Home Wealth Project
Extensive Research On How To Build Wealth From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.
Tips for Managing Your Small Business Now
Feb 8th
Managing a small business is always a challenge. Here are some tips to help you excel in a tough and competitive market.
Building Efficiency
Motivating employees without cash. Getting more performance out of employees isn’t always about money. Here are some other major considerations that could bring better results from those who work for you. The Fiscal Times
How IT audits can help your business. The way your small to medium sized business uses technology is clearly important. But is your current IT giving you the most bang for your buck in a difficult economy? Entrepreneur
Rules & Regs
Tips on hiring independent contractors. Hiring an independent contractor can be an excellent option for small businesses when addressing short term needs not requiring a full-time employee, but beware of the rules guiding this relationship. New York Times
Special Initiatives
Getting more green with your business. Green businesses are all the rage, but don’t make the mistake of being inauthentic. Here are some ways to keep your green initiatives on track. Small Business Trends
Getting your small business site to go viral. It’s the ultimate hope of small business owners these days. With limited resources, they hope to spread their message through their Website. But here are some things to think about first. ProBlogger
Marketing & Client Acquisition
Finding the clients that are worth your time. Part of the problem with small businesses is the wasting of time and resources on clients that don’t pan out. Here’s how to make sure it doesn’t happen to you. Business How To
What’s your marketing style? Every entrepreneur and small business owner has a unique style and approach. Match that style to a marketing strategy you can maintain over time and you’ve found the secret to getting the word out about your small business. Open Forum
Corner Office
Paying the cost to be the boss. As the old song says, being the boss comes at a price, but being a better boss may be easier than you think. Here are some tips that should make being in charge an easier thing to handle. Small Business Bonfire
Building Brand
How important is your brand? Very! In fact, for entrepreneurs and small business owners trying to build a company, branding can be the key to opening many doors. How are you building your business branding? The Work at Home Woman
Building your small business following. You may have heard that your business needs fans. If you think that makes your company feel more like a rock band than a serious venture, you may just be right! BusinessInfoGuide.com
Tips for Managing Your Small Business Now
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
President Obama: Small Business is Part of His Reelection Strategy
Feb 7th
President Obama is urging Congress to support legislation to expand tax cuts for small businesses and free up capital for startups.
His proposed “Startup America Legislative Agenda,” would eliminate taxes on capital gains in investments in small businesses and provide a 10 percent income tax credit on for new hires or to spur job-creation, double the deductions a startup business could take from $5,000 to $10,000, and extend 100 percent first-year depreciation for qualified property. The President will offer details of his proposals in the fiscal 2013 budget that will be submitted to Congress on February 13.
In an election year in which the economy will likely be the determining factor, both Democrats and Republicans will want to be seen as supporting small business, and cutting taxes is always popular with the electorate.
The White House sees small business growth as a primary driver of the economy. In fact, my company has been providing data on loan approval rates at big banks, small banks, credit unions and other alternative lenders to the President’s Council of Economic Advisers for the past several months. While the economy has risen above the dark period in early 2009 when the country was in a tailspin, the recovery is far from complete.
Credit markets are still tight for entrepreneurs, and big banks, in particular, are making it more and more difficult for startups. For example, many ask for three years’ worth of financial data before granting loans. How can a startup provide such numbers? Therein lies the challenge.
President Obama is positioning himself as an advocate for entrepreneurship and innovation. It is a good platform for reelection. Recently, he elevated Karen Mills, head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), to be a member of his cabinet. The President called this decision:
“A symbol of how important it is for us to spur entrepreneurship, to help startups, to move aggressively so that we can assure more companies that create the most jobs in our economy.”
The SBA has been instrumental in getting funding for startups, particularly during a period when financial institutions have been reluctant to lend. The agency’s 90 percent loan guarantee program was very successful, and only a very small percentage of SBA-backed loans defaulted.
Although it is admirable that the President is trying to be innovative, I believe the government’s most effective vehicle to help small companies has been the SBA, which was created by President Eisenhower almost 50 years ago. Ironically, it has been the Republicans who have called for the scaling back of the agency. President Obama has repeatedly bolstered the SBA, and its loan programs have helped countless businesses get the funding they need for growth.
President Obama Photo via Shutterstock
President Obama: Small Business is Part of His Reelection Strategy
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media [Infographic]
Feb 6th
It’s undeniable that small businesses today benefit greatly from the use of social media sites. Whether for promoting their enterprise, reaching out to clients and responding to queries from customers, regular networking efforts on social media indeed has its rewards.
A big chunk of entrepreneurs using Facebook, Twitter and so on belong to the small business industry. It should be noted, however, that even the Fortune 500 companies are also taking advantage of these sites.
Apart from the real time communication that the sites offer, it’s absolutely free to promote a business and keep in touch with customers. One does not need to have technical skills to be able to manage a social media account and this ease of using the sites is what primarily attracts business owners to use them.
Below we share an infographic design from Infographic Labs showing the latest studies and surveys on how businesses are using and benefiting from the top social networking sites. Recent figures tell only one thing – entrepreneurs regardless of the field they’re in will continue to tap social media for their marketing campaigns.
View full post on Business Pundit
Are You Ready to Make the Jump into Small Business Ownership?
Feb 5th
There are two types of entrepreneurs: those that jump into a new business headfirst, and those that dip their toes in the water. One’s not better than the other, though the second one is probably more prepared for what lies ahead. In Making the Jump into Small Business Ownership (@MakingtheJump), authors David Nilssen (@DavidNilssen) and Jeff Levy (@JeffLTheESource) guide readers into the water, so to speak. They dissect what it takes to become a business owner into easy-to-digest chapters peppered with real-world examples.
What You’ll Find
I received a review copy of this book from the authors. Although this book was written to be used in a more formal education setting, it doesn’t come off like the college textbooks I had. It’s a pretty small book, not even 200 pages, for the amount of information it offers.
The book is divided into several sections:
- Find the Entrepreneur in You
- Your Business
- Getting Started
- Parting Thoughts
The start of the book gets you thinking about whether you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur. It doesn’t sugarcoat small business ownership; in fact, it forces you to ask yourself hard questions, like whether you’d be willing (or able) to go without a paycheck for up to two years to get your business launched. If this section doesn’t scare you off, the rest of the book will help you determine what type of business you could launch, as well as details on how to get started.
The Authors Know Their Stuff
I don’t like small business books written by people who don’t actually have experience running a business. That’s why it’s nice to know that both Levy and Nilssen have launched multiple companies and helped others with their businesses. Neither has an advanced business degree, which just goes to show you don’t have to be a Harvard MBA to be successful as an entrepreneur.
Throughout the book, both authors offer their own stories and advice to highlight a point. You build trust in them as you read.
Be Honest With Yourself
The hardest thing to really know when considering business ownership is whether you’re cut out for it. Nilssen and Levy ask some thought-provoking questions that give you an idea of how difficult, emotionally and financially, entrepreneurship can be. Ask yourself these questions and you’ll have a sense of whether you could make it as an entrepreneur:
- Are you capable of putting a vision ahead of your short-term needs?
- Do you perform well under pressure?
- Are you a decisive person?
- Will your family be able to support this decision knowing you will likely have to work longer hours and face initial financial insecurity?
What I Liked Best About Making the Jump
Having already taken the path toward entrepreneurship, I can see that the material in this book blows off the fluff and focuses on what anyone needs to know to start a business. I’ve always said you don’t have to have a degree in business to be an entrepreneur, but having the right resources to understand what it takes is key.
This book is divided into bite-sized chapters that are easy to read. I always like to “sit” on a chapter a while and reflect on what I’ve learned. There’s plenty of food for thought in this book.
Who This Book is For
If you’ve been thinking about starting a business but are unsure of the level of commitment required, this book is for you. It leaves no stone unturned, and you’ll walk away with a better idea of whether you’re ready for entrepreneurship. From finding a mentor to determining your business structure, this book has answers to many of the questions newbie entrepreneurs have. While books about social media and technology are out of date practically by the time they’re printed, the lessons taught in Making the Jump will be true in 15 years as much as they are today.
Are You Ready to Make the Jump into Small Business Ownership?
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Grow Yourself: Attend One of These Small Biz Events
Feb 5th
Every two weeks we put together a list of key events for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The following Small Business Events Guide contains worthwhile events for those wanting to grow their businesses:
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Small Biz Success Summit 2012
February 1 – 23, 2012 – Online
Presented by Social Media Examiner, this mega-event is designed to help you grow your small business using social media. There’s no travel! You simply attend this online event from the comfort of your home or office. It consists of multiple online webinars and Q&A sessions spread out from February 1 to 23, 2012. Recordings and transcripts also available.
You will hear from 28 of the world’s top small-biz social media experts, including: John Jantsch (author, Duct Tape Marketing), Anita Campbell (founder, Small Business Trends), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner and author, Launch), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing), Brian Clark (founder, Copyblogger Media), Lee Odden (founder, TopRank Online Marketing), Ramon Ray (founder, Small Biz Technology and author, Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses). —-> Register now.
Where Is Everyone?: The Remote Project Manager’s Arsenal
February 6, 2012, San Francisco
So how exactly does one manage a tribe and change the world, with all these to-do’s and deadlines bogging us down? Not to mention the finicky Skype calls, buried emails, and timezone arithmetic. Join us for practical tips to get more out of you and your team:
- Preemptive strike: attack problems before they happen
- Two (free!) tools for working better, and how to set them up
- Your inbox is a blackhole. Get out of it.
- Social psychology 101
-And more…
Specifically designed with the remote project manager in mind, this class will cover tips that go beyond watercooler politics and planning agendas. Methods will be applicable to MiF-carrying PM’s and jetsetting entrepreneurs, to office bees who occasionally work from home… or anyone who has to work with other humans.
Small Biz Big Things
February 7, 2012, San Francisco
Small Biz Big Things is all about YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR challenges. In this interactive forum you’ll hear from business growth experts who have built (or are building) successful companies and can share their lessons learned, success stories, growth challenges and victories with you.
Speakers include Scott Hintz, co-founder of Tripit, Jim Fowler, who built Jigsaw and sold it to Salesforce.com, and Tamara Mendelsohn, VP of Marketing for Eventbrite.
Come network, have a great lunch and learn from experts who can help you GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
Small Business Webinar Series
Multiple Dates, Online
Feb 7: 10 Low Cost or No Cost Ways to Get Publicity for Your Small Business
Feb 9: Using Mobile Marketing to Grow Your Business
Feb 14: Great Presentation Skills – How to Improve Your Presentations and Grow Your Business
Feb 16: Using Social Media to Find New Customers
Feb 21: Keeping Your Pipeline Full Using LinkedIn
Give Me 5: Government Contracting Success Story
February 8, 2012
This educational webinar is part of the Give Me 5 program, a national program created by American Express OPEN and WIPP to help women business owners get a leg up on selling to the world’s largest customer: the U.S. government.
In this one-hour session, Give Me 5 instructor Barbara English will interview Hester Clark, President of The Hester Group and the 2011 American Express OPEN’s Victory in Procurement Woman Contractor of the Year. Through government contracting – which makes up 90% of the company’s revenues – The Hester Group has grown to become one of the largest African-American, woman-owned strategic communications and program management agencies in Northeast Florida. Hester will share experiences of how she moved her business into the federal contracting area, the lessons learned, challenges she faced and the success that she achieved.
Social Media Week
February 13-17, 2012 – London, Miami, New York, San Francisco + More
Reflecting the global impact of social media – and its role as a catalyst in driving cultural, economic, political and social change in developed and emerging markets – Social Media Week is one of the world’s most unique global platforms, offering a series of interconnected activities and conversations around the world on emerging trends in social and mobile media across all major industries.
See website for each city’s schedule of events.
Leancamp New York
February 18, 2012
Leancamp is a non-profit, high-energy day where you discover the tools that are right for you, by connecting with and learning from people actually practicing these approaches. You get actionable feedback on your current challenges, learning from a variety of disciplines.
These connections also spark new tools get to market faster. Leancamp has been the birthplace of many popular entrepreneurship techniques.
Small Farms Conference
February 25, 2012, Corvallis, OR
The event includes workshops ranging from harvesting rainwater and marketing meat products to grafting vegetables and selling produce to schools and hospitals. Speakers include farmers, OSU faculty, farmer’s market representatives and experts from the state Department of Agriculture.
Other topics include farm financing, land-use legislation and business plan development.
Inc. GrowCo
March 5-7, 2012, New Orleans
Come to GROWCO and master the strategies, tactics, and real-world solutions your company needs to thrive. Packed with actionable insights, GROWCO can be a life-changing event. You’ll learn from mega-successful entrepreneurs whose companies have created millions of dollars of wealth and tens of thousands of jobs…and a lot more.
Brite ’12 Conference
March 5-6, 2012
Now in its 5th year, BRITE ’12 will bring together 400 leaders from business, technology, media and marketing to discuss how technology and innovation are transforming the ways that companies build and sustain great brands.
BRITE offers a different blend of thinkers and doers, both onstage and off, than you will find at any other event. Participants come to think differently about the changing landscape of media and technology, and to connect with a unique group of innovators, marketers, entrepreneurs, and champions of social enterprise.
Seventh Annual Small Business Summit 2012
March 6, 2012, New York City
The Small Business Summit is New York’s premier event for small business owners looking to network with other decision-makers, attend cutting edge seminars and shop around for products & services available to help their small businesses succeed. You’ll network with 500+ attendees, hear from small business experts in exciting presentations and panel discussions, and have a great lunch. The winner of the Small Business Strategy Award will be announced live, plus great raffles and giveaways.
Early Bird Registration Rate of $149 through February 24th.
MWBE’s: Your Business is Certified, Now What?
March 12, 2012
During this lunchtime teleconfrence, gain valuable marketing and business development information that will help you win government contracts. Presenter: Jean Kristensen, MWBE Success
To register and receive teleseminar login information, e-mail pzill@westchester.org.
Geek Girl Cape Cod Boot Camp 2012
March 17, 2012, Cape Cod, MA
Whether you are a beginner newbie who needs hand-holding on all things computer, to the intermediate self-starter entrepreneur who needs some new tools, to you entirely tuned-in code toads looking to learn, there is a workshop for you at this bootcamp. See website for full list of sessions.
2012 Ohio Business Matchmaker
March 20-21, 2012, Dayton, OH
The Ohio Business Matchmaker 2012 event is a unique opportunity for exhibitors, purchasing agents (buyers), trainers, and small business owners (suppliers of goods and services) to come together.
More than 1,300 small business owners who represent small, minority, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, HUBZone, women-owned businesses, and approximately 250 purchasing representatives from city, state, county, and federal agencies will be participating this year. Prime contractors and other organizations with a combined purchasing budget representing hundreds of millions of dollars in opportunities will attend as well.
In addition to one-on-one matchmaking meetings, this event will offer exhibitors networking opportunities and workshops covering current topics vital to small business success such as Selling to the Government, Doing Business with Federal Government Prime Contractors, SBA Policy Updates, and Surety Bonding.
Social Tech ’12
March 29-30, 2012, Seattle
Social media marketing is no longer an option for B2B—it’s an absolute necessity. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with over 25 of the leading experts who will teach you how to use social media marketing to generate more inbound leads, grow brand awareness, drive conversions, and increase revenue. You’ll meet with industry insiders as well as other B2B marketers to discuss best practices, winning techniques, current roadblocks, and find out what works for your business!
Infusioncon 2012
April 2-4, Phoenix, AZ
Get ready to learn, network and set new ideas in motion! Join hundreds of small businesses from all around the world at InfusionCon 2012, Infusionsoft’s annual user conference, and experience three days of idea sharing and inspiration in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona on April 2-4.
Innovation Uncensored
April 18, 2012, New York City
Where provocative thinkers collide and engage in meaningful, unexpected conversations. At this event, participants from various industries are charged with sharing smart techniques and exploring the next generation of innovative ideas that are shaping our world.
Confab: The Content Strategy Conference
May 14-16, 2012, Minneapolis
Deep dives. Conceptual discussions. Practical application. Whether you’re a seasoned content vet or new to the game, Confab has something for you. You’re sure to walk away with not only new insights and discoveries, but also the ability to actually DO something with them. A mixed agenda format will offer attendees a variety of ways to engage with and employ the innovative ideas that come from the scintillating content and unexpected environment.
The event content is aimed toward anyone who thinks of themselves as an innovative business leader including but not limited to the fields of technology, design, marketing, entertainment, venture capitalism, energy, infrastructure, non-profits and brand executives.
America’s Small Business Summit 2012
May 21-23, 2012, Washington, DC
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual event — America’s Small Business Summit — unites small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the country to learn, network, and discuss common legislative and management concerns. Past speakers include former President George W. Bush, General Stanley McChrystal, Small Business Editor of the WSJ Colleen DeBaise, and many more. Attendees help influence our nation’s economic and political agenda by advocating for pro-business policies through the Rally on the Hill portion of the program. The event will take place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on May 21-23, 2012. For more information and important dates, check the Summit website, www.uschambersummit.com.
8th Annual Kentucky Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference
June 1, 2012, Louisville, KY
The Annual Kentucky Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference (8th KIEC) will bring together distinguished speakers, tech-based economic development practitioners, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, students and postdoctoral fellows.
The conference will focus on growing local initiatives powered by science and engineering talent.
2012 Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium
June 11-14, 2012, Reno, NV
Designed by Veteran small business owners for Veteran small business owners, VETS2012 brings government agencies, industry leaders and Veteran entrepreneurs together in a small, intimate forum to discuss the questions you need answered.
To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit the Small Business Events Calendar.
If you are putting on a small business event or contest, and want to get the word out, please submit it through our Events & Contests Submission Form (it’s free). Only events of interest to small business people, freelancers and entrepreneurs will be included.
Brought to you as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.
Grow Yourself: Attend One of These Small Biz Events
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Cautious Optimism For Small Business
Feb 4th
Jobs. What’s more important to an economy (and a household for that matter) than for people to be working? Of course there’s many factors but no matter who you are, employment and jobs are right up there at the top of the list of what is needed for a healthy and vibrant economy. That’s why I am rejoining at today’s jobs report.
The jobs report that came out today said that unemployment is at a 3 year low of 8.3% – according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – and that we added 243,000 private sector jobs in January. Not sure about you but I like that. The market was looking for 150,000 new jobs so expectations were exceeded. I realize it’s not the 4.5% unemployment we had in 2Q 2007 but it’s also not the 10.0% we had in 4Q 2009 so we’re heading in a better direction. And, yes, I agree that we have a long way to go but I like the current trend.
What else am I (cautiously) optimistic about? Small business lending is slowly beginning to come back. About 15 months ago we heard from Bank of America that they planned to hire 1000 people primarily dedicated to the small business sector by 2012. Citi announced some impressive “results” – and, by the way BofA, you get more cool points for results than you do for intentions! Chase has also recently announced some great strides in the small business lending “results” category.
I agree with my friends and colleagues who contend that it was the local banks and smaller banks who helped us through The Great Recession with their SBA-backed lending efforts so I mean no slight to them when I say I’m happy about the direction of lending in the big-bank category.
So while the Negative Nancy’s are rolling their eyes at me and the Positive Peggy’s are ready for the big celebration here’s why neither of those extreme’s is the right place to be. 8.3% is still too high and we want a lower unemployment rate. Additionally, since we live in a global economy where ripple effects cross borders and can circle the globe, the larger concern is how the European debt defaults will impact both the world and the US economy. Greece is close to a likely default in the next month or two and some of their neighboring countries are looking at the same issue on the not-too-distant horizon.
Let’s not forget the global impact that was felt by our own US subprime mortgage defaults that have all occurred just in the last 5 years. Wasn’t it Ben Bernanke or Alan Greenspan that said, “It’s a global economy, dude?” Okay, maybe not but you get the point.
If the trend of lower unemployment continues like it has for the last 6 months then we’re all likely to be happy. Housing is still not good but can you imagine what would happen if more people get back to work and then those same people buy or refinance their homes since rates are at historic lows and then that creates more jobs in banking and lending and the unemployment percentage continues to decrease even more?
That’s one reason the Fed is keeping rates low – let’s call it the New Fed Stimulus Package or the NFSP…what do you think? I like how William Dunkelberg from the NFIB summed it up “The market was looking for 150,000 jobs, and we got 257,000. We’ll rejoice, and hope for another good month next month.”
Job Photo via Shutterstock
Cautious Optimism For Small Business
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Stop Saying That! Lost For Words in Small Business
Feb 2nd
Communications are important in any small business. Here’s a crash course in how to become a great communicator you won’t want to miss.
Collaboration
Trimming your business language. Learning to communicate effectively, especially when it comes to business, can be extremely important for any entrepreneur or small business person. But just as there is a best way to communicate in business, there is a worst and some words the experts feel should be left behind. Yahoo! Finance
How to work together. One of the important aspects of small business success along with communication is a sense of team work or knowing how to work together. But did you know you could build your entire business model around the idea of working together? BizSugar Blog
Human Services
Playing well with others. Getting along and being able to work well even with those you don’t care for is important. Whether you manage others in your small business or are a solopreneur with a workforce of one, interaction will be unavoidable. Pick you strategy. Z-S Knowledge Center
Hiring the perfect employees. One of the ways to avoid a bad work environment before it can even start is to make sure you hire right when bringing people into your organization. The process can be easier than it seems. Bloggertone
Online
Communicating effectively with your Website design. In a way, the design of your small business Website can also be thought of as a form of communication between you and your customer. If you don’t learn how to carry on that communication effectively it may translate into lack of sales. ScottFox
What your landing page is saying. Think the design of something as simple as your landing page isn’t important? Think again! Like every other part of your Website, it sends a powerful message about you and your business. But what message is your landing page sending to customers? Sales Tip a Day
Marketing
How to get noticed. It would be great if communicating over just one channel were effective. Unfortunately, as we all know today, it’s not. There are many ways to get your message across and “getting noticed” is about choosing the right one. Dr. Shannon Reece
Talking to humans and robots. If you want to create the content that will make your online communications effective, you will have to think of all the possible audiences. Writing for the Web may be the most important kind of communicating you can do with your business today, but learning the craft is an ongoing challenge. Todaymade
Customer Relations
Patience is a virtue…even in marketing? Marketing can be a waiting game. That’s especially true in online marketing where you may have to wait for results from your marketing efforts. Is patience a quality your small business communications possess? Idea Sprouts
Customer satisfaction. It’s the best feedback you can get from the people who buy your products or services. Why would you want any less? Make sure your customers are happy. Take pride in doing all you can for them. It’s the best way to communicate to them what their business means to you. You’re the Boss
Stop Saying That! Lost For Words in Small Business
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Check Out These Latest Small Business Awards and Contests
Jan 30th
This list of contests, competitions and awards for small businesses is brought to you every other week as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.
Also, if you’ve entered and won a contest or award listed here, let us know so we can share your news.
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Tibbetts Awards 2012
Enter by January 31, 2012
The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking nominations for its Tibbetts Awards, recognizing small-business research and innovation. The awards recognize companies that have taken part in the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Three awards will be given, one for companies that have participated in the SBIR/STTR programs, one for individuals who advocate on behalf of the programs, and a third “Hall of Fame” award recognizing companies that have a track record of success in research, innovation and product commercialization within the SBIR or STTR program.
Small Business Book Awards
Enter by January 31, 2012
Nominations are now open for the 4th Annual Small Business Book Awards. They recognize business books of special interest to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Last year there were 106 books nominated and 41,000 votes cast by the community.
This year, over 100 books have already been nominated with over 2 weeks to go. Books published between November 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011 are eligible.
You can nominate one book – or as many books as you like, and anyone can nominate. Authors, you are encouraged to nominate your own book. Publishers and publicists can also nominate books. Book lovers — you can nominate, too!
PA Tech Awards 2012
Enter by February 1, 2012
Nominations for winners in eight categories will be accepted on the event’s new website in a unique, open format. Every submitted nomination in every category can be viewed immediately by visitors to the site and shared to social media channels, delivering increased global visibility for all nominees. The annual gala on March 30, 2012 celebrates and honors the brightest technology leaders and innovators from across the state.
The Next Teen Tycoon Contest
Enter by February 3, 2012
Vertical Response is searching for the country’s most promising teen entrepreneurs with the “Next Teen Tycoon” online video contest.
The contest is open to teens between 13 and 18 years old who have their own business or a viable business idea. The top three contest winners will receive prizes totaling more than $10,000 in worth. They include one grand prize winner, who will receive $4,000 in “seed cash” to help him/her launch or grow the business, and a trip to the 2012 TEDxTeen conference in New York. Two second place winners will win $2,000 in “seed cash” each.
2012 Small Business Strategy Award
Enter by February 10, 2012
If you have been in business at least five years, have annual revenues of less than $5 million and have realized success from a specific strategy you’ve implemented within the past two years, you are encouraged to apply for the coveted 2012 Small Business Strategy Award.
The winner will be announced at the Seventh Annual Small Business Summit in New York City on March 6, 2012.
Fulton County PA Excellence in Small Business Award
Enter by February 17, 2012
The Awards Committee of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is accepting nominations of local businesses for the 2011 Excellence in Small Business Award. The award will be presented at the Chamber-Tourism’s Award Celebration. The category provides public recognition for the accomplishments of small businesses, those employing ten or fewer full-time employees. This category requires demonstration of growth, overall stability, a positive community image, leadership and civic involvement. Nominees do not have to be a member of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, but must be a Fulton County business.
Connecticut Innovations TechStart Fund
Apply by February 22, 2012
The TechStart Fund was created to spur technology innovation at its very earliest stage. The fund provides entrepreneurial or student teams with initial capital so they can determine whether a technology concept and business are viable and whether future funding can be obtained to launch a new business. Teams applying for TechStart funding will need to participate in a 10-week program, during which they will be provided with mentors and various professional resources offering strategic guidance in launching a new business. The initial 10-week pilot program will be held at CTech@Science Park at Yale in New Haven and will begin in March 2012.
See website for more details and entry requirements.
Office Depot’s Small Business Makeover Contest
Enter by February 27, 2012
The Small Business Makeover contest is designed to help small business owners augment or adjust their business in order to save time, grow and prosper in 2012 and beyond. The contest will award three small businesses a makeover from Office Depot, which includes a one-on-one financial coaching session with Jean Chatzky, office furniture, and supplies featuring Jean’s line of Mead financial organization products, available exclusively at Office Depot.
Small businesses can enter the contest by visiting Office Depot’s Facebook page and submitting, in 100 words or less, why their small business is in need of a makeover.
The Amazing Entrepreneur
Enter by February 29, 2012
The 2nd Annual Amazing Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition is an initiative by Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development and The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to foster new business development in Gwinnett County, GA. The contest is open to individuals who own or manage a small business, which has been in operation less than 36 months, in Gwinnett County.
The Grand Prize winner will receive $2500 cash to be used solely for the business entering the contest, a trip to Sage Software’s Customer Conference in Nashville, TN (airfare, hotel stay, conference fees), one-year membership to Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, one-year participation in the Chamber’s Gwinnett Business Institute program ($180 value), a consultation with an attorney from Arnall Golden Gregory ($2500 value), and research assistance from Chamber’s economic development department
2012 Small Business Online Marketing Contest
Enter by February 29,2012
For the second year, Chicago-area small businesses are being recognized for their marketing success. Constant Contact kicked off the 2012 Small Business Online Marketing Contest today in partnership with the Chicago City Treasurer’s Office. The contest will award more than $12,000 in cash and prizes to businesses submitting winning entries in “Best Business Email Marketing” and “Best Overall Users of Social Media” categories, including “Rookie Awards.”
CoolCalifornia Small Business Award
Enter by February 29, 2012
The CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards recognize California small businesses that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, promote climate friendly practices and integrate the tools on CoolCalifornia.org into their business operations.
There are two award categories: CoolCalifornia Small Business of the Year Award, and CoolCalifornia Climate Leader Award.
Brother Small Business Grant Program
Enter by March 2, 2012
StartupNation has collaborated with Brother, a leader in small business technology, to bring you
the 2012 Brother Small Business Grant Program.
The grant program will award a total of $25,000 to five small business owners who submit the most original and creative business plan.
Verizon California Small Business Makeover Contest
Enter by March 2, 2012
Verizon wants to hear about Southern California small businesses’ technology challenges and will award a business makeover worth more than $5,000 to the company that best tells its story. Register and submit an essay, of no longer than 500 words, describing the technology challenges facing your business. Small businesses also have the opportunity to win a $500 American Express Gift Card if they view quick, informative videos about Verizon Small Business solutions on the contest website.
A panel of judges will determine the grand-prize winner and four semifinalists. The grand prize consists of $2,000 in cash; an HP Laptop; a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE LG Revolution Smart Phone; the Intuit Website Design Services Package; and Mobile Pay and Google Personal Support for Google Products. The semifinalists will each receive custom business-technology recommendations valued at $125.
Staples Give Your Small Business the Push it Needs Contest
Enter by March 14, 2012
Staples has launched its “Give Your Small Business the Push It Needs” contest, which will offer five small businesses up to $50,000 in free television advertising in their home market.
Small businesses can enter the contest by submitting a 15-second video about their company on Facebook.com/Staples by March 14. Five winners will be chosen to receive 15 seconds of advertising in a 30-second Staples television ad to run in their local market. Winners can have $50,000 in advertising or $40,000 in advertising and $10,000 in cash.
To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit our Small Business Events Calendar.
If you are putting on a small business contest, award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please submit it through our Small Business Event and Contests Form (it’s free).
Please note: The descriptions provided here are for convenience only and are NOT the official rules. ALWAYS read official rules carefully at the site holding the competition, contest or award.
Check Out These Latest Small Business Awards and Contests
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Small Business Success Still Relies On Communication
Jan 27th
If you’re in small business, be prepared to communicate. It’s an important part of what small businesses do. The same thing goes for those who lead them. Here are some tips and tools to help you better master communication for your small business.
Opening Up
Why you must spend time face to face. Technology is great. It connects us in ways never possible before. But there are limitations to what technology can do when building important business relationships. Here’s why. Jennifer Warawa
It’s lonely at the top. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are 10 ways many business leaders avoid loneliness and isolation. As a small business owner you may sometimes feel isolated too. How do you work to avoid those feelings. Startup Professionals Musings
The State of Business
Big companies want to handle your IT. There was a time when IT services for small businesses and startups were handled by smaller firms as well. No longer. Here is why big business wants a piece in serving your IT needs. WSJ
What Washington is telling small business. Small businesses and entrepreneurs did feature in the President’s State of the Union Address. But what is big government really telling small businesses about where they fit in? Entrepreneur
Blogging & Engagement
Why blogging is your business. No better paradigm of business communications exists today than the small business blog. Personal and focused, it is at the same time representative of your brand. But it may turn out your blog is even a bigger part of your business than you thought. Noobpreneur
The importance of engagement. Is your small business engaging with customers, clients and the public in the way that it should? What tools and approaches can you use to reach the necessary engagement with your customers? Famous Bloggers
Marketing & Sales
The problems with converting leads. Your marketing is a form of communication, but what is really important to consider, when deciding if that communication is effective, is to look at whether your audience is turning into customers. Dawn Westerberg Consulting
Tech Basics
Best gear for podcasting. Podcaster Ileane Smith shows you her personal choice for equipment to use in your own efforts and explains a bit more about why podcasting is so critical to communication in small business today. Basic Blog Tips
Making Connections
It’s still about the people. No matter how small business communications is done, it’s still a very human interaction. Technology and techniques aside, what will really make you better at marketing and selling is to better understand your customer? B2B Marketing Smarts
Do you know your audience? No, it’s not a silly question! Do you? Because all of the above won’t help you much if you don’t. Here’s why you’ll need to consider the people you’re addressing first before finding success. Respectfully Disobedient
Small Business Success Still Relies On Communication
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Why Online Reputation Matters to Small Business
Jan 26th
You’re a small business owner. Most of your customers are the people who live within 25 miles of your storefront. Why does it even matter what the Internet has to say about your brand? That has no impact on your bottom line.
Right?
No. Dangerously wrong.
Weber Shandwick recently released a new report called The Company Behind The Brand: In Reputation We Trust [PDF] that breaks down exactly why business owners should be concerned with the online footprint they’re leaving (or not leaving) behind. One of the most interesting parts of the report for me was the finding that any disconnect between corporate and brand reputation triggers a sharp consumer reaction. That means even if your product or service is excellent…if the image of your brand is less than stellar, it will still hurt you.
According to the report, when a consumer learns that a product they like is made by a company they have a negative relationship with (54 percent of consumers responded they’ve experienced this), 96 percent of consumers took some kind of action.
What kind of action?
The most frequent response was that consumers stopped purchasing the product (40 percent). In fact, surprised consumers were twice as likely to STOP buying the product as they were to continue to buy it. And this is a product they originally admitted to liking! That was pretty startling to me. Just as noteworthy – consumers who didn’t immediately stop buying the product went online to try and learn more about the company.
Both of these statements speak to the importance of creating a positive Web presence.
- Consumers are using social word of mouth, online reviews, and other online content to form a judgment about your company. The judgment they form is then strongly tied to whether or not they decide to purchase your product.
- When consumers are conflicted, they go to the Internet to answer the “should I trust you” question. They’re then using the information they find about your brand to help them make that decision.
It doesn’t matter if you’re not trying to target a national audience. Local consumers are using the Web to find information about local businesses. It’s up to you to make sure they’re finding the right kind of information.
What should every small business be doing to help build their Web presence?
- Create a Web site: Your brand Facebook profile or Google+ business page is great. But your business still needs a Web site. Some place where you can talk about your product/services, establish credibility, introduce your team, offer resources, and be found for hyper-local keywords.
- Blog: There are few better ways to build industry authority than with an active blog. Producing content on a regular basis also ensures there’s always something you can promote and be found for.
- Get involved in social media: Maybe that means getting active on Twitter or Facebook. Or maybe it means developing a presence on a Q&A site like Quora or participating in a small business networking site like BizSugar. Either way, find out where your audience is engaging online, and set up a satellite community there. Talk to your audience and let them get to know you on a more human level. Just don’t get too human.
- Get involved in your community: Whether it’s sponsoring your town’s little league team, speaking at local events, or putting together an industry-related group at the local high school, by getting involved in the community that you live in you help to build a positive reputation offline, which can then carry online when people write about your efforts, link to sponsors, etc.
- Guest blog on relevant sites: Guest blogging is a great way to build goodwill, establish industry credibility, and introduce your company to people in other networks.
- Solicit & manage online reviews: This is a biggie and it’s only becoming more important. We’re going to sites like Yelp, Google Place Pages, TripAdvisor, etc, to learn how the experiences others had with your brand. Make sure you’re not only doing what you can to encourage customers to leave reviews, but positively responding to any negative or neutral comments that may be there. You not only help save that relationship, but you show everyone else who may find that review in the search results that you’re listening, you care, and that you hear them.
Online reputation management is important for businesses of any size. It’s about creating a positive Web presence to make your brand one that people trust and want to engage with. Because, as the report mentioned above shows, it doesn’t matter how great your product is – if people don’t trust you, they won’t be interested in it.
Why Online Reputation Matters to Small Business
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
