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Are you interested in the restaurant or food service business, but don’t know whether to go the franchise route or start your own business from scratch? The food service industry is the largest and most prominent sector in franchising today, and while not entirely risk-free, it’s often perceived as a safer bet for new business owners. Of course, restaurant franchise ownership isn’t for everyone. Being a franchise owner requires a particular type of personality, solid research, and a willingness to work within the confines of...
According to U.S. Census data, e-commerce sales are increasing at a rate faster than traditional offline retail sales, raking in approximately $190 billion in sales in 2011. So it’s no surprise that budding entrepreneurs and existing “bricks and mortar” businesses are turning to e-commerce as a business opportunity. You only need to browse the SBA.gov Community Discussion Boards to see how many topics focus on how to start an e-commerce business! Given this interest, I thought it would be useful to draw on the advice of...
Speaking about his own incredible path to business success, Microsoft’s Bill Gates once said: “We were young, but we had good advice and good ideas and lots of enthusiasm.” There’s no doubt that good ideas and enthusiasm are among the vital traits for successful entrepreneurs, but, as Gates says, getting “good advice” is also essential. But who should you turn to if you need advice or have questions about starting and running a business? Here’s an overview of invaluable online and face-to-face...
Has someone opened up a competing business in your town? Are you worried that the town isn’t big enough for both of you and your business may be at risk? Not sure how to react to the new competition? If you’ve been secure in your market as the go-to business for XYZ and suddenly find that your customers have another option, what can you do to fight back? Remember, there are no quick fixes, but here are some tips for dealing with competitors and, quite possibly, collaborating with them! 1. Don’t Get into a Price War...
Ever feel that your employees don’t respect you? You may think: “So what!” But that would be a mistake. The trouble is that when an employee starts to lose respect, your authority and control can quickly be undermined. Even if you are not aware of a problem employee, the effect can be toxic. Productivity levels drop, accountability diminishes, and the problem behavior can spread to others. Why Do Employees Lose Respect for Their Employers? Accepting that your employees may not respect you isn’t easy. There can be...
Are you interested in environmental responsibility and stewardship? Think you’ve got the skills to turn this into a career? Becoming a “green consultant” might be the ideal home-based business opportunity you’ve been looking for. According to Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media, green consultants who help businesses assess their environmental footprint and develop sustainable strategies are poised to be the next hot industry, growing 9.4 percent per year to $30 billion in 2016. The environmental industry is, of course...
Most of us in our business lives are required to deliver some form of presentation, and most of us breathe a deep sigh of relief when it’s over, when spotlight is off and we can sit back down. But if your business success hangs on your ability to deliver a knockout sales presentation, then it’s worth spending some time refining and perfecting your technique. Here are some tips for upping the ante and going beyond a one-way sales presentation by assessing your delivery, building rapport, using alternatives to PowerPoint, and finding...
Absenteeism in the workplace is a problem all managers encounter, and although absences are often due to legitimate reasons, they can get out of control if they’re not managed carefully. Persistent unexcused absenteeism, particularly when it involves just a few individuals, not only lowers productivity and increases everyone else’s workload, but it can precipitate a sour atmosphere in the workplace. It’s something that needs to nipped in the bud. Statistics vary on the monetary impact of absenteeism, but the...
Cloud computing is surely the buzz technology for the early 21st century. Yet, as red hot as it seems, confusion remains about what it is and what benefits it brings, as well as how secure it is for sharing and storing business information. Cloud computing may seem like a new technology, but in truth, we’ve all used cloud computing in some way, shape or form for years. Take Facebook, for example; this social sharing site stores your comments, photos, videos and so on right up there in the cloud. Gmail, Picasa, Flickr, and others all rely...
Here on SBA.gov we have amassed a catalog of blogs that offer a variety of proven techniques that small business owners can use to plan, execute and nurture their marketing efforts. We’ve touched on how to plan and budget your marketing activities, as well as how to craft a brand message that communicates the true value of your business. We’ve covered how to use email, online, event marketing, public relations and social media tactics to reach and engage with your customers. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg: there...
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by Caron_Beesley, Community Moderator on Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 08:40