In the first article we mentioned the main characteristics that should have a software to be used as a Front-End with some functions of an Enterprise Resources Planning ERP: * ODBC, * Replication, * Computed Views, * Integrated e-Mail, and we used the Lotus Notes example, but in principle will be possible to use other softwares with similar functions. Now we will see a practical case, a system to detect and control - marketing, sales, new purchase orders - your aground prod More..

Small Business And The Ability To Find Market Place Opportunities

Marketing is one of the four corner-posts of a solid business. Knowing a few marketing tricks is great, but to be really successful you must be able to assess market place opportunities. Here's 13 points you should look at? # It is necessary to understand the prevailing economic and industry conditions. Analyze the demographics of your customer base # What are the customer's needs? # What pricing strategies can be implemented? # What is the activity of competitors? # What promotional strate More..

Earn More Money in Your Small Business by Creating a PIG

If you really want to earn more money with your small business than you need to strongly consider adding a P.I.G. Obviously, I am not referring to the questionably adorable pot bellied pig that many fine people have adopted for a pet. The concept of adding a Passive Income Generator to your business should be a top priority if you want long term income. What exactly is a Passive Income Generator and how can it be used to make more money for your small business? As the names suggests, a P.I.G. More..

Are You Ready to Own and Operate a Business?

How often has someone thought of starting a business based solely on the fact they think it will be easier than working for someone else. Fact is, owning and operating a business can be one of the most grueling experiences you will have. Granted, there are many advantages, but unless someone has actually run a business there is much to consider before you make that decision. The following information will help you operate a business more professionally. With today's technology there is no reaso More..

Are You a Small Business Lone Ranger? Take My 10-Question Quiz To Find Out!

So what exactly is a "Small Business Lone Ranger?" A "Small Business Lone Ranger" is a business owner who does all the work themselves. No matter how big or small the project, the Lone Ranger handles 100% of it. Either because they're afraid to let go of control or because they feel they can't afford to hire help. Can you relate? I know I can! So what's wrong with doing everything yourself? Well it's tough to grow your business if you're busy managing every single detail. I know it's a bit sca More..

Postcard Marketing - Low Cost Visibility

You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But how do you get that visibility when you're short on cash? Here's an idea that's worked for many businesses. It's postcard marketing, and it's very affordable. You can design your own postcards or hire a designer. Print the cards on 67# card stock to meet USPS requirements. Two or four cards will fit on an 8 Ã‚Â½" x 11" sheet so you'll have to use a paper cutter. Postage is just $.23 a card. Here are some ways to use postcards: # REFERRAL More..

Data Loss - Can Your Company Survive? (Most Do Not)

Data. Most people think it is a term relegated to the kingdom of geeks. However, in todays world your data is your life. Chances are every piece of data you might ever rely upon to make an important decision has been reduced to a digital format and resides somewhere on your computer's hard drive. Improved functionality and productivity are the benefits. However, on the flipside one wrong click, one nasty virus, one untimely power surge or unhappy employee and that data is gone forever! Data lo More..

Postcards Make It Rain Referrals

One of the simplest ways to expand your marketing efforts is through the consistent use of postcards. Create a list of narrowly targeted prospects and then hammer away at them with powerful marketing messages. One of the most effective ways to get a prospect's attention is to talk to them about problems you know they are facing. Create a card that describes, in some detail a problem a client had...then of course describe the brilliant solution you provided...and send them out to your clients, f More..

Why Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Should

As the owner or an employee of a small-to medium-sized business, you might have never thought about media monitoring. Maybe you are not even sure what exactly is meant by this and have thus ignored it so far. But you should take some time to get acquainted with the concept of media monitoring. For companies of every size, it is a crucial tool for market success. When you monitor the media, you basically look for all the information that is beeing published about your company in different media More..

Small Businesses - Big Obstacles

Everyone is talking about small businesses. In 1993, when it was allowed, more than 90,000 new firms were registered by individuals. Now, less than three years later, official figures show that only 40,000 of them still pay their dues and present annual financial statements. These firms are called "active" - but this is a misrepresentation. Only a very small fraction really does business and produces income. Why this reversal? Why were people so enthusiastic to register companies - and then bec More..

How To Cut Expenses And Manage Your Business

If you own a small business, you should know that often times it can be the little things, rather than the large expenses, that can eat away at your budget. But many times, small business owners will try and increase their profits by looking around at what larger expenses they can cut. If you are looking to save some cash in your business, why not pay attention to our "small time" cost cutter ideas. You'll find that if you add them up, they may just save you more than a penny! And actually tog More..

Getting City Contracts; Local Government Contracting

All cities have a purchasing office and/or a procurement officer. They handle all city contracts that are sent out to bid. Usually, to become a small business vendor of the city you must satisfy either some or all of the requirements listed below: Minority Or Woman Owned Business Small Business (Under $500,000/Year Gross) Worker's Compensation Insurance (If Employees Work On Contract) Liability Insurance Of $500,000-1,000,000 Aggregate With The City As Additional Insured (For Autos And Comp More..

Mobile Pressure Washing and City Contracts

Many mobile pressure-washing companies turn to government contacts to make money. It is very easy to acquire such municipal contracts for cleaning, as the government needs some cleaning up. The cities generally have a fiscal year starting in June, so you want to check on the available contracts around the end of March to see what is coming up, which departments will have budget monies available and also go and visit the local department heads to see what is needed. Believe me even local cities w More..

Dealing With a Crooked on the Take Government Worker

Many government department heads are on the take. Oh they'll jump up and down and swear legitimacy, but it just is not so. Over one-third of Americans will lie to a small business owner to save $2.00 and that same one-third of our population works in government. I am not condemning anyone, merely pointing out fact thru observation and 27 years experience dealing with governmental department heads. Now then two-thirds are honest and would never think of defrauding the public or taxpayer. We are n More..

Finding a Venture Capital Firm

Many ventures are faced with the challenging task of raising venture capital. The first part of this process is finding the right venture capital firm (VC). While this may seem simple, it isn't. There are thousands of venture capital firms in the United States alone, and going after the wrong ones is one of the most common reasons why companies fail to raise the capital they need. When seeking a venture capital firm, there are six key variables to consider: location, sector preference, stage pr More..

Debt Collection Techniques

Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be followed by businesses to mitigate the bad debt crisis: Sending a pre-collection letter. Hiring a collection agency. Doing it yourself. Sending A Pre-Collection Letter Most businesses don't want to "play the bad cop" with their clients, so they approach a collection agency, which for a nominal fee sends a notice to the defaulter asking him or her to pay up. Remember, a notice from a collection agency is much more effective than the n More..

7 Advantages to Incorporating

There's no question that hard work and a little luck is what it takes to BE successful. But a little knowledge, especially when it comes to setting up your business, will help you STAY successful. While many business owners give a lot of thought to location, store dÃƒÂ©cor, customer service, hiring employees and management issues (and rightly so); choosing the proper business structure (such as sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, limited liability company) doesn't get the attention it de More..

Is Your Business Property Safe and Secure?

Security Professionals provide the products and services necessary to create a safe and secure workplace for you and your employees. Products such as lever hardware, panic and exit devices, desk locks and high security key control systems, as well as security boxes and safes, can help you protect your business and property. In addition, electronic access control systems can be designed to restrict access to the building or business complex in order to increase security and control. Security Pro More..

Buying a Franchise

Buying a franchise is not for everyone. This guide will help you evaluate whether buying a franchise is right for you. It will help you understand your obligations as a franchise owner. Many people dream of owning and running their own business but are often let down by the reality of doing so. By purchasing a franchise, you often can sell goods and services that have instant name recognition and can obtain training and ongoing support to help you succeed. But be cautious. Like any investment, More..

Read more About Pet Grooming Business

How to Get Maximum Results With Minimum Effort

Get maximum results with minimum effort. Sounds great doesn't it? The key is leverage. You can get a huge result from relatively little investment of resources. Weather it's time, money or intellect, you only have so much. The key is to use your resources as a lever to really explode your income! A great example is real estate. You control a relatively large asset with a fairly small investment. Say you have a property worth $250,000 that you got with a $12,500 down payment. Leave aside for a m More..

Most Franchises Are Small Home Businesses

Many of our nations 400,000 franchisees run their businesses out of their homes and therefore their home addresses and phone numbers are listed in the Unifrom Franchsie Offering Circular's, attachments. Uniform Franchise Circulars, UFOC, are for franchise buyers and they explain the investment involved. It is required by law that they be given out to potential buyers in advance of any sale by 10 business days. How can a franchisor be assured that someone sending an email or filling out a form is More..

Small Businesses With Work Trucks; A Warning

If you are a non-operator owner of many work trucks, you should keep your business credit card with you not leave it in one of the trucks. You should not issue them to employees without strict guidlines. Employees may tend to abuse credit cards by buying things that are not an emergency such as tires that are over priced instead of simply plugging a hole in a flat or spraying fix-a flat into the valve stem. Here is a story: A franchisee's manager who we'll call 'Arnold' had a blow-out in one o More..

Auto Detailers and Competitive Aspects of Automobile Detailing

There are both fixed and mobile detailers. Consumers often will use either or both during the life of their car. Mobile Detailing is nice because they come to you. Fixed site auto detailers often work in a controlled environment and can produce higher quality work. Due to the competitive aspects fixed site detailers generally will offer pick up and drop of services. Due to costs to run an automotive detailing shop the prices are often a little higher and this gives the advantage to the mobile au More..

Competition in the Mobile Car Wash Industry

We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our city, usually they are trucks, vans or trailer set ups with a water tank and a pressure washer unit aboard. They market their services with flyers and business cards, however most of their business comes from weekly repeats and referrals. Some cities have hundreds of these units going around the city cleaning stuff. You may think what a great business, but like in any business there is a competitive component to the industry, which is not so More..

Street Wars Between Mobile Car Washers and Mobile Auto Detailers

There is much competition in the mobile auto detailing business. There are two different lines of reasoning emerging as to how the business should be run. One is go for volume and discount and wash the world. The other is go after the high end customer which is 10% of the market, do exceptional work and charge as much as the market will give. These two principles are the reason for a war between mobile auto detailers and mobile car washes. Mobile car wash companies are often seen washing the Hon More..

Expanding Franchisee Advice

Franchisor expansion policies are not as simple as one might think. On the mind of every businessperson is the idea of expansion. We think we will make more money when you expand to a second, third, fourth, etc. unit, store or work truck. So you would think if you are franchisee of a large franchise system that the franchisor would want to help you into that additional outlet as soon as possible or, like some franchisors, much sooner. After all they will make more royalties and have an additiona More..

Expanding A Mobile Car Wash Business

What is the best time to expand a mobile car wash business? If everything were perfect and you could choose the best time to buy a new mobile car wash rig, you should buy it in April and have it running by the 20th of May. If you have 1.5 times the business of your first unit, then you automatically have enough business for one-half of a second truck, van or trailer unit combination. In June, the seasonal increase would take care of the rest. That is the simplest way. If you buy an additional tr More..

Basic Psychology of Franchisee Ownership and Expansion

If you are a franchisee of a large franchise system; before you expand your franchise to include more stores there are some questions you might ask yourself. If, however, you bought your franchise to expand, grow and amass a small empire of your own, your franchisor will be the last person to stand in your way. Franchisors applaud those who are true entrepreneurs and believe in no limits. Your Franchisor will help you achieve your goals, even if they have to be the ones who push you over the top More..

Private Franchising is not Real a Real Franchise

One major issue not being addressed right now in the regulatory definitions which guide consumers and lawyers in business opportunities and franchising is the new term being used; Private Franchising. The Federal Trade Commission decided it would revise its definitions of such opportunities in 1995, but failed to address this issue. The use of the term; Private Franchising has grown over the years. There now exist some fraudulent activity going on in coffee shops across America with regards to More..

Franchising VS Business Opportunity; What is the Difference?

The modern Franchise business model and the much different business opportunity are much different and dissimilar. The definition of these two business models should be broken into completely different parts to better fit the two-different business models and have their own set of regulations, which would contain similar stipulations with regards to prohibitions, definitions or basic rules of law. The Federal Trade Commission is considering a redefining of these two models under their legal desc More..

The Franchisors Heavy Load

Why are we over regulation the franchising industry, what purpose does it serve? Rules and laws are fine, level playing fields are nice, but the customer votes with their dollar and the entrepreneur and companies can only sell what people are willing to give up that unit of trade we call a dollar for. The FTC, Federal Trade Commission is going to pile on more regulation and minutia to the rules of franchising, but what purpose does it serve? The free market should decide and the right to free c More..

Why the Over Regulation on the Franchising Model?

Franchising is the fastest way to build small businesses, provide jobs, create money flows. Currently the Federal Trade Commission wishes to increase the over regulation on the franchising sector. The way the Federal Trade Commission conducts itself provides little incentive or allows few new entrepreneurial companies to merge from the ashes to become the next Wendy's Hamburger, McDonalds, Duncan Donuts, Century 21, KFC, Dominos Pizza, Midas Muffler, etc. Why? What are we really saying here? Mor More..

Franchise Rule to be Revised; Why?

The FTC, Federal Trade Commission, is considering modifying the franchise rule. So far it has be a ten-year process; just imagine working that slow in your business? In 1995, 1997 and 1999 when the comments were first considered and taken in, which spans a ten-year period. When you combine those comments with this current rule making period they may have broken the record for the longest rule making session since voting on the slavery issue; one heck of a long rule making period by any means. M More..

More Rules for Franchising?

The FTC- Mighty Federal Trade Commission has unilaterally decided to change the franchise rule. They changes are sure to hurt American business, Franchisors and the over 400,000 Franchisees in the United States today. These regulatory changes even if mere interpretations and opinion cause events which have unintended consequences. Such changes are rarely forgotten as one simple stroke of a pen by a Federal Trade Commission attorney who does not understand the real world of franchising can wipe o More..

Who Does Over Disclosure Really Hurt In Franchising?

Costs of over regulation and over disclosure end up hurting the very consumer that the regulatory bodies are trying to protect. Over disclosure and over regulation is in itself the worst evil of civilization, as it stifles free enterprise, innovation and free markets. In franchising the disclosure documents have in fact grown to over 200 plus pages in length on average. You should be happy you are not a tree in the forest right now. If franchise buyers (consumers) are damaged in the market plac More..

The Number of Pages in the UFOC in Franchising is Still Growing Today

Today required franchise disclosure documents are over 200 pages generally. How many pages do you think the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular; UFOCs were 35 years ago for these ten-foot tall pillars of the franchising community like Kroc, Monhan and Rosenberg founded their companies? They were of course the founders of McDonalds, Domino's Pizza and Duncan Donuts. Look at the modern day UFOCs now as franchising companies try to crystal ball every possible eventuality, thus putting the franchis More..

FTC Adding to the Franchise Rule

Last summer the FTC put forth a report and then asked for comments on modifications of the franchise rule. There has been no real significant changes since the 1970's, but lots of opinions and case law along the way. All these complications of rules and the rules proposed today by the Federal Trade Commission do not help franchisors remain efficient or franchisees sell more pizza, hamburgers or donuts. Franchising is not about laws as much as delivering goods and services to people in an expedi More..

Too Many Lawyers in Franchising Today

Attorneys and Lawyers are ruining the franchise industry. It is too bad too, because franchising represents over 400,000 businesses in our country and accounts for just over one-third of every consumer dollar spent in this country. By over regulating and over lawyering the industry we are weakening our free markets and suffocating our up and coming entrepreneurs. I remember standing with a group in Las Vegas at the annual IFA meeting at the MGM, where everyone was gathered around Mr. Rosenberg More..

Lawyers Everywhere Telling Regulators What Laws to Make

The Federal Trade Commission decided to sit down and revamp the franchise rule of the 1970's. They started to do it in 1995 and postponed it then had some comments collected in 1997 and then in 1999. One thing, which is very interesting is most all the comments came from attorneys who specialize in either suing franchisors or suing franchisees. A little conflict of interest isn't it. Worse off; the government looks at their comments closely when determining new rules of law. Lawyers are out to m More..

FTC Report on Franchise Rule Making; What Purpose?

The Federal Trade Commission out of the blue decide in November of 2004 that they wanted to revamp the franchise and business opportunity rule; specifically addressing franchising. Now then, why now? To prove to the masses that the Federal Trade Commission is in control? After all it is nearly 10 years after the Federal Trade Commission considered revising the rule, before this report has surfaced again. Ten years? Franchise companies have come and gone since then, technologies have come and be More..

Two Types Of Business Plan Cover Pages - Which One Are You Using?

This is the tale of two business plans with very different cover pages. They both contain a unique and exciting business opportunity with the potential for high investment returns. Arriving in the morning mail, each neatly bound plan lands on the desk of the same potential business investor. Both plans are competing with hundreds of other documents, worksheets, phone calls, and articles for the investor's attention. And, they compete in time, because each one, seen for a few seconds, is either h More..

Be Prepared When Business Investors Look Beyond Your Business Plan

You have spent considerable time pulling your business plan together, contacting potential business investors, making management presentations and pitching your business plan to prospective business investors. Now you finally have a serious investor who wants to conduct "due diligence" before investing real cash into your business. Great! What's "due diligence? Due diligence is a thorough examination of available facts, references, books, records, etc. of your business and business plan. And, More..

The Beauty of Focus and Plan B

Did you ever have one of those days or weeks when you said "What in the world am I doing running this business?!" Yeah. Me too. In fact, last month threw me for such a loop I really was beginning to wonder about my sanity. I'm sharing this story because I think we business owners tend to think so often in the 'now' that we put-off doing any contingency planning. Then, when a crisis occurs, we find ourselves focusing on the negative things that are causing the crisis. And that, my friend, makes More..

Aside from the fear of losing a spreadsheet or research project prepared for a client, what prompted me to write this article was the realization that it takes nothing short of persistent follow up to stay ahead of computer threats which could ruin my business. I also accepted the fact that keeping my computer free of viruses and spam is paramount to ensuring my computer is not going to harm others. If you don't have a technical assistance person or call desk to support you and users of the com More..

Age Old Marketing Technique Improves Business Plan Executive Summaries

Every business plan book tells you how the Executive Summary is your opportunity to provide a brief overview of your business plan; capture your readers' attention and imagination; and, summarize the plan's highlights and key selling points. So, why am I telling you these 3 things when you probably already know them? Because it's useless advice unless you employ one, not so obvious, age old marketing technique to make these points come alive. This one technique is the key to the ultimate succ More..

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