Archives: May 2011

Enable Secure Commerce Through Facebook

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 31

Facebook has become far more than an online destination to share pictures and dole out birthday greetings. Users now access thousands of applications and games, conduct surveys and polls, and...

Marketing with EU Privacy Laws in Mind

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 30

The European Union has strict directives that prescribe how you can or can't use or process personally identifiable information, like an individual's e-mail or physical address. European data protection legislation...

Use Technology to Communicate Better

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 27

Busy business owners and managers rely on top-of-the line telecommunications tools to keep pace with clients and customers. But in today's business climate, just answering the phone and responding to...

Engage Your Clients in the Hiring Process

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 26

Hiring a new employee is scary, especially since firing that person can be a major hassle if things don't work out. If, like most entrepreneurs, you don't have a human...

'In' Days and 'Out' Days

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 25

With so many daily distractions and endless tugs from electronic tethers, it's tough to accomplish any task that requires thinking. It is impossible to concentrate if you are addicted to...

Monitor Your Website to Keep Customers

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 24

A staggering portion of the country's consumer activity now happens in cyberspace. Last year, individuals spent nearly $227.6 billion shopping online. Though these customers have a multitude of e-retailers to...

What to Expect When You Start a Business

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 23

There are plenty of articles on how to start a small business, but few on what to expect. I started my first company 16 years ago and wish someone would...

Start Your Business with the Right Mindset

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 20

As a new business owner, you have taken the risk to launch yourself into an adventure that can be extraordinarily rewarding, challenging, and terrifying. Your ability to manage yourself through...

Keep Up with the Speed of Change

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 19

Successful small companies are adept at responding to opportunities and challenges at the drop of a hat. Employees in these companies will step outside of their day-to-day responsibilities to respond...

Network to Find New Clients

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 18

Several years ago, a friend and I were having a conversation about how difficult it is to meet new people (in his case, to date). "Yeah," I said, "it's not...

Set Marketing Ethics Guidelines

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 17

As we engage more directly with our customers through social media, it's more important than ever to be trustworthy. As a starting point, here are seven rules for ethical marketing:...

New Federal Regulations for Tipped Employees

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 16

The U.S. Labor Dept. issued new regulations for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that affect businesses that have tipped employees. These regulations became effective on May 5. Here are...

Improve Your Direct Mail Marketing

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 13

If you're like most small business owners, running your business is not a problem, but marketing may be. When it comes to best practices, creating relevant and personalized communications are...

Put It in Writing

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 12

When people enter into a business partnership, they do so with a lot of optimism and hope that the business will expand and that they'll both benefit financially. The fact...

Keep Better Records

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 11

Record-keeping for small businesses involves maintaining accurate accounts and evidence of all of your business' transactions. Keeping records allows you to have a general idea of how your business is...

Plan for Disaster

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 10

Recently we had a lengthy power outage in our office over the weekend. I went to the office to check on things and found a situation we had never even...

Establish a Good Partnership

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 09

Over the years I've seen a lot of businesses come and go. One of the things that always surprises me is how often businesses fail due to problems among partners....

Get Better at Managing Your Life

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 06

In the business world, everyone wants to succeed and make names for both themselves and their companies. While we all want to be good at our jobs, we don't all...

Resolve a Dispute with a Co-Owner

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 05

We all know that divorce is typically an expensive and stressful process. However, what most people don't realize is that the same financial and emotional pains are felt when business...

Raise the Bar on Customer Service

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 04

Every day people everywhere interact with customer service representatives across industries, from the local grocery store cashier to the Fortune 500 airline flight attendant. When spending time and money, these...

Look Outside Your Business for Ideas

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 03

Whether you are looking for new product or service ideas or improvements, new technologies and business processes, or even considering an entirely new venture, important ideas can emerge from a...

Crowdsource to Solve New Problems

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on May 02

Most businesses are occasionally confronted by challenges that are surprising, complex, and new. In fact, you are lucky if such problems arise only occasionally; in certain industries and markets, they...