The first step to conserving capital is to know what drives your business. Determine your primary business of units sold, customers sold, average order, hours billed, etc. Pricing should be...
Here are some ideas for branding your business online: 1. Protect Your Name. As an entrepreneur, your name is vital to your brand and the identity of your business. Be...
When you pitch yourself, your company, or your product, you need to exhibit more energy than your audience, not less. If you walk into a room and your listener thinks...
Strong ethical standards are a key ingredient of great leadership. Yet too often the question of whether or not we are doing the right thing goes unasked, particularly during the...
We all worry, and today's business climate doesn't make worries any easier to avoid. Worrying is little more than trading your peace of mind for self-inflicted negativity about the future....
When participating in important conversations, try to use part of your attention observing. No matter how engaged you may be, send a small piece of your focus above the scene...
We all get stuck at times, and entrepreneurs are no exception. All too often our tendency to ask the same questions when facing the same circumstances keeps us from making...
Troubled times remind small business leaders of the need to take responsibility. Admitting your part in what went wrong—even when painful or embarrassing—not only moves the situation toward real solutions,...
Whether it is a matter of mistrusting computer backups or simply because of the habit of wanting to touch the words we are reading, computers and e-mail have actually increased...
E-mail is an excellent form of fast, efficient communication. As with any great tool, it can be misused. It is important to recognize that e-mail is not dialogue. It is...
For many business owners, nothing is more exhilarating than successfully negotiating a big contract or new partnership. A new contract can take a company to the next level or demonstrate...
Write the main point, request, or question in the very first sentence of your e-mail message. This one practice, alone, could have a huge impact on the quality of your...
Investors consider hundreds of businesses before making an investment decision and they learn to do so objectively and with discipline. Business professionals must do the same when they too are...
Distinguishing between ideas and opportunities is the fundamental challenge facing every businessperson. Those who can correctly sniff out the opportunities are the ones who will build successful businesses and create...
"Cultivational" may be a new term for you. It means to be a person who prepares the mind, improves skills and performance, or develops the potential that resides within a...
Is your business suffering due to high gas prices and the economic woes of 2008? Are you waiting for business to return to "normal"? If so, you must revolt: Stop...
In an economic slowdown, we sometimes prequalify that all of our customers are pulling back, waiting for things to improve, not interested, or don’t have the money now. Thinking in...
First, determine what type of small business you are. If your net profits are below $1 million and your gross revenues are below $3 million, you may be a "mom...
You have no control over the state of the economy or the potential loss of revenue and profits that may occur. You do, however, have total control over the way...
Now more than ever, small businesses have to examine all options for reducing costs as we navigate our way through these turbulent economic times. Having an energy-efficient business is a...
There are many benefits to attending an industry trade show. You scope out the competition, network with potential partners and customers, get feedback from attendees on your products and services,...
In today's data-dependent world, many small and midsize businesses still have ineffective or nonexistent business continuity plans in place. According to the 2007 Best's Underwriting Guide by A.M. Best, only...
Your Web site is your company's online fingerprint and the most valuable information-sharing tool that you have. But just as it enables you to reach millions of online users, it...
Want to improve the way you run your business? Entrepreneurs, academics, and consultants from diverse industries offer practical advice on a variety of topics each business day.
To submit a tip for consideration, first check our archive of previous tips to make sure you're not repeating a tip someone has already contributed. Then send the tip to Small Business channel contributor Michelle Dammon Loyalka. Because of the volume of material she receives, she may not respond to each individual.
