Archives: February 2010

Nontraditional Resources for Financing

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 26

Obtaining financing or capital is not impossible these days, but small business owners need to be creative in thinking about where to look for it. Consider these two resources when...

Getting Employees to Take Security Seriously

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 25

One of the most overlooked security risks for small businesses today comes from the most unlikely of places: your own employees. Non-business-related Internet use by employees such as online shopping,...

Steps to Reduce Printer Waste

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 24

Printing supplies are expensive. Reducing printer waste not only reduces the cost of supplies, but also makes your office more environmentally friendly. A no-cost way to reduce printer waste is...

Improve Your Relationship with Customers and Partners

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 23

One of the biggest compliments my company ever received was when a competitor said, "We do what A Plus Benefits does." I believe that this is a direct result of...

When You Need More Data Center Power

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 22

Analysis conducted in 2009 by commercial real estate specialist Grubb & Ellis forecast that data center vacancy rates will reach an all-time low in 2010. The projections, in part, reflect...

Manage Your Rising State Unemployment Insurance Rate

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 19

Since December 2007, the U.S. economy has lost 6.7 million jobs. The resulting surge in unemployment claims has depleted state unemployment insurance funds and set the stage for substantial increases...

Give Your Business a Data-Protection Reboot

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 18

The FBI says attacks and malicious Trojans targeting small and medium businesses and others have led to approximately $100 million in attempted losses in the past several months. Cybercriminals are...

An Employee's Value: Real vs. Perceived

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 17

In my experience, employees will try any number of things to prove their value to an employer or supervisor. But I’ve found that there are typically two kinds of value:...

Teach Your Employees about the Bottom Line

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 16

I’ve found that employees typically look out for themselves at the expense of the businesses they work for. They want to keep their jobs and they hope that you run...

All Dollars Are Not Created Equal

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 15

Over the last 30 years as I’ve consulted with businesses around the country, I’ve come to realize that the majority of employees, managers, executives, and business owners think that every...

Essentials in a Buy-Sell Agreement

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 12

Buy-sell agreements are one of the most important and yet often overlooked documents a closely-held business can have in place. This agreement establishes how the business will continue and ownership...

A Type of Business Insurance That's Often Overlooked

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 11

There are two major risks all closely held businesses should make sure they are protected against: business interruption and a disabling event to a key owner. All business owners should...

Collaborate to Innovate

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 10

Like "innovation," "collaboration" is an overused word. Yet collaboration and sustainable innovation are critical to a company’s business success. According to a 2008 report from IBM, approximately 75% of CEOs...

To Find an Unmet Need, Use Lead User Analysis

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 09

Ruth Stafford Peale once said success will come if you just "find a need and fill it." But how do you find a need or—even better—an unmet need many customers...

Give Your Customer Service a Web Makeover

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 08

Small businesses with limited staff and resources can easily get overwhelmed when it comes to responding to their customers. Using homegrown tools and spreadsheets can get frustrating and jeopardize the...

When Choosing to Outsource Software Development, Consider People

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 05

Amidst the economic recession, more and more small software companies are choosing to outsource software development to speed development cycles and bring products to market faster. These companies can be...

Socialize Yourself

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 04

With the boom of social media sites, advertisers have been given another great way to tap into already existing markets and build on current conversations. With more than 300 million...

Help Wanted and Found Online

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 03

At this very moment, business owners (including, potentially, your competitors) are finding and hiring qualified freelance professionals online to get work done and grow their business. They are hiring IT...

Maintain a Professional Image While Working Remotely

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 02

The nature of the office is changing. No longer are employees staying within the confines of the traditional office. According to a survey of small- to medium-size businesses conducted by...

A Healthy Approach to Trimming Insurance Costs

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on February 01

In the face of never-ending increases to health care insurance premiums, small business owners may want to consider these alternative options to minimize costs: 1. Adjust plan options. For example,...