How to Cut your Business Electricity Costs

I won’t waste your time. You want to cut your business electricity costs. I’m going to tell you how.
Read on and don’t bother thanking me. You’ve got an office to run and a world to take over.

Office Lights
A lot of offices keep their lights on, all day, whether it’s summer, winter, night or day. This is a terrible waste and an easy way to cut down on your energy costs. So, don’t do it.

First things first, turn the lights off a night. When I walk past a ground floor office, lit like a shop window I do not stop and think ‘ooh, how pretty’ or ‘that company must be doing extremely well if they can keep their space lit all night. I must buy their product.’ No. I keep on walking imagining the huge amounts of money they’re throwing down the toilet every night, or how easily I could smash a window and grab that iMac.

If you absolutely must keep lights on overnight – so your security can see any smash-and-grab chancers like me coming – then make sure they’re dim.
For day-time stuff, try not having any lights on at all. If you see your staff falling asleep in a dark corner, then you’d better turn them on, but make sure they’re energy-saving. Spirals are cool and they can save the planet, too.
One last thing, please don’t expect your staff to remember to turn lights off. They’re too busy thinking how to steal your pencils and loo-roll. Invest in timed light switches and you’ll reap the benefit. You’ll also get the added bonus of hilarity, when your staff sit there in darkness, rather than stand up and activate them again. Priceless.

Computers
Unfortunately, it’s hard to find computers with timed power switches. You can try to ask your staff to turn them off, but don’t be surprised when they forget, deny they even use that computer, or go full hog and turn off the fridge, as well, resulting in a sticky swamp of a kitchen.
You can’t whip them when they forget and you’re far too busy to do it yourself, so get someone who leaves late (a cleaner, or your security) to turn everything off as part of their duties.
In case you’re confused, when I say turn something off, I mean turn them off, completely. Setting it to ‘sleep’ is not good enough, neither simply shutting down the monitor (you’re not fooling anyone, Sandra).
Meters and Companies
This is so obvious, I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s time – which I hate – but for completion’s sake, check your meter readings regularly and compare supplier’s prices. There’s no point paying for energy you’re not using and if someone else can give it to you cheaper than say hello to your new best friend.
This will be tedious, so give it to the temp or intern you can never remember the name of. They’ll love the responsibility and it’s a genuinely useful task. Then get them to make you a cup of tea and shout at them when they get it wrong.

Derek Blythe works for www.businesselectricityprices.org.uk the UK's #1 in finding cheap business electricity prices. He’s been known to buy the odd round in the pub, but but likes to play aggressive in the office.

Photo By fsse8info on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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4 Tips for Business Success in Hard Times

In today’s poor economy, many people have found that the business world isn’t exactly what they had pictured when they started out. Long hours, low pay, marketing mistakes, unsatisfied customers… not the glamorous picture that may you may have romanticized in your business plan. If you’ve found yourself in a business bind because of this harsh economy, here are some tips that can get your head back above water.

Track and Control

If you aren’t already diligent when it comes to tracking your business spending, start today. Many failed business owners contribute a large part of their failure to a disconnect in money matters. If money hasn’t ever been your strong suit, hire someone who can help you get a handle on your spending and keep track of your books. You need to have a good idea of your profitability, as well as what your overhead ratio looks like. A business can’t succeed without an excellent handle on money.

Borrow Smart

More and more often, businesses are leaning towards self-propelled borrowing instead of taking out massive loans from banks right away. If you’re already in the debt trap, talk to a professional about how you can work yourself out of debt and back into the black. Debt can stifle your success before you even realize what’s happening, and that’s why many business owners today prefer to work with a business credit card over bank loans. This is an easy way to build your business credit without biting off more than you can chew.

Think Outside the Box

Some of the most successful businesses have spawned from people who were brave enough to try out atypical solutions to typical business problems. Have you been too locked into solutions that are well known? Maybe you could consider getting rid of your physical office and having your employees work remote; telecommunications has never been a more viable method of business communication. Cut out costs in places that others may not have considered, and you may find that your money troubles work themselves out in a hurry.

Utilize the Internet

Most small business owners already realize how incredible an asset the internet is when it comes to awareness and advertising. If you’re not already online with your marketing strategy, talk to a social media consultant about the best method for you to appeal to potential clients in the internet. Online marketing is effective because it can have a big impact without a big price tag, a perfect solution for a struggling business.

This guest post is from Allison with BusinessCreditCards.com.

Photo By 401(K) 2012 License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Save Lives and Your Business - Adopt Some Top Quality Fire Security!

As an owner of a couple of businesses, I have learnt a lot over the years. I have learnt that there are so many risks when starting any new business, and of course whether or not it will be successful is the number one worry for most new owners. However, there are some things that are far more important than just simply the bottom line.

We have new and added responsibilities, such as taking due and proper care of the health and safety of any employees we have. Surely that is more important than money? If you do not agree you really should not be running a business.

If the business is not performing well, we can always try different things and work hard at rectifying it. However if the business burns to the ground, killing a member of your staff in the process, it is the end of your business for good and you will have to live with the guilt for the rest of your life. On top of that you will most likely be in extremely hot water for not having an adequate fire security system, and will most likely serve some time in prison.

Why Take The Risk?
For the sake of a little bit of expenditure, you are giving your staff and your business as a whole a much better chance of surviving any fire that might take place. It has to be a no brainer surely? The first thing I do whenever I am setting up a business is to know how to protect it, not just from fire but from floods, crime and anything else that could do it harm.

I make sure I have adequate fire extinguishers, a good fire drill, break boxes, fire exits and blankets. I have them all checked on regular intervals throughout the year and ensure that my staff are always fully aware of the plan of action if a fire were to break out.

The true sign of a good business is one that takes the right precautions to ensure the safety of its workforce at all times, if we can get that right, the success will surely follow. Yet, if a business cuts corners on costs, especially at the expense of the health and safety of its staff, it is a disaster waiting to happen. A disaster that could deservedly leave you locked up for a very long time.

I personally source my fire security products from a UK based firm, which offers everything a business could need for its fire security. Take a look at www.cheapextinguishers.co.uk/ to find out more.

Photo By Podknox on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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How to Design a Roller Banner That Will Attract Attention

Roller banners are a great tool for attracting and holding the attention of customers. They will draw passing traffic towards your business by effectively letting people know who you are and what you do.

These roller banners are also very easy to use, because they can be rolled up into a portable base which is made of lightweight aluminium. The base can be placed on almost any surface including grass, concrete or indoor flooring. They are a great way to advertise your business or make an announcement about a new service.

When you are designing a custom roller banner stand for business, be sure to put a lot of thought into the design. You want the stand to be as effective and eye-catching as possible so here are some tips for designing the ideal roller banner:

Grab Their Interest
Most people will only glance past your banner for a split second, so what could be the most interesting and captivating thing that you can grab their attention with. It could be a photograph, a graphic or a short phrase. Make this the visual focus of your banner with the pertinent information underneath it. Once you have gotten their attention they will read to the bottom to learn more.

Less is More
A banner which is too crowded with information and text will be overwhelming to the viewer and they will likely get bored before reading it all. It is better to design a banner which has only the most important information on it so that customers can read it quickly. If they are curious for more information, you can then hand them a brochure or pamphlet which has all of the details. Think of the banner as the trailer for a film which only shows the most interesting parts and the brochure as the feature film.

Colours and Graphics
The human eye is attracted to bold and vibrant colours, so make sure you use some eye catching shades in your roller banner. Also, visual images are a lot more interesting than a banner with only text. Do you have some powerful photos or graphics which represent your company?
Also, make sure that the font is large and clear enough to read and that it contrasts well with the background. Light fonts should be used on dark backgrounds and vice versa.
With these tips, you are sure to design a roller banner which will catch the attention of anyone walking by.

Do you need some help designing roller banners for your business? Here are some clever design tips!

Photo By Christmas w/a K License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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3 great apps for iOS, Android and PC/Mac to help you manage your money

Many people don’t manage their finances because, simply put, it’s a massive hassle. The idea of sitting at your kitchen table, pouring over bank statements and bills whilst using a pencil and paper to do your sums sounds like most people’s version of hell. Let me tell you it is hell – as it is complicated. This is because it is easy to make mistakes and it often is not worth the time that you spent on it. Yet so many people are convinced that this traditional way of sorting out your personal finances is the only way, so they don’t even try. This usually ends up with spending beyond their means and getting into debt. This disheartens them and makes them less likely to look for alternative options, creating a vicious circle.
So what do you do?

Most people nowadays have a smart phone, tablet or computer that they use for things like online banking. Little do they know that there are ways that they can use these tools to help them budget, saving them time and most importantly saving them money. There are plenty of budgeting apps out there so here are 3 apps (1 for iOS, Android and PC/Mac) that have proven themselves to be the best of the best in personal finance apps.

1. iOS - Spending Log
Spending Log is a great iOS App that lets you keep track of everything your spend. By allowing you to input your income and then track every single purchase you make, you can see exactly what items you tend to overspend on. This App is great because it helps you to realize exactly where your money is going and help you cut down on items that you didn’t even realize you were overspending on. With handy things like an alert system for when you are nearing your overdraft limit, Spending Log is exactly the app you need to help you save money.

2. Android - EasyMoney
At $9.99 EasyMoney might be a bit ironically pricey for an Android budgeting app, but it’s more than worth it because of the multi-purpose intuitive application that it provides. Easy Money isn’t just a budgeting app - it allows you to keep track of multiple accounts (not just bank accounts but credit cards, store cards and more), work in multiple currencies and generally provide every service imaginable when it comes to personal finance.

3. PC/Mac - Mint.com
Mint.com may only be currently available in the US and Canada, but when it rolls out to other countries it is certain to take personal finance software by storm. Mint is web-based and is available not only from your PC/Mac but also only pretty much every other tablet or smartphone device. Mint.com is free, fast and reliable - you can count on it to keep your information safe and even better to keep you in the black. With graph representations of your budget, custom reminders and the ability to track pretty much every financial transaction you make? It’s the app to beat in the personal finance world.


The article was made available to you by Poundaccess, that can help you also in case you need short-term cash loans today.

Photo By Detlef La Grand on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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How to Stop a Negative Review Before It Starts

For small, local businesses, positive online reviews can significantly increase patronage. It’s also relatively easy to connect with your customers in a positive way and encourage them to go online and write a review. On the other hand, negative reviews can be devastating. Even just on negative review can turn customers away before you even get a chance to prove yourself and earn their business.
It’s your job as a business owner to stop negative reviews from being posted. You can’t do this by hitting a “delete review” button, and once someone is set on writing a negative review there’s little you can do but try to do damage control once it’s published. The key is to stop a negative review before it even starts, and here are some tips to help you do just that.
Focus on Customer Service

This should be obvious, but the quality of your customer service is paramount. Do whatever you can to improve customer service at your establishment. Make sure that all employees are trained on the proper ways to handle customer grievances. Stress how important it is that a customer never leave angry. If your employees are unable to remedy a situation, you should be called in to help. Always be polite and respectful, even to the rudest of customers. Unless they’re being abusive, remember that they’re “always right.” Helpful information, a concession, or an apology on your part can stop a bad review in its tracks. Make it clear to your employees that you won’t tolerate poor customer service.
Encourage Feedback

When customers leave bad reviews, it’s usually because they just want to be heard, and an online review is a way for them to vent their frustrations. Prevent negative reviews by giving customers as many opportunities as possible to give their feedback to your directly. Hand out comment cards with the bill at your restaurant, for example. Send out emails requesting feedback after purchases, or when someone unsubscribes from your email list or makes a return. On your website, consider a form for people to send anonymous feedback. If an upset customer can tell you about their bad experience directly, it will hopefully stop them from posting the same thing online in a public forum, too.
Right Your Wrongs

If a customer has a legitimate complaint about something your business has done to wrong them, you need to make things right. If you find out that a customer is upset and they’ve already left your store or made a purchase, reach out to them. The extra effort you put forth will impress people, and it may even get them to change their mind about your business. Exceptional customer service can make any business more likable. If you don’t make the effort to right a wrong (even just a perceived wrong), you might be paying for it later when the customer decides to post a bad review as a form of vindication.
If you’re a small business owner, what do you do to stop negative reviews?

This and many other educational articles helping web professionals understand the challenges of the web and how to promote business concepts online have been prepared for you by Lisa Hann thanks to SEOMap - the keyword strategy experts.

Photo By Ben+Sam on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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The Integration of Technology into Office Furniture

Staying ahead in business often means staying ahead in technology. In today’s business world, the latest technology trends are not just affecting your digital equipment. Office furniture manufacturers are making strides in technology as well. The most important strides are those that integrate digital office equipment into mobile office furniture solutions fitting in with today’s changing work environment. Furniture manufacturers are doing a great job of staying up with the times, even with the challenge of integrating fast-changing equipment technology into more long-term furniture solutions.
Dealing with Change
For many companies, gone are the days when each person had their own desk, with a desktop computer that they would use day after day. Today’s corporations are much more mobile. Employees and executives take their mobile computing systems with them and may be in different workstations on different days. Companies frequently reconfigure office settings, and many have gone to modular type furniture solutions which can be disassembled and moved about in record time. As office furniture companies have adapted to this change, some winning solutions have been developed.
Integrated Power Solutions
According to the Holland Sentinel (1), companies such as Haworth and Sparkeology (a division of Worden Co.) are focusing on bringing power solutions into existing furniture design, rather coming up with revolutionary design changes. These companies, as well as Steelchase and other major manufacturers, are recognizing the need to have access to power, company data networks, and iPod docks easily accessible in lounge chairs, modular desks, and other office furniture.
While early solutions focused on proprietary cables and connections, current furniture trends are much more universal, allowing companies to plug different components into each other, utilizing existing equipment rather than requiring a complete makeover.
Office Furniture Trends
Office furniture is not just about technology; there are a number of other criteria ranking on businesses’ furniture requirements. The offices of today often require at least several of the following aspects:

• Ergonomics and Sustainability – two key factors in office furniture choices are the need to be easy on users as well as easy on the environment. Furniture that auto adjusts to individual users is becoming more popular, while furniture solutions that can be recycled and are made from recycled products are on the top of the radar for many companies.
• Collaborative Ease - as work styles have evolved into a more team-oriented workforce, office solutions have also evolved. Many companies now offer pod-type workstations that allow co-workers their own space with easy access to their teammates. After all, face to face collaboration still has advantages over virtual, screen-time meetings.
• Free-Address Solutions – having workstations that can be used by multiple users has become more of a priority. Being able to plug mobile computing solutions into the network rather than logging onto a stationary computer has become the norm. When certain staff is out of office, someone else can plug into their station and continue seamless productivity.  Cubicles are now designed with a variety of technological features integrated into their frameworks, avoiding the complications of a lot of manual connections.

Making Adaptations
Under the current economic conditions, many companies are tightening their belts when it comes to new purchases and expenses. And, since many “dot.com” businesses have bottomed out lots of used modular furniture is available on the market. The result? Companies such as Pan-Way, Siemon Company, and Chatsworth Products are creating adaptable data channeling solutions that can be installed in used modular furniture (2). This has terrific advantages for companies that need to upgrade their data and power availability, but do not want to purchase a completely new line of office furniture.

1. hollandsentinel.com/news/x2067831958/New-furniture-offerings-help-manage-electric-devices-keep-costs-down
2. cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display.articles.cabling-installation-maintenance.volume-13.issue-6.contents.technology.integrating-technology-into-in-furniture-cabling-systems.html

David Ching works with a Milpitas, CA office furniture company that ships nationwide from two locations in the USA.   Whether your needs are new or refurbished pieces for your office, EQA Office Furniture has everything from lobby furnishings to cubicles with integrated technology built in.

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Guidelines Related to the Operations of a Business Entity

This article focuses on the operations of a business entity from the perspective of following these specific steps when it comes to the management of funds, including private equity funds, within that business.
Financial matters of a firm provide a base for sound business decisions. Every business has to have funds present in case of acquisition or other requirements. This requirement is catered by establishing investments in a variety of different schemes. Certain stages and processes of handling and managing funds are to be noted. To raise funds is not as simple as pie and you need to focus on some of the factors that contribute to the proper management of these funds.
Below, you will find a list of the different steps that you need to focus on while considering just how you are going to manage the funds that are accumulated by your business.

Accumulation of Funds

In case of a firm’s capital appraisal, accumulation is among the most vital steps in this process. The partners are the ones that will coordinate this accumulation in case of private entities, including such funds as endowment, pension, institutional and a long list of similar funds that were created solely for the accumulation of these funds. It is among the most vital steps in case of a firm’s capital appraisal. One of the types of funds mentioned earlier was the private equity fund.

Searching for the Acquisition & Overall Growth

When the process of accumulation has been finally completed, the next step in the process would be to search for the acquisition. Meeting with companies is arranged, and portfolio is put in front of them. If a direct link between both the parties is not established, then professional services of investment banking entity are required.
Corporate growth of firm is the way to go. Growth strategy has to be perfect to engage and attract companies to invest in the business. Many firms do not bother about this aspect, but there should be no stone left unturned when it comes to a sound growth strategy of the business.

Disinvestment & Capital Gains

The next step to watch out for is disinvestment. When the firm is left with no cash reserves, it opts to disinvest to carry out the financial matters. Disinvestment is made by means of either buying back of shares or buy out. Disinvestment is often rated as a negative act to do, but to support the firm on the whole; this kind of decision proves to be helpful in the long run. Furthermore, if the firm maintains a private equity fund, disinvestment would also be needed for maintaining such funds.
A firm supports the cash flow not only by the direct input of cash generated by acquisition, but also capital gains on realization of portfolio are accounted for as well. It is advocated by many professionals and managers of large business entities that capital gains are a great source of generating cash for the firm. Management of the firm has to make key decisions regarding investment and disinvestment, and many other core issues related to funds such as a private equity funds are to be dealt with.

Dispersal

It is illogical to think that partners would not demand or expect return on the investment made by them. Transferring the gains to the capital accounts of partners is a noticeable aspect. Again, management has to make decision about the dispersal of amounts.
The partners and management team of any firm are the ones that have to take all of these serious issues into consideration when they are analyzing their revenue, expenses and on-hand funds each year. By continuously focusing on such things, their business will profit greatly and will be able to experience the benefits that come as a result of sound planning and superior entity control.

Dealmarket is one of the leading private equity marketplaces online with a wide variety of private equity funds and deals to be sought from both investors and entrepreneurs.

Photo By osde8info on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Insight about Funds Maintained by Business Entities

This article provides a detailed explanation of several key aspects about funds that are established and maintained by a variety of different business entities, including structure, duration and hurdle rate.
An investment structure for investing in various equities is referred to as an equity fund. Most of the time, the term of the fund is 10 years. These kinds of funds are attributed to a limited partnership in which its partners guarantee the firm a certain capital to be invested by them. These partners would and should expect a return on their investment and the capital is normally distributed over the term of the fund (making it an ‘equity fund’).

The Management & General Structure

Various equity funds are managed and raised by professionals employed by the entity. These professionals are responsible for decisions regarding equity funds. A single entity can have more than one equity funds, and in general, every entity does manage more than one such fund. New funds are raised every 4-5 years.
Equity and all the related funds are structured as limited liability partnerships. Such funds are governed by the general rules applicable to the limited liability partnerships. General partners are vested with the responsibility of raising capital by coming into contract with the potential investors, endowment and insurance plans and many more. The legal position of individual investors is that of limited partners of the entity. Many rules are regulations should be taken care of while dealing with the fund. If you are interested in knowing some of the important factors, concerning and relating to such funds, then refer below for details.

Duration, Management Remuneration & Hurdle Rate

Duration of the limited liability partnership in connection to an equity fund is an important topic to know about. Such partnership usually comes with a term of 10 years. Some variation can be expected, but the generally accepted term is 10 years. Concerned authorities can grant certain extensions, but you need to write a written application for an extension in time duration. Same is the case when you consider certain types of equity funds, such as a private equity fund.
Professionals who manage the equity funds are entitled to remuneration. Generally, most common and accepted remuneration is 2% of the capital invested. This may not be considered as a rule of thumb, as certain legislations provide for other rules to account for the management remuneration.
It is the minimum rate of return of investment that must be achieved before managers get entitled to their remuneration. Therefore, a specific hurdle rate has to be achieved by managers in order for them to receive their remuneration. It is the normal course of proceedings of the market that are referred to while determining a particular hurdle rate. The rate set should be neither too high, nor too low, and it should meet the general criteria set by the authorities for the determination of hurdle rate. Hurdle rate is very important figure in connection to certain types of funds maintained by a business entity.

Legal Title Change & Transfers

A fund is not allowed to be transferred or traded in any manner, whatsoever. However, transfer of funds to one investor to another is allowed under the eye of law. Permission has to be sought from the relevant and concerned authorities in case of transfer of general funds and private equity funds from one investor to another.
These are just some of the requirements and guidelines that a business entity must adhere to when considering the establishment and maintenance of various funds for their business.

Dealmarket are a global leader in the private equity marketplace looking to establish connections between entrepreneurs and investors for private equity funding.

Photo By betsyweber on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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How A Document Managed Office System Can Help

One of the big challenges of running an office is trying to keep up with all of the documents that seem to make their way there. In traditional office environments, there are a lot of papers lying around and stuck in filing cabinets. In the new office environment, companies are using document management systems to be able to keep up with their documents. Here are a few of the benefits of using a document management system for your office.

• More Secure
• Easy to Find
• Saves Paper
• Back Up
• Easy Communication

More Secure
One of the big benefits of using a document management system is that it is much more secure. In a traditional environment, you will see papers lying out on desks, and anyone could just come in and read whatever is on them. When you instead put your documents into a document management system, everything will be stored securely on a server. This makes it impossible for anyone to just walk in and get access to the documents.

Easy to Find
Another big advantage of using a document management system is that it makes documents a lot easier to find. Instead of having to dig through a filing cabinet or sort through a pile of papers on your desk, you can easily pull up the document on your computer. This can save the average employee hours every week instead of forcing them to dig through papers repeatedly.

Saves Paper
In some cases, using a document management system can also save paper. This has the capability to help the environment, and to save the company money on office supplies. When someone needs a copy of a document with the old system, they would have to find it and then run a copy. With a document management system, anyone can simply pull up the document that they need to use on their computer screen. This reduces the number of documents that are printed out.

Back Up
When using a document management system, all of the documents can easily be backed up. This means that a fire or a flood would not completely devastate your record-keeping system. With a traditional document system, any disasters such as these could completely destroy all the records permanently. With a document management system, you can have all of the records backed up on a remote server so that they can be accessed no matter what happens.

Easy Communication
With this type of system in place, it is easier to get documents where they need to go. In some office environments, employees have to route documents to the proper channels, which takes time. With a document management system, everyone needs a document can get it directly from their own computers.

While investing in a document management system will take a little bit of extra capital, it is usually well worth the investment. If you are looking for a way to gain a competitive advantage, this could be it.

Will writes for Concorde Corp a leader in the consumer electronics and managed services industry, Concorde specialises in IT management amongst other practical IT based solutions.

Photo By Martin Cathrae on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Starting Your Counseling Practice: Five Critical Factors

After passing the licensing exam, the next commitment is either a counseling agency job or building your own private practice. While working for an agency is great experience, a private practice can be much more rewarding personally and financially. This article will discuss five crucial elements that a counselor must successfully navigate to successfully build a private practice.

The Business Plan

Although the idea of a business plan sounds more like sitting through graduate school than serving your future clientele, it is a prerequisite toward channeling your best creative efforts toward helping those clients. The business plan will assist you in maintaining an operational and financial balance. This plan is in writing and sets out your goals and how you plan to meet them. It should be understandable and articulate how the finances will assist you in meeting both you, and your client’s objectives. Consider it a much more creative version of your academic plan except that you are in charge and can make adjustments as needed.

The Marketing Plan

A marketing plan operates on the same principles as your business plan except that the focus is strictly on selling your services. Unfortunately simply hanging out a shingle is not going to be enough to build your practice. The American Counseling Association has many resources for its members that provide successful professional and ethical approaches. Many of these strategies revolve around offering free seminars and classes as a way to introduce your business to those in need.

Researching Licensing Requirements

You also need to find out what the licensing needs are for your business in the city and county where you intend to practice, and file the appropriate paperwork. Purchasing liability insurance is another business matter that must be taken care of. Consult your insurance agent and the American Counseling Association to assess your needs.

Selecting Your Online Space

A professional online presence is fast becoming one of the more crucial aspects that spell success or failure for a private practice. This section was titled in a way that highlighted the importance of your website as compared with your office space. After all, your client will most likely enter your online space before they decide to enter your physical space. This expense will be a vital part of your business and marketing plans. You may need professional assistance to develop a website that both draws newcomers, as well as positively reinforces those you may have met at a seminar or through a referral.

Renting Office Space

Like all of your decisions, the office space is based on your clientele and your finances. You can go high-end or low-end, or you can do something creative. Ask around about office parks in your area that cater to one person businesses. Find out if there is a counselor in town who leases spaces to other counselors and shares facilities. Another option is to lease an office space from a doctor or another health care provider within their facility. This strategy may also build your business by providing an immediate identity within a medical environment.
Starting a private practice is like starting a business. The crucial issues above provide a guideline but only you can do the additional research and make it happen. Private practice income can be significantly more than an agency job but the upfront investments in time and money must be made to ensure success.

Angela Hartley is a freelance consultant and writes on behalf of Alpha Tree Marketing. A firm dedicated to helping your small business plant, grow and profit from your online presence.

Photo By CollegeDegrees360 on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Sports and Branding

Sports sponsorships happen when companies decide, often after careful brand research,to support to an athlete, a league or a single event. Some companies sponsor by offering products, but most pay for the rights to display their name prominently throughout the event. Sponsorship is big business, and sometimes it’s the determining factor in whether an event happens. In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of corporate sponsorship of sports.
The benefits:

• Name recognition. Whether it’s Nike and Serena Williams inking a contract, or Proctor & Gamble sponsoring the 2012 Olympic Games, sponsoring sports helps increase brand recognition. P&G will get years’ worth of publicity from this sponsorship, as its logo will be displayed at a variety of events.
• Finance: At the end of the day, it all boils down to money. The US NFL has the largest sponsorship package in sports- it made $870 million two years ago. Not every league needs that kind of cash; local sponsorships provide teams with the facilities and equipment they need.

Companies can also benefit from sponsoring events and athletes; in some cases, athletes hand over awards to be displayed at the sponsor's headquarters. Some charity events are sponsored as a way for companies to get a big tax deduction.
While sponsorships are great for professional athletes and companies looking to build their brand, they can be a drawback for amateurs. They can inhibit college sports eligibility; while in the US, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) allows athletes to receive some non-monetary items, anything that could be construed as a performance payment could make the athelete forever ineligible to participate. Here are some of the other potential ‘conditions’ of sports sponsorship:

• Relinquishment of control: As part of the compensation package, sponsors may have requests that result in the beneficiary losing some control. It could be as simple as requiring a sports team to place a logo on their uniforms, or it could be as far-reaching as an agreement that would prevent a team from gaining more sponsors.
• Unintentional endorsement: Just because a company sponsors a team or an event, does not mean that the team or event committee is endorsing the product or brand. While this is largely irrelevant to teams, it can be an issue for athletes who are becoming prominent and therefore being associated with a brand name. Involuntary endorsements can lead to moral conflicts, and they can be especially problematic if the sponsor or team/athlete becomes embroiled in a scandal.
• Higher pressure: When an athlete or team earns a valuable sponsorship, they will likely be under higher pressure to succeed. Most companies are willing to get behind winning teams, but they will withdraw their sponsorship if the team begins to perform poorly.
• Decreased credibility: Some established sports are full of sponsorship deals, but newer athletes and sports can face criticism for earning company sponsorship; it’s seen as being a sellout. Agreements call for athletes and teams to do things that may be difficult to align with the way they were perceived before the deal was signed.

Sponsorships allow companies to build brand recognition and to break into new markets. Having operating costs and other expenses paid is a definite upside for teams and athletes, but sponsorship also has some disadvantages. Contracts can be complex and restrictive, and before a team or a brand gets involved, they should do their brand researchand be aware of both the benefits and the risks.

Written by James Harper on behalf of Hall and Partners: experts in brand research. Read more about branding here.

Photo By hairyeggg on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Solutions to Missed Package Deliveries

A missed delivery brings so much frustration to both sender and recipient. If you are an eCommerce business or any business that requires package delivery to its clients, you know how hard it is to speak to an angry customer because of a missed delivery. Add to that, more problems arise if the package gets lost or is damaged because it was left lying somewhere. Technology has also addressed this concern. Carriers now use email and text messages to inform clients of a delivery. Here are three carriers who take customer satisfaction to the next level.
UPS Store
If you don’t want to receive your packages at home or at work, you can use your local UPS Store as a delivery address.  You can also enroll to My Choice, a customer program of UPS that increases the chances of a package to be delivered on time and to the right hands. My Choice is free. You only need to sign up to get started. You then choose your preferred delivery features. Next, you wait for a text, an email or a voice message alerting you that your package will arrive the following day. You can then log on to their website to track your package. You can also reroute or reschedule your delivery. Finally, you can authorize a release for your delivery.  Choose from any of these options that fit your lifestyle.
Gopost
Another option is the Gopost from USPS. You need to register online and then you get an ID. You also get a pickup code. You can choose the size of locker that you need. You can then use this address to inform your shipper of your delivery address. You will receive an email or text to inform you if your shipment has arrived. You then go to your chosen Gopost, give your ID and enter your pickup code to a machine. You will then be directed to your locker.
 Amazon Lockers
If you’re an Amazon fan, Amazon has made receiving packages easy and convenient for you. An Amazon Locker is basically a self service station located anywhere – malls, drugstores, convenience stores, groceries, etc. near you.
After making a purchase on Amazon, you can search for a locker via the ‘proceed to checkout’ button. Just follow the instructions. When your package arrives in your locker, Amazon will send you an email informing you that your package is ready for pick up. Take note of the pick-up code. You will need it to get your package. When you get to your pickup location, enter your pick up code into the touch screen and the locker with your package will automatically open. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
With all these pickup and delivery options, you are guaranteed an easy, convenient and secure way of receiving your packages. As for shippers, review your current logistics model. Your supply chain management might be in need of a few changes. Consider outsourcing an order fulfillment service to improve customer satisfaction.


If you want a professional order fulfillment company to handle your supply chain management, consider sykes fulfillment. To know more, visit sykes-gala.com

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Make Smartphones Work for Your Business

In today's mobile world, maximizing the potential of mobile technology for business profit gains in importance everyday. From marketing to communications, optimize your business potential by your mobile devices, including your smartphone, to their utmost capabilities. However, remember to categorize and avoid overlap whenever possible to heighten efficiency.

Separate Professional from Personal
While some overlap of business life into personal life is often unavoidable, minimize that encroachment as much as possible. You might consider an answering service for after-hours messages, for example, if your customers dislike leaving messages in voice mail that is retrieved the next business day.
Also, if you give your customers or clients a contact number for you, purchase a separate mobile phone for business, keeping your personal mobile number apart from business communications. Notify your client base of the number's contact hours, and be sure to record a business-oriented outgoing message that includes your business hours.
You can review those messages at any time, but return calls outside business hours sparingly. Answering your business mobile after hours gifts permission for indiscriminate contact, which can boomerang if you do not answer a client's call at midnight. Instead, set the calling hours from the start, and do not give your clients your personal number or email address.

Business Apps
On your business smartphone, concentrate your apps downloads toward business and efficiency apps. Ensure you have document creation and editing capabilities. Consider document formats and shared projects.
If you are a sole proprietor, the shared document concept can still apply. Store important documents or ongoing projects in a cloud-based environment, ensuring you can access those documents away from your office. Utilizing electronic documents instead of carrying hard copies constantly can reduce bulk and weight and can increase document security.
If you do need a hard copy, simply send the document to a printer. If direct connectivity isn't possible or convenient, send the electronic document via email attachment which can be downloaded to a local computer and printed at will. Sending a copy of the document to a disk or external drive can also enable on-demand printing at a local shop if needed.

Time Management
Take full advantage of the calendar and voice memo features within your business mobile handset. Each is easy to use and can keep you targeted and on time. If desired, download an appointment app that can be specifically tailored for your business use.
Consider social networking apps as well that can spotlight points of contact, your business fan page or even those of your competitors. Don't, however, bookmark personal pages in your business equipment. The mixing of personal and professional uses can greatly reduce or negate tax advantages for your business.

Contact List Entries
In your business handset, ensure you store all available entries for your contacts. Include not just name and contact  number but email addresses, fax numbers, business addresses and even handy information like spouse or child information. Sending a polite anniversary or birthday message to your business contacts can help keep your business in the forefront of their memories.

Mobile Marketing
Ensure when you create and initiate a mobile marketing campaign that you enroll your business mobile in each campaign. You see first hand how your ads are presented, which enables quick adjustment or testing of ad variations.
Don't rely on just “doing.” Guarantee with “viewing.”

by Jaye Ryan, a freelance author who likes writing about mobile technology applications for business on behalf of MobilePhones.org.uk.

Photo By denharsh on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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5 Most Inspirational People of All Time

What makes for an inspirational individual? Obviously, someone who can bring hope to others, either through diplomacy, thoughtful sayings, or having lived through a major struggle in life. Five of the most inspirational people of all time include: Winston Churchill; Nelson Mandela; Bill Clinton; Deepak Chopra; and Barack Obama.

Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill is most memorable for having a strong personality. He is the person who said, "When you're going through hell, keep going." He had the type of character that is seen very rarely in a person's lifetime. Churchill is most famously known for having been the only British Prime Minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Many people may not know that, in addition to being a great writer, he was a historian and an artist. He's best known for his diplomacy during the two terms he served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and then again from 1951 to 1955. Churchill was in charge of Britain since the inception of World War II until Nazi Germany was finally defeated in 1945. Overall, his legacy is a great one and will stand the test of time.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was the first South African to ever be voted into office of President in a democratic election in that country. He served as President from 1994 to 1999. Prior to that, Mandela had been an anti-apartheid activist that had been jailed for 27 years, while South Africa was still segregated. After he was released in 1990, Mandela worked in order to ensure that he could unite South Africa to become a democratic society in which the political parties could come closer together. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Bill Clinton

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is a larger-than-life figure for many, as he signed into law many important pieces of legislation. He left the United States with a huge budget surplus at the end of his two terms as President, including having helped families of all income levels having put into effect several policies, as well as various types of legislation that was passed and signed into law during his Presidency. He has received several honorary Doctorate of Law degrees as well as the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra is an American medical doctor and a prolific writer. He's written at least 65 books, 19 of which have become New York Times Bestsellers. He has taught at several prominent medical schools. He's a very inspirational person who tweets words of wisdom to his followers via Twitter.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama was the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. He is a gifted writer, rhetorician, and politician, most famous for instituting health care and capturing terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Richard is an Entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia. He finds inspiration in many people but particularly admires these five because they have changed so many lives. Richard also finds inspiration from Professional Speaker, Brett Kelly, who is also from Sydney, as well as other local Speaker's whose events he has attended.

Photo By on The Story Lady Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en

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How to Start Your Own Lawn Care Business

Now that the summer is finally here, there are many yards that need to be mowed. There are weeds to be pulled and flowers to be planted. Some people want to have a gorgeous garden but do not have the time to keep up with it themselves because they are working or have other things to do. Many people start lawn care businesses for these reasons and make great money doing what they love. If you’re out of school for the summer and you are looking for a way to make some money for when you go back to college in the fall, you may have been considering starting up your very own lawn care business. If you have, here are a few things you should know.

How to Start Your Own Lawn Care Business

The first thing that you should consider if you are thinking about starting your own lawn care business is whether you have the things you will need to do your job. You should have a lawn mower so that you can mow grass and you will probably want to have a weed eater as well. You can let your potential customers know that you have your own equipment. They may prefer that you use a lawn mower that they have and that is fine too. You will want to advertise your business and perhaps start out working for people that you know. If you do a good job, they will probably tell people they know about your newly started business and you will get more customers by their word of mouth. You should have set prices for the jobs you do. Make sure that your prices are reasonable, or you may lose out on business.

What You Can Do

When you have your own lawn care business, you should be able to mow grass. There may be a lot for you to mow, but it’s not a big deal. You will also want to be able to weed as well and use a weed whacker. It is important for you to know how to properly trim shrubbery and how to plant flowers. You should know how to water flowers and you should be able to trim limbs on trees. You should also know a few things about landscaping in case someone wants their entire yard made over.
You would really be surprised at how many people want to have lovely gardens but simply do not have the time to maintain them on their own. Now that college is out for the summer, you can make some extra money doing what you love and helping other people to enjoy their gardens. There is great money in a lawn care business and there is no reason why you cannot start one of your own. With this in mind, find someone you know and see if they need their lawn cut. The better a job you do, the better things people will say about your work and the more customers you will get.

Delia G. is a writer for http://www.mybusinesscareers.com/. If you are interested in a career in business, this site has valuable insight to what you need to do to get a real career in business.

Photo By Thirteen Of Clubs on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Understanding Commercial Properties for Rent

What’s commercial property?

Commercial property generally refers to all property that is not listed as residential. Commercial property may thus include office space, retail, multipurpose buildings, and industrial units amongst others. Perhaps an understanding of these various kinds of commercial properties is crucial. Basically, office space includes all those places available for use as offices. Retail space involves outlets that serve as stores, mostly standalone shops.
On the other hand, multipurpose properties combine both commercial and private uses.
This can be demonstrated by buildings that host both business premises on the lower floors and residential properties above. Industrial units refers to space that is meant for manufacturing. This generally includes space targeted for light or heavy industrial uses.  Industrial units may also include space meant for warehousing, research and development amongst other commercial industrial uses. Commercial property also includes other spaces such as hotels and motels. Each country has its own classification and zoning mechanisms for commercial properties.

Investing in commercial property

The rewards for investing in commercial property are attractive. But breaking into this line of investments can seem difficult if not impossible. All investors are profit seeking and want to invest in properties that bring in the returns fast and good. But unfortunately, this is not always the case! Investing in commercial property such as industrial units is a high risk game. Fortunately it is not as riskier as investing in residential property. For both of them, finances can be limiting. Investing in industrial units requires sufficient cash backing, but lending from banks isn’t as easy.

The lending criterion has been getting tougher by the years. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eventually secure a loan. After securing the finances, most often investors have to adopt a wait-and-see attitude with rates. This wait-and-see game can last for months, before you are ready to jump the gun! But of course all these can be overcome with some little bit of thorough planning. Investing in commercial property is really no different from investing in stocks or an idea. It is all about proper planning and timely execution.

Benefits of commercial property

As an owner of commercial property, for instance industrial units, the rental yield can be quite handful. Perhaps this is what differentiates residential property owners and commercial landlords. Commercial landlords take home a bigger chunk than residential property owners at the end of the month. Typically, rent from let units can be as high as 8 per cent of the capital value of the building! For long term superb yields, it is recommended that you only let to long term leasers.

The other advantage with commercial property is the fact that there is flexibility in renting arrangements. You can affordably let to major corporate or small businesses. Understanding commercial property basics is crucial to making informed investments. You can only invest better if you know what options you have in terms of the various commercial property types. But if running a business and looking to let, be sure to consider important factors such as location.

Harworth Estates are one of the largest landowners in the UK. They provide residential and commercial properties, office space, development land and industrial units to let.

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How To Manage A Small Business Cash Flow

Money makes the world go round. That is especially true in any business, more emphasis on small businesses that is. Cash flow in a small business is crucial to keep it afloat. Cash management should be your number one priority if you want to be successful. If you are experiencing some difficulty in getting a continuous cash flow, read on.

Get your clients to pay on time

Do not delay sending bills to your clients. If you’re doing this through snail mail, send the bills out earlier. If you’re having a hard time preparing your bills, invest in a franking machine. You can either rent it or buy a brand new machine. There are franking machines made for small businesses so you don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars. You can finish preparing your bills in seconds with the use of a franking machine. You also get discounts from the post office for sending properly franked mail.
Send out email reminders at a set date every month. Assign someone to keep track of your client’s balances and account status. Do not tolerate negligent clients. A bad paying client will eventually kill your business. It might be better to just let them go if they refuse to adhere to your paying standards. Find clients that are responsible with paying their bills.
Always send an invoice the same time you send out products to your customers. If you have an arrangement with your client such as ‘buy now, pay later’, sending an invoice with their order gives them an idea of how much they owe you and when they should pay.

Hold on to your money for as long as you can

Be wary of paying bills earlier than the due date. Sometimes, if you overlap credit card payments, instead of your bank thanking you for the advanced payment, they will charge you for ‘late’ payment for your next bill. This is because they will credit your second payment to the current month’s bill. So, it would look like you didn’t pay for your next bill when in fact you paid in advance. To avoid confusion, just pay your bills on the date printed on your invoice.
The same works for other bills such as overhead bills (electricity, rent, etc) and invoices from suppliers and vendors.
If you are allowing your staff to get a salary advance, stop that practice right now. Not only are you teaching your staff to mismanage their money, you are giving away money that can be invested in more supplies, raw materials or inventory.
Do not buy more than you can handle. Again, this works for office supplies and inventory. Do not buy boxes and boxes of pens or several reams of paper on one go unless you get some very good savings by doing so. As for inventory, it’s no good if it just sits on your shelf. That’s stagnant money. Try to assess the current market so that you can make good decisions when it comes to re-stocking.

Make the most of every day your business is open
Motivate your staff to sell as much as they can on any given day. Again, if there’s inventory sitting on the shelf, that’s sitting money. If you are having a hard time getting rid of old stocks, hold regular sales. If you can afford it, offer a 50% off sale.  What matters is you get back your investment and have the money rolling again.
Analyze your accounting reports. You might find some more ways to keep your cash flow moving and increasing.

If your business sends more than 5 items of mail daily, you can also save money with the use of a franking machine. With this machine you print your postage directly to the envelopes and thus are entitled to a discount. For up to date costs, please visit this site.

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Tips To Become A Successful Contractor

So you finally quit your job and decided that it’s time for you to go freelance. Or, you are still thinking about giving it up and just be a contractor? Being a freelancer/contractor can be a very rewarding experience if you do it right. But, who says you can do it right the first time? There will be things that are out of your control and they can change the way you run your business. You will make some mistakes and you will also learn. Here are a few tips to guide you to become a success in your chosen field.
Is it for you?
Ask yourself this question. Are you willing to forego the security of a monthly salary, the benefits, etc.? Can you finally stand up on your own? Do you have a Plan B in case this does not work out? Or are you willing to do everything to make it work? These are just some of the questions that you need to answer in order to build a successful business.
Be honest
First of all, you must be honest in everything you do. You must be honest to yourself, to your staff and most importantly, to your clients. Being honest with your clients will lead to relationships that will last. You will have return customers when they know that you value honesty in your work. If you can’t do the work, tell them. It is better to set your customer’s expectation right the first time around.
Be flexible
Change will surely come to your business so be ready to adapt. Do not have a “que sera sera” attitude towards your business. Place matters into your own hands. Make the necessary decisions. Learn from your mistakes. Do not stop learning. You need knowledge to be able to survive.
Keep yourself motivated
Now that you are not working in an office, you can easily be distracted and lose focus on your business. Now that you don’t have a boss, it’s easy to just take the day off whenever you want to. But that will hurt your business. You may not see it right now but it will eventually. It’s okay to take one day off or even take the weekend off but skipping work in the middle of the week is wrong. You need to finish what you started. Do things that motivate you go on. Surround yourself with people and things that inspire you to become successful.
Have a plan
Always have a plan. From the start of your business to its end, have a plan. How are you going to start your business? How are you going to grow it? What is your contingency plan? Are you willing to sell your business? Are you going to develop a new business once you sell it or are you going to make branches?
Be accountable
You are now responsible for your business and your staff. You must be accountable for every action that you make. Teach your staff to become accountable for their actions too. Everyone must know their responsibilities and be accountable for it. Your actions may lead to consequences so be careful with what you say or do.
 If you had the guts to make it this far, then have faith in yourself that you can make your business successful. Just keep these tips in mind and you are on your way to making it big.

This article has been brought to you by contractor money, the contractor mortgages specialists.

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How a Mobile App Can Help Your Business

Facebook page? Check. Twitter? Check. Mobile app? If you don’t have a check next to that one, it’s time for a change. Anyone can develop an app, and your business can also create a stellar app to benefit (and market to) your customers. Here’s how a mobile app can help your business.
Direct Connections

A mobile app is a very direct, intimate way to connect with your customers. They’ve demonstrated a real interest in your business by downloading your app onto their phones. Your app serves as a direct portal between you and your customers. With one click, they can connect with you, and you have a way of reaching them through your app that has the potential to be more effective than your website or social media. Your app helps you develop the connection you want with your customers.
Customer Loyalty

Lots of the people who download your app will already be loyal to your business. If your app offers them really great content, it will solidify their opinion of your business and encourage them to continue being your customers. At the same time, a really great app can also convince the customers who are on the fence that you are the superior business in your niche. In addition, if your app makes it very easy for your customers to make a purchase from you, they’re likely to continue using your app rather than bother with downloading a competitor’s app or visiting a competitor’s website.
New Business

Hopefully your current customers aren’t the only ones who download your app. If your app offers something that’s exclusive to members, however, it might be. But most good apps can appeal to many different people. They’ll be helped or entertained by your content as the primary reason for their downloads, but hopefully many of those people will turn into customers after being impressed by your app. If not, you’ve still introduced them to your business and your brand.
Coupon Distribution

People sure love coupons, and many people will download apps that will save them money. Your app could offer coupons as one feature of it, or coupons and discounts could be its sole purpose. Either way, you have a lot of options for using your mobile app to distribute coupons. It could be as simple as posting coupons to print or show in your store or coupon codes for online checkout. You could get a little fancier and use a loyalty program that allows people to earn discounts through your app, such as by playing a game or checking in at your store using the phone’s GPS.
Data Collection

Your mobile app also gives you a great way to collect data about your customers. You can give them the opportunity to opt-in to your email list, for example, and you can ask them to provide a little bit of their demographic information. You can also make it an easy way for people to give you feedback on their experiences with your business. Don’t overdo it, however, or they’ll tire of it quickly.

This and many other educational articles helping web professionals understand the challenges of the web have been prepared for you by Travis Lee thanks to SEOMap - the keyword strategy experts.

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