad campaign, Nivia was criticized for undertones that many claimed were racist. The ad prominently featured a clean-shaven black man tossing away a head with an afro and facial hair, implying that he was throwing away his old-self to "Re-Civilize" himself.

Fortunately, Nivia has become a role model of how small businesses should handle a public relations crisis and negative PR situations, immediately apologizing through social media and other platforms. Nivia then removed the ad and suspended the campaign due to the widespread backlash.

If your business becomes the center of unwanted controversy and a public relations crisis, it's important to know how to react.

Handle Your Public Relations Crisis with Grace

Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions

Whether warranted or unwarranted, it's important to remain calm while handling any sort of controversy online. If your brand did nothing wrong, such as Cheerios in their recent "Just Checking" ad (seen below), then there's no reason to withdraw any of your campaigns or apologize for a wrongdoing.

However, if there's legitimate dicey-ness such as in the Nivia campaign, you'll certainly want to react as quickly as possible without a knee-jerk reaction.

Remember, an inappropriate response can cause more damage.

It's Sometimes Better to Say Nothing

Sometimes it's better to stay quiet and avoid making the situation worse than to try and give a lengthy explanation and apology.

Just like avoiding a knee-jerk reaction, sometimes less is more. Especially when your brand is under heightened scrutiny.

Be Aware Moving Forward

When it comes to new marketing strategies and campaigns, sometimes we get so excited in the potential value that we forget to consider any potential pitfalls. Just as you might trip while walking because you weren't paying attention, many controversies happen because marketers didn't fully consider or understand the dynamics of a campaign.

Ultimately, the best way to handle controversy is to prevent it. But just as Cheerios learned, sometimes controversy is unwarranted and can come swiftly from various sects of the online community.

By handling a public relations crisis and controversy appropriately and gracefully, your brand will be able to establish itself as one of the most professional in its industry.

Angry Mob Photo via Shutterstock

The post How to Handle a Public Relations Crisis appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Does it live consistently across your company?

Clarity of purpose extends well beyond the boardrooms of beloved companies. It unleashes the organization's imagination to make decisions guided by its promise. It's no wonder that companies with clarity of purpose have the most loyal and engaged employees. The opportunity to deliver to a clear purpose elevates day-to-day tasks, giving work direction and joy.

Internet clothing and shoe retailer Zappos earns 75 percent of their daily orders from repeat customers. Clarity of purpose fuels its customer devotion. Zappos wants to be known as a service company that happens to sell shoes, handbags and an expanding array of products in the future. The lens through which the company makes decisions is service.

This clarity frees everyone there to live the "Golden Rule" in the way they work.

Zappos Clarity of Purpose

One decision Zappos acts on every day is helping customers find a pair of shoes, even a pair they don't stock. Customer Loyalty Reps who take customer calls are encouraged to know competitors' Web sites for one simple purpose: Service. If a customer calls Zappos for a shoe it doesn't have, their Reps will search the Internet to help the customer find it. Customers are continuously amazed, delighted and dazzled by this act of genuine customer care.

Zappos' clarity of purpose – that doing the right thing for the customer is ultimately the right thing for the business – transcends any short-term gain it might get by pushing the customer toward another shoe they have in stock.

Clarity for being a service business first gives Customer Loyalty Reps energy and a compass for decision making. And it gives them the joy of delivering Zappos' version of the "Miracle on 34th Street." You may remember that in the movie Miracle on 34th Street, a Macy's-employed department store Santa joyfully sends customers to competitors when the store didn't stock what they wanted, making Macy's the "winner" of the Christmas season.

In this single, simple decision, Zappos wins over the hearts of customers. It is this type of gesture that makes customers love them. They are loved for being the kind of people who send a customer to the competition because it's the right thing to do.

Every type of business prospers when clarity of purpose steers decision making.

People across your company live up to the promises you make. Customers become emotionally connected with you and want others to experience what you deliver. Their stories of your service, experience, and people become the folklore that defines you.

And customers become your sales force, telling your story to everyone they know, fueling your growth.

Image: Wikipedia

The post Clarity of Purpose: What's Your Promise? appeared first on Small Business Trends.

I saw a lot of movies this summer. For the most part, I enjoyed them all.

But unexpectedly, my favorite by far was not any of the various superhero reimaginings, sequels or prequels. It was Pacific Rim, where giant mechs fight giant monsters from below the sea.

POW! ROAR! PEW PEW! HEE-HEE! FUN!

So when I was drawing a new bar graph cartoon and the bars looked like tall buildings – adding in an angry kaiju just couldn’t be helped.

The post Things Aren’t Looking Good appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Welcome to our latest curated list of events, contests and awards for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and growing companies. To see a full list or to submit your own event, contest or award listing, visit the Small Business Events Calendar.

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Manta #SmallBizLove Photo Contest
August 31, 2013, Online

This contest highlights small businesses and helps them to show off their amazing products, services and happy customers all with a chance to win $10K. The contest is open this year to small business owners and their consumers.

At the end of the contest, one photo will be chosen as the $10K Grand Prize winner.

Hashtag: #SmallBizLove

Small Business Influencer Awards 2013
September 9, 2013, Online

The 2013 Small Business Influencer Awards recognize the apps, organizations and people who have a strong impact on small businesses in North America. Now its 3rd year, the Awards are a coveted recognition for those who serve small businesses.  Check to see who’s already been nominated, and nominate yourself, or someone or some organization or app you admire.   No fee to enter.

Twitter hashtag: #SMBinfluencer.

NOMINATE

WomanCon 2013
September 25, 2013, New York, NY

This conference brings together amazing women entrepreneurs, both on and off the stage. Hear real behind-the-scenes stories of success including JJ Ramberg, Sarah Endline, Janine Popick, and Pamela O’Hara. Expert keynotes and panel discussions include: Getting Funding for Growth with Kay Koplovitz & Peggy Wallace, Turning Ideas into Companies with Yao Huang, 5 Strategies for a Stronger Brand with Julie Cottineau, and a journalist panel on Pitching the Media. SEATING IS LIMITED.
Discount Code
SBTRENDS ($50 off)

More Events

• Banner Conference 2013
  September 06, 2013, Las Vegas, NV
• Content Marketing World
  September 09, 2013, Cleveland, OH
• Small Business and Entrepreneur Leadership Conference
  September 09, 2013, Galveston , TX
• Servant-Leadership: A Better Way To Lead & Manage At Work Or Home
  September 10, 2013, Atlanta, GA
• Leading in Local: SMB Digital Marketing
  September 11, 2013, Austin, TX
• The Social Shake-Up
  September 15, 2013, Atlanta, GA
• QS MBA Tour
  September 15, 2013, New York City, NY
• 2013 Incite Marketing and Communications Summit
  September 18, 2013, Online
• Human Potential Forum 2013
  September 18, 2013, New York, New York
• How To Build & Lead An Effective Team
  September 19, 2013, Atlanta, GA
• September Business Networking Mixer
  September 23, 2013, Online
• Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference – 27th Annual
  September 26, 2013, Chicago, Illinois
• The eMetrics Summit Boston
  September 29, 2013, Boston, MA
• Conversion Conference East 2013 Boston
  September 30, 2013, Online
• Demandcon Boston Sept 30-Oct 1st 2013
  September 30, 2013, Boston, MA/USA
• Context Conference
  September 30, 2013, Boston, MA
• SMX East
  October 01, 2013, New York, NY
• ONTRApalooza: Start, Systemize and Scale Your Business
  October 02, 2013, Santa Barbara, CA
• MiniTrends 2013: The Integration of Profit & Social Responsibility
  October 02, 2013, Austin, TX
• How to Build a Compensation Program & Solving Compensation Program Problems
  October 03, 2013, Orlando, FL

More Contests

• Turnstone’s Best Young Companies to Work For
  August 30, 2013, Online
• Women 2.0 PITCH Las Vegas 2013
  September 15, 2013, Las Vegas, NV
• The Citi Salutes: Realizing Your Dream Business Competition
  November 08, 2013, Online

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.

The post Improve Your Skills and Network at One of These Events appeared first on Small Business Trends.

We understand running your business may take 40, 50 or 60 hours a week — and then some. To save your valuable time, the Small Business Trends editorial team has gathered this recap of key stories not to miss this week.

Acquisitions & Startups That Help Small Business

DocStoc acquires BestVendor. Docstoc’s acquisition of BestVendor this week for an undisclosed sum adds software recommendations to the other online business resources the company already offers. Check out the full range of services now available.

Tawki can change your approach to video. A startup plans to take a one-click approach to production. Tawki will create simple video from a single keyword. You can even customize with added clips, photos, music and voice-overs.

Cyberwars Continue

The New York Times was hacked. Or rather, the domain name was hacked and pointed to a hacker’s servers.  One of the world’s most famous brands was brought down with a crafty phishing ploy.  To safeguard your business website, read these 2 tips to make sure your employees avoid similar mistakes.

Taxes & Revenue

Uncle Sam thinks you’re holding out. The IRS has been sending notices to small businesses. The concern is over those reporting higher than average credit card sales.  But wait!  They’re reporting HIGHER sales — what’s wrong with that?  You’d think the IRS would be ecstatic. Well, the government suspects small businesses of under-reporting cash. But we point out an alternate explanation.

Number of businesses up – but revenue is down. Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University Scott Shane shares numbers suggesting the profitability of American businesses is down. We’ve got the details.

Patch website closures raise questions about online business model. Whether you’re creating a hyperlocal news site or a niche community, the issue is the same. Bringing in revenue is what will keep your business going. The question is whether online advertising or some other means is best.

Tools & Services

iWork is working in beta. At least for some people. Some are panning this as “too little too late” from Apple and a pale imitation of Google Drive and Microsoft’s SkyDrive storage services. But Apple is reported to be limiting the beta use due to overwhelming response.

Gather data for your business – there’s an app for that! Whether it’s information on a competitor or on how stores are displaying your product, there’s a now an app for gathering all this stuff. Field Agent lets you pay ordinary people to gather your business intelligence at a very low price.

Shutterstock and Facebook team up. The new arrangement allows advertisers on Facebook to use professional licensed photos from Shutterstock in their ads at no extra charge. Even better, you can source them from directly in the Facebook ad panel. Best of all for small business owners who want to see other entrepreneurs treated fairly, Shutterstock points out that the individual photographers will get paid a royalty when their images are used.  Yep, even if you get the image for “free,” you are supporting the photographer.

Have you ever considered a TV in your business? Or maybe you already have television(s) in your workplace.  Television is not just an expense.  In many businesses (restaurants, bars, fitness centers) it can actually drive sales up, by attracting customers, and keeping them longer and buying more.  Oh, and as long as it’s strictly for business purposes, the monthly cable service likely qualifies as a tax deduction, says tax expert Barbara Weltman.  You may be able to expense or depreciate the cost of the hardware, too. We’ve got the low-down.

Management & Strategy

Wanted: workers with skills. A recent survey says one problem still dwarfs all others for small business owners when it comes to hiring and managing employees. And it isn’t how much time they’re spending on Facebook. Rieva Lesonsky explains what may be a surprising statistic.

Indian etailer focuses on a niche. To see success in India’s burgeoning eCommerce market, startup Kobster took a simple approach. Pick one niche market with definite growth potential, in this case office supplies. Sramana Mitra, founder of One Million by One Million, has more.

Mobile & Social Media

Budget friendly iPhone coming. Apple is planning a September 10 announcement. And industry sources indicate it could include news of a new cheaper model of the iconic smartphone. Photos that may show the new device are now online.

Take your hotspot with you. Staying connected with your business when traveling can be a trick. But no more with mobile hotspot Globalgig. TJ McCue has a review of the device for everyone.

Your Facebook post has a 5 hour shelf-life. Wisemetrics research says Facebook posts receive the majority of comments, shares, and likes within that first five hours. But there’s lots more data about timing — and how to post your updates at the optimal time, to get the most engagement.

Mobile woman photo, Shutterstock

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Google Glass is Google's computer that looks vaguely like eyeglasses.  Although there are no lenses in Google Glass, they remind you of an eyeglass frame (see above). Glass is currently experimental and not yet available on the consumer market. Plans are being made to launch Glass to the public in 2014 — but some say it could happen in late 2013.

While Google Glass puts the Internet and many computer and smartphone features right in front of your face, it also can help you enhance certain business and marketing practices. That’s where the practice of Glogging comes in.

What is Glogging?

Glogging is the act of blogging or vlogging (video blogging) using Google Glass as a camera.  Think Glass + blogging = glogging.

With traditional vlogging, users might carry around a video camera to document their experiences, speaking into it all the while. Viewers can feel like they are in the room with the vlogger. It’s like a documentary.

With glogging, you get an even more personalized perspective.  Viewers literally can see what the glogger sees.   They see it as if through the glogger’s eyes. After all, the camera lens in Google Glass is right next to the glogger’s eye, perched on his or her head like eyeglasses.

Glogging puts viewers not just in the room, but in the glogger's shoes, as this perspective shows:

Google Glasses Recording

How Does Glogging Work?

When someone has Google Glass on, using either a button or voice command, the user can take photos or shoot video.  A tiny screen image appears above the eye, showing what the camera lens sees.

Glass users can look at what is in front of them. Or they can glance up and to the right slightly, to see what is on the little screen (see below).

Google Glass Video Screen Photo via Google

One useful feature of Google Glass is its integration with Google+, Google’s social network.

Images or video footage taken using Glass are automatically added to the user's private Google+ photo section. You can then choose to share the media or post to other sites like Facebook and Twitter.  Or you can embed the images or video into a longer blog post.

Glogging can even be live. Instead of completing a video, uploading it to Google+ and then sharing it, you could launch an instant Google+ Hangout right from Glass. Then you can share what you're seeing live, as and when you're seeing it.

How Can You Use Glogging For Business?

Glogging could be used for product reviews and demos.  Rather than a traditional overview or demo, with glogging you can deliver something that feels more spontaneous and puts the viewer “right there” like Andy Ihnatko did with this demo of Nokia's new Lumia 1020 camera. In his video, you can clearly see the screen and how Ihnatko is working each of the camera's functions.

If your company is releasing a new mobile app, for example, you could use glogging to easily show off all of the features without ever taking the camera off the phone screen. If you were filming a more traditional vlog, you might have to turn the phone screen toward you and away from the camera to press buttons within the app occasionally.  And then you would have to turn the phone back toward the camera to show off the next screen.  It would not seem nearly as “in the moment” as with glogging.

Glogging can also be used for things like tours, such as this one of Disneyland.  Imagine doing a walk-through of your manufacturing facility for prospective clients.  Or you could hold conversations with industry experts at a trade show or event.  You could even use glogging to give interactive presentations.

You can add text captions to a video, also.  For instance, you can add screen notes, or add a message to convert those viewing it into social followers.

Google Glass “Add Text” Feature Video Still

Using Glass instead of a traditional camera gives you the ability to use both hands at all times rather than using one or both to hold the camera. Viewers can see directly from the point of view of the glogger.  

That way the person filming can easily point things out and narrate. Best of all, it can make users feel more like a part of the experience rather than just a bystander, as this kind of shot shows:

Google Glass Voice Command Screen Photo via Google

Though cost for Glass is currently listed at  $1,500, it may be quite a bit cheaper when the device hits the consumer market. Some experts suggest that based on the price of components and other factors, the price will be much lower by the time Google Glass becomes widely available.

Google Glass Photo via Google

So, while not yet widely available, Google Glass will likely soon be plentiful, and hopefully at a reasonable price.

Start thinking now about how you could use Google Glass videos in your business.

First Google Glass image above via Shutterstock. Others via Google.

The post What is Glogging? Well, You May Soon Be Doing It appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Has there ever been a time when a new generation was accepted into the world of work with open arms?

I'm not sure.  As I write this, I'm reflecting on Dan Schawbel's latest book, Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success.

And I’m channeling Archie Bunker's rants to his "Meat Head" son-in-law about how useless the new generation is.  It seems that nothing much has changed from the 1970′s until today.  Of course, if you’re from a younger generation you probably have no idea who Archie Bunker is, or Meat Head son-in-law, anyway. But I digress.

A Case of Unrequited Love

Check out these stats about the relationships between Gen Y workers and their managers that I pulled out of my review copy:

• 59% of Gen Y workers view their managers positively and believe they can offer experience.  49% feel their managers can offer wisdom and 33% feel that they have a willingness to mentor.
• These managers, however, have an overall negative view of their Gen Y employees. 51% say they have unrealistic compensation expectations.  47% feel they have a poor work ethic and 46% say they are easily distracted.

Overall, not what I'd call a workplace environment of mutual regard.  But you already knew that.  What you may not have known is that despite our 7% unemployment rate, there are over 3 million jobs that go unfilled due to a lack of unqualified workers.

This is a big issue and not one that Schawbel solves in Promote Yourself.  What he does, however, is offer the reader the unique skills and strategies  they'll need to get ahead (and get a job) today and for the rest of their careers.

I think he says it best here, on page two of the book:

So here's the situation. The economy sucks, which leaves a lot of people afraid to quit their jobs because they won't be able to find a new one. Entrepreneurship isn't easy and a traditional college education isn't the guarantee of future success that it once was.  The good news is that there are a lot of other ways to take control of your career without quitting your job, striking out on your own or burning your diploma.

Promote Yourself is a Manifesto of the Modern Workplace

I've known Dan Schawbel for a few years and one of the things I love about him is that he truly embodies an ideal persona of the Gen Y workforce. (Hey Dan, if you're reading this, don't let it go to your head).  In all of his books, he's taken on the task of being the bridge to the generation gap.  What I'm trying to say is that Dan is especially skilled in speaking to both the young and the experienced audience in a way that helps them understand each other and work together.

Promote Yourself is a great example of exactly this.  Schawbel's Gen Y Workplace Expectation Study is the foundation of this book.  It's a result of Schawbel's interviews with 79 employees from 69 global companies across a variety of industries that included Mariott, NBC, Universal, Dreamworks, GE, Cisco and many more.

Based on the results, he's summarized the following 14 rules of today's work environment and how to promote yourself by following them:

1. Your job description is just the beginning.
2. Your job is temporary.
3. You're going to need a lot of skills you probably don't have right now.
4. Your reputation is the single greatest asset you have.
5. Your personal life is now public.
6. You need to build a positive presence in new media.
7. You'll need to work with people from different generations.
8. Your boss's career comes first.
9. The one with the most connections wins.
10. Remember the rule of one.
11. You are the future.
12. Entrepreneurship is for everyone not just business owners.
13. Hours are out, accomplishments are in.
14. Your career is in your hands, not your employer's.

This gives you the foundation for the entire book.  There are eleven chapters in the book and while they don't share the names of the fourteen points, you'll see the each chapter addresses these new rules and gives readers a lot of specific advice on how to navigate the workplace economy.

How Did Dan Get So Smart?

I met Dan when he was writing the Personal Branding Blog, a Forbes Magazine "Top Web Site for Your Career."  He also published Personal Branding Magazine, for which I was a contributor.  So I've been watching him a long time.

Since then, he's become the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm. He's the author of Me 2.0 and has been featured in every business media property you can think of: Forbes, NBC, Time Warner and the rest of them.  Dan was also named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list in 2010 and several other awards for young influencers too numerous to mention here.

The bottom line is that Dan has become the spokesperson for the Gen Y cohort and has built quite the career out of knowing, understanding and advising our next generation of leaders.

It's Not Just for Gen Y

You might think this book is written for the Gen Y job seeker, and you would be right.

But I see this book as a valuable read for any small business owner.  Whether you are hiring full-time employees or even freelancers or contractors, Promote Yourself will give you valuable insight into Gen Y workers.

The post “Promote Yourself” Holds Valuable Advice for Gen Y Job Seekers appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Sage North America just wrapped up its 50-day Sage Listens Tour across the United States, meeting with small businesses.  Along the way they created an extensive Flickr library of photographs.  We thought we’d use some of the photographs to extract seven lessons about customer service that small businesses can replicate.

Before we jump in with the lessons, a little background may be helpful.  Sage, if you’re not familiar with it, is a large global technology company that sells accounting, ERP and related software to small and mid-sized businesses.   It’s part of the UK-based Sage Group, a $2+ billion business with 6 million customers worldwide.  In 2012, Sage North America set out to become a better-known brand in the United States.  They also want to deepen relationships with existing customers, as recurring revenue streams are a key part of the company’s business model.

Back in early July we held a live interview with Sage NA Executive Vice President Connie Certusi.  At that time, she told us the objectives of the Tour, which was just about to kick off, and a related initiative called the Shop Local Challenge:

“Not only do we want to meet with the small businesses and understand their journey … what keeps them up at night… and [take that information back to Sage].. but we want to shop locally on this tour.  We are buying gas from small business customers, we are staying at hotels where we can of small business customers, we are eating at [small business-owned restaurants].

We want them to know that we are championing them in the community.  [The Shop Local Challenge  is where we] are asking everyone to shop local at least one day a week.   Make a concerted effort  to find a small  business in your area … to shop local at least one day a week.  We are putting out the Challenge to our employees to do the same across the United States.”

So with that backdrop, here are 7 lessons about customer service that you too can use to deepen bonds with customers:

1. Get outside the 4 walls and visit customers in person

Email and phone are essential. Online communities are terrific. But nothing takes the place of meeting customers in person.

More than 30 Sage executives and leaders were involved in this Tour.  They crossed 6,300 miles. Company representatives spoke with 73 customers. they included customers like Ventura Coastal, a producer of citrus juices and oils, and MuckerLab, a Los Angeles incubator.

“It may be unrealistic for businesses to get out and meet all their customers, but if you are a business that sees your customers regularly, treasure those interactions — and your customers’ unique stories — and learn from each one,” said Brad Smith, Executive Vice President for customer experience at Sage (pictured above).

Tip: Make an appointment to meet some of your clients or customers face to face for lunch. Don’t do it when it’s time to renew or it will feel like a sales call. A sales pitch will change the dynamic. You want this to be about what they need, not what you need.

2. The senior leadership team should visit customers

The Tour included several of the company’s executive leaders. Here’s CEO Pascal Houillon in the doorway (above).  It’s a reminder to all of us not to limit customer visits just to sales and support staff.

Tip: Schedule regular on-site customer visits by you and members of your executive team. Some companies actually set quotas, requiring executives to go on X number of customer visits per year or quarter.  Customer attitude starts at the top. Customer visits are a “lead by example” symbol internally to employees. They also result in better decisions – with so many demands on your attention, you can get out of touch in a changing marketplace without even realizing it.

3. Nothing makes a customer happier than showing you appreciate them

And one way to do that is to sing their praises. Instead of always looking for customers to give testimonials to you, how about recommending your customers for a change?

A recommendation can be as simple as a hashtag such as #amazingfood. Here Sage gave a shout-out to a customer, El Pinto Restaurant, on Flickr.

Tip: Help your fellow small business owners who are your customers, and they will help you. If you use and enjoy their products and services, be sure to let other people know. Recommend them to your peers. Or do something even simpler.  Retweet your customers on Twitter. Share and Like their content on Facebook.  Small gestures talk big.

4. Live in your customer's shoes (and helmets) for true understanding

Sage employees donned protective gear for a visit to the King’s Hawaiian Bakery facility.  You may think you know what challenges your customers face, but seeing them in their element can add insights you might never know otherwise.

Tip: Make in-depth visits to your customer’s work site or offices. Ask for a facility tour (better to schedule in advance so you don’t disrupt them). Get a look at their business processes first hand. As they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words. Seeing the customer’s place of business brings understanding to a whole different level.

5. Make it easy for customers to know how to reach you.

In this closeup of the Tour RV, you can see how the URL is painted on the side.  It also appears on the front and back.  It’s not small, either.  It leaves no doubt how to find Sage on the Web.

Tip: If possible, include your website URL right on company vehicles, and even on the sign out in front on the street. Keep the URL as simple and memorable as  possible. Make it big enough for people to see while driving. Not only is it helpful information, but symbolically it says “we want to connect with you.”

6. Customers actually love to talk to you. Use their feedback!   

Sage stopped at businesses like Hammond’s Candies in Denver — and found them happy to see them.  Small business customers value their vendors and want a dialogue with them.

“Many customers were so excited we came to visit, and quite a few were shocked their software and services provider had come especially to learn about their business and say thank you – not to sell them anything,” said Smith.  ”The executive director for a 200-employee not-for-profit using Sage 50 Accounting — U.S. Edition for more than two decades – who started at the organization as a teenager — said, "We've been waiting 22 years to talk to you guys face-to- face." It really struck a chord realizing the interactions we were having during the tour were so vital to our customers' success, as well as our own.”

Tips: Fear sometimes keeps business owners from reaching out to customers.  You may simply be uncertain about the relationship with the customer.  (Will we get a cool reception? Are they full of complaints? Did we screw up and not fix it right?)  Initiate a conversation – you may be pleasantly surprised – and learn a lot.  Anyway, fear is no way to run a business.

7. Make your customers your suppliers

If you really want to get customers’ attention, buy from THEM.  Stronger relationships are built when it's a two-way street. Here they stop at Mom’s Diner, in the small town of Pahrump, Nevada. The Flickr caption says in part “we’re shopping locally.”

Brent Leary, Partner at CRM Essentials, visited the Tour on the Atlanta leg. He made this observation, "I really like Sage’s commitment to supporting their small business customers by incentivizing their employees to buy local. They even went so far as creating a mobile app for employees to identify Sage small business customers to make it easier to buy from them.”

Tip: While you probably won’t be creating an app for that, you can seek out customers to do business with them. For instance, bring up the topic in your staff meeting. Encourage your team to cater meetings from the local restaurant that is your client. Or order gift baskets from that gift basket professional who is also a customer.

In conclusion, to get closer to customers, you don’t need to customize an RV and go on a cross-country tour. But you certainly can set goals to deepen relationships with customers, using the Sage Listens Tour as a case study of sorts.

More about the Tour here.  Or, view all the photographs at Flickr.

The post 7 Lessons About Customer Service … From the Sage Listens Tour appeared first on Small Business Trends.

You've heard of them in every field. Overnight sensations make people stop and say, "Wow, what a lucky break!"

However, if you look at their history, their success is anything but overnight. These are people who have been working for a very long time on their craft. They have been perfecting it, positioning themselves, and taking opportunities when they see them.

A great example is Susan Boyle, the singer who was discovered on Britain's Got Talent a couple of years ago. She stunned everyone when she started singing and instantly rose to fame. Many talked about her as an overnight sensation. But was she really? When you learn about her history you find that she sang often. She honed her skill and took opportunities to be in front of an audience. And let's not forget that she got onto that show and that stage. If not for that, well, things would be very different.

Malcolm Gladwell visits this idea in his book Outliers. While the book is really about success, there is a lot to learn about overnight successes. Mainly, that they are anything but. Gladwell talks about working for 10,000 hours at a skill or talent, and how circumstance has a lot to do with success. He cites example after example of people who are tremendously successful. As he tracks their history you can see what has gone into that success. We see that success is related to a lot of things but instant fame isn't one of them.

So, how can you become an overnight sensation?

Stop hoping to be discovered. Get down to the business of excellence and build your success from there. Know where you want to go and then set the wheels in motion to get there.

3 Steps to Become an Overnight Sensation

Practice, Practice, Practice

If you want to excel at something you have to practice it. You have to do the work to truly become the expert in your field. Sometimes business owners become removed from the thing that got them into business in the first place. This can lead to being out of touch with what you sell. Your value statement can take a big hit here.

If you want to be an overnight sensation, keep honing your skill.

Stay Connected

The busier we get the easier it is to disengage. However, we should be doing the exact opposite. Continue to get out and meet, connect and build relationships. It is often through those relationships that you receive your big break.

If you isolate yourself, you make it difficult for opportunities to arise.

Believe

You never know when an opportunity is going to present itself. So, keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to take a leap. Believe in yourself enough to take a chance. Imagine if Susan Boyle had shied away from the big event and national exposure. If she had not believed in herself, she never would have ventured in such a big way.

Want to be an overnight sensation? Great. Continue to work hard, build relationships and believe in yourself. Don't fear opportunities, or possible failure. Those who are consistent in their efforts, beliefs and focus are the ones who succeed. While they may seem like they appeared out of nowhere, they didn't. They worked consistently over time to achieve their goals. And you can too.

Sensation Photo via Shutterstock

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When a book has three introductory sections — Foreword by Clate Mask (Founder of Infusionsoft), a Preface and an Introduction — you have to figure that it's got something important to say.  And this one does.

I received an advanced review copy of Word of Mouse: 101+ Trends in How we Buy, Sell, Live, Learn, Work and Play by Marc Ostrofsky a while ago, but held off reviewing it until its release.  I did this because I didn't want you to have to wait to get your own copy, because you're going to want one after I finish telling you about this book.

A Small Business Owner's Digital Survival Guide

With nearly 90% of all consumers preferring online shopping and roughly 67% of all local businesses not offering an eCommerce option, it's time for small business owners to wake up and start cashing in on a large and untapped revenue opportunity.

That's the real purpose behind Word of Mouse.  Ostrofsky doesn't pull any punches, he's written this book in a rather urgent tone because he knows that combining the power of small business and entrepreneurship with that of the internet can increase the likelihood that more small businesses will succeed and grow.  And he is desperate to spread the word to as many small business owners as he can.

Short and Powerful Case Studies Prove Out Ecommerce Strategies

There are lots of wonderful, practical and relatable case studies in the book.  But my favorite one isn't a case study at all, it's Ostrofsky's personal example that he shares in the preface of the book.

He starts the preface by sharing a real life experience he had when visiting his favorite golf store; he walks into the store and is greeted with signs telling him that the store has lost its lease and is moving.  Jim, the owner, requested that folks leave their email address so that he can notify them of the updated location.

The sheer idea that poor Jim didn't have his customers' emails was shocking to Ostrofsky. Even more shocking was the realization that Jim represented so many other small business owners who were so focused on running a local business – that they were literally leaving big dollars on the digital table.

If this example resonated with you like it did with me, then you'll want to read more.

Inside Word of Mouse– Recommendations, Tips and Strategies

There are so many reasons why I really liked this book.

Let me begin with the fact that it's written in simple and plain language.  It's not written for the author (to showcase his smarts).  It's written for the audience, to help you understand how important online commerce is to the success of your business.  This is immediately clear in the way the book is organized: How we learn, how we buy, how we sell, how we work and how we play.   Ostrofsky embraces the spillover between our work lives and our personal live and how companies are using the Internet to increase sales without being intrusive.

There is an empowering context to Word of Mouse.  You have to read the introduction to get it and if you do, it will color your entire experience of the book:

This book is all about understanding the opportunities in the world today and finding which tools are out there to help you get ahead personally and professionally.

While Arnold Palmer wasn't fast enough to make the track team, once he got his hands on a golf club – he was unstoppable.  So just think about the possible tools out there and which ones will make you unstoppable.

Are You Missing Out?

When I first saw how many people make online purchases and how many local small business owners think that because they are a brick and mortar local business and don't need an online presence – I got a real whack on the side of the head.

If you are running one of these local businesses or an industrial business where you like to tell yourself that "your customers aren't online" – then this is an absolute must-read book for you.

If you're currently working inside of an organization that doesn't have much of an online presence and you've been wondering how to get the message across, Word of Mouse will get that job done for you.

Overall Ostrofsky does the job of giving small businesses who haven't gotten a good solid online shake great resources and advice to get the job done.

The post Word of Mouse Gives Powerful eCommerce Strategies for Small Businesses appeared first on Small Business Trends.

If you're not using online video content to draw in traffic and new customers for your small business, you're behind the online marketing curve. Video is a huge platform in the online world—a 2013 survey from consulting firm Accenture finds that 90 percent of global consumers watch video content online.

The major video hosting websites are boasting some pretty impressive numbers, too. There are 13 million Vine users on Twitter, social video platform Vimeo has just announced 14 million members, and video giant YouTube has a viewership in the billions.

How can your small business tap in to the power of online video content?

3 Ways Your Small Business Can Use Online Video

Educate Beyond Your Brand

A lot of companies create educational videos that show how to use their products, or portray their services in action. It's good to have this type of content, but there are a few problems with limiting educational videos to your business offerings.

First, you're going to run out of content fairly quickly. Second, your videos will all look like what they are: Advertisements.

It's important to remember that when online consumers look for video content, they're not looking to be marketed to. They want something that adds value. So instead of focusing on education for your brand, think about any complementary ideas or services you can illustrate on video for your visitors. For example, a restaurant might offer cooking tips videos.

If your small business designs websites, put together a video on color theory to inform your audience. There are plenty of possibilities.

Go Behind the Scenes

Online video content is an opportunity to put a human face on your brand. When you show consumers what happens behind the scenes at your business, you help them realize that you're offering more than just a product or service—there are real people they can relate to behind it all.

There are many different ways to present behind-the-scenes video. You can create a series of staff interviews, create a day-in-the-life scenario, do a walk-through of your office, production floor or warehouse and more.

Showing what your customers don't usually see is a great way to generate interest in your small business through online video content.

Don't Speak for Yourself

Your online audience trusts consumer reviews over any other form of marketing or advertising—so why not translate that trusted source to video?

Testimonials and customer interviews make for an interesting and convincing form of video content that goes over well with Internet viewers.

There are a few ways to go about getting video testimonials. You can put out a call on your website, through email marketing, or on social media and ask your customers to send in video clips—either talking about or using your products or services. If you have a retail location, you can record testimonials on-site (be sure to get your customers' permission to use the video for marketing, of course).

How will you use video for your online marketing strategy?

Watching Video Photo via Shutterstock

The post 3 Ways to Use Online Video in Small Business Marketing appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Chinese computer maker Lenovo announced that its CEO, Yang Yuanqing, will share $3+ million of his personal bonus with employees. This is the second year he has done that.

About 10,000 manufacturing employees will each get a payment of around $325. Bloomberg News points out the amount is almost equal to a month’s pay for a typical city worker in China.

Mr. Yang (pictured) won’t go hungry, however. Last year he was paid $14.6 million.  He’ll have plenty of other non-bonus compensation.

Yang appears to be bringing results for Lenovo.  Lenovo has taken over the top PC manufacturer spot, with sales topping $34 billion.  He’s also led the company to become a smartphone maker.  Lenovo is also rumored to be considering a buyout of BlackBerry, which put itself up for sale last month.

Some observers point out his motives are not completely altruistic – or the payment wouldn’t have been announced so publicly.

Still, the move is remarkable in an age when CEOs get multimillion dollar bonuses even when their companies post losses — or worse, as they are headed out the door after being fired.

Perhaps Mr. Yang simply knows a thing or two about employee motivation.  The reality is, he stands to make a lot more later if employees feel a part of the company’s success.  Giving up his bonus today is a brilliant investment in the future — Lenovo’s, employees, and his own.  It builds good will and a desire to do more among employees who see tangible rewards aligned with the company’s successes.

Small Business Owners Know Why He Did It

It’s fairly common for small businesses to share profits — even though they do not have to.

According to the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), small business owners implement profit sharing for a number of reasons:

• To attract and retain good employees.
• To make the business perform better. (“Several reliable studies indicate that, on average, employee-owned firms perform substantially better than non-employee owned firms when ownership is combined with employee participation in decisions affecting their work,” the NCEO site points out.)
• To buy out an owner. (It can be hard to sell a business, so one way to get value out of the business is to “sell” it to employees.)
• To raise capital.
• For tax benefits.
• Because small business owners believe it’s the right thing to do. (For intangible moral and spiritual rewards.)

Running a successful business always rests on an interrelated web of benefits for all involved:  the business itself, owners, and employees.   There has to be a benefit for every constituency.  In other words, when you share profits, there are reasons it helps the business, reasons it helps the owners/shareholders, and reasons it helps employees.

Does it help Yang and Lenovo? Of course it does.  But don’t overlook the benefits shared by all involved.

Some entrepreneurs and small business owners understand this instinctively.  To them, the Lenovo’s chief’s motives will seem perfectly aligned.

CC photo by Natalie Behring, World Economic Forum

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Being a top entrepreneur means taking the lead. When you provide opportunities for other entrepreneurs to connect with each other, you gain not only trust (and needed support), but pull within your local community too. So how do you make sure that your business meetup events are successful, and not just another boring cocktail hour?

To find out, we asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council, an invitation-only organization comprised of successful entrepreneurs, the following question:

“What’s one best practice for running a successful business meetup group for entrepreneurs?”

Here's what YEC community members had to say:

1. Plan in Advance

“The best practice to run a successful business meetup group for entrepreneurs is taking time to plan the event in advance. I've found that it is best to plan at least three to four weeks in advance so there is enough time to work out all of the details, find a venue and ensure every entrepreneur attending the meetup-style group is able to make arrangements for the day.” ~ Jay Wu, A Forever Recovery

2. Get to Your Venue Early

“Get to your venue early, and make sure everything is in order. This includes making sure enough seating is available and ensuring that all audio/visual equipment works properly. One of your goals in running a business meetup is to impress, and if the meeting encounters a hitch, you’re unlikely to achieve that goal.” ~ Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

3. Get Startups to Demo

“It’s the best way to invite someone to see what your meetup is all about. Plus, it’s a nearly instant way to make it valuable for them. The audience hears what they’re working on, wants to hear more, and suddenly, there’s a family of people there every time.” ~ Derek Flanzraich, Greatist

4. Give Everyone a Name Tag

“I love meeting people, but I’m horrible at remembering names. If everyone has a name tag, then it’s much easier to make introductions and build relationships. Bonus points if you encourage everyone to include his or her Twitter handle, business name or “I’m interested in…” as well. “ ~ Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

5. Create Clear Goals and Expectations

“Many people join communities because they attend an event from that community. Once they do, the organizer needs to work to keep them there. Providing a clear mission statement and adhering to it is essential in growing and maintaining the community. If the goal is education events, don’t just do happy hours. People join because of what you offer up front, and keeping that as a baseline is key. “ ~ Aron Schoenfeld, Do It In Person LLC

6. Organize Specific Discussion Topics

“There’s nothing worse than having a business meetup with no direction. Groups that don’t have focus will fizzle and die very quickly. This can be through the form of talks, events, etc. If you give everyone something to talk about, it creates an environment of learning and meaningful connections, which is ultimately the purpose of a meetup.” ~ James Simpson, GoldFire Studios

7. Be Confidential

“Start every business meetup with an explicit statement that everything shared within the group should stay within the group. Knowing that the discussions are confidential can help founders open up and share their real problems, such as running out of cash or dealing with a difficult employee. And they can learn from the entrepreneurs who have gone through these situations before.” ~ Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh Test Prep

8. Set the Tone Immediately

“Create the culture you’re hoping to have for your group at the first event. Do this by stacking the room with your contacts who know what you have in mind, and let the word spread from there. I run several such events, and by doing this very thing, I’ve been able to grow them exponentially both locally and around the country — all true to the same values and mission. “ ~ Darrah Brustein

9. Focus on Relationships

“Entrepreneurs are excited to be part of something that is growing and becoming grand, so tap in to those desires by helping us create relationships with other dreamers, people we can share with, learn from and with whom we can explore new possibilities. Focus less on being cool and more on being human.” ~ Corey Blake, Round Table Companies

10. Make It Exclusive

“Make your group invite-only so it’s more exclusive and to ensure quality control. Many of the best entrepreneurs I know in London don’t bother with general business meetups anymore, and by creating an invite-only group with a strong core, you will generate a lot of interest from those aspiring membership. Plus, knowing your niche is very important in today’s crowded landscape.” ~ Christopher Pruijsen, StartupBus Africa

11. Build a Supportive Community

“The biggest value of a meetup group is the people. From my experience, running a 500-plus developer group (Seattle Unity3D User Group) and building a supportive community is key to getting more people involved and teamed up to create bigger and better things. Help people get to know one another on a personal level with social hangouts and set a casual yet supportive tone for the group. “ ~ Brandon Wu, Studio Pepwuper

12. Lay out Helpful Assignments

“The hardest part of a business meetup is the first 15 minutes. You want to balance structure with freedom so that people don’t run to the bathroom to avoid the exercise. Lay out a couple challenges that have clear personal benefits for attendees but no deadline. A goal could be to learn about three new valuable apps or find two people for whom you can make introductions. Make it about helping one another. “ ~ Heidi Allstop, Spill

Business Meetup Concept Photo via Shutterstock

The post 12 Ideas for a Better Business Meetup appeared first on Small Business Trends.

We’re back with another community news and announcements roundup, to get a bead on what’s on the minds of entrepreneurs and small business owners.  We plan to get back to doing these roundups on a regular basis, once again. Whether it’s a fascinating insight from a small business blog, a new site launch we think you’ll be interested in, we aim to keep you up to date.

Let’s dive right in:

A new website makes business ideas easy to share. From the flashing “cereal box” to the “photo booth bird feeder,” you’ll find unique and interesting ideas for new businesses, featured on a new site called Bizopy. The site bills itself as the home of “shareable business ideas.” You can sign up to have the latest posts delivered via Facebook update, tweet or email. The site comes to you from Dane Carlson, founder of Dane Carlson’s Business Opportunities Weblog. Bizopy

Have you checked out The Great Startup Wiki? Lucas Greene, founder of the site, dropped us an email this week. And we’re glad he did. The site brings together how-to articles for business owners and other resources in a unique wiki format that Greene says is also mobile friendly. Content is still sparse and the site is still in beta. Bookmark it and watch as it develops. The Great Startup Wiki

Hyperlocal advertising is not a good bet. After the recent downsizing at Patch, we’ve seen some postmortems on why such business models don’t work. Sean Barkulis, co-founder of UPlanMe, explains why hyperlocal businesses dependent on advertising aimed at local users are a bad idea. He also has an alternative. Street Fight

The art of playing hard to get. Art can be a business like any other. But success in this business isn’t about the professional artist selling a million copies of his or her work. And it also isn’t about trying to sell work for a lower price than competitors. (Perish the thought!) Instead, artist Naomi Novella suggests a strategy aimed at making art worth more to buyers. Artbiz Rx: Creative Business Ideas

A list of inspiring women entrepreneurs. Chandra Clarke, founder of Scribendi.com has collected an impressive list of names from her fellow entrepreneurs. You’ll probably recognize some of them too. Be sure and tell us which are your favorites. Never Pink

Happy Birthday “hat tip” to this social media site. We love to celebrate milestones with others in the extended small business community. So it’s great to send a shout out to Mike Allton of Social Media Hat. His site shares tips on blogging, social media and marketing for small business and reached the one-year mark this week. He’s already made a name for the site, in just one year — proving what hard work and persistence can accomplish.  Mike reckons he has published 400 posts and 50 guest posts on blogging and social media so far. Social Media Hat

Decide between a development firm and an independent developer. When you build your first business site or a replacement for your existing site, you will need a good software developer. But you will also need the right kind. Tim Jahn takes us through the process of deciding between the two major types of developer and pros and cons of each. Don’t make a move before reading his post in full. Matchist

 The day of the solopreneur has dawned. Since 2010, Larry Keltto has been monitoring tweets using the hashtag #solopreneurs.  At the same time, he has been tirelessly promoting awareness of the more than 20 million solopreneurs in the United States alone. Lately, Larry says he can tell this awareness is at an all time high. Just look at all the spamming the hashtag now receives! The Solopreneur Life

A franchise workers’ strike shouldn’t cause panic. Franchise King Joel Libava urges calm with threats that many workers may be walking off the job in protest of wages. Libava gives some advice on handling what could be difficult days ahead. He also encourages prospective franchise owners not to give up on their franchise dream. The Franchise King

We hope you’ve enjoyed this small biz community insights roundup.

1) Please leave a comment below.  Tell us what other kinds of news and announcements you’d like us to cover in these weekly updates.

2) Send us your news or best articles, and if we think they are interesting and newsworthy, we’ll try to cover them. Email to: sbtips@gmail.com.  Or share it over at our sister site, BizSugar— we often scout for gems there.

The post New Biz Ideas Site, a Startup Wiki, and More appeared first on Small Business Trends.

It's been nearly six years since the Great Recession began and four years since the current economic recovery started, making it a good time to take stock of where small business stands.

The National Federation of Independent Business's (NFIB)'s Small Business Economic Trends survey provides some clues. The overall message from the data is this: Small business is doing better than it was at the start of the economic recovery, but has not yet returned to pre-recession conditions.

The NFIB's effort is the longest-running survey of small business owners. While it is not a representative sample – it covers only members of the NFIB – the number of topics it includes, and the length of the series, make it a valuable source of information about small business owners' opinions.

I looked at responses to 21 questions that I think are most indicative of small business economic conditions. I focused on data gathered during three July surveys (to avoid issues of seasonality): in 2007 (before the Great Recession), in 2009 (when the recovery was just beginning) and in 2013 (now). I divided the questions into three categories – the current situation, access to credit, and views of the future.

Some of the measures are now close to 2007 levels, but not a single one has returned completely to prerecession levels. Most, but not all, are more positive than they were when the economic recovery began.

Table 1. Current Situation

Source: Created from data from Small Business Economic Trends

Consider the numbers in Table 1, which includes questions that assess the current situation of small businesses. The net percentage of businesses that reported having higher sales three months earlier was -1 in July of 2007. That is, one percent more businesses reported lower sales than higher sales for the April to June 2007 period than for the January to March 2007.

By contrast, when the recovery was just beginning in July 2009 the net percentage was -34. That is, 34 percent more companies reported lower sales than higher sales over the three months from April to June 2009 than for January to March 2009. This July, the net percentage was -7: a better situation than in 2009, but worse than in 2007.

Or consider the data on job openings at small businesses. In July 2007, 23 percent of companies had unfilled positions. In July 2009, that fraction was down to 9 percent. In July of 2013, the number was back to 20 percent – an improvement on 2009 but worse than in 2007.

Table 2. Credit Conditions

Source: Created from data from Small Business Economic Trends

Table 2 shows the responses to questions about access to credit. While a greater fraction of businesses reported having their credit needs satisfied in July 2013 than in July 2009 – 30 percent versus 28 percent – the more recent fraction remains lower than in July 2007 when it was 37 percent.

By contrast, the percentage of regular borrowers does not appear to have recovered at all. The share of companies borrowing at least once every three months fell from 36 percent in July 2007 to 33 percent in July 2009 and then fell again to 31 percent in July 2013.

Table 3. Views of the Future

Source: Created from data from Small Business Economic Trends

Table 3 shows small business owners' views of the future. Responses to most of the outlook questions were more negative this July than in July 2007, though they are largely more positive than in July 2009. For instance, when asked if the next three months are a "good time to expand" only 9 percent said "yes" in July, compared to 16 percent in July of 2007 and 5 percent in July of 2009.

Similarly, back in July 2007, 23 percent more small business owners planned to increase hiring than decrease it. That number was much lower in July 2009 when 3 percent more small business owners planned to cut hiring than to expand it. In July 2013, the number was again positive – 9 percent more owners planned to add workers than lay them off – but it remained lower than in 2007.

In short, the NFIB data show that small business is doing better than it was when the recovery first began. The data also show that small business is not doing as well as before the Great Recession.

What the data don't tell us is whether the recovery for small business is just painfully slow or whether small business will never again do as well as it did in 2007.

Road to Recovery Photo via Shutterstock

The post On the Long Road to Economic Recovery? You Decide appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that 2013's Atlantic hurricane season (which runs June through October) will be busier than average, with up to five major hurricanes. As we enter the period that typically sees the most storm activity (mid-August through October), it's crunch time for small-business owners who might be affected by major storm activity – which in recent years has encompassed the entire Gulf and East Coasts.

But here's the kicker: Your business doesn't have to be based on the Atlantic seaboard to face economic fallout if and when a hurricane hits. If any of your clients, suppliers, or remote contractors lives or works in hurricane range, your business could be negatively impacted by a storm. With that in mind, here's a guide all small-business owners, regardless of location, can use to weather the weather at hand.

Small Business Guide to Hurricane Season

Phase 1: Protect Your Property

When most of us think of hurricane damage, we see rain-lashed palm trees, boarded-up buildings and floods. Maybe some rubble thrown in for good measure. But these camera-ready images only tell one part of the story. When planning to keep your property safe from hurricane winds and rains, be sure to consider:

Securing Your Building or Office Space

This requires getting materials handy ahead of time: Plastic tarps, duct tape, boards, tools, a generator, etc. If you rent your office space, communicate with your landlord about your expected duties for preparing the building. If you own the space, track NOAA alerts about how to prepare for the storm. In addition, make sure your gutters are clean, your drains are clear, and you've repaired any preexisting leaks.

Storing Your Merchandise and Equipment

Nonperishable inventory requires flood-proof storage, while perishables might demand that you purchase a generator to prevent power outages from ruining your supplies. Remember, too, that equipment like cash registers, computers and furniture should be protected from potential water damage.

Storing Company Vehicles and Other Outdoor Gear

Signs that can be knocked or blown over should be secured and company cars should be stored where they won't risk flooding.

Having Cleanup Materials on Hand

Lots of small-business owners forget to prepare for the recovery phase of a hurricane. If you'd rather get your storefront or office back in order than wait in line at Home Depot for cleanup supplies, get yours beforehand: Suction hoses or pumps, trash bags, protective gloves, a carpet fan, a dehumidifier, shovels and other essential gear.

Phase 2: Protect Your Team

Whether you rely on part-timers, contractors or full-time employees to help you run your business, one of your most important duties is to keep them informed when a serious storm hits. You can ensure that your team is safe and ready to get your business back to normal after a storm when you:

Encourage Employees to Prepare their Families

If your workers don't have personal emergency plans in place, they'll be scrambling to find food, water and shelter after a major storm – which means they'll rightfully be focusing on their families and homes rather than returning to work for you. Encourage them to stock up on the necessities and develop a personal emergency plan to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Establish an Emergency Plan

What if cell phones can’t be charged or towers are overloaded with calls?

This happened after Superstorm Sandy last year, making it tough for people to get in touch with each other. Put an emergency plan of action in place and review it with your team. It should outline expectations for reporting to work, starting cleanup operations, and making contact after a storm so that you're not struggling to give directions when you have no signal.

Stock Up on Provisions

Should weather prevent you or your team from leaving your business premises after a storm hits, you want to be prepared with emergency provisions at your office or storefront: Bottled water, canned food, flashlights and batteries, a first-aid kit, basic tools, etc.

Follow the News

Today, you have lots of options for staying up-to-date about the latest hurricane watches and warnings. If you don't have TV or radio access, get one of the hurricane tracking apps that send updates about weather conditions, evacuation warnings and other essential storm info directly to your mobile device.

Phase 3: Protect Your Assets

Securing your physical property is only half of the storm prep you'll need to do to safeguard your most valuable assets. The other half involves making sure your non-tangible assets are safe:

Invest in Offsite Backups of Important Documents

Payroll information, accounts receivable, planning docs, contracts, insurance policies, leases and other essential documents should be stored in multiple formats so you can access them even after damage. Backing up documents on a cloud, such as Google Docs, is an excellent way to storm-proof your most important files.

Make an Emergency Contact List

If the power's out, you won't be able to scroll through your contacts to get in touch with your employees, clients, suppliers or insurance company. Print essential contact information and be sure everyone on your team has a copy.

Update Your Insurance Policies

Most standard Property Insurance policies specifically exclude coverage for water damage, floods and hurricanes. If you think your business could be affected by a storm this season, call your insurance agent and ask about updating your policies. Ask specifically about Business Interruption Insurance, which replaces income you are unable to earn when you're forced to shut down because of a covered property event.

For those with suppliers vulnerable to hurricanes: You can even get a policy called Contingent Business Interruption coverage, which provides payments when one of your suppliers is affected by a major storm.

Create and Have Available Emergency Action Plans

When you're focused on cleaning up a flooded building, it's easy to forget about the big-picture tasks that need to be done. So print out emergency action plans that outline your primary responsibilities: Steps for documenting property damage and submitting insurance claims, protocol for ordering supplies or canceling orders, instructions for starting your generator, steps for contacting a backup supplier if your primary contact is offline because of the storm, etc.

Record Damage

Having robust insurance is important to ensure a speedy recovery from a major storm. Make the claims-submission process go as smoothly as possible by having a camera ready to document any damage for which you'll be seeking benefits.

Hurricane Photo via Shutterstock

The post Be Prepared: The Small Business Owner's Guide to Hurricane Season appeared first on Small Business Trends.

[Samsung Galaxy Note 2]

If you can’t decide between the large screen features of a tablet and communications functionality of a smartphone for your business, there is an answer for you.

Devices larger than the average smartphone but with the ability to make regular calls like any other phone are called “phablets” by the media and in tech circles. But what is important is what these devices offer you.

Introducing the New Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The latest of these devices is the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 scheduled to be announced tomorrow at Samsung’s “Unpacked” event in Berlin.

Little detail is available about the new device said to feature a 5.68 inch screen and be only about 2.2 mm thick.

Images of the device’s display assembly leaked recently on ETrade Supply, a consumer electronics ecommerce site, have been bouncing around the Web. Another tech leak site SonnyDickson.com has also released similar images.

CNET speculates a 13 megapixel camera might be among the device’s features. There’s also anticipation of a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage.

The cost of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 device has not yet been released. But pricing for the 16 GB version of the device’s predecessor, the Galaxy Note 2, are currently priced around $500 on Amazon without contract from a mobile carrier.

Also expected to be announced at tomorrow’s event is the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. See a review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the predecessor of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, below.

Image: Samsung

The post New Samsung “Phablet” Set for Debut appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The EEOC has put companies in a difficult position regarding the use of criminal background checks to screen job applicants.  This is because companies are obligated to screen out criminals, but now they face potential liability for doing just that.  Here I will explain the reason for the conflict and how companies can best protect themselves.

Why Companies Use Criminal Background Checks

Criminal background checks are used by 70 to 80% of companies according to the Society for Human Resource Management.  Federal Judge Roger Titus recently noted that even the EEOC uses criminal background checks in its hiring process.  Companies use criminal background checks for several reasons and listed below are the top three:

1) Most companies simply do not want to employ dangerous or dishonest people.

2) Companies can get sued for negligent hiring and retention if they employ a person with known criminal propensities.

3) Some companies are legally required to screen out criminals for certain positions.

The Case Against Using Criminal Background Checks

There is a risk that the blanket exclusion of convicted criminals in employment screening will have a discriminatory impact on minorities.  Racial minorities have disproportionate conviction rates.

For example, African Americans make up approximately 13% of the general population, but they account for 40% of the incarcerated population.  The U.S. Department of Labor offers statistics and an explanation of the EEOC’s enforcement guidance. The concern advanced by the EEOC and civil rights organizations is that a blanket exclusion of those with criminal records will exclude more minorities and create a risk of employment discrimination.

The EEOC’s Solution and Attempts to Enforce It

The EEOC has launched an aggressive campaign against the use of criminal background checks.  They sued a number companies, including BMW and Dollar General, over their use of criminal background checks.  The EEOC charged these companies with discriminating against minorities for excluding all applicants with criminal records.   The EEOC contends that companies cannot exclude all applicants with a criminal records.  To do so, they say, will discriminate against minorities.

Instead, companies should assess each situation individually and determine if the applicant’s criminal record presents a genuine disqualification.

A Set Back for the EEOC and Confusion for Businesses

A federal judge recently dismissed one of the EEOC’s background check cases and sharply criticized the EEOC for filing the case.  The court found that there was no evidence of employment discrimination.   The judge stated that the companies use of criminal background checks was “reasonable and suitably tailored to its purpose of ensuring an honest workforce.”

The company in that case, Freeman Companies, screened for convictions that had occurred in the last seven years and did not screen for arrests.  The judge rejected the EEOC’s argument that this screening process would adversely impact minorities.  The Wall Street Journal offers more details on the judges ruling.

How to Use Background Checks and Stay Out of Trouble

Now that the courts have rejected the EEOC’s position on background checks, how should businesses use background checks to screen job applicants?  The safest course of action is to follow the EEOC’s rules because they may continue their enforcement efforts .

Here is a summary of best practices:

• Conduct Background Checks Only After a Conditional Offer of Employment is Made

The best way to control risk is to reduce the number of background checks.   Do not run background checks on all applicants.  Instead, make your employment offers conditional on passing a background check.

This will dramatically reduce the number of background checks and avoid numerous other thorny issues as well (background checks often reveal other sensitive personal info that could create other grounds for suit).

• Modify the Use of Criminal History Information 

Only search for criminal convictions, not arrests.  Arrests do not mean much so exclude them.  Consider limiting convictions to 7 to 10 years.  Conduct an individualized inquiry into each case to determine the nature of the crime and how it relates to the position.

For example, if an applicant is applying to be a truck driver and he has driving related offenses, you can safely exclude that applicant. However, if the applicant has a 30 year old conviction for disturbing the peace, then that offense should be ignored because it does not relate to the applicant’s ability to drive a truck.

Also, allow the applicant an opportunity to explain the situation.  The point is to use the criminal background information in a reasonable individualized manner instead of a broad policy of systematic exclusion.

• Have a Consistent Policy

It is essential to have a consistent policy in how criminal background checks are used.  If people are treated differently, the company would be open to allegations of employment discrimination.   This puts employers in a conundrum because the EEOC wants companies to look at each criminal history finding on an individual basis.  This makes it almost impossible to have a truly consistent policy because subjectivity will creep into the individualized inquiries.

Companies will need to document each case and explain the basis for each decision.  As long as a logical basis exists for each decision, the company should be able refute any allegations of discrimination if they arise.

Conclusion

The EEOC is putting employers in a difficult situation with its aggressive enforcement efforts over criminal background checks.  No perfect solution exists now.  The EEOC should modify its position and issue clear realistic guidelines for companies.

In the meantime, companies need to walk a fine line and keep accurate records to support each decision involving an applicant’s criminal history.

Background Check Photo via Shutterstock

The post How to Use Criminal Background Checks and Not Get Sued appeared first on Small Business Trends.

It used to be that businesses could plan for a one-device-per-user ratio in their networks. But that time is quickly passing us by.

With the proliferation of mobile devices and the "bring your own device" to work trend ("BYOD"), today's employees may be using multiple devices. Companies themselves are now issuing multiple devices to employees. As a result, you may have an employee using a desktop computer and a laptop. Then he or she might use a tablet to take notes during a meeting. Oh, and during the day that same employee sitting in traffic may be using a smartphone with multiple apps.

On top of that, you need to consider all of the other devices that are moving into the wireless access space, such as printers, scanners and even projectors. Finally, don't forget the increased reliance on cloud computing and the powerful cloud apps that devices connect to and use.

As you can see, it's a perfect storm brewing.

That can put strain on traditional wireless and VPN/Point to Point network bandwidth infrastructures. In fact, some small and mid-size businesses may have hundreds of devices connecting to their local networks creating a throughput nightmare for IT management trying to rely on a traditional Wi-Fi network configuration.

But what if you could increase bandwidth to your access points without any significant hassle? A few advances in technology, such as Managed Ethernet, can help reduce those infrastructure costs and offer scalability in a manner previously not possible.

How BYOD and Increased Devices Impact Network Capacity

IT managers run into wireless network bandwidth performance problems in part because a typical Wi-Fi connection can really only support between 15, maybe as many as 25 devices. Each has a limitation based on its hardware — any more than that and the connection signal strength begins to deteriorate in a very noticeable manner. A typical tell-tale sign is when someone is attempting to watch streaming video, and the video stutters as video packets are lost due to network congestion.

A router device is still a type of computer which requires processor and memory power to perform its functions. Among those functions is the division of bandwidth at the MAC layer in the 802.11 wireless networking standard, which divides available bandwidth 1/n (where n represents the number of nodes attached to the device).

For instance, a single wireless access point, permitted 4MB of bandwidth with 20 devices attached simultaneously would have roughly 200k of bandwidth to use per device. That's not sufficient for doing much more than basic Web surfing in today's high speed world.

In a typical BYOD atmosphere, you have a ratio of 3:1 devices to users. Taking that into consideration, you can see that a different approach to configuring a network is crucial in order to make this work.

A study by Gartner, Inc. suggests that by 2015, 80% of recently-installed corporate wireless networks will become obsolete because of poor infrastructure planning.

BYOD Has Its Benefits – Proper Planning Will Increase Its Effectiveness

When using their own devices, employees experience higher job satisfaction, increased mobility, and improvements in efficiency and productivity. In organizations that welcome employee-owned devices, IT teams can focus on more strategic initiatives, rather than spending the majority of their time dealing with help-desk tickets.

Using their own devices cuts down learning curves, and support issues while allowing the employee to use tools that make them comfortable.

A study by ZK Research suggests that BYOD will soon become the norm for IT. Further, the number of wireless devices will continue to explode as it reaches a 7:1 ratio by just 2016. That's less than 3 years away!

These numbers give you a taste of the amount of internet bandwidth you may need from your ISP and also the amount of bandwidth you will need on your corporate network to share resources, in the near future.

In multi-site applications where the management of both internet traffic and business resources need to be shared from the main hub to satellite locations, consider strategies such as business Ethernet networks. With the ability to use your service provider to share all of your network resources and internet over existing infrastructure, you relieve your IT dept of considerable support burden. Just as importantly, you ease the burden of the financial and technical costs of doing business. Your Ethernet Service Provider will create the point-to-point shared connections over its network, creating a seamless multi-site “LAN” without all the additional internet connections and equipment typically needed to connect each site.

Ethernet has come a long way in the past decade — under the work of the Metro Ethernet Forum, services have become standardized.

Ethernet can offer increased wireless network bandwidth, better port speed, more access points and better available coverage. It offers scalability to accommodate your business growth — and the growth in devices. It is flexible and affordable, because you use what you need, without having to invest in a much larger than needed network today just to account for future growth. Best of all, it takes strain off the IT Department. Look for providers with a high-capacity backbone that can be scaled up easily, to meet your growing needs.

By anticipating and addressing employees' needs for multiple devices and more cloud access demand, you will position your company’s IT infrastructure to embrace whatever the future brings. You'll keep productivity high, enable business continuity, reduce IT help desk tickets, and make things easier for all involved.

BYOD Photo via Shutterstock

The post Is Network Congestion Choking Your Mobile Experience? appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Under a constant barrage of advertising, customers simply don't like pushy marketing. They don't trust it, they don't like it and in the end, super pushy, hype-filled sales hyperbole marketing is only going to make your brand seem a little bit desperate – not exactly the best way to win anybody over.

Marketing without sounding "salesy" can take a little bit more thought and creativity, but in the end, it's worth it, thanks to better sales and an improved brand image. Find yourself slipping into cliché and sales hyperbole a little too often for comfort?

Below are three things that you can do to shape up.

Chuck the Sales Vocabulary Out the Window

You know what I'm talking about. The words that make you cringe a little bit when you see them on someone else's ads (and let alone as part of your own). They just scream sleazy, salesy, trying-to-sell-you-something. I can't think of a single business owner I've met who wants to have that image.

Some words you might want to permanently ban from use include amazing, life-changing, revolutionary, cutting-edge, awesome and fantastic and there are countless other ones that I'm sure you have your own qualms about.

Steer clear of buzzwords, too, whenever you can. I know I can be guilty of swinging around ROI (return on investment) and "grow your business" like there's no tomorrow, but it's never too late to adopt some new vocabulary.

Say What You Mean When Using Limited Time Offers

Brief sales are a great way to drum up urgency and get people buying, but you have to follow through. Otherwise, things get a little bit “boy who cried sale,” once you start sending out emails that look something like "Limited Time Offer!" or "1 More Day of Limited Time Offer!" or "Limited Time Offer Extended!" and "Act Quick, Limited Time Offer Still Going – But Barely!"

Catch my drift?

Limited time offers can easily become overblown and all hype if you don't cut the sale off when you say you will. Extending it might work the first time or two, but eventually your customers will stop jumping on sales because they know it's really more like constant pricing.

Ride the Waves

Keeping an eye on trends can help you better position your own product or service within part of a larger movement. After all, a potential consumer might not trust what you say in your marketing materials, but a big trend can essentially do your marketing for you.

Then, all you need to do is alert the general public to the fact that your business fits their wants and needs.

Sales Exaggeration Photo via Shutterstock

The post Ways to Market Without Sales Hyperbole appeared first on Small Business Trends.

It appears that a majority of small business owners are having the very same issues with their employees – finding the right people to work for their companies. A recent survey showed that a whopping 60 percent of small business owners state that they have a hard time finding the right skilled workers to fill their open positions.

Large corporations often have an entire department dedicated to the task of recruiting talent. So what can you, the small business owner, do?

How to Find the Right Employees

1. Show Them Why They Should Work for You

The first thing that you want to do is show candidates why they should want to work for you.

Chances are, hiring a quality candidate is going to require more monetary investment than you can afford. Give them non-monetary reasons why working with you is probably the best decision they can make.

You have to emphasize things such as the ability to advance without having to deal with large corporate red tape and office politics. If your company has a rich social environment that is a breeding place for lots of fun, sell it. If working with your company will give candidates more exposure to their professional development, then focus your pitch on it.

The bottom line: You need to be attractive to the prospects. If you’re a bootstrapper, you need to be sure that you attract them for reasons other than money.

2. Recruit the Best of the Best of the Best

Yes, you read that right – you need to recruit the best of the best of the best.  Hiring the wrong person can drain your resources fast.

What’s the worst activity small business owners after a bad hire? Firing the employee.

If you make a bad hire, chances are that you will eventually need to fire this individual. Firing an employee is emotionally draining, especially when they refuse to acknowledge that they deserve to be fired.

When you recruit someone, be very, very picky.  Remember, you are in a relationship with your employees for quite a long time and you can't afford a bad hire.

3. Use the Right Hiring Methods

Placing your ad on Craigslist or Monster is going to bring a surge of applications. Receiving hundreds or thousands of applications can be overwhelming and the selection process can become even more daunting and you don't want that.

The best way for you is to recruit candidates using more targeted methods. Try using social media to get the attention of local job seekers. The go-to social media site for recruiting employees is LinkedIn. You can advertise on LinkedIn and laser-target candidates with certain skill sets or you can hand-pick candidates yourself.

Another great option for recruiting a talented worker for key positions in your company is with a staffing agency.

The great thing about using a staffing agency is that you can “try before you buy.” The agency does the recruiting. They test the candidates that sign up for their services and they do thorough background checks. Once the candidate is thoroughly vetted, the testing then verifies what area of work they will excel in. What this means for you is that you are not stuck with an employee that you are not satisfied with.

Takeaway

The best hires generally use a very simple yet obvious method: Testing them with the actual work.

Experience and educational background matter, but honestly they mean nothing if your prospects can't get things done your way.  Be absolutely sure before you say, "You are hired." And to be absolutely sure, you need to observe how they do their work first.

One last bit of advice: Trust your hunches.

"Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level." ~ Joyce Brothers

Businessman Seeking Photo via Shutterstock

The post 3 Ways to Find The Right Employees for Your Small Business appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Yesterday’s news that Microsoft will acquire Nokia for $7.2 billion is probably good news for both Microsoft and Nokia, and also for small businesses.

Naysayers – and there are a lot of them – use words like it’s “too little too late” and that Nokia “can’t save” Microsoft.  For instance, industry observer Vivek Wadhwa sees lots of problems on the horizon for Microsoft. He says the answer is for Microsoft to break itself up into nimbler pieces.

Others, such as Business Insider’s Henry Blodget, see it as a “smart move” but one not likely to be successful because it’s too much of a Hail Mary pass, in his opinion.  If it works, it can win the game.  But chances are high it won’t work, for a variety of reasons.  For example, he notes that the big party in the mobile space has been tablets, but that Nokia has a nonexistent tablet offering.  Microsoft, on the other hand, has tablet offerings, but they have been high priced and slow to catch on.

The Microsoft viewpoint was aptly put in an announcement sent to members of Microsoft’s Voices for Innovation community, by Jonathan Friebert, Microsoft’s public policy manager, explained:

This deal adds to the momentum of Windows Phone and will accelerate growth as the next billion people come online using mobile devices. In addition, the transaction provides Microsoft with leading geospatial and mapping technologies. The integration of hardware and software will strengthen the position of the Microsoft ecosystem and provide a wide range of choice to consumers worldwide.

Why A Microsoft / Nokia Combo is Good For Businesses

For businesses that are Windows shops, having a range of Windows smartphones and tablets is an attractive thing.  It provides a real alternative for businesses.

Apple and Google’s Android dominate the consumer mobile devices market today.  It would be a hard row to hoe, to try to gain substantial market share there. But for business users, by combining forces, Nokia and Microsoft have the potential for a stronger offering for the business market.

Businesses need that.  For business users, there’s real benefit to being able to use a phone and tablet that integrate seamlessly with your desktop or laptop  computers.  It’s efficient.  It puts less burden on businesses that use Windows.   There’s less of a learning curve.

When a device makes it easier to conduct business, then small businesses and enterprises have a real reason to choose a Windows smartphone or a Windows tablet.

That’s especially true with tablets.  Right now there’s a void in the marketplace.  Yes, iPads and Android tablets are fun.  But for business users they have limited business value.   If my own tablet is any example, it tends to get used mainly for entertainment and occasionally on business trips when I have to write something longer than an email with two or three sentences.  It’s not very functional when it comes to the heavy lifting of business work I do.  My little 4-year old netbook computer is unpleasant to use for entertainment purposes, but far more useful than my tablet when it comes to work, despite being old and slow.  Consequently, I often carry both on business trips — one for watching movies and catching up on email and social media, and the other for real work.

Some think that Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia is as much about tablets as smartphones.  It gives Microsoft access to hardware technology and access to Nokia’s distribution network.

To date, Microsoft has had limited success with tablets.  After the market failed to receive its stripped down Windows RT tablet, Microsoft reduced the price.   It’s Surface tablet with full Windows 8 was better received, but pricey and so Microsoft also dropped the price of the Surface tablet.

Yes, Microsoft was slow to the tablet and smartphone party.  But there really is a place for good Windows phones and good Windows tablets in the business world.  Those that prefer a unified operating system across all their devices were essentially out of luck before. They were forced to pick one of the big industry leaders, Google or Apple, for the operating systems on their mobile devices instead.  Now they could have more options, if the Microsoft – Nokia acquisition is successful. For the sake of business users, we hope this acquisition will lead to more mobile device choices.

Images: Wikipedia

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The Internet is a volatile place, with new platforms launching more frequently than most of us do laundry and a constant shifting in the ways that users use the Web. Small business marketers are playing a constant game of catch-up as the online world marches steadily onward. It's a game that can be very easy to lose when you don't have a full-time marketing staff to keep tabs on things 24/7.

Think your online marketing strategy might be living in the past? Not even sure what an up-to-date online marketing strategy looks like?

These four signs indicate that it might be time to stir things up a bit and trade those proverbial bell bottoms for app development, Pinterest and Vine.

Your Online Marketing Strategy Might Need an Update If:

You're Using Somebody Else's Platform Exclusively

Now, I'm not saying that uploading photos to Facebook is a bad thing. But using big, corporate-owned platforms and not hosting any of your own content on your own website, for example – not such a great idea.

There are two big reasons for this:

• One is the phenomenon of digital sharecropping, in which sites like Instagram and Facebook wind up owning your content and potentially profiting from it.
• Second is that in this day and age, you're just not going to look like a legitimate business without your own website full of relevant and interesting content.

Not sure how to get started? It might be time to hire a web designer to get you set up.

You're Four Social Networks Behind

Does MySpace ring a bell? Xanga? LiveJournal? These early social networking sites all had their day, to be sure, but that day is long gone. In fact, many of them are totally shifting gears to appeal to different audiences, or simply aren't used or functional in any useful capacity anymore.

I know it can be tough for small businesses to keep up with every single new social network, and it's not always worth it to be an early adopter when you don't know what's going to fly – but it isimportant to find the networks that are thriving and right for your business.

You're Ignoring ROI (Return on Investment) and Analytics

This more technical side of online marketing can be intimidating and just a little bit bewildering. You're already running a marketing campaign – now you need to analyzeit, too.

True, it takes a little bit more work, but tracking data can go a long way in ensuring that the effort you put into marketing is well-placed. And the good news is, you don't need to be a math or programming whiz to measure the success of your online marketing strategy.

You're Trying to Appeal to Everyone

The days when you could churn out content and try to reach everyone with it are over. Now, market segmentation is a necessity. There's simply somuch of the Web to reach that you need to strategize and produce content accordingly.

Even more, you need to post that segmented content in the right places. What you post on Pinterest, for example, is going to be very different from what you post on LinkedIn.

The Magic Word is Strategy

The key to online marketing success is right there in the title of this post: Strategy. The biggest sign that your online marketing strategy is outdated might be the fact that you have no strategy.

If this is the case, it's time to put your nose to the grindstone, figure out your audience, create an editorial calendar and start writing content that adds up to a greater whole.

And of course, don't forget to measure the results of your online marketing strategy.

Up-to-Date Strategy Photo via Shutterstock

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If your business is looking for an affordable smartphone, it may soon be time to buy. Google has discounted its Google Nexus 4 Android smartphone. The price drop was announced last week on the Google Play Twitter feed.

#ICYMI Now, get #Nexus4 for 25% off or more in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Korea, US, UK: http://t.co/g8vIKtBC9N

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) August 30, 2013

Google is essentially taking $100 off the already inexpensive smartphone, making the 8GB model $199 and the 16GB $249. Unfortunately, the discount seems to have temporarily depleted inventory of the phone at the Google Play store. A notice Monday morning encouraged disappointed bargain shoppers to check back soon.

The markdown may be a sign that a new release from Google is on the way. It may also be a response to a rumored budget iPhone from Apple that could be announced as early as next week.

More About the Google Nexus 4

At first glance the Google Nexus 4 is already a highly attractive phone for the money. The device has a glass front and back and 4.7-inch screen with 1280 by 768 resolution. It also features an 8 megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front.

Downsides, according to a review by Joshua Topolsky of  The Verge below, include lack of 4G LTE which makes for significantly slower data download in most cases. The lack of this feature means the phone is really not competitive with, say, the iPhone 5.

(Of course, you’ll want to disregard the prices quoted for the phone in the video since they’re much lower now with the discount.)

Also the glass front and back are easy to break, if you drop the phone.

However, the cameras and other features seem good and the phone is also available unlocked so you can use it with almost any carrier.

The post Google Knocks $100 Off Nexus 4 appeared first on Small Business Trends.

According to Lana Khavinson of LinkedIn:

50% of LinkedIn members are more likely to purchase from a company they engage with on LinkedIn.

That's powerful, and a great reason to create a LinkedIn Company Page and promote it. Here are some other benefits of LinkedIn company pages:

• Gives followers a way to keep up on your company news, product updates, etc.
• Provides a single place to learn about all of your company's products and services.
• Allows recommendations of products and services.

Status Updates

Company Pages offer the ability to post status updates that will be read by your followers. Posting a status update at least a couple of times a week (when most folks are on LinkedIn) is a good strategy.

Your company page status updates can include awards that you've won, interviews with employees, new product and service announcements, employment updates, events, tips, company information and more. You can link to your blog posts and videos as well.

If you're looking for the highest engagement with followers, according to LinkedIn, the company page updates that generate the best response are:

• Company branding – inside looks and interviews.
• Employment branding and career opportunities.
• Tips and best practices.
• Fun facts and quotes.

How to Get More LinkedIn Followers

Just like other social networks, the more people that follow you, the more likely that you will receive sales inquiries and interest.

One way to get more followers is to add a button to your Website, blog and other social media networks. Instructions are below:

Additional ways to get company page followers include:

• Offer an incentive for new company page followers (a free report, ebook, etc.) and send messages to your connections about it.
• Post relevant status updates to groups.
• Include your company page link in your email signature line.
• Suggest to existing employees to follow the page and share status updates.
• Post job openings – a sure way to gain interest in your company.
• Follow other companies on LinkedIn; some will follow you back.

LinkedIn Analytics

It's a good idea to track the results of your efforts using LinkedIn company pages. With the July, 2013 addition of LinkedIn company page analytics, you'll now be able to:

• Identify the updates that prompt the greatest engagement.
• Filter engagement trends (clicks, likes, comments and shares) by type and time period.
• Receive more detailed demographic data about your followers.
• See the growth of your follower base and compare it to similar brands.

Using the analytics available will help you determine which actions offer the best response, as well as understanding more about your follower base.

As stated earlier, "50% of LinkedIn members are more likely to purchase from a company they engage with on LinkedIn." By increasing your engagement with LinkedIn company page followers, you'll increase the likelihood of purchase.

Followers Photo via Shutterstock

The post How to Get Followers and Sales With Your LinkedIn Company Page appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Entrepreneurship is easier said than done. As with most things in life, it has its own set of rules. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, whether you have venture funding or whether you are using your own savings. The rules still apply. Here are six rules of entrepreneurship that should remind you of the wonderful ride that entrepreneurship really is.

You will learn more from these six stories of entrepreneurial struggle than you would from six different books written on entrepreneurship. We'll start with big stories first.

Rules of Entrepreneurship

Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonalds: “I shall persist”

[Image: McDonalds]

Persistence is the missing word in entrepreneurship. Ray Kroc is a testimony to persistence. A kitchen wares sales man with health issues at aged 52 took a risk in 1954 and bought out a family-run restaurant. And in doing so created one of the most iconic brands in the world. The menu was limited and the service was quick. It was fast food that really was fast for a change. The idea was simple, yet elegant at the time. Though somewhat boring compared to today's tech startups, it comes with a valuable lesson.

Lesson: Run with your imagination. Take that idea and turn it into something great. In short, disrupt.

Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group: “Screw it, let's do it”

[Twitter Profile Image]

No, we aren't talking about Branson’s book here. We are talking instead about the very psyche of Sir Richard Branson, a billionaire worth at least two billion dollars and the founder of companies involved in everything from air travel to space tourism. We all know him to be a shrewd businessman with the style of a newbie rock star. He's charming, social, and completely unpredictable. And his personality seeps through his business. He is a man of action, a relentless entrepreneur, if you will.

His first endeavor was a magazine that never took off. He later found a new way for people to enjoy music — lounging around and listening to records before buying. The retail venture become Virgin Records. Serial entrepreneur that he is, he went on to create even more businesses. Some failed. Some rocked. Either way, he never sat there wondering what happened. He just moved on.

Lesson: Get up and do something about that idea. Dreams are nothing if you don't sweat towards them. Screw it. Just do it. No matter what happens.

Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple: “I'll go on and do my best, no matter what you do to me.”

[Image: Wikipedia]

The founder of one of the most popular brands in the tech industry didn’t have an easy path. From humble beginning, Jobs navigated through some huge challenges and a major setback to achieve his ambitious goals. Apple started as a small startup, grew into a small but profitable enterprise, and went pubic, only to have an internal power struggle for control of Apple drive Jobs from the very company he founded.

Most entrepreneurs would have simply quit or turned their backs on the past and simply started a new company. Jobs, however, made Apple come to him. He started another business called Next which Apple bought and meanwhile, also founding another successful company, Pixar Studios (now, Disney-Pixar). For Jobs, it was always about design, beautiful rendition of products, and extreme value poured into everything his company makes.

Apple does it. Pixar does it.

Lesson: Staying true to the quality of the products and services you provide will see you through the toughest times. Don’t give up. No matter what the obstacle.

Lewis Howes, American author, consultant and speaker: “Nothing stops me. Not even the lack of a product to sell.”

[Image: Lewis Howes]

Lewis Howes was a professional athlete. But a broken wrist ended his athletic career. Instead of lamenting, Howes simply started another career for himself. Though at the time he says he didn’t have a dime to his name.

The problem was he had no product to market. But by attending webinars and educating himself about the combination of ideas and action needed to build a successful company, Howes was able to build up a level of expertise he could then share with others trying to do the same.

Lessons: Not having a product to sell is an excuse. When you don't have products, you have services. When you don't have the time or resources for providing services, you can teach or train like Lewis does. Entrepreneurship is more about creation, innovation, and making things happen than about finding the right inventory.

Brian Morgan of Adventure Life: “Have $3000, passion, and guts? Will start!”

[Image: Adventure Life]

Of course, you can start with much less too but we want to introduce you to Brian Morgan of Adventure Life. An adventure junkie, traveler, and business owner Morgan started his company in 1998 with just $3000 in his pocket. By 2008, the company had earned $11 million in revenue and had 16 employees.

Adventure Life is a travel company that specializes in “inspired and authentic” experiences for the travel enthusiast. The passion of its employees has become a unique component in the excursions they now offer all over the world.

Lesson: You can turn your hobby into a business. Just bring passion, an idea, and the right execution to make it a success.

Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup.com: “You don't have to do it all.”

[Image: Wikipedia]

Entrepreneurs suffer from control issues, including an inability to let go and to trust others. Yet, Scott Heiferman, who runs Meetup.com, a global "meeting engine" with more than 15 million members and 136,047 groups across 196 countries is an expert at doing just that.

In an interview with Chris Dixon at TechCrunch.com, he offered this advice: divide and conquer. Do what you are best at and let others take care of the rest. Each founder should focus on his or her strengths.

Lesson: Outsource. Hire. Pick the best brains in the business. It comes at a price but it's a pittance compared to the profits you make. Learn the art of delegation. Meetup.com run its business and lets groups all over the world with a passion to meet do the rest.

What entrepreneur lessons can you share with us?

The post 6 Rules of Entrepreneurship from Founders in the Trenches appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How can a brick and mortar store successfully compete against online retailers? As the line between online shopping and in-store retail continues to blur, this question seems ever more pressing. But a recent news item offers some solace – and suggestions – for small retailers.

CNET recently reported that online accessories and apparel retailer Zappos has been taking "field trips" to local malls to figure out how they can lure shoppers from the real world into the virtual world. While online retail sales are growing every year, the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows eCommerce still accounts for less than 6 percent (PDF) of overall retail sales.

With 94 percent of retail sales still taking place in the physical world, clearly brick and mortar stores have something that eCommerce sites don't. What, exactly? Zappos believes the answer lies in a social experience at a brick and mortar store, and is seeking ways to make online shopping more social, too.

Zappos is a pretty smart company (at least, they've gotten enough of my online spending dollars to convince me they know what they're doing), so if they think social matters, I think retailers should pay attention.

With that in mind, how can you make your brick and mortar store shopping experience more social?

How Brick and Mortar Store Experiences Can Be Social

Get Social Online

It may sound obvious, but if online retailers can use social media to drive customers to their websites, you can use it to drive customers into your physical store.

Integrate your social media presence with your physical store. Put decals in your store window with the logos of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or wherever else you are on social media. Use them in your print and online marketing materials. Include clickable links on your website and in your marketing emails that customers can use to quickly connect with your store on social media.

Get Social In-Store

Incorporate the real world into your social media presence. Hold in-store events or promotions, take videos or pictures and post them on social media. Encourage customers to take pictures when they make a purchase or try something on and share the images with their friends on social media (mentioning your store, of course.)

Encourage Reviews

Let customers know your store has a presence on local search, review and rating sites such as Yelp or Local.com. Encourage them to review your store if they're happy with their purchase.

By doing so, you're taking the in-store experience online to drive more traffic into your shop.

Be Friendly

It sounds obvious, but a friendly, helpful attitude is the key attribute you should look for and nurture in store employees. Seek salespeople who truly enjoy interacting with customers and have a good sense for when people want (and don't want).

Customers will come back if your store feels warm and welcoming – and that starts with you and your people.

Encourage Lingering

Remember when department stores used to have comfy chairs for shoppers' spouses or kids to plop down and rest while shoppers “shopped till they dropped?” Few do anymore.

Differentiate your store with little touches that encourage customers to stick around. This could include a bowl of water outside the store for dogs tied up out front, a clean restroom, water, tea or coffee to energize customers to keep shopping or a small play or reading area to keep young children occupied.

Think about what might stop your customers from hanging out and eliminate those hurdles.

Cooperate

Get social with other business owners, too. Organize a sidewalk sale in your shopping center or on your street. Find a complementary, but non-competing business in your area and try some ongoing cross-marketing tactics.

For instance, if you own a pet accessories boutique, you could work out a deal with a local dog groomer or vet where you post flyers or set out brochures or business cards for each other's businesses. You can also hold an event together, such as a bringing in a local dog trainer to hold a workshop on obedience and promoting all of your services.

Give Back

Getting involved in community events such as charitable organizations, sponsoring local sports teams or fun runs or participating in beach or litter cleanups are one of the best ways to be not only social, but also socially responsible. Encourage your customers to get involved, too, and you'll build bonds that will help increase loyalty and sales.

Start thinking social and you'll come up with no end to creative ways to connect your customers with each other, your business and your community.

Social Shopping Photo via Shutterstock

The post How Your Brick and Mortar Store Can Beat Zappos at Its Own Game appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The world of mobile marketing can be overwhelming for already-busy small business owners. But the explosion of smartphone use over the past few years is proof that it's worth looking at the options.

According to recent reports, mobile marketing will generate $400 billion in sales by 2015. MYQROsites offers one option to reach customers through a device they already use – their smartphones.

Use QR Codes to Promote Your Mobile Site

MYQROsites offers a service that allows customers to create mobile sites promoted through a custom generated QR code. You've probably seen these already in magazines and other ads – they're a square, 2-D barcode you can scan with your phone's camera.

Scanning the QR code sends you directly to a mobile website.  The benefit of using QR codes is speed and convenience.  "It's a quicker way to get to information than making someone type in a URL," said Jon-Mikel Bailey, a principal at Wood Street Inc. and Kicking Apps LLC, which created MYQROsites.

The service allows business owners to manage their mobile sites themselves and upload photos, videos and other content for a monthly fee. It also provides technical support for any issues.

MYQROsites then allows clients to generate QR codes that can be added to marketing materials businesses already use, like postcards, fliers or other advertisements.

The video below shows more about how the service works.

The post MYQROsites Offers New App for Mobile Marketing With QR Codes appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Have you gotten started with growing your business on a global level?

Then you already know about the potential success for your small business, with more than two-thirds of the world's purchasing power coming from outside the United States.

If you're looking to market your business overseas, there are a number of great resources available from Export.gov, which brings together information and tools from across the federal government to assist businesses in planning international sales strategies.

3 Steps to Market Research

According to Export.gov, when you're just starting out, it's best to focus on a maximum of two or three "best-prospect" markets.

Not sure where to start?

Let these research guidelines walk you through how to learn your product's potential in a given market, the market's business practices and other tactics to help set you up for success.

Market Research Library

This online catalogue has more than 100,000 industry and country-specific market reports written by Export.gov specialists working overseas. Gain access to country commercial guides, industry overviews, market updates, regional reports and more.

You'll have to register to take a look at these reports, but it's quick and free.

Trade Events

Attending trade events is a great way to learn about how to take your business to a global level – and market it successfully. These can include online webinars or in-person seminars on exporting fundamentals, information about trade missions and find out about counseling opportunities. Trade fairs and shows allow you to introduce international buyers, distributors or representatives to your products or services.

You'll also be able to meet other small business owners and gain their insight about what's worked for them, what hasn't worked and get an insider perspective about what could be in store for you as well.

There’s a searchable list to find official trade missions and trade events sponsored by the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

One-On-One Counseling

The government provides counseling to companies at every step of the exporting process, so you can get personalized advice about your marketing inquiries from a specialist near you. Reach out to your local Export Assistance Center– there are more than 100 across the country – to get linked up with a federal representative today.

There are additional international marketing insights available to find out even more about how their resources and tools can help you succeed in marketing your business globally.

Overseas Business Concept Photo via Shutterstock

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A service that aspired to be the last username and password its members would ever need will soon be no more.

I an official email announcement, Larry Drebes, CEO of Janrain, Inc. said his company would be shutting down myOpenID. The service promoted giving users a single sign-in for all participating sites. Those who still use the system for log-in will have a little time to adjust. Drebes said the service will not officially be shut down until February 1, 2014.

Open ID Becomes the Standard

In the end, MyOpenID did not fail to gain traction because of lack of acceptance for Open IDs.

The company was founded in 2006 to help make sign-in easier for Internet users. But since then sites like Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn and Yahoo have all embraced Open ID standards, Drebes said.

“By 2009 it had become obvious that the vast majority of consumers would prefer to utilize an existing identity from a recognized provider rather than create their own myOpenID account,” he wrote.

He says the company later switched to a business model based on social media log-in.

Drebes said the company is delaying shut down of MyOpenID out of consideration for existing users.

Janrain Inc. is a development company based in Portland, OR. It creates social tools like the Janrain User Management Platform helping clients learn more about their customers online.

The video below explains more.

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If your business is structured as a corporation or LLC, you're probably aware that there are certain steps you need to take to keep your business compliant with the state, such as sending in an annual report and paying any fees. Keeping your paperwork and recorded information up to date is another key element to staying compliant.

For example, if you changed your business address, authorized more shares or had a board member or director leave, then you'll need to notify the state of these changes.

This may seem like trivial paperwork, but it's actually quite important. You've got to make sure that your corporation or LLC remains in good standing because if your business happens to be sued, the plaintiff may attempt to show that you have not maintained your LLC/Corporation to the letter of the law. And if successful, your corporate veil is pierced and the plaintiff can seek recovery against your personal assets.

What Changes Need to be Recorded?

As a general rule of thumb, whenever you're changing any of the information included on your original formation paperwork, you'll most likely need to notify the state. Here are the most common changes:

• Changes to the company name.
• Changes to the registered agent information.
• Changes to the registered office information.
• Company business address.
• Director or member information.
• Number of authorized shares.
• Business activities of the company.

How Do I Record These Changes?

In most states, the paperwork required to record any changes is called Articles of Amendment (or sometimes Certificates of Amendment). This form takes just a few minutes to complete and is an essential part of keeping your business compliant.

You can either file the form directly with your state's Secretary of State office or have an online legal document filing service take care of the paperwork for you.

When Do I Need to Submit My Amendment Paperwork?

States actually don't provide a specific deadline for you to turn in your Articles of Amendment (i.e. you must file within X weeks of making the change). However even without a looming deadline, you'll still want to submit any changes as soon as possible, so the state has all your current information on file.

If the state information doesn't match what you're actually doing business under, it can hinder you from certain business transactions. For example, you may not be able to renew your business license, open a bank account or create a merchant service account.

In addition, as mentioned above, you may be putting your liability protection at risk by not keeping your state files current. For this reason, it's always best to keep the state informed of any and all changes as soon as possible.

Email Forms Photo via Shutterstock

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