Spiga

Six Sigma In A Small Business

Writen by Tony Jacowski

As a small business owner, you will eventually sense the need for Six Sigma implementation in your business. Typically, yours is a 3-5 year old company on the threshold of expanding your operations to meet the growing customer expectations but is cornered to optimize your resources on generating more sales than anything else. Small companies in the bracket of 50-100 employees (most of them being non technical) and revenue of $10-15 million find themselves in this fix. The predicament at this stage is one of a person who is caught between a tiger and cliff.

Finding A Way Out Of The Jam

The situation needs to be given a rational thought concerning how many resources can be afforded and whether the time has really come for Six Sigma. The cost of hiring consultants being hardly affordable, you have to explore options like hiring a Black Belt and having some of your employees trained in-house for Green Belt positions.

What you probably don't want to miss out on in hiring an experienced Black Belt, although expensive, are the benefits you get because of her/his domain knowledge and experience. Her proven track record will have the best chances of outweighing the initial cost benefit of grooming in-house Black Belts. An experienced Black Belt helps by bringing the focus immediately into a pressing issue on hand which is crucially important to the organization. Alternately, your best man with brilliant analytical and leadership skills may be trained as a Black Belt, and you may enroll in a Champion Session.

The trouble with this kind of an arrangement is whether you can afford to lose your best person from his current job. Enrolling Black Belts, can be an option for you, but you must realize that it takes some time before the new Black Belts get acclimatized with your scheme of things. At the same time, Green Belts, most often being part-time, don't need to be of high skill. Choosing a few reasonable persons from your organization will suffice. A great Black Belt can take minor shortcomings of Green Belts in stride and things will eventually balance out.

Resolving The Issue Of The Master Black Belt

Even an experienced Black Belt will need the support of a Master Black Belt. The vacuum can be felt typically when the Black Belt finds herself in a logjam. A typical case could be one of technical or organizational reasons. But hiring Master Black Belts is a costly proposal. Secondly, growing and training Master Black Belts in house is also impractical. You will have to hire a consulting Master Black Belt.

But getting a professional is not easy, especially when many of them are more interested in increasing 'their-hours-in-work' than in the task. You can consult your state's 'Manufacturing Extension Programs' or a trusted contact to refer you to a consulting Master Black Belt. In any case, with you at the helm of affairs, you will know when to pull the plug when something is not working out.

Caution Is The Word

Probably you would want to go one project at a time. Assessing your progress at intervals should direct the course of action. Brainstorm with your internal team to decide on activities to go for Six Sigma and which of the activities are measurable. Establishing measurability and metrics beforehand is important.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Learning And Growing

Writen by Tresaca Hamilton

As you reflect on this year and prepare for next year, what are the lessons you have learned in business and how do you plan to use those lessons to grow your business in the year ahead?

And remember, in every challenge there is opportunity for growth so even if you had a challenging year it can be a stepping stone to success.

I know the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can seem overwhelming when you try to factor in end of year business planning.

So simplify this very important task by focusing on the Top Three Lessons you have learned and how you will apply your newfound wisdom towards improving and growing your business.

If you didn't meet your financial goals this year what lessons have you learned that will help you accomplish that goal next year?

Create more income streams if you relied too heavily on one source of income.

Eliminate the activities that took up a lot of your time and provided little to no return on investment. Increase the activities that provided a good return on investment, and duplicate and increase your success with similar activities.

Select your top three lessons and then ask yourself the following questions:

1. What have I learned from this experience?

2. If it was unpleasant, what can I do to prevent future occurrences?

3. If it was pleasant, what can I do to experience this success on an ongoing basis?

4. How can I use this experience to grow my business?

This is just a start but you only need to take a step to move forward.

Give yourself the gift of time now and reflect upon your lessons learned this year. When this year comes to a close take only the wisdom from those lessons and apply them to your goals for next year.

Leave any bad feelings about any challenges you had this year behind when the curtain falls on this year, and stay focused on the growth of your business and yourself when the curtain rises on the new year.

Remember that every challenge is an opportunity for growth and can be a stepping stone towards success.

So stay focused on your success as you step into the New Year.

Copyright 2005 Black Unicorn Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Tresaca Hamilton is the CEO of Black Unicorn Communications. Black Unicorn Communications helps Service Businesses attract more clients in less time.

Visit http://www.blackunicorninc.com to receive our free Business Success Toolkit including the free course: 7 Steps To More Clients.

Avoid Costly Mistakes When Starting A Vending Machine Business

Writen by Max Woody

1. Don't get ripped off when buying your vending machines, I will show you how to find the best companies!

2. Proven techiques for finding the best accounts that generate the biggest profits!

My name is Max Woody and I'm the President of Best Choice Vending, Inc., located in Durham, NC. My company has provided Vending Machine service to this area for over 10 years.

I first started my vending machine business in 1995 with just a few machines and turned it into a full time business within 6 months. I can tell you from experience that lack of knowledge when starting a vending business can be very costly & stessful.

Finding the solid & reputible companies to purchase machines from and getting the high volume accounts are two of the most important steps you will ever make in starting your vending business!

Step 1- Choosing the right company when buying vending equipment!

Many people make the "huge mistake" of purchasing the wrong vending equipment or even worse buying from companies that will rip you off. Purchase your vending machine equipment from solid & reputable manufactures.

Buy from companies with a proven track record. Ask plenty of questions. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau and your Attorney Generals Office.

Deal with companies that have been around for many years.You must be able to depend on these companies, because in the future you may need to order parts for your vending machines.

You must deal with companies that stand behind their equipment. Find out if the company offers technical support.

Most companies offer technical support in case you experience problems with your equipment and need trouble shooting assistance.

Companies that sell vending equipment normally provide a standard 1 year warranty on the equipment. This warranty should cover parts that may go bad on the equipment within the warranty period.

Also, ask if the company provides any type of financing on their machines. Many companies that manufacture vending equipment also provide what they call "in house financing".

Step 2- Finding the high volume accounts!

One the best ways for getting customers is to visit the well established companies in your area first. Ask to speak with the person in charge of the vending service. This is normally a manager or even the owner.

Also, when looking for companies to place your machines with, try finding ones that operate more than one shift. The 24 hour 7 day a week companies provide the best profit potential.

When talking to potential customers, find out the type of problems their experiencing with the current vending service. Explain how your machines or service can provide the solution to that problem.

Many times companies have older machines that just don't work well and take money without giving the item people paid for.

Also, the larger vending companies don't seem to provide the more personal service as a smaller vending company just starting out. As a smaller company you have an advantage over the larger ones with the quality of service you can provide.

===========================================================
Visit my website to get more time & money saving techinues for starting your vending business! Also, get a free vending mini course! FREE Vending Mini Course:==> http://www.bestvendinginfo.com
============================================================

Max Woody is a vending machine business owner that has over 10 years experience in the vending business. Max has developed one of the best systems available for starting and operating a high volume cash profit business!

Fast Merchant Account Services

Writen by Shane Penrod

Fast merchant account services might be the answer to your dreams if you aspire to build a corporate empire. When you check out the various lines of merchant services that can help you do business more efficiently, you are apt to find one that is affordable as well as compatible with your current growth plan.

You need not wait for a long, drawn-out process of applying for a loan or building credentials to improve your professional standing within your community or in the business community. All you have to do is apply for fast merchant account services that can help you upgrade your company's methods of dealing with customers to provide prompt, efficient, accurate responses to inquiries, orders, and payments. Often when you apply, you can get an online or email answer within hours or days. It can depend on how complete your application is, so be sure to have all the required information on hand when your apply for your new merchant account.

When you adopt a fast merchant account, your customers will begin to benefit immediately. As soon as you upgrade to a new credit card processing system or a wireless ordering program, it is likely that you will experience an increase in sales volume and profit margin from your client base. Another potential benefit is that your current clients may tell others about your company's expansion, which may bring others into the facility or at least prompt inquiries about your product or services. Before you know it, your client base may have multiplied into several times its original size.

Although you don't want to make many hasty decisions about your company, applying for a fast merchant account can be a step in the right direction. After browsing several merchant account providers online, you can choose from among the numerous services and products that can help you upgrade your business to the next professional level. In a matter of days your company may be able to boast a brand new Internet Website. Customers from around the world will be able to locate your company, browse your products or services, and order instantly without the need for employee assistance. You can save money in human resources while reaping benefits in your newly expanded global market by signing up for a fast merchant account from a reputable company. You may be able to add a product line to the Website that you currently do not have physical space locally for selling this line of goods.

Your new merchant account can put you leagues ahead of the competition that may not be aware of the advantages that come with merchant account status. Make time to find out more about this exciting opportunity for taking your company to the next level. See what various companies can offer in terms of specific operating or marketing services. Compare prices, installation fees, maintenance terms, and discounts to work out the best deal. Then put your business future into the hands of a competent merchant services provider when you sign up for your personalized fast merchant account.

Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com

Record Keeping For Small Business Advantages And Tips

Writen by Alexander Gordon

In order to be a success in the business world, you need to keep track of all the sales, proceeds, and turnover of your business. Here we are discussing what you need to know about record keeping for small business: methods, indicators, and advantages.

Advantages of Record Keeping for Small Businesses
There are several advantages to keeping proper records of transactions for your small business.

Financial Statements
Financial records help you prepare financial statements. These records are needed when borrowing from a lending agency or getting audits done.

Business Analysis
Financial Statements help you in business analysis and in checking the health of your small business. You can see which sectors are bringing in more profits and where your business is suffering losses.

Cash Flow
Proper records help you keep track of the cash flow to your small business and of the sources of payment.

Tax Returns
While filing tax returns, a detailed financial record helps you keep track of your expenditures and file for appropriate rebates.

Because record keeping is so crucial to almost all aspects of your small business, what is the optimal way of keeping records? The following section discusses some record keeping tips.

Tips for Record Keeping
Update Daily
Daily updates keep you from being buried under a mountain of paperwork at the end of the month or at the end of the financial year.

File Receipts Under Proper Headings
Keep track of who gave you which receipt, when, and why.

Keep a Record of Expenses
Keep track of all your expenses and where and when you spend money.

Different Businesses If you own more than one small business, keep separate records for each.

Documents Needed for Record Keeping
You need to file certain documents in the proper places if you wish to maintain a proper record of your finances. Purchases, sales, payrolls, and receipts must be preserved safely. Keep a separate folder for these documents. Keep records of bank receipts, cash register bills, and credit card receipts that are proof of your income. Suppliers' receipts document your buying and selling transactions. These receipts should also be filed separately. Keep documents related to business expenses. Small cash payments should also be recorded, and you should have a cash disbursement slip ready. Documents related to assets, both movable and immovable, should be preserved so that it makes auditing and accounting easy. If your small business employs other people, you should keep employee compensation records.

Record keeping is crucial if you want to have a clear idea of your financial transactions and save yourself the trouble of locating misplaced documents when it is time to pay taxes. If you need help with record keeping, you can hire the services of a small business advisor or take appropriate software.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining "The Community of Small Business Owners" to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

Small Business Marketing Tip Ask Employees To Find The Extra Inch

Writen by Craig Lutz-Priefert

Asking an employee to go the extra mile often seems like so much hype from a boss. But asking them to uncover little ways in which they can almost effortlessly help to make a customer's experience better in your shop can be much less difficult-and even more productive.

Here is a very simple exercise that can pay off huge dividends if it helps differentiate you from your competition. Ask your Bloom Team staff to look outside your business for ways for you to go that extra inch to make the customer experience better.

Successful small business marketing relies on leveraging your brainpower much more than your wallet-power. When you are ready, hand each of your Bloom Team members a small, recipe-card sized piece of paper they can carry with them during the next month that has something similar to this written on it:

(Headline:) Outside Examples of "Going the Extra Inch" for the Customer:

  • _______________
  • _______________
  • _______________

Then just bring up the idea occasionally at staff meetings during "Extra Inch" month. The benefit of having a piece of paper or note card the employee carries is that they will be reminded when they pull it out of their purse or wallet that they should be looking for "extra inch examples" while they are out and about doing their own shopping.

The idea is to secure five or six new "extra inch for the customer" ideas via staff input. If you can implement even one or two of these in your small company's customer interactions then the staff's time in searching these ideas out will be worth it.

Plus, these ideas will have greater acceptance by your employees--since they came up with them in the first place.

Remember: Brand (who you are) + Package (your Face to the Customer) + People (customers and employees) = Marketing Success.

© 2006 Marketing Hawks

Craig Lutz-Priefert is President of Marketing Hawks, a firm providing essential marketing vision for small business. Marketing Hawks also sponsors the ongoing small business adventures of entrepreneur Crystal Trino at the JourneyToday website.

Preventive Care For Your Business

Writen by Donna MacMillan

We have all seen the articles, TV ads and listened to our doctor's advice to take preventive measures with our health. We have yearly checkups and tests with our doctor and dentist. We try to eat the right foods and get some exercise all in the effort of keeping ourselves healthy. We also take this way of thinking into the care of our vehicles and homes. Oil changes every 3000 miles or as recommended by the manufacturer, filter changes and tire rotations are just some of the regular tasks we ask our car mechanics to perform to keep us on the road. We call in the heating specialist once a year to service our heating systems, if we have septic systems, we have them pumped before we run into trouble, our driveways are re-surfaced and our lawns and gardens are fed, watered, mowed and weeded. These are all tasks scheduled and done to prevent costly repairs which when they happen are almost always at the most inconvenient time.

And yet in what maybe the most important area for preventive maintenance does not get scheduled. Your business and how efficiently and profitable it is running should be right up there with your car and home. And if you take care of the small issues as they arise, your health will certainly improve with the resulting stress reduction.

You can bring continuing success to your business by giving it a regular checkup by a professional. You may ask Aunt Alice how to deal with a cold, but I certainly would hope you would not rely on her for a diagnosis of pneumonia. Likewise in your business. There are tests to be conducted, questions to be asked and knowledgeable advice to consider. You are busy running your business and taking care of your clients because that is your job. A professional business consultant can look at your business with an eye to the future and provide you with a road map to your company's future success. Good decisions made today will make huge differences in the tomorrows to come. You depend on the pros's to take care of your personal needs, don't you think your business deserves the same considerations?

Copyright all rights reserved Bookkeeping R Us 2006

Take Your Small Business Ideas To The Next Level

Writen by Ove Nordkvist

More than 70% of the people in a recent survey said that they wanted to turn their small business ideas in to a business of their own. What stops most of them is the lack of business experience.

Here we will examine what's most important, and what type of qualities you'll need to have or gain. Before you enter the road towards realization of your small business ideas.

The biggest asset, and by far the most important in the event of become a successful small business owner, is to have or develop a positive attitude. A wise man once said "your attitude will determine your altitude". When you pursue your dream and reverse it into reality, you'll need a positive attitude. You also must be able to commit and be willing to do what ever it takes to make your dream come true.

Many people start their small business with high motivation. Only to loose all of it at sight of the first obstacle. Don't fall into that trap. Prepare yourself with a big portion of positive attitude. If you do, it will take you through all the humps and temporary setbacks you're bound to face.

A majority of people with small business ideas and dreams of an own business. Are not prepared to face any of the problems they will reach. Therefor they look for an easy way out. They quit. Which also means their dreams are crushed. To avoid this scenario, you need to develop a fierce determination of success. You will increase your chances of achieving your goals. You're literally set yourself up for business.

Of course no one can guarantee that your dreams will come true. But to have the determination to push forward through problems. And to have the good habit of finding solutions. That my friend, is true marks of a winner. These qualities will help you to accomplish what you desire. People without determination and the right attitude will close the door and call it a failure.

Now, to be able to realize your small business ideas. The final thing you'll need is a proved process. You need a step by step plan, that you can follow to accomplish your dreams. You need a map, that others have used, to reach the same destination you want to be at.

It will not help you to have a positive attitude and loads of determination, if you have a plan that's flawed and never had a chance of working in the first place. Look for proof that other people have succeeded, with the system you are considering.

Don't trust the promoter when he claim that the system will work for you. You have to demand results from other users. You need proof that it's possible to accomplish your small business ideas with the considered plan.

The only way you can measure success is by results. If the plan you consider can't show real results by others. Look for another solution. do your homework once again. It's what you have to do, to make sure you get of to a good start.

If you need help with small business ideas, you're welcome to visit Ove Nordkvist's web site. Take advantage of the many free e-books, tools and resources. Go to www.small-biz-ideas.net

Small Business Risk How To Avoid It

Writen by David Gass

One of the best ways to separate business and personal financial interests is to have your business become incorporated. This step will immediately reduce personal liabilities for any of the debts and responsibilities of the business from the owners or operators of the business. To become incorporated means to create a wall between these interests so that the business can operate free from personal interests and the person or individuals do not have to bear all of the responsibility for being in business.

To become incorporated also means that there is an agreement to operate the business under a series of specified conditions. They include separating the ambitions and interests of a number of groups who may stand to gain or lose from the operations of the business. Each group is provided rights and bears some of the responsibility for the ultimate success or failure of the corporation.

The owners of a corporation are the shareholders. They can purchase or be granted shares in the corporation and they hold the legal ownership of the corporation as specified in the articles of incorporation. The shareholders in a business that has become incorporated elect a Board of Directors to oversee the corporation and also elect the Officers of the corporation such as the President, Chief Operating Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Officers are responsible for the day to day operations of the corporation and the Board of Directors oversees their work. The Board reports on business activities to the shareholders at a general meeting which must be held every year.

The step to become incorporated is a sign of maturity for a business, especially a small business. Many successful businesses also operate as LLCs or limited liability companies, an action that accomplishes many of the same objectives as the move to become incorporated. Others opt for the even simpler processes of registering as a sole proprietor or partnership, both of which cost far less than the somewhat lengthy process to become incorporated, however they lose the liability protection and some tax benefits.

A good business lawyer can help evaluate the decision to become incorporated and a qualified accountant can provide information on the tax advantages and possible downsides of moving in this direction. Once a decision is made to become incorporated then articles of incorporation must be filed with the state in which the business will become incorporated.

That might be the business's home state or the state in which a majority of the Board of Directors reside, or it can be in a state that provides certain advantages and tax breaks if a business chooses to incorporate there.

David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc., founder of http://www.SmallBusinessConsulting.com and co-developer of the Corporate Manager Software which manages the records of a Corporation or LLC. For a Free Trial of the software visit http://www.corporateforms.net

Watch American Idol Or Go Out Of Business

Writen by Jimmy Vee

On the heels of the fifth season of Fox's Americana-mega-monster American Idol, small business owners have a huge opportunity to leverage Fox's fortune into their own and put big bucks into the bank in the process.

We are making a powerful plea to small business owners, Watch American Idol or go out of business.

In order for small business owners to garner maximum pull and penetration with their generally small marketing budgets, it is vitally important to enter into the conversation that is already going on inside your customers' heads.

It is much easier to sell a prospect if you are in sync with what they are already thinking and talking about. Plus, by tapping into their current thoughts and emotions your message will penetrate deeper and make a longer lasting and more powerful impact.

What does American Idol and small business have in common and how does that factor into the conversation that is currently going on?

Fox's blockbuster fifth season of American Idol is slated to reach some 27.5 million viewers. How many of these viewers are your prospects? Chances are a good number of them. Tying into media, news and pop culture events are a secret marketing hammer that small businesses can use for little cost to propel themselves into pseudo-local celebrity status. For instance, you can create ads, events and promotions that relate to your customers' existing thoughts. It's such a powerful tool, yet one that is far under-utilized by small businesses and entrepreneurs.

According to the US Small Business Administration, over 500,000 new small businesses are born each year. But as many as 50% fail in their very first year of life (http://tinyurl.com/cusne). According to Vee and Miller, these daunting figures are a direct consequence of the below-average marketing efforts employed by small businesses across the nation – and the fact that most marketing fails to connect with the intended target at a personal, emotional and relevant level.

Our recommendation for the salvation of any small business: The American Idol Phenomenon. By watching American Idol and other reality TV, you can be more in-tune with the pulse of the nation. Even if you don't like the crooning divas yourself, you can gain a marketing education worth millions by paying attention to pop culture.

Studies show that the American Idol audience (and the Reality TV audience in general) is not limited to the teen-age crowd. Members of almost every segment, age and demographic are partaking in the festivities offered by prime-time reality. It's consuming their thoughts and desires.

Paying attention to what your prospects are watching and thinking about is one strategy that small business owners can use for low- to no-cost that can really put substantial sales on the board and dollars in the bank.

Here are three no-cost and simple research tools that small business owners can use to tap into the conversations of their potential prospects in addition to watching reality TV:

1. Use the Google Press Center at http://www.google.com/zeitgeist. This site shows the top searches on google for the past week. These searches give you an immense insight into what is on people's minds right now.

2. Do a search on Amazon.com and see what books are at the top of the best sellers list. These titles may give you clues to hot buttons you can hit with your marketing. Often times book titles can be tweaked and used as potent headlines for your advertisements.

3. Do a search on eBay. eBay is the net's top marketplace with transactions totaling over $48 million dollars per day. Do a quick search. See what the top categories are and the hottest products being purchased. You can learn something from this information and use it to your marketing advantage. Perhaps a contest or give-a-way or a new market to get into.

If you are a small business owner, solo sales representative or marketing professional and are tired of doing the same old boring marketing that gets no results and wastes your precious time, energy and cash then scoot on over to http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com and join the herds of others who devour Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller's Mission Control Marketing Newsletter.

In addition to learning more about The American Idol Phenomenon you will discover other juicy bits of marketing insight that will enable you to naturally attract new customers quickly and effortlessly – like gravity pulls objects to earth. Vee and Miller also have a new DVD and e-book that reveal their secret methods of Gravitational Marketing and expose how your business can be sensational and become famous on a limited budget.

If you are a small business owner, solo sales representative or marketing professional and are tired of doing the same old boring marketing that gets no results and wastes your precious time, energy and cash then scoot on over to http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com and join the herds of others who devour Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller's Mission Control Marketing Newsletter.

You will discover other juicy bits of marketing insight that will enable you to naturally attract new customers quickly and effortlessly – like gravity pulls objects to earth. Vee and Miller also have a new DVD and e-book that reveal their secret methods of Gravitational Marketing and expose how your business can be sensational and become famous on a limited budget.

The Value Of Web Presence For Small Businesses

Writen by Natalie Aranda

Undoubtedly, the internet can make the difference between a successful small business and one ignored by customers. Due to the global nature of the Internet surpassing physical frontiers between nations, and even making it unnecessary to use printed business cards when they can easily be hosted online.

Web presence can make small businesses more competitive from any angle, allowing you to understand new trends, as well as discover opportunities and problems without wasting time. A small business with Internet presence improves your opportunity to connect with a number of suppliers and customers that otherwise might not be possible in your local area.

Furthermore, traditional printed business cards including an Internet address, not only opens a new range of possibilities to succeed, but also is a way to increase your communications, showing an appealing professional appearance, no matter how big or small your business or company is actually.

In fact, you will be surprised to see prospective clients seeking what they want through search engines. Others might check for URLs in business cards instead of browsing the printed yellow pages, because a web presence translates is synonym to having a shop or booth in every corner of the world, where every individual or small business can have the same presence as the big enterprises.

Of course, budget, skills, knowledge and other Internet resources determine the performance of every small business online. However, it will always be beneficial to develop your business web presence if you want to get customers from every location around the world or, as a practical alternative, you can create online business cards for you, your partners and employees.

On the Internet, you will find a number of websites offering both services, development of your web presence and creating your online business cards, ranging from low-mid prices to those unaffordable for people who are just starting a new business venture. However, you do not need a big budget to start.

There are a number of free Web hosting services that will gladly give you web space to develop your presence. If you have no idea how to create a website, they usually have facilities called online tools or web site builders, allowing you to create a nice looking page with just a small amount of information regarding your small business, products and services.

If you do not feel comfortable with those tools, there are other options for you. If you want to create only a business card that looks like real printed business cards, you can always get free or cheap web templates, coming in a variety of designs and only requiring your information to be uploaded, which will create your web presence instantly.

Natalie Aranda writes about business, technology and online payment options. On the Internet, you will find a number of websites offering both services, development of your web presence and creating your online business cards, ranging from low-mid prices to those unaffordable for people who are just starting a new business venture. However, you do not need a big budget to start.

What Is Small Business Administration In A Nutshell

Writen by Bill Darken

Small Business Administration is an organization funded by the American government which provides loans to entrepreneurs and businessmen to set up their small businesses. In addition to that the organization also provides some grants and training for the efficient running of business. Another important feature is that they provide legal and administrative help in establishing a business to entrepreneurs who are likely to get entangled in the web of laws and taxes if they do not have proper guidance along the way.

They conduct various training for different sets of audiences like entrepreneurs, women business ownership and international trade.

The most used and availed service however is one of obtaining loans and grants for doing business. Apart from giving loans out themselves, Small Business Administration will also stand as surety for people and help them get loans from elsewhere. In the case of natural disasters the organization also provides members with grants so that they can 'get going' again and are able to face troubled times.

Small Business Administration also helps businesses in contracting and it ranges from Business Development, HUB Zone and Government contracting to name a few.

The organization also helps businesses to deal with Advocacy and law related matters.

How do I get in touch with the Small Business Administration?

You can get in touch with them by visiting their website and calling up their number and speaking with an associate their. Apart from this the site has also got a local office locater which you can use to track down the office that is closest to you and then call them up, make an appointment and meet them in person.

I need helping in understanding business better?

While Small Business Administration takes care of loans and helps out people who have been turned down at other places for money, they also deal with a whole host of educational material and training programs. These training programs are aimed at people who want to learn more about the different functions of business.

What can I learn using SBA:

You will find resources that will help you to learn about the basics in starting up your business, such as understanding what are the various forms of ownership, checklists, understanding how franchise works and also knowledge about product basics.

Planning is an important aspect and you will be guided on things like writing a business plan, understanding what business you are in and the ways in which you are going to use this plan.

Financing is probably the most important part for without it the business will not take off. You will need to know where to look for capital, how to estimate costs and understand financial statements.

Small Business Administration also deals with education about marketing and the various forms of keeping your customers happy, conducting research and doing competitive analysis.

Employees will make or break your company and any help on finding the right people, what to pay them and what is needed to retain them is welcome.

Legal aspects like licenses and permits and business laws need the understanding of an expert and you would definitely seek some guidance in this area.

Taxes like State Tax, local tax , Sales and Use tax not only form a big part of your cost structure. If not handled carefully, it could get you on the wrong side of the law as well. It is therefore imperative to seek the utmost clarity here.

As is seen above when you are going to do your own business there is a host of things that you need to take care of and Small Business Administration can help you there, over and above getting the money for you to start off. What is important to keep in mind is that most entrepreneurs and business men are most of the times busy just scampering for funds that they lose track of most of the other things that happen and because of that, one thing or the other will go wrong and they will unfortunately have to repent later.

If you are managing a small business chances are that it's a one man show and apart from planning and strategizing you have to do the running around after suppliers and authorities to get the necessary approvals etc. In such cases it is best to leverage on the experience of an organization like the Small Business Administration.

This article has been supplied courtesy of Billy Baxter. Billy often writes and works closely with Small Business Answers who can help with more information on small business administration loans. If the link is not active, you can paste this one into your browser - small-business-answers.com/ This site is dedicated to supplying the latest news and articles on small business to assist people progressing and to help with information and news. You can also look for small business loans information at small business administration grants. If this previous link is not working you can paste this link into your browser, loans-only.com/

Accept Visa Credit Cards

Writen by Shane Penrod

Should you accept Visa credit card payments? Why not? More and more often, merchants are coming to appreciate the ease with which a credit card payment system can be implemented in their business through a merchant services account. Customers love the convenience of paying by credit, especially when cash flow is low or temporarily restricted. Letting them pay with plastic will allow your clients to enjoy greater flexibility in shopping for goods at your company and paying on their own terms.

If you decide to accept Visa credit card transactions, you will first need to secure a merchant services account. This is not hard to do. Just check with any of several merchant account providers, usually banks or lenders of some sort, to inquire about terms and costs. When you find a plan that suits your business and your customers' needs, you are ready to apply for the account. Most lenders want to be sure that you have a good credit history and are capable of making monthly payments to the account. They typically do not want to deal with a company that is involved with unethical or unsavory business operations.

When you receive a merchant services account, you are ready to accept Visa credit card payments. You will want to implement a system that will best fit your company's system. For example, if you handle a high volume of telephone sales, you may want to install a digital phone ordering system, with or without the support of a customer service representative who will be on call during hours of operation. But if you do a lot of traveling with your business, such as pizza delivery or consulting work, you may be more interested in securing a wireless credit processor that can go with you for point-of-sale credit processing. Perhaps a pager would be a better way to transfer credit transactions. You also may be interested in an e-check or debit processor. The possibilities are exciting, so choose carefully to avoid overextending your business and decreasing profit margins.

Another way to accept Visa credit card transactions is by establishing a Website. You can hire a Web consultant to put up a site for you, or you can learn to do it yourself. Your merchant services account will provide the means of letting the site accept credit card payments from customers anywhere in the world. Customers from any time zone can browse your site at any time, entering credit card payment through your secure Website. Your revenues can increase substantially when you add this credit card option to your marketing strategies. Your Website can include color photos of products, price lists, testimonials, product reviews, and other features that will bring customers back again and again to sample your wares. Then when they are ready to buy, your online credit processor is ready to accommodate them.

Don't wait to implement e-commerce in your business. Start browsing the possibilities today to find out how much they cost with a merchant services account. Before long you can accept Visa credit card transactions that will make your customers happy and your profits jump.

Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. Accept Visa Credit Card Payments

The Caymen Offshore Company

Writen by Bruce Stander

There are five types of companies that may be registered in the Cayman Islands – resident companies, non-resident companies, exempted companies, limited duration companies and foreign companies. They may be incorporated with members' liability limited by shares, guarantee as unlimited companies, or as non-profit organizations.

Exempted Corporation

Exempted companies are identities where the proposed activities of a company are to be carried out mainly outside the Islands. The most appropriate use of offshore transactions is the exempt company which is prohibited from doing business in the Cayman Islands except in pursuance of its offshore business.

Benefits the Exempted Corporation:

An exempted company:

  • need not keep a register of members, nor file annual returns with the Registrar
  • need not hold an annual general meeting
  • Has written guarantee that if taxes ever be introduced in the Islands the company will be exempt for an initial period of 20 years, which period can be increased to 30 years.
  • May alter its Memorandum and Articles of Association without restriction.
  • may issue shares with nominal or no par value, and which can be either negotiable

    or non-negotiable annual meetings must be held once a year in the islands by the company's board of directors

Annual Returns:

The annual return to the Registrar is a simple matter, requiring only the declaration that:

  • No changes, other than those notified to the Registrar, have been made in the Memorandum of Association
  • The provisions of the Companies Law have been observed
  • The company's operations have been mainly outside the Islands
  • An exempted company need not include the word "Limited" after its name
  • The Registrar must give one month's notice before taking action to strike off an exempted company
  • An exempted company may express its capital in any currency

Incorporation of an Exempted Company Corporate name

A name can be reserved for 30 days.

Any of the following words or abbreviations can not be included:

Chamber of Commerce
Building Society
Royal
Imperial
Empire
Municipal
Chartered
Mutual fund
No name may contain the words "co-operative", "assurance", "bank", "trust", "Insurance or any similar word which in the opinion of the

Registrar connotes any of such activities or any derivative of any of such four words or of such similar words, whether in English or in any other language, or in the opinion of the Registrar suggests or is calculated to suggest any of such activities.

Corporation Registration

They are able to arrange the registration of an exempt company on a same day basis although it will usually take a day or two for the co stating documents to be returned to us.

Resolutions or Amendments

All special resolutions of the company including the change of name of a company or amending the Memorandum or Articles of Association must be filed with the Registrar of Companies within 15 days. A resolution changing directors and officers of the company or changing the registered office of the company must be filed with the Registrar of Companies within 30 days. In addition, an exempt company is required to hold an annual meeting of the directors once a year in the Cayman Islands, and to file an annual return. Alternate directors who approve and file the annual return usually hold the annual meeting. This satisfies the requirement to hold a meeting in the Cayman Islands without actually requiring the directors to come to the Cayman Islands.

Banks, Insurance, and Trust companies Banks, insurance, re-insurance and trust companies may be registered as exempt companies provided they are licensed accordingly.

Capital and Members

The minimum government incorporation fee allows for a share capital of up to US$960,000.00 (US$900,000 for an exempted company) which is, therefore, the authorised share capital most commonly chosen by companies. There are no minimum capitalisation requirements (other than for banks, trust companies and insurance companies).

Shares

Cayman Islands companies may issue shares of different classes and designations such as preferred, common or

Confidentiality

The Register of Shareholders of an exempt company is a confidential document, which may be held at the registered office of the company or at any other place within or outside the Cayman Islands.

Directors and Officers

A minimum of two directors is usually appointed (one director can serve as secretary). There are no nationality or residence requirements for directors.

The subscribers of the Memorandum and Articles of Association appoint the first directors of the company. After that, the shareholders or the existing directors appoint directors for such term as determined by the shareholders or the shareholders or the directors. If not, unfilled positions can be filled by a resolution of the shareholders or of a remaining director. The directors generally elect the officers.

Generally the Register Agent require all directors, officers and members of an exempt company to provide them with two business references each to meet our internal due diligence requirements. If the company intends to be licensed by the Cayman Islands Government, the directors, officers and shareholders (who are natural persons) will be required to complete and file with the Monetary Authority a personal questionnaire in which they will be required among other things to demonstrate their relevant experience in the respective business.

The Register of Directors and Officers in not a public documents, although copies of the registers are filed with the Registrar of Companies.

The Articles of Association of a company may be drafted to permit a director or officer of a company to bind the company and directors and officers have ostensible authority to bind the company.

It is normal for the Articles of Association of a company to permit the Resolutions of the directors to be passed by unanimous consent in writing. Similarly this is normally permissible for shareholders resolution as well.

Meetings

Shareholders must assemble at least once a year at a general meeting. The shareholders' meetings can be held anywhere in the world.

The Articles of Association of an exempt company will define the quorum required at a meeting of the shareholders or the Board of Directors.

The use of proxies or of alternate directors who are local residents can meet this requirement. Directors have the right to appoint a company manager. If the Memorandum and Articles so provide, a meeting of members or directors is considered valid if only one person is present.

The Articles of an exempt company will define the notice the notice period required for meetings of the company.

Books and Registers

A simple exempt company, which has no licenses, will not require to file annual accounts.

An exempt company is required to maintain a register of directors, officers and mortgages and charges at its registered office and a register of members at any place within or outside the Cayman Islands.

It is normal for an exempt company to obtain a company seal, which normally kept at the registered office of the company.

Duplicate seals may be authorised by the company and may be kept at a location approved by the directors of the company. A Company is not required to obtain a seal and pursuant to Cayman Islands law all documents, which were required to be sealed may now be executed as deeds and are not required to be sealed.

An exempt company is required to file an Annual Government Return, and to pay an annual fee to maintain its good standing. In addition an exempt company will normally pay an annual registered office fee. There is no taxes payable by an exempt company and the company may apply to the Executive Council of Government for a tax undertaking. When obtained this guarantees to company exemption from taxes for a period of twenty years from the date of issue.

The information that is available to the public is the following:
Company Name
Date of Incorporation
Company type (i.e. exempt, non-resident etc.)
Company Status (i.e. active or inactive)
Name and Address of registered office
Company Number

Bruce Stander is the Director of UK based Worldwide Corporate Services, specialists in offshore company formation.

Small Business Computer Consulting Finding The Right Prospects

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

If you are starting a small business computer consulting firm, you should know that the small business accounts that have 10 to 50 PC's are going to have at least one branch office.

Prospects of this size are used to using professional technology providers and this isn't the first time they've had to hire a small business computer consulting firm. Organizations like this have a willingness to pay for support.

Does Your Prospect Have In-House IT?

However, if they have in-house IT, you should learn what they need you for. Is it for a very deep specialty or for an extremely unusual case where they want to outsource everything?

Researching Prospective Clients

To find prospects for your small business computer consulting firm you should Google towns in your area, ZIP and postal codes, area code and telephone prefixes. Additionally, these prospects will usually belong to a local or regional chamber of commerce or similar organization.

To meet some of these people and market your small business computer consulting firm, you can join the organizations or attend as a guest.

Know Where to Find Your Prospects

Your prospects will likely have presence at business to business events, so you can also attend these events to market your small business computer consulting firm.

Since your target clients will often be covered in the business section of your local publications, you'll want to subscribe to these or read them at the library.

The Bottom Line about Small Business Computer Consulting

If you want to narrow down your focus to the best small businesses in the area, consider networking at local events and reading up on these businesses in your local publications. You want to pay attention to the criteria above and ensure you can identify your prospects right off the bat.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, PC Support Tips .com. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg helps small business technology providers get more steady, high-paying PC support clients. Sign-up now to get your free access to Joshua's field-tested, proven secrets for generating more monthly recurring service-contract-revenue with PC Support Tips.

Fleet Washing Expansion Considerations

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many times small businesses want to expand their businesses and are not sure when the best time to do that might be. The key of course is cash flow. Will your current and brand new accounts afford you the cash flow to expand? Let us run thru a scenario with you and just so you know this is good advice, I own the Truck Wash Guys and have been doing this a while. Each time a franchisee wished to expand and ask for advice, I would look at their situation and determine if it was a wise idea. Sometimes it was, but often it was not. So let us look a hypothetical scenario for a moment:

Well let's consider. You have two new fleet accounts, one with twenty buses at let's say $10.00 each from a summer day camp for kids. The other is a rent-a-car company that pays once a month. This is your 50 percent increase in sales. Now, let us add in a graffiti removal contract. The graffiti contract starts in two months. Sales are up and everything looks great…except:

The day camp ends after summer (two months left)

The rent-a-car company pays monthly so you will bill them at the end of the month and then they will wait thirty days to pay you plus mail time

The graffiti contract is the same payment schedule and cities are notorious on slow payment

Graffiti can be cleaned at night

Rent-a-cars can be cleaned by starting one and one-half hours earlier on Mondays and thirty minutes earlier other days

Summer camp buses can be cleaned whenever You are not sure yet how often the day camp pays

Still think you want to expand?

NO WAY!

Remember: You can run your pressure washing rig twenty-four hours a day without owning two rigs. You will have a major cash flow problem if you buy another unit because of the billing cycle on big accounts. Your new truck would not be ready for thirty days plus five days to get financing. By that time the summer camp is almost over. Wow. All the indicators point to a second pressure washing rig and new truck or do they?

Sometimes you need to actually open the hood and take a look. Consider putting on your devil's advocate thinking cap and make yourself a mechanic. Ask yourself for help. Let yourself look under the hood. Throw away the ego. Sure it would be nice to own another pressure washing rig and you would be a big business man. But realistically speaking it would all be for show and you would actually be making less money. You can justify the expansion to the leasing company or a bank and get the money all right because sales are up. But that doesn't make it a savvy move. Sometimes race car drivers draft behind the lead car to cut down on drag from the wind. By conserving resources (fuel) they better their chances for winning the race later. In business, the person who gets to keep the most money wins, not the one who has the biggest empire. Think about it before spending the money on expansion.

Lance Winslow

How To Achieve Real Success In Business Five Breezy Tips

Writen by Kannan Balakrishnan

Achieving real success should be the goal of any good businessman. But what is real success? I believe that it is no just money, or instant growth. In my opinion real success is composed of the following factors. Good growth, good reputation and above all peace of mind. In this short exposure I try to elaborate on five factors pertinent in achieving this real success.

1. Do your homework and planning

Before starting a business you should study the background carefully. Many people ends up as losers only because they starts a business seeing the outside glitter. So talk with people doing similar business, customers and various others who are involved in similar business lines.

2. Be straightforward.

Even thought businessmen are believed to be cunning, a cunning person never gets peace of mind. It is always better to do things in the clean way. This does not mean that you should be foolish or to be cheated by others. You should be intelligent enough to understand others cunningness, but should be straightforward in your dealings.

3. Don't be greedy

Greed in any form is likely to cause peril in the long run. Taking huge profit from an unaware customer base may increase your growth temporarily, but will surely affect you in the long run and may even result in the collapse of a business. History shows that many business empires achieving such abnormal growth tend to terminate quickly. So insist on steady growth even if it is slow.

4. Insist on quality

Delivering a low quality product or service at a lower cost may increase your profitability, but is likely to obliterate to you in the long run. The customers now satisfied will turn against you when low quality shows out. Also remember that bad reputation travels faster and is difficult to remove! So insist on quality products and services even at a higher price.

5. Don't gamble in business.

Remember that Murphy's Law applies in business many times. So indiscriminate gambling may result in the collapse of your business. This doesn't mean that you should not take a calculated risk. But you should be able to survive even when things turn against you.

Kannan Balakrishnan is a faculty in Computer Science from an Indian university. He can be contacted on kannanb@post.com.

How To Start A Cleaning Business For Under 1000

Writen by Walt Gibson

Although challenging, it is possible to start a cleaning business in two weeks for under $1,000. Be aware that you may need another source of income while your business is growing. If you have customers already waiting for your services you can get started cleaning in a few days, then word of mouth might increase your customer base. Keep in mind that obtaining new customers can be time consuming and costly. In addition, your costs will rise considerably if you purchase liability and worker's compensation insurance. Realistically, you should expect to invest more than $1,000 to keep your business growing once you have obtained the minimal basics. If your goal is to earn a substantial living solely from your house cleaning business, then you must reinvest earnings into the business in order to increase customers and income.

How to start a cleaning business with minimal investment and maximum return.

Read all of the articles at MaidDocs.com to prepare for the adventure. You will find the article "Are You Ready" of particular importance, telling you what to expect during your first year of running your own cleaning business. When you are certain that you want to start your own house cleaning business, then visit all of the websites listed at the end of this article to learn about government regulations, taxes and licensing. You will also find information about how to establish ownership of your cleaning business (corporation, LLC, or sole proprietor.)

Decide on the fee you will charge for your cleaning services. Research the local market to determine what your competitors charge. You must remain within the local standards, and you can undercut your competition slightly; however, if you charge significantly less than the competition you may end up with low profits and a heavy workload -- defeating your business goals. Keep your prices within local standards so that as you add employees you will not need to raise prices and thereby lose customers. If you want to offer significantly lower cleaning fees than your competitors you should advertise time-sensitive discounts (i.e. $50 off a deep cleaning until the end of next month.)

The name and logo for your cleaning business require thought. Your cleaning service business should have a polished and professional image to compete in the marketplace. A professionally designed logo will help to brand your company in the public's mind. Your logo will be printed on business cards, marketing pieces, letterhead, car signs, etc., so carefully consider the image you want to present, and then choose a name and artwork which will best reflect that image. Be certain that the business name you've chosen is not already in use. Visit LogoYes.com to create a logo online for only $99.

Before you start your own cleaning business be prepared with customized, professionally written business forms and letters. You should have: a sales script memorized to perfection whether you do in-home estimates or estimates by phone; cleaning fee estimate calculator; fee estimate letters; follow-up letters for quotes not booked; new customer letters stating hourly fees for cleaning services and payment policies; a customer database and accounting system; information sheets listing vital details for each customer; cleaning service checklist form to leave with customers after each service; and customer survey forms for every new customer to complete and return. At http://www.maiddocs.com/shop you can purchase a cleaning business start up package for $75, or a complete cleaning business system for $1250.

To obtain your first customers you can advertise under "services" in the classified section of your local newspapers. Keep it short and ad your logo if you can afford to. Your ad might read "Quality housecleaning with integrity. Call ###-#### for a free estimate." $25 - $100 should cover running your ad for 2 weeks depending upon your location and size of the ad.

It is of utmost importance that you have a voice-mail system with a professional message which reflects your business image. Also, your phone system should capture incoming numbers as callers may not leave a message, or may forget to leave their phone number. Be certain to return calls within 2 to 3 business hours. Because most people have sufficient home or mobile phone systems the cost of this will not be included in our general start-up estimate.

Marketing pieces may be hand delivered or mailed. Your choices are door hangers, brochures or postcards. We prefer brochures or postcards rather than door hangers because they can be used as handouts and as mailing pieces. You can develop your own brochure or postcard using Microsoft Publisher software, or you can purchase a pre-designed template. The pieces can be printed in-house if you have a high quality printer, or printed at a local print shop or copy center. PIP, Staples and Office Depot all have high speed copiers that will produce professional quality marketing pieces at very reasonable prices. Insist on seeing a sample from the copier before you have the job completed. You MUST deliver high quality marketing pieces in order to make the best impression on your prospects. Flimsy paper with lopsided print, ink rubbing off and jagged edges is not the professional image that will make your prospects eager to call. $100 should cover your costs for 100 brochures, 200 postcards, or 250 door hangers.

Magnetic car signs are a great advertising tool which can be made by a local sign maker for $25 to $50 a set, plus an initial set-up fee of approximately $60. Be certain that your signs fit on both compact and full size cars and that you use no more than three colors. When designing your signs keep in mind that bold lettering and brief wording works best. Remember to include your logo for name branding.

For around $100 you can purchase cleaning supplies at your local discount center, grocery and dollar stores. Either store or brand name household cleaning products will work, however, compare the percentage of active cleaning ingredients. Avoid products containing bleach as it can cause damage to carpets and counters. Our preferred products are: Murphy's Oil Soap; Pine-Sol; Soft Scrub (lemon or orange); Scrub-Free mildew remover; all purpose cleaner; furniture polish; toilet disinfectant/germicide; glass cleaner. Purchase mops with machine washable heads; both large and medium size sturdy buckets with handles; a large sturdy caddy; 40 white cotton washcloths for cleaning; medium and large scrub brushes (use old tooth brushes for detailing around sinks and in grout); toilet brush; teflon scrub pads; lambs wool dusters; extension wand; 13 gallon kitchen trash bags; and a 3-step ladder.

Commercial grade vacuums start at around $250 and are well worth the investment. We have found that Royal brand commercial vacuums, crafted with die-cast aluminum, are the longest lasting and they out clean the competition. Available in several models, Royal commercial vacuums are available through VacLand. Visit VacLand.com for the best prices, reputable salespeople and 2 - 5 day nationwide shipping.

When you're ready to hire employees for your cleaning business be certain to have your employment application, employee policies handbook, cleaning procedures manual, warning certificates and all of the appropriate human resources paperwork. With strict policies and procedures to follow, your employees will know that they are working for a professionally run company, and therefore will be less likely to take advantage of you. Also, you will need to keep employee files containing tax paperwork and employment history including a record of verbal and written warnings. To obtain the appropriate tax documents for employees contact your accountant or local state employment office.

Start-up Costs

$100 - Bonding insurance

50 - Business license

75 - Business start-up package

50 - Classified ad

100 - Logo

110 - Car signs

250 - Commercial grade vacuum

100 - Marketing pieces

100 - Cleaning supplies
$935 - Minimum estimated costs*

*Minimum estimated costs exclude liability insurance, phone expense and marketing piece distribution as these costs are undetermined. Also, costs may vary slightly depending upon location.

Before You Start a Cleaning Business:

Obtain your local & state business licenses; bonding insurance, and liability insurance if needed. Prospective customers will ask if you are licensed and bonded. Bonding insurance can be obtained for about $100 which will cover $1,000 - $3,000 of anti-theft coverage. You business license is an annual expense and will cost approximately $50 - $150 depending upon your location and annual revenue. (When you hire employees you may also need worker's compensation insurance.) The Small Business Administration is a great source of information, start up paperwork, free business plan templates and links to other informative websites. http://sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.html

The Internal Revenue Service website offers a wealth of information for small businesses. You'll find start-up guides, information on tax credits and business deductions, advice on record keeping and choosing an accounting method, employee tax issues, and more. The most up-to-date tax information is available through the site, as well as forms, publications and instructions for filing taxes. http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html

State tax information can be found at http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html which provides links to the Department of Revenue for every state.

Other Websites You Should Visit:

Cleaning Business Forms and More: http://www.MaidDocs.com/shop - provides free information for cleaning service businesses, both start-up and established. You can purchase a complete cleaning business system, or an economical start up package which includes a cleaning fee estimate calculator; lists of resources; a full color tri-fold customizable brochure, and over a dozen customizable forms and customer letters. There is also a guide to hiring and managing cleaning business employees, an employee handbook and cleaning procedures manual; performance reviews and warnings; and a payroll template.

Business Law: http://www.businesslaw.gov - Complying with business laws and regulations can be a burden. To help small businesses overcome this, the Small Business Administration (sba.gov) in cooperation with multiple Federal agencies developed BusinessLaw.gov, an online resource designed to provide legal and regulatory information. Topics covered on this site range from choosing a business structure to hiring an attorney. The site also provides links to federal, state and local agencies.

Employment Law: http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/EmpLawGuide - This guide describes the statutes and regulations administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) that affect businesses and workers. The guide is designed mainly for those needing "hands-on" information to develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies for businesses in general industry.

Compliance Laws: http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance - Statutes and regulations administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) that affect businesses and workers.

Copyright © 2004 MaidDocs® ~ All rights reserved.

Walter L. Gibson, Jr. and Gwynneth Sawyer-Berkeley are co-owners of MaidDocs.com and they run a successful cleaning business, Maid in North Carolina, Inc. MaidDocs offers a very affordable, non-franchised, house cleaning business system and a-la-carte documents for residential cleaning businesses. Maid in North Carolina, Inc was established by Walter L. Gibson in 1989. With MaidDocs you can start a house cleaning business and keep it growing. Visit http://www.MaidDocs.com/shop or call 1-877-779-6955 for complete information.

Advantages To Forming A Corporation For Small Business Owners

Writen by David Gass

A corporation is a legally created body that serves to separate the operations of a business from its owners. The act of incorporation is a form of business registration that accomplishes that fact and allows the liabilities of a company to be legally registered with the state. When a business is incorporated it also has to have a defined management and organizational structure and must meet certain conditions in order to maintain its corporate status.

In order to become incorporated the officers of a company must file articles of incorporation with the state and pay all applicable filing fees, levies and other registration costs. In most states it is not legally required to have a lawyer in order to incorporate but most businesses use their lawyers and accountants to prepare the articles of incorporation for the business.

There are many advantages for a business to incorporate. They include the separation of liabilities and interests between the company's operators and its owners of shareholders. This allows the business to operate and accumulate debts and responsibilities which are not the total responsibility of the shareholders and directors of the corporations. It is also much easier to raise investment funds for a corporation rather than other forms of business registration.

One disadvantage of having a C corporation business designation is what is called double taxation. That is because any profits that a corporation makes are taxed first as income of the corporation and then again as income to the shareholders of the corporation. Other downsides include the requirement to have a specified management and organizational structure, and the need to have a Board of Directors, annual meetings, and prepare reports to regulatory bodies.

There are a number of forms of corporate registration in the United States. They include standard business or C corporations and S corporations. C corporations have to pay income tax on all income after expenses. S corporations have a special tax status that allows them to avoid having the corporation treated as a separate entity for income tax purposes. To get S corporate status a business has to apply to the Internal Revenue Service a 2553 Form for an exemption and if this is granted then the income is only taxable to the owners or shareholders of the corporation.

The organizational structure of a registered corporation must identify three distinct groups; shareholders, directors, and officers. The officers are normally appointed by the Board of Directors, who is elected by the shareholders. The officers run the company on a day to day basis and report on activities to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors then reports to the shareholders at an annual general meeting of the corporation.

Many corporations also have a Chief Executive Officer who is the public spokesperson of the corporation and ultimately responsible for the direction and operation of the business.

David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc., founder of http://www.SmallBusinessConsulting.com and co-developer of the Corporate Manager Software which manages the records of a Corporation or LLC. For a Free Trial of the software visit http://www.corporateforms.net

Why Do Most Online Small Businesses Fail

Writen by Walter Wachs

Search Engines account for almost 90% of all web traffic!

In the Offline world its all about "location, location, location."

Put your business were people crowd around and your set. Have your products ready and benefit the rewards.

Online, small businesses fail to act on the fact that the fundamental reality of how people use the Web is totally different. No one "passes by".

People are searching for information that you know.

To build an Online Business, give them the answere...

Yes, Start where they start...Build Content. Turn your knowledge into revenue.

The biggest mistake people make in life is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy - Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 - 1990)

Traffic is the most important next step that makes or breaks your online business. Keyword - focused content attracts targeted Traffic by Search Engines.

The next step is to Presell interested visitors. Interested visitors become warm, willing-to-buy prospective customers because you overdeliver what they seek...information and solutions.

After the content, traffic and presell you must monetize, only after you achieve these three.

This process, logical, natural, powerful, and based upon the fundamental reality of the way people use the Web, is the foundation no matter what kind of small business you are (or want to start).

So to summarize:

-Create In-Demand Content

-Attract targeted traffic

-Presell those visitors

-Then Monetize presold traffic

Provide information about something you know. Just build content. From that point on everything flows until...resold traffic generates profits. Guaranteed. Yes, this process guarantees success, while most small online businesses fail miserably.

It's so simple. Not 'easy' (real business takes some work)...it's simple.

Want Proof of Process?

Seeing is believing: Learn How Now! -

Walter Wachs

wwachs@sendfree.com

Lake Cowichan, B.C.

Canada

Have You Got Quotitquot For Your Massage Therapy Business

Writen by Amy Roberts

There is something that I want to share with you about your massage practice. It's something that is not spoken about very much in the industry yet it's an essential thing to your success as a sole practising massage therapist in business for themselves.

You see my friend, not every Massage Therapist will actually make it. A lot of therapists will fail and fall out of the game at an early stage due to this factor. Oh yes, they will blame it on the economy or "bad times" or a "quiet period in business" as the reasons they can't make it work. Heck, some, who have not understood this unspoken factor, will even blame it on competition as the reason why their practises don't take off. But in fact it's something else... Sure these external things can affect business but not in the way you think. Not as much as you would think.

So let me ask you this: Can you speak comfortably with someone you have never met before, as though they were your friend of ten years? Do you love it when the phone rings? Do you always keep your massage room sparkling clean? You see all these factors will make you more appealing to clients who are coming to you for the very first time.

Massage Therapy is completely a relationship business. Your ability to build client relationships and loyalty is your personality. You need to be gentle and listen; you need to be considerate, polite and always keep good energy.

What do I mean by "good energy"? I am referring to a good attitude that spills out onto others so they can't help be affected by your happiness. Not only will they get a good massage, but they will feel good just by being in your presence. Grumpiness has no place in a massage room.

They will feel listened to, care about, valued and respected. Do you think a client who feels like this will tell others about you? You bet they will! Maintaining a good client base is dependant on your ability to communicate well with your clients. Clients will appreciate and value YOU in return. That respect that you show them, along with a good massage that helps them, will give you the right ingredients for getting more client through word of mouth, and keep the ones you've got for years to come.

I'm not saying you have to be "UP" all the time. It's not about being someone you are not. It's a matter of being positive. And letting that positivity shine through and infect your clients.

Because life is far from perfect, what can help you tap into this reserve of happiness within you is to feel your passion for massage therapy. By feeling strongly and passionately about your massage business you will find that many things just come to you more easily then before. Passion ignites happiness and determination to stay on track. So if you are having a bad day, or clients aren't coming, remember your passion to refocus on the direction you need to go in.

And let that happiness out.

Best wishes,

The Designers Coach

Writen by Neil P Gordon

The Six Fatal Mistakes of a Typical Design Business.

In my study of the decorating and design business, I have discovered that there are six main reasons that will prevent your ultimate success. If your company is skilled in a few of these six areas, but not all, you could prevent your business from reaching its potential. Therefore, to attain the status of a world-class organization, you must strive to understand and overcome the six fatal mistakes that could potentially destroy your dreams.

1) No Strategic Vision

Does your business operate without a vision of where you want to be in 5 years? Do you function day to day by making decisions that have no strategic basis? As the leader do you measure your own leadership competencies? Are you not willing to make behavioral changes in yourself in order to better the organization. Do you have the qualities to lead and make your team better?

2) Uncooperative Teamwork

Whether your company is a one-person operation or has dozens of people on the payroll, your business must operate as a team. Does your team distrust each another and act to protect one's own interest? Is there constant fighting and name calling? Do your plans and ideas go unfulfilled? Are there individuals who look out for number one and not the team? It is a serious problem when the team works in an unharmonious state.

3) Haphazard Marketing

Many times I have seen money thrown at advertising as if it would magically encourage appointments. This is an ineffective attempt to generate leads through misappropriation of resources. What ends up happening is paying an extraordinary amount for a lead. Additionally, the most valued type of lead, the referral, is basically ignored or taken for granted.

4) Amateur Selling

Selling without a plan or system leaves the designer working in a confused state. At times you may be selling on price, and sometimes on value. The design team has not established a position in the mind of the consumer, and projects no clear value-message. There is also the problem where the sales team is not properly trained, and appears unprofessional.

5) Faulty Client Fulfillment

Once the deposit is received and the order process is underway, so begins the task of fulfilling your promises. This is the critical area where most businesses fail. There is very little room for error in meeting the expectations of your clients. This is because, if the perceived value is not achieved, the client will consider that her expectations have not been met, and then the consequences could be severe.

6) Lack of Pricing Strategy

It all comes down to this, the bottom line. The final measure of success will depend on your margins. This is a complex business, and unless you understand that your business must work on certain margins, you will not succeed. Most businesses will price each job as to the urgency of the cash-flow status and not understand the detrimental effects of a price cut. Additionally, there must be an effective accounting system to track all costs and measure profitability.

Whether you are starting an interior design business, or you have been in the decorating business for many years, you can improve many important aspects of operating and growing your company.

There are 6 coaching modules, each one dedicated to important aspects of creating a successful value based business as well as address the six fatal flaws described above. They are Leadership, Management, Marketing, Selling, Delivery, and Pricing. Within these areas you will find the neccessary tools to succeed in a very challenging business.

The Leadership Coach

This is the first area of business development, all about you. You are the leader, and you must look within and become self aware as to the type of leader you will need to be. In this module, the work we will do will depend solely on you, your attitude, believes, your actions. We will examine your leadership competencies, and your leadership profile. How will you take your strengths and implement your vision for your organization? What will be your Strategic Vision for the future of your company?

The Team Coach

All businesses from a one person company to a larger organization, needs to work within a "team" concept. How will you manage, coach and lead your team? How can you become an effective leader, even if you are a one person operation? In this module you will learn how to create a team-chart, position agreements and how to employ the strategic Steps-to-Success (STS).

The Marketing Coach

The life blood of any business is to generate leads. We must develop a way to have a constant flow of new leads or we cannot survive. In this module we will examine the current state of your lead generation. Through careful analysis you will determine who your target market is. All successful businesses of your type, relies upon referrals. You will create a Referral Marketing Steps-to-Success (STS), and we will analyze your web marketing program.

The Sales Coach

The conversion of a lead to a sale is a strategic part of your business that requires the utmost attention. How do you sell your designs? Have you implemented a selling system? Are you delivering the intended message to your target market? We will develop a Client Management Steps-to-Success (STS) to keep in contact with your clients.

The Satisfaction Coach

Keeping your promise is the best way to grow your business and to encourage referrals. A flawless Client Fulfillment Steps-to-Success (STS) is critical to delivering on your promise to your clients. We will examine how you get things done, and encourage setting up the various STS. Along with this, we will work on making sure that you are exceeding your client's expectations each and every time, with a Client Expectation STS.

The Negotiation Coach

Here we will develop a pricing strategy and estimating strategy. Are you basing what you charge on value you create or costs you incur? Also, in this module you will learn an effective "negotiation defense" against price shoppers and a strategy for developing effective contracts and agreements. Do you have a system to track all costs for each job? Are you communicating your "value-message" that will maintain the margins you need to stay in business?

Neil Gordon, The Designer's Coach is a coach and consultant for Interior Designers. His website, http://www.thedesignerscoach.com offers seminars, articles, newsletters as well as valuable advise for designers willing to improve their business. Please visit the site to sign up for the free newsletter.

Find Out How To Accept Master Card Credit Card

Writen by Shane Penrod

Isn't it time for you to accept Master Card credit card payments? Think of all the places where you shop and how you, as well as other customers, generally pay for things. Isn't it true that a majority of transactions are made with plastic credit cards? If you do not provide this payment option to your customers, they just may find another vendor who will. E-commerce has advanced into the 21st century. If you don't hurry up, you could be left behind and lose the support of clients who are keeping pace with the technological movement.

Why should you accept MasterCard credit card payments? Because customers expect it. The average consumer owns four credit cards and carries a monthly balance of over $1,000. People enjoy the convenience of paying for gasoline at the pump rather than going inside. They want to pull out a card in the fast food drive-through instead of rooting in their wallets for the correct bills and change. No one enjoys paying monthly ATM user fees or stopping by the bank to withdraw cash before going shopping. It is much easier for most of us to pay with plastic and then write a check for the monthly account statement. As more businesses adopt this payment method for a variety of products and services, you may find that you will lose customers to vendors who provide this service, thereby depleting your client base and shriveling your revenues.

Failing to accept MasterCard credit card payments means that some customers will consider your business obsolete. It also means you could end up losing money trying to manage the added functions of tracking bounced checks and making change for cash-only customers. You will have to keep a cashier on hand to manage payments, which will add to your human resource costs and chip away at profits. Let's face it. Few of us go anywhere without a MasterCard or Visa card these days, even if it's just to the convenience store or video rental shop. Some people prefer to use cash but take along a credit card, "just in case" they decide to make a spontaneous purchase. Isn't that what all vendors live for—to see customers make that unplanned purchase and thus drive up the profit margin?

When you open a merchant account to accept MasterCard credit card payments, you are expanding your business exponentially. An on-site credit processor will make your local customers happy, and they probably will end up spending more than if they were restricted to paying by cash. Providing digital or wireless credit payment services increases the ways in which remote destination customers can link to your company and buy with a credit card. Establishing a Web presence and letting customers around the world pay by credit card online removes any limits from your sales capacity.

Don't let your competitors steal your customers when they accept credit card payments ahead of you. Find out how you can open a merchant account and get set up to accept Master Card credit card payments.

Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. Accept Mastercard Credit Cards

Case Study Cleaning Of Rental Car Agencies As A Mobile Carwash Market Niche

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many mobile car wash companies are a little wet behind the ears when they start and they have trouble choosing target clients to propel their business. We have found that there is significant market potential in used car lots. The best used car lots are those of Rent-A-Car Agencies who own used dealership divisions to maximize their profits on selling of their cars.

In previous times the Rent-A-Car Agencies sent the cars to auctions, yet this is not a good idea any longer with used car prices so low. For the first time in 2001 Avis started a used car lot in New Jersey to maximize their profits on sales of cars coming off the rental lines. It used to be considered dumb for a consumer to buy used and abused Rent-A-Cars, but now it is considered frugal, because most Rent-A-Cars have on average fewer than 25,000 miles on them at the time of sale.

Rent-A-Car Agencies usually buy cars for a low fleet price and then sell them after making money on the rental of the same car for nearly what they originally paid for it once it is considered 'run out' or a 'maintenance risk' to keep around. So they then turn the cars before they get too old or too many miles on them to command a high resale price. Most are four door automatics and have gone through all the necessary maintenance checks and even come with limited warranties from the Rent-A-Car Company's Pre-Owned Sales Divisions.

Every mobile car wash company should consider this niche market and also make good on the detailing of these cars going onto the car lots. Rental Car Agencies and their used car lots are great customers and make sense for many reasons to the fast moving high profitable mobile car washing and detail companies. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Robert Bonds Franchise Survey Of Women And Minority Franchisor Programs

Writen by Lance Winslow

Few people know that there is a special publication that is solely geared towards special programs in the franchising industry for women and minority owned franchises. There are some even in the franchising business itself who are unaware of this. Robert Bond has written and sold more books on franchising than any other person in the World.

Robert is a personal friend of mind, who I respect for his no BS approach to a reality check in franchising. Each Robert sends out a survey to the franchisors to ask them of their special programs for women and minorities who buy franchises in their franchise systems. Recently I filled out Robert Bond's franchise survey of women and minority programs for the top franchisors. Each franchisor with programs will be ranked. I hope our company will rank high.

Women in franchising is a key component of a successful franchisor, previously having been personal friends with Susan Kezios, Founder of "Women in Franchising" in Chicago, I got to know first hand some of the history of women in franchising and how they were severely under represented. That is not the case today, as the numbers are catching up. I'm sure that she will vouch for those franchisors, which do more than give lip service to the cause and their commitment to women owned franchises.

Having spoken at the Annual Conference of the SBDC, I had also the chance to meet with Ann Dugan and her strong team of women advisors from the SBDC Small Business Development Center, at The University of Pittsburgh. It is good see the commitment of these great folks in the Franchise Industry and how they are protecting and promoting the rights of women in franchising.

I can remember every time we put a "Car Wash Gal" on one of our car wash trucks, we get too much business and that does sometimes create problems. I own The Car Wash Guys and The Car Wash Gals (CarWashGuys.com). In one year I remember our company had put Car Wash Gals franchises in many cities such as Clarkston, ID, Belgrade, MT, Palm Springs, CA, and (3) in Los Angeles, CA.

It is recommended that all Franchisors work hard to promote more women and minority franchisees in their systems. It is good business and it is good for business. You'll be glad you did, take it from me. Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

How To Start A Tshirt Business

Writen by Darren Young

Selling T-Shirts has become big business and it's a growing industry on the Internet where there are already thousands of shops and websites where you can purchase almost any design or T-Shirt style imaginable. Thanks to the many T-Shirt companies that now print and create the T-Shirts for you, with no risk involved, many people have been able to start their own T-Shirt business without having to invest any money. This however, has turned the T-Shirt business online into a fierce, competitive battle against all T-Shirt shop/website owners.

There are now millions of T-Shirt websites online for customers to choose from and this is why starting your own online T-Shirt business can be stressful, disappointing, and very difficult to attract customers and make the sales that you are expecting. Now, I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it's going to take a lot of time, effort, and maybe even some money for you to get started and get customers visiting your shop/website.

There are many things you need to consider when starting your own online T-Shirt business. Simply creating a design, putting it on a blank T-Shirt, and expecting it to be a big seller isn't going to do the trick and bring you many sales, unless of course, you are a very lucky person, whom I can assure you, there aren't very many of them around. If you want to start a T-Shirt business just to make easy money fast like many other schemes on the Internet claim, then you're looking at the wrong business. There is no such thing as easily making money fast and you're always going to have to put in the effort to get the results you are looking for, especially for a T-Shirt business.

Now, I'm not trying to scare you from owning your own T-Shirt business, as there are many successful individuals who have started their business in the T-Shirt industry and are doing very well. I just want to give you the facts of reality so that you're not disappointed when your business isn't doing as well as you thought it would. You may succeed at one aspect of the business, but fail in another, or you just might be that person who is successful at all the aspects of the business, which will obviously make your business a success. Either way, you're still going to have to spend the time and work very hard to achieve success.

Below I've listed some of the things you need to consider before you setup or start your own T-Shirt business:

Business Goals
Before you start your own T-Shirt business, you need to think of your business goals. These goals should be realistic and they should point you in the direction you would like your business to go and what you hope to accomplish. An example of a goal would be to have 100 visitors visiting your shop/website a day or to create two new designs a week and put them up on your website. Whatever the goals may be that you have set for yourself, you then need to strive for them and once you have accomplished your goals, then you know you're on the right track.

Passion
You have to have an interest in what you are doing or you're not going to enjoy spending the time and effort your business requires. Everybody has a passion in one thing or another whether it is creating the designs, promoting, or any other aspect of the business, but you should have an interest in it. If you're not passionate about a certain subject, then you need to think of another theme that you would be more interested in doing. Remember, you are going to spend a lot of time on the subject/theme that you choose, so if you aren't passionate about it, then you're going to get bored very fast and it's not going to be enjoyable.

Subject/Theme
This is very important in the T-Shirt industry as some subjects/themes do much better than others and receive more customers, but like all styles, they come and go. It's possible to have a general subject/theme, but it makes it harder for you to market/promote your shop/website. I suggest choosing just one subject/theme to begin with as you can start adding other subjects/themes later when you are established. You should by all means choose a subject/theme that you are knowledgeable about and have a passion for, like I mentioned under the passion paragraph.

Target Audience
Who are you targeting? Will you be targeting a certain age group, occupation, style, general public, etc. Finding out who your primary target audience will be or is, will help you with marketing/promotion. This will also help you with creating and designing your T-Shirts and shop/website to suit your target audience. Once again you can choose to go for a general audience, but this will only make it harder for you to market/promote your shop/website.

Research
You need to always do your research and find out what's new, what's not, what's in style, what kind of designs people are looking for, etc. You also need to keep up-to-date with your subject/theme as some change on a regular basis (Example: Politics). Keeping informed and up-to-date will give you the leading edge over your competitors, bring back customers time after time, and most importantly it will make sales.

Third Party shops Vs. Your Own Website
Should I invest in my own website or use a third party website to host my T-Shirt designs? If you are thinking about doing every aspect of the T-Shirt business yourself (including making the T-Shirts), then I suggest you invest in a website (not a free website hosting service), but first try out a third party website that makes the T-Shirts for you (no risk involved or investment needed) to see if you can make your business a success. Once you're confident in your business, then you can upgrade to making and owning your own website.

There are many online third party websites available on the Internet that you can choose from that will create and ship the T-Shirts to your customers (risk free with no money invested) and therefore, save you the hassle of actually having to deal with the customer aspect of your T-Shirt business. There are as many cons as there are pros when using a third party service. Some of the cons are: You don't get your own website and you are in some way connected to them, you don't make as much profit (you have to pay them to do all the work, like printing the T-Shirts and shipping), and they make all the rules (Example: not providing you with the E-mail address of your customers or refusing any designs that you create). When you sign up with one of these third party services, you are actually working for them and that includes promoting their site. The customers that purchase your T-Shirts are actually their customers meaning they have full control and every time you make a sale, they make a profit. In other words, these third parties depend on your success and if your business goes under, theirs doesn't because there'll always be someone else to take your place.

Marketing/Promoting
This will be your biggest enemy in the T-Shirt business and many businesses fail because of this. I suggest you do your research on the web for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and about how the basic search engines works, as there is a lot of information about them. Do not just resort to search engines as being your source for traffic as there are many other websites that can help bring in quality targeted traffic to your website like T-Shirt ranking sites (Example: www.T-ShirtShowdown.com).

The major search engines (Example: Google) are complicated in how they work and many people have been trying to figure out how they work for years. The search engines change their algorithms on how pages are ranked every once in a while so you're better off not focusing your attention on just getting to the top in the search engines.

If you do manage to make it to the top and are very successful, then your marketing/promotion shouldn't stop there. You have to always be marketing/promoting your site one way or another because it won't take long before someone else over takes you, simply because links can die and you need incoming links from other websites to get traffic.

T-Shirt Ranking Websites
Do ranking sites work? Yes, ranking websites are a great way to market/promote your T-Shirt designs and shops/websites. Many people don't want to waste their time searching all over the web trying to locate websites that sell specific designs that they are looking for. This is where T-Shirt ranking websites come in handy and allow customers to view thousands of different T-Shirt designs and styles from many different websites. Ranking sites are a great way of bringing many unique and different T-Shirt websites/designs together and help to bring the buyers to the sellers. www.T-ShirtShowdown.com is a great example and offers many different categories to choose from including: Animal, Artistic, Attitude, Automobile, Biker, Computer, Floral, Funny, Holiday, Kids, Logo, Misc., Movie, Music, Novelty, Occupation, Offensive, Patriotic, Pets, Political, Religious, Sports, Unusual, Vintage, and Western.

Many T-Shirt business owners think that they can just upload their T-Shirt designs to a ranking website and expect to receive sales. This is a myth and it's not true. Ranking sites, like www.T-ShirtShowdown.com, bring high quality targeted traffic to your website, but it's your T-Shirt designs in the end that have to convince the customer to buy/purchase the product. T-Shirt ranking websites only make it easier for you to market/promote your site/designs and to get the high quality targeted traffic that every business wants.

Below I've included some advice, problems, and solutions from other T-Shirt businesses that they encountered when they were starting their own T-Shirt business.

For MindTrix the hardest part for starting out, besides money, was finding a "nitch". Our first line of T-Shirts was all over the map, so starting your own clothing company can be hard. I had to do and learn everything on my own. I over came this obstacle by going to tradeshows, surfing the Internet, and reading magazines like Sport and Street, etc.

MindTrix has grown beyond just T-Shirts due to the fact that everyone including their moms have a T-Shirt company. When I would go into stores trying to sell my T-Shirts, I would always get feedback, like what makes these any better than the other 90,000 brands we have in here, which most of these other brands people have heard of, and that is why we graduated to cut and sew as well as any higher end T-Shirts.

You have to stay ahead of the pack to survive.

www.myspace.com/mindtrix

Advice for Promotion: Don't be afraid to advertise. Create buttons, stickers, give them out and be sure people remember you. Tell people about it, you'd be surprised how many people would be willing to help you out.

Advice for Designing: When designing A T-Shirt, there are many points to keep in mind, but the following factors are some technical stuff overlooked by companies starting off: The Number of colors used & what material will be used. Most screen printers charge in the $10-$40 range for every different color you use. It can get really expensive for someone (Example: music bands) to get several T-Shirts printed. They then have to sell the fans $36 dollar T-Shirts just to cover the costs and make some profit.

The Material used: Usually each material/brand/size comes with a set of colors that they're printed on. There isn't one that provides you with every single color in existence. It would be a great idea to ask the client what material they can afford and then research it, or familiarize yourself with the more popular brands that are being printed on (Examples: American Apparel, Fruit Of the Loom and Hanes). I've had several problems with this when I began, so don't just go creating something that only looks good on a red background that you can't easily fix, or something that looks good on a T-Shirt color that's almost impossible to find. This will save you so much time and trouble.

Lastly, but most importantly, just be original. Keep the designs more personalized, deeper and more meaningful.

www.myspace.com/deathby_santiago_

1. Vision. You need to know who you are, what you're doing, why, etc. This will define how you market your product, how it looks over all, and all the little details within that you need to do. Yep, so figure that out and then go nuts because you can't go wrong with a big idea, as long as you know what the big idea is.

2. Marketing. It's essential in today's design world. You might have a good product but if its weak on branding, labeling, packaging, shelf appeal, matching coat hangers, etc., it'll look bad. Consistency also needs to be achieved across the spectrum including same font, same style, etc. Designing is totally open to new creations and ideas, so anything goes, but there are some boundaries that you don't want to cross, while others you need to break through.

3. E-commerce. Yes, it's fully possible! It will take some setting up though, but I've recently realized how I can just pick up the phone and order a set of hoodies, wait four days until they're on the doorstep, pay for them a month later online, etc. Also, I can call up the fabric company down the road, or one in wellington, get them to send me samples of denim, call them back and order a set amount of denim to be sent to my garment manufacturer, and then call him and tell him how many of what I want right from my rocking chair at home.

4. Online selling. Totally possible if you use ebay or know how to set up an E-commerce website yourself, but getting the credit card system sorted out is a major cost. Lots of girls shop online now, you just need to know how to market it right and get your products noticed.

5. Promo. Get it out there! Make sure your friends buy your products or you could give out freebies. Put stickers, advertising your shop, wherever you can. Be shameless because designers are really admired (as opposed to being a 'salesperson'), especially if your product is favorable.

6. Don't waste your time on silly details. I'll let you figure out what those are.

7. Get your accounts sorted out now. Segregate your personal and business spending, so you can claim back GST with no problems. Make sure every transaction (sales, purchasing, spending, etc.) goes through your account, so you can see how well you're doing by looking at your bank statement. Use the ATM machine for petty cash; your accountant will love you one day for this.

8. Have fun! It's not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. I was just thinking how involved my life is at the moment with my T-Shirt business. My life revolves around it, which is crazy, but if it all fell apart and closed down tomorrow I'd be the same person and I'd find something else to do! I make sure I take one day off during the week to do what I love that doesn't involve my work. I love doing my work, so I'm very lucky in that aspect, but sometimes it gets boring or tedious so I make sure I stay fresh and focused.

9. Work hard. I still do after three years. I work my butt off and hardly make any money off it, but I know it's worth it in the long run and the things you learn along the way are invaluable.

10. Give away free stuff! People love free T-Shirts and sponsorship goes a long way. It's also your duty, being in business and generating wealth, to share that with society in some way (Example: Old stock goes in recycle clothing bins, etc.).

Check the story out at involved... choice! www.involved.co.nz

If you'd like to copy this article and place it on your website or pass it around, then you are FREE to do so as long as you copy the article in it's entirety, keep the links intact, and don't make any modifications whatsoever.

http://www.T-ShirtShowdown.com - The Ultimate T-Shirt Website On The Internet. You can Rank, Vote, Comment, E-mail, Visit T-Shirt Websites, Auction, Bid, Sell, Buy, Promote/Market T-Shirts and more.