Manage Your Business Articles

You Can't Do It All - Learning To Delegate - Click To Read Article
There is not a single management skill more critical to your personal and professional success as an entrepreneur than learning to delegate. There is much more to delegating than meets the eye. It does not mean to simply hand out assignments. It is a science and an exercise in understanding one's self.

Writing Effective Job Descriptions - Click To Read Article
A job description describes the major areas of an employee's job or position. A good job description begins with a careful analysis of the important facts about a job, such as the individual tasks involved, the methods used to complete the tasks, the purpose and responsibilities of the job, the relationship of the job to other jobs, and the qualifications needed for the job.

What Is Your Management Action Style? - Click To Read Article
Do you find it difficult to move from task to task or are you very flexible when it comes to retaining and evaluating a lot of different information? Or perhaps the idea of having to manage others really turns you off? On the other hand, maybe you're the type who has never been bothered by the idea of delegating and loves the challenge of long-range planning.

When Potential Employees Lie - Click To Read Article
When you receive a resume or job application, how can you be sure the applicant is telling the truth? Unfortunately, you can't. While most applicants are honest, there are some who will stretch the truth, or, in some cases, lie outright in order to get a job.

What Is Marketing? - Click To Read Article
In plain and simple terms, marketing activities and strategies result in making products available that satisfy customers while making profits for the companies that offer those products. That's it in a nutshell!

Unfair Business Practices - Click To Read Article
Many businesses will do almost anything to gain an edge on the competition. Without a clear understanding of antitrust laws, the price of gaining customers may be losing a business. Antitrust laws make it illegal to conspire to restrain trade or commerce in any marketplace, regardless of size. While small businesses often fall victim to the unfair business practices of larger companies, they can be prosecuted for unfairly dominating markets localized in cities, towns, neighborhoods, or niche industries.

Tradeshow Marketing - Click To Read Article
Trade shows are designed to let entrepreneurs meet many potential customers inexpensively and face-to-face in a brief period of time. According to the Trade Show Bureau, more than 4,300 were held nationwide in 1994, attracting 85 million visitors.

Understanding The Internet - Click To Read Article
If you're using the Internet now to gather information, shop or just for entertainment, then you're probably familiar with the process of dialing in and moving from website to website. But do you really understand how you're doing what you're doing as you move from web location to web location? How did it all get started, this Internet thing?

The Interview Process: How To Select The "Right" Person - Click To Read Article
How do you select the right person for your business? There is no perfect answer, but the interview process can be a tremendous help if you use it effectively. In other words, you must have completed all of the other steps in the hiring process in order to get the most out of the interview process.

Target Marketing - Click To Read Article
It's important to remember that the focus of marketing is people. If you're concentrating your efforts on your product or profit only, you'll miss the mark. The term target market is used because that market - that group of people - is the bull's eye at which you aim all your marketing efforts.

Staying Informed/Current - Click To Read Article
The Information Age has changed our society just as greatly, if not more than, the Industrial Revolution changed the farming society of the 1800s. It's a fast-paced wired world, with news flashing around the world almost instantly, e-mail connecting far-flung correspondents all over the globe, and information bombarding us from all sides.

Small Business Regulatory Enforecement Act (SBREFA) - Click To Read Article
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) was passed in 1996 to make federal agencies more responsive and offer small businesses a tool to hold their government more accountable. For specific information, contact 1-888-REG-FAIR; review the Act.

SCORE Legal Questions - Click To Read Article
Why Is A Business Plan Necessary?

SBA Loans - Click To Read Article
The SBA offers numerous loan programs to assist small businesses. It is important to note, however, that the SBA is primarily a guarantor of loans made by private and other institutions and does not offer loans to small businesses. Within SBA Loan Topics we’ll review:

Roundtables - Click To Read Article
Are you familiar with the power of roundtables?

Rule Making - Click To Read Article
The burden of complying with regulations is often cited as one of the primary concerns of small businesses. Help ensure that the voice of small business is heard during the rule-making process by learning how rules are made, keeping track of proposed regulations, reading the analyses prepared by experts, and commenting on proposed regulations.

Quiz For Small Business Success - Click To Read Article
We at Small Business Success Magazine conducted a survey of more than 100 California business owners. Their comments about small business success guided us in creating the following quiz. Choose the answer you think is best for each question. Use the sheet at the end to determine your total point score and then see where you stand in the Success Quotient Ratings. There are no "wrong" answers. Each answer listed represents a segment of the responses we had to questions in our survey--and the final rankings correspond with the importance successful owners gave to different answers.

Plain English Guide to Employee Handbooks - Click To Read Article
The company employee handbook is one of the most important communication tools between your company and your employees. Not only does it set forth your expectations for your employees, but it also describes what they can expect from the company. It is essential that your company has one and that it be as clear and unambiguous as possible. Make certain that it is written in an understandable language which makes the company's policies accessible.

Planning for the Future - Click To Read Article
Business owners frequently put off planning for their retirement. If you have employees, you may want to offer retirement as a benefit, but feel you are unable because of its expense. However, there is one option you may want to consider that would ensure income for you and your employees in your later years: a SEP Plan.

Plain English Guide To Contracts - Click To Read Article
A contract is an agreement between two or more parties that creates an obligation to do or not do particular things. Contracts almost always contain the following essential elements:

Prequalification Program - Click To Read Article
The Prequalification Loan program uses intermediary organizations to assist prospective borrowers in developing viable loan application packages and securing loans. This program targets low income borrowers, disabled business owners, new and emerging businesses, veterans, exporters, rural and specialized industries.

Networking - Click To Read Article
Networking is an invaluable tool that anyone in the business world can utilize. Effective networking can be your best form of marketing, as well as being extremely affordable. To give a definition of networking, networking occurs when there is a planned event or gathering with the primary goal of connecting with others. The purpose of networking can vary based on one's own agenda, yet the primary focus is to meet people, and have people meet you. In other words, you have the opportunity to market yourself and your business in a relaxed, social situation. This often proves to be a comfortable situation for all involved.

National Labor Relations Board FAQs - Click To Read Article
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1935 to administer the National Labor Relations Act, the primary law governing relations between unions and employers in the private sector. The statute guarantees the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers or to refrain from all such activity. Generally applying to all employers involved in interstate commerce - other than airlines, railroads, agriculture, and government - the Act implements the national labor policy of assuring free choice and encouraging collective bargaining as a means of maintaining industrial peace. Through the years, Congress has amended the Act and the Board and courts have developed a body of law drawn from the statute.

Online Advertising - Click To Read Article
You've managed to design your own website, round up the necessary funds, and slog through the various agreements you need to sell your wares over the Internet. You are officially a cyber seller, a net-setter, an e-tailer. Before you start promoting your product, don't forget about your friends at the Federal Trade Commission, because they certainly haven't forgotten about you. In fact, the FTC recently published a guide for online advertising called Dot Com Disclosures.

Online Advertising ( DOC) - Click To Read Article
Advertising and Marketing on the Internet: Rules of the Road

Mentoring - Click To Read Article
As you know, women business owners make a significant contribution to the economic health of our nation and communities. Their contributions continue to rise as more women become entrepreneurs and existing women-owned businesses expand.

Microlenders - Click To Read Article
The Microloan Program provides very small loans to start-up, newly established, or growing small business concerns. Under this program, SBA makes funds available to nonprofit community based lenders (intermediaries) which, in turn, make loans to eligible borrowers in amounts up to a maximum of $35,000. The average loan size is about $13,000. Applications are submitted to the local intermediary and all credit decisions are made on the local level.

Making Time - Click To Read Article
You planned on getting to work early to finish the project that's due today, but now the car won't start. You know you wrote the mechanic's name down somewhere, but now you can't remember where you put it. You frantically search through your notes, but you can't find it anywhere. There's no way you're going to have time to finish your project. You start to panic.

Marketing Basics - Click To Read Article
To succeed, entrepreneurs must attract and retain a growing base of satisfied customers. Marketing programs, though widely varied, are all aimed at convincing people to try out or keep using particular products or services. Business owners should carefully plan their marketing strategies and performance to keep their market presence strong.

Marketing Plans - Click To Read Article
A sound marketing plan is key to the success of your business. It should include your market research, location, the customer group you have targeted, competition, positioning, the product or service you are selling, pricing, advertising, and promotion.

Marketing FAQs - Click To Read Article
Marketing FAQs Where can I find the association for the industry that I wish to enter into?

Leadership - Click To Read Article
Experienced, successful entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs alike often ask the same question: How can new entrepreneurs learn from the experiences of others? The answer is mentoring.

Leadership Traits - Click To Read Article
Over the past several years, one of the most important contributions psychology has made to the field of business has been in determining the key traits of acknowledged leaders. Psychological tests have been used to determine what characteristics are most commonly noted among successful leaders. This list of characteristics can be used for developmental purposes to help managers gain insight and develop their leadership skills.

Leading vs. Managing - Click To Read Article
Are you a manager or a leader? Although you may hear these two terms thrown out interchangeably, they are in fact two very different animals complete with different personalities and world views. By learning whether you are more of a leader or more of a manager, you will gain the insight and self-confidence that comes with knowing more about yourself. The result is greater impact and effectiveness when dealing with others and running your business.

Legal FAQ's - Click To Read Article
What business licenses does a small business need?

International Sales - Click To Read Article
Expanding Your Markets

Insurance - Click To Read Article
Buying business insurance is among the best ways to prepare for the unexpected. Without proper protection, misfortunes such as the death of a partner or key employee, embezzlement, a lawsuit, or a natural disaster could spell the end of a thriving operation.

Insurance FAQ's - Click To Read Article
What is Workers' Compensation Insurance?

Important Structures For a Successful Meeting - Click To Read Article
Successful meetings use structure. Procedures and structure help groups perform significantly better in meetings. Meeting structures are the solid foundation upon which effective meetings are built. Below is a list of some of the important structures that make a successful meeting:

Immigration FAQs - Click To Read Article
Q. What is the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC)?

How to Improve Your Yellow Page Advertising - Click To Read Article
"If you look at a 1951 Yellow Pages directory from Buffalo, New York, the ads appear basically the same then as they do now, not counting the recent addition of various color options. Forty-five years later, advertisers for the most part are still just highlighting their name and phone number. By simply enlarging the information that appears in their free listing, advertisers are definitely not getting as much out of their ads as they could be."

Hiring Employees FAQs - Click To Read Article
What labor posters do I need to display for my particular business?

High Impact Marketing Programs that You Can Implement by Next Thursday - Click To Read Article
Ideas about marketing have changed dramatically during the past several years. In contrast to the 1980s approach of creating aggressive strategies to compel sales, the new style focuses on developing a service-oriented business dedicated to solving customers' problems.

Hiring A Lawyer FAQs - Click To Read Article
Do I really need a Lawyer?

Glossary of National Labor Relations Board Terms - Click To Read Article
Charge--An allegation made by an individual, employer, or labor organization of an unfair labor practice under the Act. Charges are filed at NLRB's regional offices.

Glossory Of Internet Terms - Click To Read Article
Glossory Of Internet Terms

Getting On The Web - Click To Read Article
Should a Small Business get on the Web

Forecast - Click To Read Article
Maintaining your momentum means looking forward even as you focus on the present. Forecasting and planning are critical to your continued success.

Equity Financing - Click To Read Article
Most small or growth-stage businesses use equity financing in a limited way. As with debt financing, most of the time additional equity comes from non-professional investors such as friends, relatives, employees, customers or industry colleagues.

Employees vs. Contractors - What's The Difference? - Click To Read Article
Whether a person is an independent contractor or an employee generally depends on the amount of control exercised by the employer over the work being done. Dictating how a job is to be done or limiting the actions of the worker may establish an employer-employee relationship.

eMarketing - Click To Read Article
E-mail marketing is one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with customers. It is generally cost-effective, and if done properly, can help build brand awareness and loyalty. At a typical cost of only a few cents per message, it's a bargain compared to traditional direct mail at $1 or more per piece. In addition, response rates on e-mail marketing are strong, ranging from 5 to 35% depending on the industry and format. Response rates for traditional mail averages in the 1 to 3% range.

E-Commerce: It's Time to Get Connected - Click To Read Article
If you have not decided whether an online presence for your enterprise is worth exploring, you could be missing out on a powerful business tool.

eCommerce - Click To Read Article
eCommerce, The Newest Business Frontier: It's Time To Get Connected

eCommerce FAQs - Click To Read Article
What can a small business do to get started in electronic commerce without a lot of money to invest?

Decision-Making FAQs - Click To Read Article
What are the major reasons for small business failure?

Customer Service - Click To Read Article
The Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," may seem self-evident in the way we try to conduct our personal lives. Yet this axiom is assuming new importance as a guiding principle in the world of business. The climate of the recession-ridden early 1980s, when customers blithely traded away high-quality service in exchange for price reductions or convenience, is no more. Instead, customers are demanding service again. Companies of all sizes are realizing that their strongest selling point can sometimes boil down to treating customers as they would like to be treated - or better. "Consumers are beginning to feel that their needs haven't been met," explains Bonnie Jansen of the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs. "They're sick of getting poor service all the time."

Competitive Analysis - Click To Read Article
Business takes place in a highly competitive, volatile environment, so it is important to understand the competition. Questions like these can help:

Change Management - It Starts at the Top - Click To Read Article
Change is a common occurrence in business today; because of this, it is important that you possess strong change management skills if you want your business to be a success. Change management skills include leadership development (to get people to believe in you), marketing and sales abilities (to promote your case for change), and communication skills (to help build support for the decision to change). It will also help if you know a little about the stages people go through psychologically when they are dealing with change so that you are able to tell if you have managed a successful transition or if there are additional problems that you need to address.

Business Ethics - Click To Read Article
Business ethics are a hot topic these days; with everything from insider trading to employee theft on the rise, it is no wonder that businesses are beginning to focus on the impact of ethical leadership. However, along with this new focus comes a lot of "gray area". Many times, managers are forced to decide on issues where there are arguments on both sides - a problem that makes ethical decision-making very difficult.

Borrowing Money - Click To Read Article
Borrowing money is one of the most common sources of funding for a small business, but obtaining a loan isn't always easy. Before you approach your banker for a loan, it is a good idea to understand as much as you can about the factors the bank will evaluate when they consider making you a loan. This discussion outlines some of the key factors a bank uses to analyze a potential borrower. Also included is a self-assessment checklist at the end of this section for you to complete.

Becoming a CDC - Click To Read Article
The 504 Certified Development Company (CDC) Program provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. A Certified Development Company is a nonprofit corporation set up to contribute to the economic development of its community. CDCs work with the SBA and private-sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses. There are about 270 CDCs nationwide. Each CDC covers a specific geographic area.

Borrowing Money - Banker Key Questions - Click To Read Article
The key questions the banker will be seeking to answer are as follows:

Are you a good decision maker? - Click To Read Article
Decisions, decisions, decisions. It seems like every time we turn around, we have to make more decisions. The question is, "Are you a good decision maker?" If you aren't (or don't think you are), there is no need to worry. Decision-making is a skill that can be learned by anyone. Although some people may find this particular skill easier than others, everyone applies a similar process.

Advertising and PR - Click To Read Article
What Advertising Can Do For Your Business

Advertising Primer - Click To Read Article
At this very moment, there must be at least nine other companies competing for your customers. Some are in your line of business, while others may be in an entirely different industry. All are trying to convince your customers to buy their goods or services instead of yours.

Advertising And PR Guidelines In All Forms Of Media - Click To Read Article
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates advertising at the federal level to ensure that sellers take responsibility for telling the truth about products and services.

Advertising and Marketing on the Internet: Rules of the Road - Click To Read Article
Advertising and Marketing on the Internet: Rules of the Road

100+ Marketing Ideas - Click To Read Article
Marketing is all about satisfying customer needs. The following represents a comprehensive list of marketing ideas; use it to help better understand customer needs and ways to satisfy those needs.

15 Foolproof Ideas for Promoting Your Company - Click To Read Article
Every successful company uses some sort of promotion to influence certain audiences - usually customers or prospects - by informing or persuading them. Reasons for promoting a business include: increasing visibility, adding credibility to you or your company, enhancing or improving your image, and bringing in new business. The following cost-effective, easy-to-execute ideas have the power to increase sales in a way conventional advertising cannot. The key is to find the methods that are appropriate for your business, marketplace, and professional style.


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