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The U.S. federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. And while understanding the ins and outs of how to register as a government contractor and then making sense of how the government buys is necessary, all too often, one of the most overlooked areas of doing business with the government is knowing how to successfully market to the government. Put quite simply - marketing to the government is different (and I mean marketing in the sense of the strategies and tactics you employ to place your product or...
Note: The ARRA (Recovery Act) initiatives and/or programs referenced in this article will expire on September 30, 2010. Any statements about qualifying time periods, or extensions of these dates, as they pertain to the availability of ARRA programs are over-ridden by the expiration of the Act on September 30, 2010. This year is an interesting year for federal government contracting. According to *The Federal Times, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has resulted in a 13 percent rise in federal contract spending in 2009,...
Although the 2009 hurricane season has been relatively quiet, small businesses and home-owners alike have faced their fair share of disasters this year - floods in the mid-west, wild fires in California, an extraordinarily long tornado season, and long-term drought conditions across several states. For small business owners the consequences of such natural disasters or emergencies can be devastating. According to post-disaster estimates, over 40% of all companies that experience a disaster never reopen, and over 25% of the remaining companies...
As summer quickly winds down and parents try to adjust to the back to school / work routine, many metropolitan areas face what has become one the busiest commuter traffic seasons of the year. Traffic congestion doesn't only impact the environment, it creates disgruntled and un-productive employees - something very few small businesses operating within narrow-profit margins can sustain. Many businesses have responded with teleworking programs that take employees off the road on a full-time or part-time basis. However many small business...
Your business name is its identity. With the huge growth in the availability of diverse marketing tools with which to promote your business - from Web sites to social media networking platforms, and more - choosing the right business name, and ensuring it is registered and protected, is more important than ever. My last post covered the basics of choosing a business name that works for your small business venture in a Web savvy world. Following directly from that post, here are some tips to help you protect your business name against...
Only a few years ago, choosing a business name meant picking an identity for your start-up that would feature in a fairly narrow range of outlets - your signage, invoice, business card and basic advertising. Today, however, with the huge growth in the availability of diverse marketing tools with which to promote your business - from Web sites to social media networking platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more - getting your business name right, first time, is more important than ever. The consequences of getting it wrong can...
Doing business with one of the largest purchasers of goods and services in the world - the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) - can seem like a daunting business strategy for many small business owners. Many often mistakenly believe that only the "big guns" can really compete for DoD business. The truth is that the government designates a significant amount of procurement contracts to small businesses each year. For example, in fiscal year 2009 (ending Sept 30, 2009) the Department of Defense set aside over 22% of its prime contracts...
Owning and operating a vehicle is expensive at the best of times. If you are a small business owner looking to save some money, using your personal vehicle for business purposes may be an instant cost saving. The IRS classifies 'business use of a car' as travel between two destinations, one of which may include your regular place of business. Whether you are an independent contractor using your car to get to client meetings or you use your vehicle for deliveries, you will need to understand the regulatory ramifications (and benefits) of...
"When does a Business Start Paying Taxes?" may sound like a silly question, with an expected answer of: "When you start making a profit, of course." Not necessarily. There are many dependencies that determine when a new small business owner is liable for their first tax payment. For example, the moment you hire your first employee you must deposit payroll taxes. If you are in the consumer retail business, you must deal with sales tax. Then there are federal and state income taxes, which you must pay once a quarter, and so...
Intellectual Property Explained - Protecting and Selling Your Unique Idea! Accordingto the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's stopfakes.gov Web site, companies that protect their intellectual property drive more economic growth in the U.S. than any other single sector. If you've developed a new product, technology or tool that is entirely your own invention, how do you go about making sure your unique idea stays your unique idea, and most importantly reaps you a profit? First, you'll need to understand the fundamental differences...
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by Caron_Beesley, Community Moderator on Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 08:00