Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Blogging for Hope - Bloggers Unite.

Having been a member of ai-amnesty international now for over 30 years, I need to support this appeal by Bloggers Unite . ... While it may be "off-topic" for many of our blogs, it is certainly not "off topic" for our humanity and humility.



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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Canada Small Business News Round-up - 29/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:Insurance Premiums Tax Eliminated: A Great Day for Small Business: St. John’s - The Premier rose in the House of Assembly on April 22, 2008 to announce the elimination of [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Australia/New Zealand Small Business News Round-up - 30/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand:Extra responsibility comes as you grow: MOST small businesses have a strategy they hope will make them grow, so inevitably there comes a time when they no [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Apple is like Australia.

On our flight back from Australia, fiddling with her PowerBook laptop, my wife said to me out of the blue: “Apple (computers, iPod, IPhone, etc.) is like Australia!”Now here was a comparison I had not heard before. She explained it this way, when ever I want to do something no my computer I think where [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Truckers Are Angry. High Fuel Prices Probably Affecting Franchise Owners.

Truckers are paying $4.20 a gallon for Diesel Fuel. Are franchise owners feeling the pinch?

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Small Business Quote of the Day

This is the first of a daily series of famous quotes aiming to inspire and entertain small business owners.  Successful entrepreneurs judge correctly the need for change, then do something about it James Edward Hanson (1922-2004). British entrepreneur and venture capitalist  Sponsored by ... be successful. All you need to run your business. Leader in On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™Share [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Weight Loss Consultation

In recent years there has been a far greater emphasis placed on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Many people wish to get fit and lose some weight and you may be able to help them do this whilst also earning some money. This will involve online weight loss coaching and setting up [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Grow Your Business Credit Accounts

Unlike personal credit, your Paydex score will not go down when you open business credit accounts or when a merchant checks your business credit history.

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Finding a Fantastic Virtual Assistant

Pattie Simone learns first-hand that hiring an assistant she's never met can be tricky but fruitful.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Sponsor Events an Interesting Opportunity

Sponsoring events is an interesting advertising opportunity for small businesses struggling to get attention. Inc recently did a piece that highlights the benefits small businesses encounter from sponsoring events. read Blessed Events

Sponsorship opportunities cover the gamut, everything from Golf Fund Raisers or Software Conferences.

Read More...

[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Discounted Cashflow

It can be difficult to accurately place a value on a potential investment. A common mistake is to estimate using historical data such as previous profits or assets owned, when in actuality it is far more useful to try and work out the future potential of the company. This is known as the investment [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

How To Avoid Google Filters

Avoiding Googles sandbox can be a challenge for even the most experienced webmasters. Considering the volume of traffic and number of searches conducted each day in the search giant, appearing in the top search results for critical keywords and phrases can make or break an online business. Take care to avoid Googles sandbox, so your business can benefit from Googles traffic.

How to Avoid Googles Filters


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

US Small Business NEws Round-up - 28/04/2008

Here is this week's news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United States: Netgear Plummets after sales, profit miss estimates : Netgear, the maker of networking equipment for homes and small businesses, dropped 17 percent in Nasdaq trading after first-quarter sales and profit missed analysts' projections.... San Antonio to promote small-business contracting opportunities : The San Antonio Economic Development Department has launched a new outreach program designed to help get the word out to small businesses that a half-billion dollars worth of contracts will be available over the next five years.



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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Small Business Technology News Round-Up - 25/04/2008

Here is this week’s round-up of technology news small business owners may find informative, useful or entertaining:Small Web Businesses Crucial to Economy, Industry Leaders Say - Experts suggest they play a vital role in stimulating the economy of the USSmall and Midsize Businesses IT Security Budgets Recession-Proof - The majority of SME owners view IT security as [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Deprived of Sleep and Productivity

You probably aren't getting enough sleep. That could be detrimental to your health and your business.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Pump It Up

Rising gas prices can mean rising profits, if you play it smart.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

The Key to Retaining Sales Talent

Good salespeople are worth their weight in gold. That's why it pays to reward them with a pair of golden handcuffs.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

UK/Ireland Small Business News Round-up - 25/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:Key Management Skills Hold Back UK SMEs: Government agency the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA)has blamed ‘business conditions’ in the UK and [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Which intention did you have for your small business?

I recently spoke with one of my readers about his small business, when she all of a sudden declared she felt like a business failure. I was somewhat surprised by her statement as I thought she had established a nice little business, was making enough money and had a good work/life balance. She explained that [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

5 Ways to Boost Profits

No matter how many sales you make, your business will struggle if you don't watch your margins.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Do you have concern for your business or only for yourself?

I had an interesting conversation about my view that management control over employees is a myth. I have believed for some time now that an office is often a total waste of money and completely unnecessary. Most of the time I’m told it’s OK when you work by yourself, but not if you have employees, [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Friday, April 25, 2008

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Community Events Website

It can be difficult to keep track of all the local events that are taking place, often because the information is spread across numerous sources such as local newspapers or even the local news on television. A community event website would be a smart way of using technology to make it more convenient for people to [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

India Small Business News Round-up - 24/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from India:Tax sop for SMEs may extend: Minister for information technology and communications A Raja has said that the govt may extend the income tax holiday to small and marginal information [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Sponsor Events an Interesting Opportunity

Sponsoring events is an interesting advertising opportunity for small businesses struggling to get attention. Inc recently did a piece that highlights the benefits small businesses encounter from sponsoring events. read Blessed Events

Sponsorship opportunities cover the gamut, everything from Golf Fund Raisers or Software Conferences.

Read More...

[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Can you fire an employee for smoking?

Whirlpool Corp. suspended 39 employees this week at a manufacturing plant in Evansville, Indiana. They were spotted smoking...

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Australia/New Zealand Small Business News Round-up - 23/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand:Get a Jump on the web: CASH-strapped small businesses know a website will open them up to the world - but too often they skimp on marketing [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Small Business Start-Up Checklist - Legal Requirements

Here are some legal requirements to bear in mind when starting your own business:  Health and Safety Legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 means that you have a responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of your employees Data Privacy In the UK there are [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Used Computer Sales

Although the price of computing equipment has fallen steadily in recent years, there is still a large market of people who cannot afford the cost of purchasing a new system. Selling used computers online cuts out the huge expenditure of having a shop, so if you have good computing knowledge this could be an [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Canada Small Business News Round-up - 22/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:Web Marketing all about focus, says expert: Many small businesses will spend thousands of dollars on websites, yet won’t market them properly, says David Cree, an Internet marketing consultant.Zagros left [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Takeover Disasters

The process of taking over another company can be a very exciting time for you and your business, but it can very quickly turn into an unpleasant experience with serious lasting consequences. Here are some of the biggest mistakes made by companies during takeovers:  Inadequate due diligence You need to have done extensive research [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Choose A Domain

Choosing a domain is one of the first steps in establishing an online presence. Changing a domain after-the-fact can be time consuming, and can be harmful to search engine ranking, so it is best to get it right the first time around. Follow these simple steps to select a domain name that will represent your online brand...

Choose a Domain

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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

There is No Such Thing as Free Software

This is an interesting article entitled There is No Such Thing as Free Software:

Software is always acquired at some cost, even if you dont pay a penny to the people that write it. In fact, for most downloadable software available to a general audience, the license fee is only a small part of the price you pay for using the software.

First, theres the time you spend getting the product to run and learning how to use it.

Here is another one When Something Is Free:

There is value to free just be sure that you know what it is. Next time something is offered for free, evaluate the quid pro quo and determine what you are giving in return, because very little is ever really free.


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Monday, April 21, 2008

US Small Business News Round-up - 21/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United States:National Federation of Independent Business promotes YouTube contest: In a bid to gain attention for the millions of small businesses around the country, the National Federal of Independent [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Saturday, April 19, 2008

UK/Ireland Small Business News Round-up - 18/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:Self assessment simplified: Tax returns will be made simpler and the deadline will be pushed back in a major revamp of self-assessment.Small firms to get credit [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

The Green Economic Revolution

No matter what business youre in, going green is one of the best ways to grow revenues and save money.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Business Technology News Round-Up - 18/04/2008

Here is this week’s round-up of technology news small business owners may find informative, useful or entertaining:The Business of Startups Is Business - Many successful new web startups are focusing on providing services for other companiesMicrosoft Increases Small Business Financing - In an attempt to combat the economic slump, Microsoft are increasing their number of small business loans by [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Friday, April 18, 2008

Canada Small Business News Round-up - 15/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:U.S. small business optimism wanes: A gauge of small business optimism in the United States sunk in March to a 22-year low, as small business owners clamped down on plans [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

US Small Business News Round-up - 14/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:Small Business Dight to Scuttle Tax Proposals: Advocates for small businesses are fighting changes in tax laws that the Bush administration says are aimed at cracking [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Globetrotting Entrepreneurs

These adventurers run businesses while traveling the world.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

What Kind of Home Based Entrepreneur Am I?

To decide whether to build an empire or keep it small, first you need to know who you really are.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Emotional Branding: What's Love Got to Do With It? Plenty!

Sell to your customers by appealing to both their reason and their emotions.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Australia/New Zealeand Small Business News Round-up - 16/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand:Simon Hendery: Targeting SMEs sensible play by Telecom: It’s show and tell day for Telecom. The company’s top brass are in Sydney briefing analysts on their strategies [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

A Place for the Home Based

Shared work spaces give solo-preneurs offices to call their own.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites

Who wants to make money from AdSense? Or a better question: who does not want to make money from AdSense?

Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites

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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Online Florist

Purchasing flowers online has grown increasingly in popularity in recent years as people have found themselves with less leisure time. The convenience of being able to quickly send flowers to someone means it is now commonly being used as a networking tool. If you are able to provide a service which is reliable and easy [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

India Small Business News Round-up - 17/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from India:Left for early action on loan waiver to farmers in JK: Srinagar, Apr 12: The CPI (M) State Secretary and MLA, Kulgam M Y Tarigami has urged state government for [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Make Your Ads Workhorses

Tough economic times demand productive ads. Learn the 4 most critical elements for ads that get results.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

VAT Issues

If you decide to buy an already existing small business it is useful to be aware of some of the VAT issues involved. Overlooking the importance of VAT will at best result in delays closing the deal and at worst could cost you a lot of money. Of course, you should always consult a specialist accountant if [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Small Business Start-up Idea - Photographer

If you are passionate about photography and feel you have a talent for it, you may be able to make some extra money from doing it professionally. You could offer numerous photography services ranging from weddings and graduations to architectural or underwater, depending on your preferred speciality. Part of the service you will provide includes [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Small Business Start-Up Checklist - Choosing a Lawyer

There are numerous legal issues that arise with the formation of a small business. It is likely that you will need the help of a lawyer at some point early on, whether you are in the process of determining the legal form of your business or choosing a name. You may also find that [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Why educate women - isnt it a waste of resources?

When my wife went to university in London in the eighties one of her professors was of the opinion that the education was wasted on women, since they would leave university, get married and have children. While nobody says these things anymore in public, we still seem to have the same mentality.Today I travel around [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Practice Makes Perfect Networking

Implement these 2 simple strategies and watch the referrals pour in.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Understand Google's Guidelines

Don't be a rank amateur! To get listed fast and not banned, know what the leading search engine does and doesn't look for--and what to avoid.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Small Business Technology News Round-Up - 11/04/2008

Here is this week’s round-up of technology news small business owners may find informative, useful or entertaining:New banking code cracks down on out-of-date software - If you do not have up-to-date virus and firewall protection you may not receive compensation for any fraud relating to your on-line bank account Dell Launches 2008 Small Business Excellence Awards to [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Drop Shipping Pros and Cons: The Cost of Convenience

Many online sellers tout drop shipping for its ease; others dismiss it, arguing it leaves no room for profit.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Far From Home: 4 Keys to Successful Importing

As your E-Biz grows, and housing large stores of inventory becomes feasible, importing emerges as a cost-effective product sourcing option.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Making Your EBiz Legal: Why and How

Its not uncommon for new Internet retailers to be intimidated by the thought of acquiring reseller certificates, EINs, and DBAs.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

UK/Ireland small Business News Round-up - 11/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:No regulation without consultation, entrepreneurs demand: More than 500 small business owners have signed a petition calling for the government to consult with businesses before introducing [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Seeing the Whole Picture: A Wholesalers Role in the Retail Chain

You probably realize that, as a retailer, you need to get as close as possible to the source of your products to maximize your profit margins.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Successfully Negotiating with Your Wholesale Suppliers

The prospect of negotiating with wholesale suppliers often intimidates online sellers and not just the new ones.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Friday, April 11, 2008

Locate Qualified Suppliers for Your E-Biz

Avoid an overstocked warehouse by using a drop ship supplier that meets both your and your customers' needs.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Fund Raiser

Many charities, hospitals, schools and non-profit organisations choose to out-source their fund-raising activities due to a lack of personnel. The majority of annual money raising campaigns last for a short period of time and are highly targeted so you will be able to take on multiple clients across the year.   Skills needed: This [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

India Small Business News Round-up - 10/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from India:Govt must sell non-performing small banks: A high-level committee set up by the Planning Commission has mooted the sale of small and under- performing public sector banks.ICICI Bank launches SME [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Embrace Greener Commuting

Reduce your carbon footprint with employee carpool and biking incentives.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

9 Steps to Better Security

As your business gets more dependent on technology, your computer becomes more targeted by hackers and others constantly on the prowl for vulnerabilities.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Busines Start-Up Checklist - Professional Advice

Before making a major business decision or starting something new it can often be beneficial to have a quick telephone consultation with a professional. At the very least, you will benefit from hearing a second opinion about what you are choosing to do as it may help highlight some issues you overlooked.  There are [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Australia/New Zealand Small Business News Round-up - 09/04/2008

Here is this week's news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand: Bill paying strife : SMALL businesses that deal mainly with householders are now finding it harder to be paid because of rising interest rates.... Private equity picked to target medium-sized firms : Mergers and acquisitions of medium-sized businesses are expected to be the key drivers behind private equity investment this year as the big deals are put on the backburner following the credit crunch and rising debt costs.



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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Blog Posts that Get Attention

Blogs are now a dime a dozen, and bloggers need to make their blog posts stand out. Developing a blog following is not as easy as it once was. Learn how to write blog posts that attract readers and retain their attention. Follow these guidelines to cultivate readers...

Blog Posts that Get Attention

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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Sign-Making Service

Sign manufacture is a fun way for you to earn some extra income. Even if you are not creative enough to design your own signs, if you possess the right skills you will be able to manufacture them to order.   Skills needed: If you plan on designing signs for others then you will [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Negotiation

As a small business owner it is possible that at some point in the future you will find yourself entering negotiations with another company, perhaps because you have become so successful that you wish to buy a competitor or because you feel it is time to sell up and move on. Negotiations are delicate processes [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Canada Small Business News Round-up - 08/004/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:Media Advisory - Minister Takhar to participate in small business roundtable discussion in Toronto: >TORONTO, April 2 - Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Harinder Takhar is participating in Direct [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Following In Their Footsteps

Here's how some companies are reducing their carbon footprint with employee carpool and biking incentives.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Expand Your Ad Empire

Amplify your interactive ad arsenal with the latest technology trends.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

US Small Business News Round-up - 07/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United States:Madison-area firms qualify for investor tax credits: FluGen and Sonoplot Inc., two small technology businesses in Dane County, have qualified for investor tax credits under new Angel Investor [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Negotiation

As a small business owner it is possible that at some point in the future you will find yourself entering negotiations with another company, perhaps because you have become so successful that you wish to buy a competitor or because you feel it is time to sell up and move on. Negotiations are delicate [...]

Read More...

[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Small Business Technology News Round-up - 04/04/2008

Here is this week’s round-up of technology news small business owners may find informative, useful or entertaining: What are the hidden technology costs of starting a business? - Advice for SME’s on how to manage technology investment Prevent IT downtime and keep your business running 24/7  - Advice on managing data back-ups to prevent costly downtime Innovative apps [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

UK/Ireland Small Business News Round-up - 04/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:Most small firms optimistic despite economic downturn: Almost two-thirds of small businesses in Ireland expect to grow rapidly over the next year, despite the economic downturn, [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

How Much Policy Do You Need?

One tried and true way to reduce your auto insurance premium is to hike the deductible on your collision coverage and skimp on your liability coverage.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Three Things to Consider When "Going Green" in Your Business

More importantly, we have let our staff, the community and our clients know that “green” is more than just a buzzword for NationLink Wireless – we are putting actions behind our words that we hope will make a small dent in improving the environment, and make us a stronger company.

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Perform Better Web Searches

Performing and perfecting search engine results can save web surfers lots of time and energy. Understanding the nuances of searching allows researchers to immediately drill down and locate the information they are seeking, without having to wade through a myriad of irrelevant search results in the process. The increasing complexity of search engines has made understanding search engines a necessity for those who spend any amount of time online. The following search tips are standards that will work in most of the major search engines.

How To Find What You Are Looking For?
As the popularity of the Internet grows, more and more results are returned for even the most obscure search phrases. In order to save time, web surfers need to increase their search relevancy. It is advisable to use multiple search terms to produce better search results. Searchers should use specific words and phrases to find what they are are looking for, while filtering out irrelevant and unwanted results.

Performing Better Web Searches


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a new beta search tool from Google that provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Friday, April 4, 2008

India Small Business News Round-up - 03/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from India:Gujarat Venture Fund raises Rs 600 mn for small firms: Ahmedabad: Gujarat Venture Fund Limited (GVFL) has raised Rs 600 million for its small and me…1 month entrepreneurship dev programme [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

The Inspiration of Stress

Feeling tired and uninspired? These tips can help revamp your health and your business.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

How Much Policy Do You Need?



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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Hotel Guide

The travel industry has been greatly changed by the advent of e-commerce, making it far easier for consumers to plan their own holiday or arrange business trips. However, without the help of a travel agent it can sometimes be hard to tell which hotels are available especially if you have no knowledge of the area. [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Sometimes Business Acquisitions Just Don’t Work

...and about three brokers at once said, "which January?" "He bought the business this January, 2008" he said. The room erupted. All of us wanted to hear the story. What had gone so horribly wrong that someone who bought a business would give it up within a few short months?

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Tax Planning Primer for the Self-Employed

Avoid overlooking your tax obligations before it's too late with this guide that gets down to the nitty-gritty aspects of tax planning.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Business Startup Checklist - Choosing a Bank

As a small business owner you are likely to develop a close working relationship with a number of financial institutions. It is advisable for you at the beginning to think carefully about which ones would be best for you in the long-run. Banks can vary greatly on the type of products, services and interest [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Australia/New Zealand Small Business News Round-up - 02/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand:Small business owners’ recession fears: MORE than half the country’s small business owners feel a recession is on the way as rising interest rates and global market [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Database in the Sky

Using a web service as your database can save you lots of time, money and frustration.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Make Customer Testimonials Meaningful

Bring out the value of your product or service with compelling user reviews.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Canada Small Business News Round-up - 01/04/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:Newfoundland and Labrador small business confidence highest in Canada: St. John’s - Results of CFIB’s latest Quarterly Business Barometer (QBB) reveal that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Newfoundland and [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - T-Shirt Design

There is always a great demand for custom-made T-shirts, ranging from sports teams in need of new kit to event organisers wanting promotional shirts to give away. Your business could offer a range of t-shirt designs to select from a catalogue as well as making custom shirts to order. Although this is a competitive market, [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Perform Better Web Searches

Performing and perfecting search engine results can save web surfers lots of time and energy. Understanding the nuances of searching allows researchers to immediately drill down and locate the information they are seeking, without having to wade through a myriad of irrelevant search results in the process. The increasing complexity of search engines has made understanding search engines a necessity for those who spend any amount of time online. The following search tips are standards that will work in most of the major search engines.

How To Find What You Are Looking For?
As the popularity of the Internet grows, more and more results are returned for even the most obscure search phrases. In order to save time, web surfers need to increase their search relevancy. It is advisable to use multiple search terms to produce better search results. Searchers should use specific words and phrases to find what they are are looking for, while filtering out irrelevant and unwanted results.

Performing Better Web Searches


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Reader Stories - Arena Flowers

Some of my readers have been kind enough to share their stories with me. I have decided to publish them in the hope you will gain some insight and inspiration from hearing about their achievements. This is the first story, courtesy of Will Wynne at ArenaFlowers:We launched ArenaFlowers.com in September 2006. Our offering is simple: Great products [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Generation Y Brings More Retail Challenges

Like their parents, they like to spend, but they do it differently.

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[Source: AllBusiness.com - The Small Business Blog]

Australia/ New Zealand Small Business News Round-up - 26/03/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Australia and New Zealand:Business confidence plunges:The latest Auckland Chamber of Commerce quarterly business opinion survey points to a sharp deterioration in business sentiment. Of 1000 businesses surveyed, 64 per cent [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

5 Perfect Office Pranks

Here's some inspiration for creative office hi-jinks.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

India Small Business News Round-up - 27/03/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from India:Harassment of Kashmiri traders outside widely condemned: Srinagar, Mar 21: The recurring incidents of harassment of their counterparts in different Indian states have evoked strong reaction from the Valley business [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Family Business

Recent research at LSE into the productivity gap between which leaves the UK trailing behind the US, France and Germany has found the main problem to be family-run firms. This somewhat surprising conclusion suggests that family-run businesses suffer from poor management practices. The report author Nick Bloom was so convinced of his findings that he urged [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties

Representatives from the major search engines have all made it clear that they prefer search engines that contain unique content. Webmasters who want to avoid any current or future bans will do well to follow these simple guidelines in order to avoid duplicate content penalties:

Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties

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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

8 Tips for Increasing Your Average Sale

Getting a few more dollars out of each customer can put startups on a fast track to success.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

UK/Ireland Small Business News Round-up - 28/03/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:Inspire: insurance for SMEs: Specialist insurers Hiscox, and brokers Allison & Partners, have this week launched a partnership aimed specifically at offering insurance to small businesses [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Sample Business Letters

Here are a selection of sample business letters (ie. letter templates) that cover a variety of issues.


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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

Google Data Sharing

Shareware Promotions has posted a very important and revealing post about Google and how they want to use Google Analytics data and Adwords!  Anyone with half a brain should have seen this coming.

In fact I wrote a piece about this awhile back, here is an excerpt:

Google Analytics is free, no one can beat the price, but what is the real cost? The cost is your data. While not terribly important when analyzed alone, when aggregated with other information Google has access to, it could be damaging. Data mining has made the collection of data meaningful. It has become easier to find patterns and trends in large volumes of data.

While any of that information independent of other data, might be non-threatening or irrelevant to someone doing analysis, when combined with other data Google has access to, it can paint a very clear picture of how, not only individual companies are performing, but the aggregate data could possibly paint a picture of how entire business sectors or industries are performing.

If you are using Analytics consider yourself warned yet again!

Full Shareware Promotions Blog Post
Full Article Google As Big Brother

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[Source: A Small Business Blog and Small Business Tips Related to Growing, Marketing and Managing a Small Business.]

US Small Business News Round-up - 31/03/2008

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United States:Small Firms Find Credit Is Tightening: The Small Business Administration has not said publicly that it is worried about a credit squeeze but signs point to a decline [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]

Grow Your Biz--From Ebay and Beyond

E-businesses have great opportunities--and steep competition. Develop lasting customer relationships with these e-mail marketing tactics so your first sale isn't your last.

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[Source: Entrepreneur.com: Latest Articles]

Small Business Start-Up Idea - Survey Service

Businesses today are extremely interested in finding out what their customers think and factoring their opinions into the decision making process. The importance of knowing your customer in great detail means that nowadays large businesses are prepared to pay specialists to find out more about them.  Your survey service would create online questionnaires and polls for a client [...]

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[Source: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG]