All Entries in the "Small Business" Category
How to Own Your Niche: Narrow Your Focus to Win Clients
My new book is due out in early February (Own Your Niche: Hype-Free Internet Marketing Tactics to Establish Authority in Your Field and Promote Your Service-Based Business) and it’s about more than internet marketing. It’s also about figuring out how to stand out in your field—no matter how many others also do what you do. [...]
What to Do When a New Product or Service Falls Flat
In my previous post, “Are you a Launchaholic?” we discussed the importance of focusing on the products and services you’ve already created and making those successful before moving on to a new venture. But sometimes, even after all of that effort, a new product or service still doesn’t work. When this happens you have two [...]
Are You a Launchaholic? How Frequent Product and Service Launches Could Hurt Your Business
A few years ago I put myself through a major time management overhaul. I needed to figure out why I constantly felt overwhelmed, and then find a way to improve my quality of life at work. One of the biggest discoveries I made was in how much time it took me to assemble new programs. [...]
How to Build a Business that Runs Without You: Part 2
In yesterday’s post I shared my journey of opening a bookstore and putting the business on auto-pilot. After I sold the store, I found myself running a freelance marketing business. I wrote articles for trade publications, wrote copy for websites and marketing collateral, continued writing books, managing BusinessInfoGuide.com, and also worked as a professional speaker. [...]
How to Build a Business that Runs Without You: Part 1
My first business was a 2800 square-foot bookstore in Sacramento, California. I had quit my Silicon Valley job to open the store and about six weeks after the Open sign was lit, I thought I had made a big mistake. I hated running a retail business. I resented the hours involved, the demands on my [...]
Setting New Year’s Goals and Reviewing Your Accomplishments
New Year’s day is my favorite holiday! I love the fresh start of a New Year and all the possibilities that come with it. It’s a great time for reflection, and considering we have all survived what has hopefully been the worst of the economic times, we have much to celebrate in 2012. As you [...]
LEAP #83: Get the Right Corporate Structure for Your Business
The following is an excerpt from LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business. I see so many businesses running as sole proprietorships, something that I also did for many years. However, once I finally understood the importance of protecting my assets, not to mention the tax advantages of choosing the right entity, I made some [...]
5 Essential Hires You Need to Make if You Want to Grow Your Business
1. Certified Tax Professional – Find a professional that offers bookkeeping and tax services—and is certified to do so. No business owner should keep their own books (unless they are certified!). Hiring this out will not only give you more time to do what you do best, it will help ensure that your financial records [...]
Congratulations to Our Winnner of a Dell 3335dn Laser Printer!
This contest has now closed. Thank you to all who entered and shared with your networks! The winner was chosen at random and is Cox Ferrall–congratulations, Cox! Second Chance Drawing: Hop on over to the Dell Facebook page and submit a tip for another chance to enter! * * * * * * * * [...]
Raising the Bar for Your Business: The Simple Equation that Leads to Bigger Revenues
Awhile back a business owner (we’ll call him Jim) told me about a weekend seminar he was holding. It was going to be a full day, including lunch, and the cost of admission was just $35. When I asked how many attendees he expected, Jim said he was hoping to get ten people. “So you’re [...]
