6 Smart Ways Small Businesses can Engage in Community to Grow Sales

February 11, 2015

Community
Small businesses do not exist in vacuum. They are an integral fabric of the community in which they operate, which is why it is important for them to be part of the community and get involved in community activities. Giving back to the community that gives them business is a powerful marketing tool, much more important than a catchy jingle or witty saying. Getting involved in the community and giving back demonstrates their commitment to the customers that are part of that community. So what are the ways in which small business owners engage in the community? Here are six powerful tips.

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Lack of Protection can Get Small Businesses in Hot Water

February 10, 2015

Insurance
Starting your own business is always risky, at the same time it is exciting. Despite the amount of competition out there in seemingly every market, adventurous entrepreneurs are willing to take the risks and try to reap the potentially vast rewards. This is admirable, however where a number of startup companies go wrong is they fail to make sure their businesses are adequately covered against unexpected risks that could have devastating effects. In fact, a worrying amount of new businesses owners still assume they’re simply covered under their standard home insurance policies. That is simply not true. Here’s what you need to know about business insurance.

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Filed Under: Management Tagged With: ,

Dressing Tips for Interview Success for Designer Position

February 8, 2015

Designer Suit
Choosing the right clothing for any job interview requires some thought, but the stakes are especially high if you are applying for a job as a designer. The first impression potential employers have of your design sense is how what kind of outfit you wear. It takes less than a minute for interviewers to form basic impressions of your character and style sense. So how do you ensure that you present the best yourself to the interviewers and make the right first impression?

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Filed Under: Employees Tagged With: ,

What is Sustainable Investment and Why is it Good for the Society?

February 7, 2015

Sustainable Investment
Sustainable investing is a unique field of investment that primarily focuses on generating good financial returns for the investors at the same time creates environmental and social benefits. The term sustainable investing research is actually a broad subject as it encompasses investors who have different types of motivations. From investors who are looking to get good financial returns with low risk by carefully evaluating the opportunities and risks to avoid losses to investors looking to proactively advocate or address social and environmental risks through new and unique investment opportunities, everyone needs research before investing.

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Filed Under: Finance Tagged With: ,

3 Tips to Grow your Online Retail Business

February 4, 2015

Online Retail Business
It is every small business owner’s dream to be like Amazon. Here is a web titan that started with just selling books online and has grown into online juggernaut that is giving nightmares to Wal-Mart. Being a small business online, it’s tempting to want to take on Amazon. But that’s like a gnat pitting itself against a god. Your best bet is to find your tiny corner of the web and dominate it on your own terms. While this helps you fight Amazon with your own niche, you will still face thousand other websites jostling for the top spot on Google rankings. So how can you make your website stand out from the crowd?

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Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: , ,

Key Measures to Ensure the Success of Business Conference

January 31, 2015

Conference
A business conference can contribute significant value to the company hosting it. When done properly a conference can facilitate dialog between the attendees, inspire brainstorming sessions to come up with new and innovative ideas and develop relationship that will last beyond just the conference. Of course, a lot depends on how the conference is planned and where it is hosted. The organizers of the conference have to planned well in advance and ensure all aspects of the event hosting have been thought about and taken care of before the conference. It also helps to build a rapport with the staff and management of the venue and to fine tune all local resources from taxi services to currency banking.

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Filed Under: Marketing Tagged With:

Virtualization vs. Private Cloud: What’s the Difference?

January 29, 2015

Private Cloud
For many people outside of the realm of IT, the terminology can often be confusing. If you’re busy running the day-to-day particulars of your business, you simply may not have time to learn everything there is to know about all of the technological aspects of keeping your business up and running. As a result, you may waste time — and money — researching and implementing solutions that you don’t really need, or that don’t fully meet your needs.

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Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: ,

Importance of Workplace Safety for Small Business Owners

January 29, 2015

Safety First
Starting a new business is never an easy prospect, especially for those who are trying to be entrepreneurs for the first time. In many ways, it can be similar to attempting to keep several plates spinning without letting any of them crash to the floor. Apart from anything else, the experience is centred on sheer hard work.

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Filed Under: Operations Tagged With: ,

Quickbooks vs. Xero – Perspective on Bank Reconciliations

January 28, 2015

Accounting
In what is becoming an interesting race for superior accounting software, two companies are leading the way. Most have heard of QuickBooks, an industry standard that has been around in some type of iteration for several years. The newcomer, Xero accounting software, is relying on cloud technology and a savvy design to win over a new generation of small business owners.

There are countless facets of both pieces of software that can be debated. Each likely does one thing better than the other, but here we will talk about some key features, beginning with bank reconciliations.

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Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: ,

A Must Read Guide to Show-Stopping Store Displays

January 27, 2015

Store Display
Bergdorf Goodman has been a staple of New York shopping since well before it moved to its 5th Ave. location in 1928, but it was only about 14 years ago that, under the direction of design geniuses Linda Fargo and David Hoey, Bergdorf’s became a marketer’s mecca, as well.

Every season, the monumental department store dramatically reveals intricately planned window displays that impress and entice shoppers walking along 5th Avenue. The displays are loud and exciting, depicting fanciful scenes of paper cities and brass zoos constructed delicately by a team of devoted artists. The windows are often chaotic and seem scarcely related to Bergdorf’s main product of high fashion clothing — yet the displays manage to move more merchandise than most shops dream of selling in 10 years.

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Filed Under: Customers, Marketing Tagged With: ,