(Free Management Library)
http://www.mapnp.org/library/grp_skll/virtual/virtual.htm
Part of a guide and directory to free management resources on the web. The page provides links to various articles about managing . It also offers a toolkit that provides a practical introduction to creating a virtual team.
Virtual Organisation
http://www.seanet.com/
Better
http://www.betterwritingskills.com
This is all about a book called ‘Better ,’ but you can download some of the book free, for handy tips. You can also email their organisation with some question and they will email them back to you.
Mantex
http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/biblios/art-wtg.htm
This site gives you information on style of writing and general points about .
Tags: , business , improving , teaching , enhancing student , and accounting career, business courses, academic , free training on
Online Small Business Workshop: Business Plans
http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/
This is part of an online business workshop provided by the British Columbia Business Service Centre, which aims to help you to prepare business plans and cash flow forecasts. The site provides a step-by-step guide to preparing both of these, explaining what each section could contain, and also offers the example of a sample business plan for a fictitious company. A clear and helpful guide.
US Small Business Administration: The Business Plan
http://www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html
The US Small Business Administration has provided this tutorial in writing a business plan, which can be downloaded if you wish. The tutorial helps you to understand the role of a business plan and provides a detailed outline of what information it should contain. Links to other business plan resources are also provided.
Book Recommendations
Getting word of your biz out on the street is worth any price, but with these seven techniques you’ll hardly spend a dime.
It’s the chicken/egg syndrome of start-up: You need to spend money to bring in customers, but you don’t have money to spend until you get customers. Too often, new business owners treat marketing as an optional expense. The truth is, if you don’t dedicate an adequate budget of time and money to marketing, it’s unlikely you’ll attract enough customers to sustain and grow your venture.
The good news is, many small businesses have successfully marketed themselves on a shoestring. By applying creative solutions to marketing challenges, you can get the word out to prospective customers without going for broke. Simply keep in mind these seven secrets to successful small-budget marketing, and you’ll be well on your way to big-time results.
1. Have a game plan. By creating a marketing plan that includes goals, vehicles and budgets for time and money, you gain significant advantages. Planning six to 12 months ahead gives you a broader view of your marketing needs and expenditures. Use that information to take advantage of volume discounts on advertising, services and printing by committing to a schedule in advance. You may also be able to negotiate longer payment terms on products and services related to promoting your business. Most important, a plan will help you stay focused, and you’ll be less likely to make purchases that aren’t in your company’s best interest.
Chris Larson learned about the importance of marketing focus when he launched O’Plenty Animation Studio in 1990. Because he launched his studio on the New Jersey shore, an unlikely place to find a character animation company, it was easy for O’Plenty to capture the attention of local media. Larson found efforts not targeted toward specific niche markets—TV producers, corporate advertising executives and animation producers—drew in large numbers of unqualified leads.
"Sticking with a plan helped us avoid marketing opportunities that would cost us a lot of time," says Larson, 35. "The more focused we stayed, the less we had to deal with that."
News releases about new productions and new hires are sent only to the trade media that his best prospects read. And low-cost demo reels of work his studio has produced for other clients routinely capture interest in his company.
2. Sell yourself. As you craft a plan, become your own toughest customer. Ask yourself why you should invest in each marketing opportunity. Does it hit your target? Is it cost-efficient? What will it do for your business? If your idea doesn’t pass with flying colors, rethink it.
3. Get good "marketing mileage." Elevate your efforts so they include many opportunities for attention. When Daryl Lynn O’Connell, 38, opened Anita’s Joy Gift Shoppe, she saw the value of working with charities. But rather than just cutting a check, O’Connell makes events out of their fund-raisers. The charities get a forum for raising money and cultivating relationships, and each soiree brings customers into the shop.
Besides using news releases, O’Connell publicizes events by posting signs in her store, sends mail to her customer list and taps the charities to spread the word. Because she works with nonprofit organizations, her events get picked up as free public service announcements on radio stations. The result is more marketing mileage than she would have gained by merely making a donation. Since launching in 2000, Anita’s Joy has moved to a bigger store in Manasquan, New Jersey. O’Connell believes her promotions played a large part in building her customer base. "When they realize they’re taking part in a fund-raiser," she says, "they return again and again."
4. Partner up. By partnering with other businesses in your marketing efforts, you can expand your circle of influence and slash your budget. Jennifer Graham, 27, owner of Le Palais Boutique, a bridal shop in Grand Junction, Colorado, has teamed with a photographer and a florist to pass around each other’s marketing materials. Because they all targeted the same market—brides—the arrangement boosted business as the three businesses referred and promoted each other.
Pounding the pavement for partners worked for 37-year-old Dawn Forrest Armstrong. Her Phoenix company, K-OS Designs produces reflective stickers for motorcycle and other helmets. Armstrong sought endorsement from national and international safety organizations and used their testimonials in her marketing, giving her credibility with prospects. The organizations also link to her Web site. The increased traffic has resulted in double-digit increases in annual sales.
5. Find diamonds in your own backyard. Every time you reach out to customers, you have an opportunity to reinforce your marketing message. By using vehicles you already have, you can increase your outreach and get more business from existing customers. For example, turn monthly bills into opportunities to mail buying suggestions based on past purchases or to share good news about your company.
When Boston-based Palladion Services Inc. received a coveted write-up in The Boston Globe, the company turned it into a promotional mailer. As a result of the company’s reputation, built through its marketing and service, customers are often referred to Palladion. "When people make a referral, they want to be sure you’re going to do the job well," explains partner and vice president Patrick Knight, 36. "By showing them we received this positive coverage, we reinforced the fact that our reputation is well-earned."
Within your place of business, you may have ample opportunity to inexpensively reach out to old and new customers. When Armstrong got her business started, she had little budget for trade-show space. Instead, she attended motorcycle rallies and handed out free samples of her product as a "gift" to those wearing or carrying their helmets.
"That started a dialogue about the product," she says. "I got great customer feedback and new ideas for a cost of about $50."
6. Keep your ego in check.< The adage "fake it until you make it" may be true for some things, but marketing spending is not one of them. Some entrepreneurs lose sight of what’s effective when they let their egos dictate promotional spending. While a lavish grand opening party may be a great way to impress friends, it’s a bad idea if you must cut back on activities that bring customers through the door. One New Jersey art gallery owner spent thousands on printed materials, but he was left so overextended that he didn’t have money in his budget to publicize his business.
Similarly, don’t be tempted to overspend when approached by advertising salespeople if the opportunity doesn’t fit with your plan. Knight is contacted by advertising salespeople from media that aren’t good vehicles for his company. "Who doesn’t want to see their name up in lights?" he says. "But you have to say no if it’s not the right fit."
7. Track results—and reinvest appropriately. Put tracking mechanisms in place to ensure your efforts are paying off. Some ways you can track customers:
Hold drawings for prizes. On the entry form, include a spot for patrons to fill in where they heard about your business.Encourage employees to ask customers how they found your business. Graham’s employees routinely ask (and record) how customers heard about the shop.Imprint promotions and coupons with medium-specific codes.Collect addresses for customers, and spot trends related to your marketing (i.e., an increase when you promote your business in a particular area).Keeping these guidelines in mind can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your marketing efforts and ensure the money you do invest is well-spent.
Theories on how to set a marketing budget range from a certain percentage of net revenues to whatever is left after all the bills are paid. While there’s no formula to tell you the "right" number, these guidelines can tell you whether you’re in the ballpark.
1. Check out your competitors. With a bit of sleuthing, you can discover how your competitors are reaching their customers and estimate their expenditures. If their efforts appear to be working, you might consider matching their marketing dollars.2. Find similar noncompeting businesses and find out what they’re doing. Industry associations and even the Net are great ways to find people who do what you do in noncompeting markets. You may be surprised that many business owners are eager to help each other—especially when they’re not vying for the same customers.
3. Budget more for a start-up. It takes more effort—and often, more money—to make a name for a new business.
4. Review your plan periodically and adjust your expenditures accordingly. Just because you have a plan doesn’t mean your expenses are written in stone. Be sure to review how your marketing dollars and time are being spent to see what’s working and what needs to be modified.
The bottom line when it comes to your marketing budget is—well, your bottom line. Be sure the amount you dedicate is going to be manageable for your business.
Marketing Mishaps to Avoid While there are plenty of ways to mess up a marketing campaign, new business owners typically fall prey to four particular pitfalls: 1. Saying too much: When you jam too many messages into any one marketing vehicle, you risk losing your audience entirely. Focus on one or two key messages for each marketing effort.2.Being inconsistent: If each piece of your print marketing materials looks as if it’s from a different company, you’re not likely to be effective.
3. Cutting your marketing budget first: When cash flow dips, it’s more important than ever to keep up your promotional efforts. Don’t be tempted to make marketing your first cut when it’s time to slash expenditures.
4. Hiring a big agency with a small budget: Like most businesses, advertising, public relations and other marketing consulting agencies come in different sizes and price points. If you need to hire help on a shoestring, look for a small to midsized agency where your dollars and your business will be treated with the respect they deserve. Gwen Moran, www.entrepreneur.com Tags: marketing, tactics, start-up, startupWith more and more people jumping on the business blogging bandwagon, it’s getting to the point that there is far more out there than you could ever hope to read on a regular basis. To help you filter that infoglut down to a more manageable level, here is my list of the ten most practical blogs for entrepreneurs.
Small Business Trends - Anita Campbell looks at the latest trends affecting small businesses and entrepreneurs. A must-read for entrepreneurs.Just for Small Business - Full of thought-provoking tips for small business owners from Denise O’Berry, I like this blog because the topics are often unexpected - not your usual small business fare.WorkHappy.net - Carson McComas lives up to this blog’s subtitle of "killer resources for entrepreneurs" by providing links and reviews of "killer" applications and other resources to help entrepreneurs work smarter, not harder.Duct Tape Marketing - John Jantsch delivers 2-3 small business marketing tips weekly in easily digestible, actionable bite-size chunks.Home Office Voice - Internet entrepreneur Martin Neumann shares his experience and tips for building a web-based business. His writing style is very informal and entertaining, but at the same time he provides some really solid advice.Sacred Cow Dung - There are a number of really good blogs out there by venture capitalists about the VC market, entrepreneurship, and so on, but Christian Mayaud’s blog is for me the one that most consistently provides content that is actionable, not just informative.The Entrepreneurial Mind - Jeff Cornwall, Director of the Belmont University Center for Entrepreneurship, looks at trends in small business and entrepreneurship and their impact on individual business owners.Escape Velocity - Flemming Funch chronicles the ups and downs of life as an Internet entrepreneur.BizzBangBuzz - Pittsburgh attorney Anthony Cerminaro delivers excellent commentary and some original posts on the challenges facing emerging growth companies, with particular emphasis on legal issues.Business Opportunities Weblog - Dane Carlson mixes links and commentary on legitimate business opportunities with his thoughts and personal experiences regarding entrepreneurship.Winners receive bragging rights and a semi-permanent home in my blogroll (see the bottom right side of the page). I say semi-permanent because I will be keeping this list up-to-date, so those of you who are on that list, keep up the good work if you want to keep that front-page link! No slacking.
A list like this inevitably sparks some controversy, so before I get hit with a flurry of e-mails or a rant on Fark or Slashdot about what an idiot I am for overlooking a particular blog, let me explaing a little about my methodology. It might be easier to explain what is not in this list and why. Consider this my Honorable Mentions:
Blogs by famous entrepreneurs - Entertaining and informative though they are, they tend to be mostly about that entrepreneur’s business and whatever other topics they find interesting. I stuck to blogs that are more generally relevant and practical for entrepreneurs. I’ll probably do a separate list of these, though at some point. Some of my favorites in this category are Mark Cuban, Anita Roddick and Seth Godin.VC blogs - Blogging has become very popular among venture capitalists, and many are worth reading, particularly if you are (or are planning to become) a venture-funded entrepreneur. But the VC blogs also tend to look more at the VC side of things and also tend to include a lot of personal musings about other topics. A good read, but perhaps not for the time-constrained entrepreneur not interested in venture capital. I’ll also probably do a separate list of these, but for now, some of my favorites are Torsten Jacobi, A VC Blogs, VentureBlog, Southeast VC and VCball.Aggregator blogs - The blogs on the list all feature a substantial amount of original content by the author and commentary on links to other sites and stories. If you just want a list of good articles for entrepreneurs, I highly recommend Small Business Brief and Business Know-How.MIA - There are some great blogs that have languished into inactivity for whatever reason. I only included blogs that have been very consistent in their posting, but I highly recommend reading the archives of Entrepreneur’s Life and re:invention. I’d love to see these people posting again.Too new to tell - A lot of bloggers seem to lose interest after a few months, so I’ve stuck with blogs that have been established and consistently posting for six months or more. Some of my favorite new blogs to watch include Young Entrepreneur Journey, Home-Based Business Blog and Venture Voice.Blogs about business blogging - There are easily ten great blogs out there about how to earn money with a blog or how to use a blog to support your business. Some of the best are ProBlogger, Blog Business World, Business Blog Consulting and Buzz Marketing with Blogs.Niche topics - I stuck mostly to blogs that are generally applicable to most entrepreneurs, not specific types of business. If you’re into these topics, check out eBay Seller Central, Candle Making Blog and Home Party Plan Blog.Number 11Paul Graham Essays:
The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups
Why Startups Condense in America
Why Smart People Have Bad Ideas
Paul Graham is an essayist, programmer, and programming language designer.
Paulgraham.com got 8,1 million pageviews in 2005.
A Student’s Guide to Startups
The Hardest Lessons for Startups to Learn
Ideas for Startups
How to
How to Make Wealth
Tags: paul graham, startup, ideas, start internet business, how to start an internet business, business startup
This may seem like a very simple question but it is actually one of the most important questions you will have to answer before you start your business. As you think about your business idea, it will help if you understand your own reasons for choosing to run a business.
Have you thought about why?
The main reasons for starting a business are usually personal. No one else can tell you why to start a business. You have to decide for yourself.
What are you trying to achieve?
In order to succeed at your business you need to think about what you are trying to achieve. Just as your reasons for starting the business will be very personal, your definition of success will be unique to you.
Once you understand why you want to start a business and what you want to achieve, it will give you the motivation and direction to keep going.
Think through your own reasons for wanting to start a business and be clear about your aims and objectives.
Reasons for starting a business…
I’m sure I could make more money running my own businessI want to have enough money to be able to take two holidays each yearI want to be able to take time off on a regular basis to do the things I want to doI want to be able to buy a bigger houseI want a really nice carThese are all reasons people have given for starting their own business. Your reasons may be different, but it will help you to succeed if you know what you are trying to achieve.
I’m fed up working this hard for somebody else
Working for yourself can be very rewarding. It can a mean a level of independence and flexibility that is often impossible in paid employment. You can plan work around your family life and other commitments. However, being your own boss can also mean hard work and long hours, especially in the early years.
I’ve got a great business idea
A good business idea could be an invention, a new product or service, or an original idea or solution to an everyday problem. It might also be:
Whatever your idea is, you need to be sure that it fits with your needs as an individual, as well as being a viable business proposition. Explore your idea to find out if it is viable.
I’ve been trying to find a job for too long now
Unemployment, redundancy or a change in your job situation or family circumstances could all be the incentive to start your business. If you have decided to set up in business because of a major event in your life it is especially important to think through your plans carefully and make sure that you have a clear idea about why you want to start the business and what you want to achieve.
A friend has asked me to go into business with them
Sometimes the possibility of owning your own business can come as a complete surprise. Perhaps you are offered the opportunity to start a business with a friend, buy out your employer, or take on a family business.
Opportunities like these are like any other business start-up. You still need lots of personal commitment, you may need to put your own money on the line, and you’ll need to do some careful assessment to make sure that the business really is viable.
I want to have more time to do what I want to do
For many people, the biggest attraction of setting up a business is the independence provided by being your own boss and the chance to have the lifestyle you want. If your business takes off, the payoff in financial and lifestyle terms can be huge.
Original: http://www.bgateway.com
