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10 Steps to Effective Collections An effective collections policy requires some kind of formal system that ensures overdue accounts get paid. Letting late payments languish can disrupt ...

10 Ways to Help Increase Your Cash Flow As any small business owner knows, maintaining smooth cash flow requires juggling nearly every facet of a business, from staying on top of accounts re ...

Accounting Principles for Diverse Needs and Situations Choose an Accounting Method Your chosen accounting approach will guide how and when you key in income and expenditure items in your financial records. You ...

Avoid Delinquent Accounts Most businesses have to deal with an overdue or unpaid account at some point or another. The best way to avoid collection hassles is to take prevent ...

Bonuses: How To Be Fair Bonuses can be a great motivation tool, even for employees of the smallest business. They can also be a waste of money. How they are planned and administere ...

Bookkeeping and Record Keeping Basics Proper bookkeeping is important to sustaining and expanding a business. Without it, you run the risk of hitting cash flow crunches, wasting money, and miss ...

Budgeting as a Control Tool A budget serves as a control tool to provide standards for evaluating performance.   A budget can cover any of the following:  Profit pl ...

Business Accounting and Bookkeeping Basics Bookkeeping Your business transactions will be backed by financial as well as non-financial records. Bookkeeping, undertaken by bookkeepers, entails the do ...

Business Cash Management during Fiscal Turmoil Manoeuvring in Tough Economic Times Honesty is key to sustained business existence. Consequently, you need to appropriately alert your vendors, contractors ...

Business Crisis Management and Emergency Planning Implement Crisis Intervention Measures Usually unexpectedly, your business could be hit by unforeseen events. In such situations, crisis management experti ...

Business Recession Strategies for Survival How do You Deal with Economic Downturns? Financial recessions have become commonplace occurrences. Your business is likely to be affected by an economic sl ...

Business Turnaround Strategies Failing Business If your small business is underperforming, you could benefit from turnaround advice. This assistance helps you to transcend the various ch ...

Business Valuation Methods There are a number of instances when you may need to determine the market value of a business. Certainly, buying and selling a business is the most c ...

Cash Flow Problems and Cash Flow Management Cash Flow Crunches As a small business person, you could find yourself in a tight cash situation at any time. Obviously, you would try to get out of such c ...

Cash Flow Triage It's Monday morning and you don't have enough cash on hand to make Friday's payroll. What options do you have? Cash flow crunches affect every company ...

Credit Terms at a Glance   Currently 3.0/5 Stars. Maximizing the value of credit reports requires a good understanding of the information they contain. Whether you're checking the credit of others or ...

Cutting Fixed Costs Minimising Fixed Expenses Your supplier is unlikely to offer you discounts unless you purchase in bulk or pay up promptly. Consequently, you are better abl ...

Effective Billing Practices Businesses can speed collection of their receivables and avoid late payment problems by developing an effective billing plan. Here are some steps you ...

Financing Elder Care Elder care can be an expensive undertaking and you should plan for it financially in order to avoid unnecessary tax burdens. Gifts You are allowed to give s ...

Give Yourself the Money Hunting Edge Whether you're looking for a small, short-term loan or actively pitching venture capitalists, strong preparation and planning can improve your chanc ...

How to Protect and Improve Your Business Credit Rating Credit-reporting agencies track the creditworthiness of businesses like yours to help suppliers and lenders make decisions about which companies to do ...

How to Read a Business Credit Report When you're considering granting credit to new customers, evaluating the reliability of potential suppliers, or analyzing your company's own credit st ...

How to Save Money Advice Small cost saving Reduction Strategies One overarching motive of you, the business person, is to operate at the lowest possible costs. You always think of ...

Inventory Costs Management Techniques Inventory Glut Problems You need to be aware that inventory management costs you money. Some management issues arising from excess or slow-moving inventory ...

Leasing Equipment Financing new equipment -- from computers to phone systems to capital equipment and other gear you need to run your company -- is a major issue for ma ...

Making Independent Contractor or Statutory Employee Choices Key Considerations Depending on your business’ cycle among other factors, you may hire a permanent employee or an Independent Contractors (IC) to car ...

Managing Abrupt Small Business Expansion Sudden Growth Spurt As a progressive businessperson, you aspire for your business to experience sustained growth. Without a doubt, you would not mind subst ...

Managing Business Cash Flow Problems Cash Flow Problems Cash deficits threaten your business. This is because despite the crunch, you have to pay certain business expenses such as staff wages, ...

Managing Debt   Currently 4.0/5 Stars. For a growing business, having a manageable level of debt can be an effective way of doing business. While some small business owners are proud of the ...

Managing Small Business Start-up Problems Start-Up Problems Like any other new entity, your new business may face a number of obstacles. The problems could be cash-related. Challenges could as well ...

Minimising Small Business Expenses Cutting Costs Expenses are an unavoidable small business parameter. Nevertheless, you need to know that costs eat away your profits. You thus need to devis ...

Preparing Financial Statements - Basic Concepts   Currently 4.0/5 Stars. The Income Statement (Also called the "Profit and Loss" Statement) The income statement shows the financial results of operations for a period of ...

Preventing Employee Fraud Embezzlement and other kinds of financial fraud are perhaps the most common kind of employee theft. Small businesses tend to fall prey to this swind ...

Pricing Q&A's Whether you sell a product or service, the price you charge your customer will have a direct impact on the success of your business. Unfortunately, pr ...

Projecting Cash Flow Cash flow problems often catch small business owners by surprise. An accurate cash flow projection can protect entrepreneurs against this situation. ...

Quick Cost Savers One of the keys to running a successful small business is learning to control costs. Left unattended, even the smallest expenses can quickly add up an ...

Stabilising Your Cash Flow Cash Flow Management Proper cash flow management requires you to properly control the monies going in and out of your business. Cash flow projection or cas ...

Tactics to Avoid Lowering Your Prices Many small businesses find themselves feeling pressure to lower their prices. It may come when a low-priced competitor shows up in your market, or w ...

Basics of Buying a Business Buying an existing business can be a much less risky and more quickly profitable venture than starting your own business from scratch. But it's not en ...

Business Valuation Methods There are a number of instances when you may need to determine the market value of a business. Certainly, buying and selling a business is the most c ...

Choosing a Board of Directors If you have chosen to organize your company as a corporation, you are legally required to have a board of directors. Whereas your management (i.e. CEO ...

Common Startup Mistakes   Currently 5.0/5 Stars. For most people, starting a business is an exciting time during which they are invigorated by the possibility of success and the fun of tackling new c ...

Effective Competitive Analysis For your small business to succeed, you need to know almost as much about your competitors as you do about your own company and customers. Unfortunate ...

Franchising Basics When you're considering starting your own business, you have a choice of either starting from scratch, buying an existing business, or looking at a busines ...

How Do I Come Up With a Winning Business Idea? Developing large or small business ideas is a matter of creating a vision, leveraging your strengths and determining what the market needs. These ...

Set Goals for Your Business Goal-setting is crucial to the success of any business, but is particularly important for entrepreneurs who can become distracted without focus. Goals ...

Bonuses: How To Be Fair Bonuses can be a great motivation tool, even for employees of the smallest business. They can also be a waste of money. How they are planned and administere ...

Creating an Effective Job Description   Currently 3.0/5 Stars. Creating a clear job description before you begin the hiring process can help you choose the best candidate from a pool of applicants. It usually cons ...

Guarding Your Intellectual Property Theft of confidential information and trade secrets can be just as damaging to your business as embezzlement or other employee fraud. Help protect you ...

Hiring: Do You Know How to Pick Them? Your small business is growing, the market has a need for the product or service you're selling, and you're bringing in employees to expand your busin ...

How to Create an Effective Employee Handbook As a small business owner, you can help keep yourself out of legal hot water by clearly spelling out on paper what you expect of the people who work f ...

How to Run a Formal Meeting As your small business grows so will the size of your company meetings. Informal get-togethers can be effective, but when time is tight and projects a ...

Learning to Delegate Some small business owners are proud of the fact that they do everything for their businesses themselves. But it doesn't always make business sense ...

Little-Known Hiring Resources Finding good employees is a perennial challenge for business owners. Traditional methods such as newspaper advertisements and referrals from current e ...

Outsourcing Your Human Resources For many small business owners, dealing with the multitude of employer responsibilities - from creating competitive benefits packages to complying w ...

Sample Offer Letter Date Mr. John Smith 100 Broadway New York, NY 10001 Dear Mr. Smith: I am pleased to offer you a full-time position with our company as (job title). Pleas ...

Set Goals for Your Employees Setting goals with your employees is an essential element of effective human resources management. There are a variety of reasons to set employee goals. ...

Small Business Insurance Primer It can be difficult to determine which kind of insurance you need for your small business. Different types of insurance have confusingly similar nam ...

Tips for Managing Termination It is usually a manager's most dreaded task - termination. But when an employee's performance doesn't improve after months of counseling, c ...

Tips for Performance Appraisal To minimize exposure to employee litigation, employers should develop a checklist of items that are necessary for the enforcement of fair, consistent and le ...

Tips for Retention Strategy Employee retention is an essential requirement for the continued sustainability of any organization. Paying Competitive Wages Raising pay is not an automati ...

Tips for Successful Interviewing When you're hiring employees for your small business, it's vital to use the interview process to identify the most qualified candidates for your compa ...

Your Pre-Vacation Checklist You can alleviate the stress and panic that can accompany pre-vacation planning by creating a list of tasks and issues that need to be managed when yo ...

Choosing a Board of Directors If you have chosen to organize your company as a corporation, you are legally required to have a board of directors. Whereas your management (i.e. CEO ...

Guarding Your Intellectual Property Theft of confidential information and trade secrets can be just as damaging to your business as embezzlement or other employee fraud. Help protect you ...

How to Choose and Work with an Attorney While you may not need legal advice on a regular basis, it probably pays for you to have an attorney for your company on call. That way, when you need ...

Small Business Insurance Primer It can be difficult to determine which kind of insurance you need for your small business. Different types of insurance have confusingly similar nam ...

Writing a Partnership Agreement When you're in a partnership, it's highly advisable to have a formal, written partnership agreement. While it is not required by law, a partnership ag ...

Closing the Sale Closing a sale -- getting your prospect to say yes -- can sometimes be as easy as asking for it. Once you've laid the foundation by qualifying your pr ...

Common Web Site Misconceptions   Currently 5.0/5 Stars. There is a lot of misinformation out there about Web site marketing. Many small businesses find it difficult to separate hype from reality. The key is ...

Copywriting Basics Different types of ads require different copy guidelines. An effective newspaper ad won't necessarily work in your local Yellow Pages. Your approach in radi ...

Create Your Marketing Plan Your marketing plan should be a clear, concise, and well thought out document that guides you through your marketing program. Using a marketing plan templat ...

Effective Competitive Analysis For your small business to succeed, you need to know almost as much about your competitors as you do about your own company and customers. Unfortunate ...

Effective Trade Show Planning Exhibiting at trade shows, expos, conventions, fairs and other exhibitions gives you a unique sales opportunity that can also help you generate new leads, ...

Elements for a Successful Press Campaign To conduct a successful public relations campaign, it helps to be familiar with some of the basic PR tools. Choose any of the following "elements" ...

Find Your Highest Potential Customers The 80/20 rule - that 80 percent of your sales come from the top 20 percent of your customers - applies to most small businesses. Nurturing that preci ...

Get Better Customer Input Surveys are an excellent way to find out how your customers feel about a new product, service, location, store policy or virtually anything that's im ...

Get Ready to Sell Online The Internet is a great promotional vehicle, research tool, and communication channel for connecting with clients and customers. But in today's market ...

Give Consumers Confidence in Your Site While online shopping is definitely on the rise, many people remain wary of e-commerce. Their fear centers on the transmittal of personal and financia ...

Hone Your Sales Presentation Skills When you deliver an in-person sales presentation, you have a unique opportunity to appeal to your prospect on a number of levels at once. Your physica ...

How to Follow Up with Customers Following up after you've made a sale will enable you to capture repeat business, the cornerstone of most successful small businesses. You can follow ...

How to Handle a Potential Client with Bad Credit You've looked at a potential client's credit report and recognize the warning signs - late payments, pending lawsuits, heavy debt load. This customer ...

How to Learn Your Prospect's Needs Before you can sell anything to anyone, you must first understand what it is they need. Here are some ways to do that: Do your homework Prior to your mee ...

How to Network Effectively Networking is the art of making and utilizing contacts. The goal of networking is to create a pool of people and information that can directly increas ...

How to Sell at Trade Shows According to the Center for Exhibit Industry Research, the majority of trade show attendees are decision makers or influencers that plan to make a pur ...

Low Cost Market Research   Currently 3.0/5 Stars. To run a successful business, you must know your market thoroughly. Strong market research can provide you with a range of information about your cust ...

Making Cold Calls Cold calls are phone calls or visits to sale's prospects who don't know you. The objective of a cold call is to gather information about the prospect' ...

Market Research Techniques Market research can provide critical information about the buying habits, needs, preferences and opinions of current and prospective customers. There are ma ...

Market Research Worksheet This worksheet can help you come up with a business idea by figuring out what the market needs. Don't be afraid to be outlandish; sometimes the best ...

Marketing Plan Samples As you know, there's not just one formula for what makes a good marketing plan; marketing plans can be modified according to the needs of specific business ...

Online Marketing Checklists In some ways, a company’s website functions as an extension of the outlet also functioning as an additional location. Whatever the purpose and objective, th ...

Pricing Q&A's Whether you sell a product or service, the price you charge your customer will have a direct impact on the success of your business. Unfortunately, pr ...

Providing Superior Customer Service You can use customer service as a powerful way to set yourself apart from your competition. Its one of the strengths a small business has, and by e ...

Sample Press Releases Event Announcement If your company is doing something special, be sure to alert the press. You can be holding a grand opening...teaching a special class... ...

Segment Your Audience Customer segmentation is understanding your customers' unique characteristics and behaviors so you can come up with a marketing message that communica ...

Successful Sales Letters While the telephone is still the primary tool for reaching your prospective customers, there are many times when you will have to write a sales lett ...

Top Six Pricing Mistakes A sound pricing structure helps companies generate sales and build customer loyalty. The wrong pricing structure can leave businesses struggling to se ...

Trade Shows Without a Booth You don't need your own booth to make a trade show work for your business. There are a number of other ways you can benefit from a trade show without ...

Write a Successful Press Release A press release is one of the primary ways you can communicate news about your company to the media. Reporters, editors, and producers are hungry for ...

Creating an Environmental Management System (EMS) Chapter 1: Introduction Defining an EMS Business Benefits of an EMS Implementing an EMS Disclaimer Chapter 2: Success Stories: Businesses Profiting from E ...

Demand Forecasting What is a demand forecast? A demand forecast is the prediction of what will happen to your company's existing product sales. It would be best to determi ...

Environmental Management Systems Forms Action Plan Emergency Plan Process Identification Plan Environmental Policy Prevention Plan Training Plan Material Identification Plan ...

Keep Yourself Organized Entrepreneurs have the potential to be disorganized. They have limited resources and lots of information to keep track of. For this reason, office se ...

Leasing Equipment Financing new equipment -- from computers to phone systems to capital equipment and other gear you need to run your company -- is a major issue for ma ...

Managing Quality What is quality? Quality generally refers to a certain degree or level of excellence. The American National Standards Institute and the American Soc ...

Managing the Workplace What is the Five S Program? The 5S program is usually a part of, and the key component of Visual Factory (Workplace) Management. It focuses on having visual ...

Managing Your Inventory There are various notions about inventory. One school of thought contends that having inventory is inevitable since the costs of not having inventor ...

Managing Your Materials What is Purchasing? Purchasing is the process of sourcing and ordering materials, services, and equipment. It is sometimes referred to as Procurement. Its m ...

Managing Your Materials Requirements With the advent of technology, manufacturing companies have found themselves in stiffer competitive grounds competing in terms of reduced costs and ...

Post-Project Review Guidelines Review Meeting Participants and Their Responsibilities Once the project team has decided to close the project or if at any point, it has been establ ...

Preparing Your Production Plan What is a production plan? A production plan is that portion of your intermediate-range business plan that your manufacturing / operations department is res ...

Project Charter for Information Technology Project PROJECT TITLE: PROJECT LEADER: START DATE: END DATE: Introduction In the first paragraph describe the current system, or situation in the company or de ...

Sample Request for Proposals Requesting proposals before purchasing an item/s for your organization is common practice. Any item which may require a good amount of investment on the org ...

Securing Your Inventory and Property It can be difficult to prove that an employee is stealing your equipment or inventory, but this can be extremely costly fraud. The key is not to catch ...

Common Web Site Misconceptions   Currently 5.0/5 Stars. There is a lot of misinformation out there about Web site marketing. Many small businesses find it difficult to separate hype from reality. The key is ...

Create an Effective Small Business Web Site What makes a successful Web site? It's not a matter of spinning logos and funky animation. A strong Web site is one that clearly communicates your pur ...

E-Commerce Glossary A quick look at words you may come across when dealing with e-commerce. Experts often hide behind incomprehensible words to make even simple issues ap ...

Get Ready to Sell Online The Internet is a great promotional vehicle, research tool, and communication channel for connecting with clients and customers. But in today's market ...

Give Consumers Confidence in Your Site While online shopping is definitely on the rise, many people remain wary of e-commerce. Their fear centers on the transmittal of personal and financia ...

Good web pages

Managing an Information Technology Project Whether a project team involves one or more people, there will always be the need to get the help of others within the organization for expertise, i ...

Online Marketing Checklists In some ways, a company’s website functions as an extension of the outlet also functioning as an additional location. Whatever the purpose and objective, th ...

Project Charter for Information Technology Project PROJECT TITLE: PROJECT LEADER: START DATE: END DATE: Introduction In the first paragraph describe the current system, or situation in the company or de ...

Search The Web Like A Pro The World Wide Web can be a great source of information for your small business. You can find data about your market, your competitors and your custom ...

What to Look for in a Web Host When you set up your small business Web site, chances are you won't be creating and maintaining your pages on your own Web server. Instead, you probab ...

Quality & ISO 9000 International Standards of Excellence ISO 9001 or ISO 9002 Do I need to Register? Where Do I Start? What Next? WhatDoes it Cost? How do you measure Success? Quality is one yardstick that ...

SSC Kenya Business plan outline Project Information Requirements Funding Proposal Checklist   1.             Overview: Bu ...

Senior Management in family-owned businesses   Currently 3.0/5 Stars. Senior Management in a Family Business Senior managers are an essential part of the family business governance structure and their quality directly affect ...