Financing, Sales Were Small Firm Concerns of 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite more recent numbers showing improvement in the U.S. economy, the economic picture for small firms at the end of 2008 offered few bright spots, according to the 2009 edition of The Small Business Economy released by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy. Small businesses in most industries, especially in the construction industry hard hit by the housing market downturn, saw declines in employment. Along with declining sales, most small businesses faced a less accommodating credit market, especially in the second half of 2008.
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Ramp up Marketing in a Downturn: 5 Ways to Save Money and Still Get Your Message Heard
Meeting payroll and covering overhead are the first orders of business when times are tough. But too many entrepreneurs and small businesses look to their marketing budgets as a way to cut costs--a big no-no when clients and customers may be that much harder to come by. Here are five simple ways to save money while still reaching as many clients and customers as possible.
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Megan Pacella
Fair Trade: How to Barter for Your Business without Defying the Tax Code
The down economy has a lot of small businesses in a money squeeze, but you don’t always need cash to get the products and services you need to run your business. Bartering is another option. "In a time of tight cash flow, bartering can be extremely useful for a small business," says Max Barger, an attorney with Paley Rothman in Bethesda, Md. "You may find a larger economy and selection of goods and services."
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Filling the Gaps
The travails of corporate giants such as AIG and GM make lots of headlines, but most troubled firms fly under the radar. Clients who own small businesses are likely to face problems in this uncertain economy, and financial planners can help address at least some of their issues. Business owners who once thought they had their capitalization and cash-flow needs under control may now be facing yawning gaps.
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The Name Game
Is it just luck that a name like "Google" caught on so well that it’s now a verb? Perhaps a bit, but the vast majority of great names "don’t just happen," says Rodger Roeser, president of Eisen Management Group, a branding firm that helps organizations develop names. He says a large amount of research goes into those seemingly perfect names.
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The Perfect Formula to Build Your Brand: Product + Expert + Promise = Brand
It’s not enough to build a product and assume it will be the base of your brand. Just ask Apple about Apple TV, Microsoft about Zune or the New Coke about its prestigious debut. Unless your tag line is “But hey, it’s free,” don’t plan on having a product sell itself--or your company. First, consider what makes the product truly unique.
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