It’s time to thin the ranks and fire some customers. That’s right, can ‘em, send them packing and tell them their business isn’t welcome here anymore. Sound crazy? It’s crazy if you don’t!

Why would anyone fire a customer? Simple. It’s costing you too much time and money to keep them around. This is obviously not an exercise where you send termination notices to valued clients. This is an exercise to get rid of the dead wood.

As you scan your list, there will be a certain type of customer that deserves the ax. Here is the profile: They always quibble over price and once they’ve stripped your profit margin, will pay slow, real slow. This customer is never happy with your service no matter what you do. They can’t be pleased. This soon-to-be-ex client never refers any new business to you and try as you might you cannot establish a working relationship. They have no loyalty to you and will jump as soon as they get a better deal from someone else. They call and complain often threatening to take their business elsewhere. Let them go.

In today’s marketplace where superior customer service sets apart the winners from the losers, discussion about shedding customers isn’t always popular. Running your business isn’t a popularity contest, it’s about doing what’s best for the future. Fire some of your customers. Your business will be better and so will you.

About the author:
Brian Grinonneau is the general manager of McMann and Tate Advertising in Perrysburg, Ohio, and agency that works exclusively with small business owners helping them stand out in a crowded marketplace.

When you are on the lookout for superior information relating to brokers, it will be tricky sorting out the best information from ill-equiped brokers submissions and help so it is important to know ways of moderating the information offered to you.

VR Business Brokers: Dallas Brokerage Dealer
Texas Business Brokerage, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Valuation, and Consulting services for small businesses and mid-market companies.

Here’s several guidelines that we believe you should use when you’re searching for information regarding brokers. Hold in mind any recommendation we may offer is only pertinent to internet based information concerning brokers. We don’t really offer any direction or assistance for researching in ‘real world’ situations.

Daniels Trading: Brokerage Dealers
Select group of futures and options brokers provides multiple trade execution services, proprietary advice, client support, research, and education.

A good hint to track when you’re presented with information and suggestions on a brokers website would be to confirm the sites ownership. This could reveal the people behind the website brokers credibility The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the brokers site is to look for the ‘about’ page.

All highly regarded sites providing information about brokers, will almost certainly provide an ‘about’ webpage which will list the owner’s details. The details should let you know some indication concerning the owner’s requisite knowledge. You can then make a judgement about the vendor’s education and practical knowledge, to offer help regarding brokers.

About the author:
Tom Brown is the webmaster for http://www.hession-civic.info

The secret to successful communication in business and in everyday life is asking the right questions. Understanding the value of effective questioning is probably the single most dominant factor in achieving business success. The way to learn about what people need is to ask a question and then listen carefully to the answer.

What do Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, and Barbara Walters all have in common? They are all great interviewers. They have the uncanny ability to make people feel comfortable and talk by asking the right questions. The bottom line is that customer and prospects will gladly volunteer information about what they think they want in pricing, products and services if you ask the right questions. The more questions you ask, the more the customer or prospect will talk, which allows you to uncover their �hot buttons�. Remember, approximately 90 percent of customers and prospects think about themselves first.

To start, you should always remember the 7 keys to good questioning. It�s a matter of being clever, and being direct. How better to accomplish this than to utilize these 7 keys:

1. Why? For example: Why would you choose software A over software B for your small business expenses?
2. Who? For example: Who would you recommend this product to and why?
3. Where? For example: Where did you first hear about my small business?
4. When? When were you hoping to have project A completed?
5. What? What troubleshooting issues have you discovered while using this program?
6. How? How do you feel about our new shipping policy?
7. Is it? Is it alright if I contact you in the future if I need more information?

You�ve probably already noticed that number 7, �is it� isn�t one of the standard questions that you consider when you think of posing questions, but �is it� allows you to verify what you have learned by listening carefully to the answers to keys number 1-6. Confirming and verifying what customers are saying demonstrates to them that you are listening carefully to what is being said, and reassures them that their input matters. It also allows you to better absorb and synthesize what is being stated so that you can put it into its best application.

There is an art to asking the questions. While using the 7 keys to good questions does get you off to a good start, you have to remember to keep things well focused, so that the responses that you receive will be tailored to what you are seeking to discover. Most people have a natural tendency to pose very general questions. However, while conducting business, you need to aim to ask questions that are as detailed as possible, so that you will receive a better response, and so that the person with whom you are speaking will know you are a good listener.

Keep in mind, also, that just because a question is detailed, doesn�t mean that it has to be verbose in any way. Rather, it must simply be worded in a way so that the right information is provided within the response.

For example, if someone were to ask you �how do you start a small business?� that would leave you in a bit of a lurch with regards to what to say and where to start. Additionally, it will necessarily lead to a number of other questions that negate the purpose of asking the original question in the first place: more detailed questions. Don�t waste the time of the person to whom you are asking questions, don�t waste your own time, and keep confusion to a minimum. A better question with which to begin may have been something more detailed such as: �How do you start a small mail order business in Richmond, Virginia, that deals in laptop computers?� Notice the difference?

The foundation to asking good questions and achieving a wealth of practical answers is to apply the 7 keys in a direct and detailed manner. They allow you to get to the root of your question, so that you will gain the information and direction that you need to take specific action.

About the author:
Robert Moment is a successful business and success strategist and author of “It Only Takes a Moment to Score”, which is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Robert show entrepreneurs how to avoid becoming a statistic and turn their ideas into wealth and have FUN ! Grab a copy of his Free Special Report, “17 Profitable Ways to Turn Your Content into Money”. Visit http://www.sellintegrity.com

If you run a home business, you know that budgets can be pretty tight. Saving money wherever possible can be the difference between the business that succeeds and the one that fails. This article represents a broad survey of things you can do, from consolidating your student loans to getting small business deals on supplies, that will help you spend less each month.

Next Time You’re Online, Buy Something

Billions of dollars are spent each year online. Rather than suggest that you hurry and move your business online, I’d like to suggest that you add some of your dollars and cents to those billions already spent. Companies who move operations online reduce their overhead costs and often pass on those savings to you. Computers, airplane tickets, even student loan consolidation, can be purchased or arranged online. It has been my experience that I can find almost everything I want online for less than I can find it anywhere else. Next time you’re thinking about biting the bullet and making that big purchase, spend a little time shopping around online and see if you can’t save a few dollars.

Consolidate Student Loans and Get Your House in Order

Chances are good that you’ve been out of school for a while, but don’t skip this paragraph. If you consolidate student loans or other financial obligations, you will typically save a great deal of money each month on your monthly payments. Running a home business often blurs the line between personal expenses and business operating costs – do yourself a favor and make sure you have your personal financial affairs taken care of before you find yourself overwhelmed with past obligations. The government might not have cared about your credit score when they gave you those student loans, but banks looking to give business loans are a whole different story. Making sure everything is taken care will keep financial doors open that, once they’re closed, are very difficult to reopen.

Score One for the Little Guy

Believe it not, most people want small businesses to succeed. There are a lot of people willing to give you a break on prices because you own a home business, but you might need to ask about it. Office supply retailers and computer distributors sometimes offer discount prices to registered small business owners. The savings are not always monumental, but even the smallest savings multiplied over a year or two start to add up to pretty substantial amounts. Shop around to see if the suppliers you use are willing to offer you a discount on supplies or equipment.

Do Without…For a While

I’m probably not the only person that drove a car that was older than I was during college, or who ate Ramen noodles more than once almost everyday. Don’t forget the lessons you learned while you were a poor college student – the same ability to make do with what you have can save you a lot of money in the long run. I had just graduated from college and I wanted to get a new computer to replace the older, though fully functional one I was using. This was before I took my own advice to consolidate student loans, so money was still pretty tight. I wanted to kick myself when I saw that the price on the computer I bought dropped $300 in three months. Some expenses are necessary and unavoidable. For everything else, look to see if you can manage with what you have for a while longer.

Don’t Do It Alone

Nobody likes data entry – it’s time consuming, boring, and time consuming. If you find yourself spending too much of your day punching numbers into spreadsheets, consider hiring someone or outsourcing it to another company. If you think that you can’t afford the part-time salary, do an inventory of your time and see if what you would pay someone is worth the amount of time you’ll be able to invest into the meatier matters of your business.

I know I’m risking sounding like your father giving you a lecture about money, but remember that a penny saved is a penny earned. A successful business minimizes costs while maximizing profits.

About the author:
Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For information about how to consolidate student loans, check out Agilix GoBinder.

What makes up proper business meeting etiquette? How do you have
a meeting everyone can leave feeling good about? Meetings have
become an inevitable part of doing business for almost every
business owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings with
employees and meetings with peers or associates.

Almost everyone has suffered through meetings that take up your
valuable time and accomplish very little.

In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb to
that fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be.
And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has another
idea about how to fix your meetings, and make them more focused,
more productive, and – dare I say it? More fun!

So what can you do about it? Simple business meeting etiquette
can help you put on a quality meeting. Here are a few tips and
ideas for meeting planning –

1. Schedule your meetings at the best times -

2. Make sure your meetings all start on time - (and whenever
possible, avoid scheduling meetings when someone is up against a
deadline, or on a tight schedule).

3. Maintain a consistent focus on what topics will be covered –
(use an agenda).

4. Ensure there is a good level of rapport in the group –
(people can talk to each other and exchange ideas about what is
being discussed).

5. Arrive at a decision - (find new ways to avoid covering the
same ground, and ask for input to help create a plan of action.)

6. Use parliamentary procedures - (so that the correct methods
for amending or making a motion, following the agenda and taking
turns before speaking are being followed).

7. Choose the best location and environment for your meetings -
(for example, trying to fit 15 people into a closet-sized room
that doesn’t have windows or a proper ventilation system is poor
planning on your part.)

8. Do not schedule meetings to go over routine topics - (you can
send a memo or email for this.)

9. Talk to your group and make your meetings interactive -

10. Alwaysr ask for feedback from participants and allow them to
present ideas or get involved.

These ten simple business meeting etiquette tips that
guarantee a better meeting for everyone. Follow these and you
will see results on what you covered as well as a better
attendance at future meetings.

About the author:
Jeff Schuman’s small business resource website has the best of everthing to help you run your own small business. http://www.sites-plus.com/business-meeting-etiquette.html

A money saving service that is being used by many professionals today is the virtual office. With so many business professionals working from their homes or on the go, the virtual office has evolved into a popular alternative to leasing a permanent office. It provides a creative solution which benefits the small business owner tremendously.

What is a Virtual Office?

A virtual office gives small business owners a presence in the business world for a fraction of normal rental costs. It is an alternative to leasing an office space, which can be costly for a new business owner. Virtual office services may also provide a set of online tools to help manage the small business. Although virtual office services differ, below is a list of some of the most common features.

1. Physical Business Address

Clients are provided with their own physical mailing address where business mail and small packages can be received. Virtual offices are not typically used to receive heavy volumes of mail as in a mail order business, but normal business mail quantities only. Those who operate a business from their home can use the virtual office address instead of their home address, which provides a safe and professional way to receive mail. Mail to a virtual office can be forwarded to the client’s home address.

2. Local Phone Number

Virtual office services also include a local phone number where a business owner can receive calls and messages. Voice mail and forwarding are usually included so the client can check messages at any time. This works great for someone who works from home or does not wish to tie up a cell phone line if they are continuously on the go.

3. Fax Capabilities

Being able to receive faxes is important to any business. Faxes are used to conduct business, send reports, take orders and receive memos every day. Using the virtual office fax, the client receives faxes which can be forwarded directly to his/her email.

4. Part-time Office Access

Some virtual office services offer part-time access to a desk or work station with Internet capabilities, office equipment and more. This is available for those times when the client needs to organize a presentation before a conference or use the Internet or computer for business purposes.

5. Conference Room Access

Conference rooms are available for rent with some virtual office setups. The client can hold business meetings or give sales presentations without interruption.

6. Web Conference Room Access

Web conference rooms are available for virtual meetings. Rather than hold a physical meeting, the client can hold virtual business meetings or give virtual sales presentations. Virtual meetings have gained popularity in recent years because they save time and money while providing instant presentation opportunities. Some virtual office services offer this tool as an added service.

7. Online virtual tools

Online tools such as calendar, address book, webmail, document respository, to do’s, forums, digital fax and digital voice mail have become common among many large businesses. Some virtual office services offer these tools and others as an added service.

Who can Benefit by using a Virtual Office?

People of all trades find virtual offices useful. Executives, salespeople, accountants, marketing consultants and online business owners each benefit by using a virtual office for certain tasks. Those who work from home and wish to establish a business presence find that a virtual office meets this need. Corporations also use virtual offices as a means of testing a business location before opening a new branch.

When renting an office is not an option, a virtual office can be used by small business owners to meet the daily needs while saving time and money.

About the author:
Grace Corporate Park executive office suite and virtual office servicecan help you establish a prestigious business in New York City. We also provide permanent and temporary serviced office spaces. See http://www.corporatepark.netfor more information.

Telecommunication cost is always an obstacle for small business owners, especially if you need to call domestic or international long distance. The long distance cost factor alone, depending on the type of business you’re in, can make the difference in the success of any small business.

The telecommunication market today is one of the most competitive. Rates for both local, domestic long distance or DLL (long distance in the same country) and international long distance (ILD) are going down every day. The new player in small business phone systems, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), adds a whole new dimension when it comes to choosing a phone system for your small business or home based business.

There’s so much hype today about VoIP, or Voice over IP, or Voice over Broadband, whatever you want to call it. Everyone’s saying that VoIP is the “future of communication” and that VoIP will replace regular analog phone calls. Is all this true? If it is, how do you, as an entrepreneur, decide how to choose and invest in what’s best for you? Firstly, if you have no idea what VoIP is really about, here’s where you can get educate yourself: http://www.mybusinessvoip.com/start

There are two things you need to consider:

1) Level of investment
2) Cost vs. Quality

To go full out into using VoIP, you’ll need to invest in IP phones, and possibly even in IP PBX. Otherwise, you should go for IP phone adapters, which allow you to maintain whatever system you already have, but also gives you the option of converting some of those phone lines to VoIP. Most entrepreneurs are reluctant to go 100% into VoIP, and yet they still want the benefits that come from it. That’s why IP phone adapters are so popular today. In fact, here’s a list of the most popular providers for comparison: http://www.mybusinessvoip.com/compare

When is comes to quality vs. cost, the direction is pretty clear. Before choosing the proper VoIP phone system for your business, you need to figure out exactly what your business needs. If your business relies heavily on the phone for prospecting customers, providing customer support, or giving out important information through the phone, then you should definitely opt for better quality.

If you use the phone for short communication with your business partners or agents, or any other reason which is NOT your main business function, it would be better to save a little and go with the low cost option. The difference in quality is not very apparent in most cases.

If you are just starting your small business, VoIP phone cards also provide some sort of temporary solution until you can get enough financing to develop a better system. Phone cards usually let you dial international and national long distance at a lower cost because they use either VoIP as the back end provider or through a special promotion or arrangement between telecommunications companies.

Today, you can even get “virtual phone cards” which allow you to make phone calls by dialing a toll-free number in a long list of countries. This is especially useful if you spend more time travelling and doing business overseas than you are at home.

Regardless of which VoIP phone system you choose for your small business, make sure you are getting the most out of the money you spend for these long distance or international plans. Forget the bells and whistles. The purpose of having a good phone system is, and always should be, to communicate and express yourself.

About the author:
Gobala Krishnan is a small business entrepreneur and publisher of the “VoIP and Me” newsletter, designed for smart entrepreneurs who want to avoid all the technical jargon and get straight to the information that really matters. Learn how you can drastically cut communication costs by 70%, get more customers and expand to new markets using VoIP. Join the VoIP and Me newsletter now at http://www.VoipAndMe.com

As we near the end of summer, here is a question I have for you, “Are you using the right form of energy to grow your business?” Are you having trouble growing your small business as fast as you want? Are you making all the right moves and still the business just inches forward? Read this article and see if you are using the right form of energy to grow your small business?

Head Energy
My consulting experiences have taught me there are two types of business energy. I call the first type “head energy”. This is the energy that comes from wanting to do better or more with your small business.

• You want more profits.
• You want more customers.
• You want better marketing.

Head energy is very powerful. It can inspire. It can achieve dreams. It can drive you forward.
Head energy also has limitations. Head energy promises fulfillment in the future. Before the future arrives you must sustain yourself along the way. If you fail to sustain the head energy, your hopes and aspirations tumble down. They become “the good idea that was never achieved!”

Gut Energy
I call the second type of small business energy “gut energy”. This energy involves your current business worries; your current business mistakes; the business issues that need fixing right now.

• What is decreasing your profits now?
• What is preventing you from having more customers now?
• What are your current marketing mistakes?

I call this gut energy because it sits right in your gut, churning away. This is extremely powerful energy because it is so immediate. It is right now! It calls for immediate attention. Fix the situation now!
Gut energy is not as glamorous as head energy. It is always more fun to dream about your future than to do the hard work of fixing your current mistakes. But when you want to see immediate improvements in your business, turn to your gut energy.

9 Common Small Business Mistakes

Here I list the 9 most common small business mistakes. Ask yourself if you are making mistakes in any of these areas. If so, you have the opportunity to find powerful energy to move your business forward.

1. Lack of cash flow
2. Poor planning
3. Forgetting your customer
4. Selling versus marketing
5. Lacking needed expertise
6. Misunderstanding credit
7. Becoming an advertising victim
8. Poor customer shopping experiences
9. Making yourself the center of your business

If you find yourself wondering how you can use your mistakes to grow your business, you may want to request my free report, 9 Mistakes That Can Kill Your Small Business. In the report, I provide more details about each of these business mistakes and ways to fix them. You can achieve powerful results in fixing your business mistakes. The report will help you find ways to use this energy to grow your business faster.
To obtain this free report, 9 Mistakes That Can Kill Your Small Business, click here, Free Report, a preaddressed email will be pop up, press the send button. The report will be sent to you via email with the report attached.

Conclusion

Head energy is a necessary part of every small business operation. It provides the vision you need for the future. For quick and immediate improvements, do not over look the gut energy you will find in fixing your current business mistakes. Your gut energy will offer a wonderful opportunity for growing your business in a fast and easy way.

© Al Hanzal August 2004

About the author:
Using simple, low costs strategies, Al Hanzal has helped small business owners improve their profits.

A great small business marketing strategy includes a mix of tactics. Advertising and PR are two very important tools that all small business owners need to be using regularly. Many small businesses I talk to do one of the other, but don’t commit to doing both. Each has its strengths and weaknesses and are complimentary to each other.

Small Business Advertising Strengths:
-The biggest advantage with small business advertising is your complete control over the message. You get to focus on whatever you want, write the text, and choose the visuals. You ensure that your marketing message is delivered.

-You control placement. You choose the exact timing and media in which your advertising is placed. This is a huge advantage because naturally you are going to choose to place your ads where your target market is most likely to see them.

-You can repeat your messages over and over again. Effective small business marketing incorporates a high degree of repetition and consistency. Advertising can and should be run on regular schedules.

-With advertising, you (and your budget) control your marketing saturation. You can run the same ad across different publications serving the same market, run matching Internet advertising, put an ad on the radio, do cable TV, do outdoor advertising, etc. Ideally you need to be reaching your target market at least 4 different ways for them to respond.

Advertising Weaknesses
-Advertising generally costs money. Most small businesses don’t have a huge budget for marketing. Sometimes being creative can help defray costs. Sometimes you can trade for advertising space. You may be able to do co-op advertising.

-Small business advertising needs to be very targeted to be effective. Sometimes the only choices you have in your community are mass-market like newspapers. You still need to advertise, but some of your marketing dollars will be spent to advertise to people who don’t want or need what you’re selling.

-Most small business advertising stinks. I hate to say it, but it’s true. Many do-it-yourself advertisers don’t understand that there are advertising fundamentals that work. A good ad will always out-pull a bad one. Here’s my plug: If you can’t invest the time and money to learn how advertising REALLY works, get yourself a small business marketing coach to help you build more effective campaigns. It will be money well invested.

PR Strengths:
-It’s FREE! OK, you might incur a very small charge if you hire someone to write and distribute a press release for you, but this is minimal. I think the reason why most small businesses don’t do PR is that they don’t know how it’s done. Again, get some coaching, or pay someone to do it for you.

-Press is trusted more than advertising. If you read a review that says that a new restaurant is the best thing in town, there’s some credibility there. We tend to assume that a person who is writing an article is an expert, and that they are an uninterested third party.

-You can distribute PR globally. As long as what you are doing is actually interesting globally, you can distribute your press releases globally. This isn’t necessarily as targeted as your advertising needs to be, but you’re not paying for editorial. By the way, never pay for editorial, and don’t advertise with media that promises to give you editorial as long as you advertise. This is unethical and transparent - and the credibility of the media will always be in question.

PR Weaknesses:
-You have no control over what the press is actually going to write or say about you. They may spell your name wrong, they may get some details wrong, they may choose to focus on something you don’t want to highlight. In general this isn’t a big issue, as long as they are saying good things about you.

-PR tends to be single exposure. Unless circumstances are really unusual, the press is not going to run the same story over and over again. I have been involved with an exception to that. I was doing something that corresponded with a current event and the press came to me again and again over 4 weeks for TV interviews. This was pure timing. It’s difficult to engineer press like that without seeming mercenary.

-There is no guarantee that you’re even going to get coverage. I was called to do a TV interview once and rushed into the city to meet the reporter and photographer. On my way in ,the reporter called me on my cell phone to tell me they were pulling the story because there was breaking news that they had to go cover. Depending on what’s going on you may get tons of press or none at all.

You see that small business advertising and PR are different things. You need them both, and you need to work at both of them consistently. They are two important tools in your small business marketing toolbox.

About the author:
J D Moore - Marketing Comet Does your small business marketing stink? Let’s fix it! http://marketingcomet.typepad.com

Success with any small business relies totally on you. It’s up to you to put in the hours, do your homework, come up with new customers and deal with any problems. And if that’s not enough, here’s something else, something big. Doing this will mean the difference between your success or failure at working from home for yourself.

Believing in yourself will allow you to create a profitable home-based business. You will no longer feel shy about making business contacts (also known as networking). You will be able to get past any pre-conceived limitations you have regarding how much money you can earn or how successful you can become. This can be a big stumbling block for some people.

Having self-confidence will allow you to take calculated risks. A small business owner that does not take risks will never achieve much. Others will notice your confidence, and will be drawn to you for advice, joint business ventures, articles, products and more. You will be able to see ‘the big picture’, tapping into a never ending source of motivation and ideas.

You will have a much happier life all around. Positivity will follow you always, where ever you go, whatever you do. You will even be able to bounce back from failures and major obstacles more easily than you would have before. And what you learn from your failures will make your more successful, sooner.

So how can YOU begin to believe in yourself. First, set small goals and reach them, one by one. Start with a ‘to do’ list. Your confidence will grow when you see that you are slowly scratching off each task from your list. Then set larger goals and reach those. Now you’re rolling, and it’s time for you to set even higher goals, and then do what you have to do to achieve them.

Another great way to build your confidence is to read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. If you don’t start to believe in your abilities after that, there’s not much more advice I can give you. This book is the ultimate ‘believe in yourself’ guide for any aspiring business owner or entrepreneur. It’s the real deal. You can find it anywhere for under $10US.

When you realize that you really CAN achieve anything that your mind can conceive, you have learned to believe in yourself and your ability to make things happen.

As long as you don’t give up, you will get what you want.

About the author:
Home Business Success Coaching… Ken Leonard Jr. publishes New Marketer Ezine weekly. Get the advice and direction you want, so you can make a living working from home. If you’re serious, see what others are saying about New Marketer here… http://www.kenleonardjr.com/nme