Best Doggone Idea Blog

Small Business Management Skills

Jess Saba — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:10:00 GMT

The Importance of Effective Management Teams

Small business owners know employing an effective workforce is important in eventually satisfying the needs of the customer. But, attracting, interviewing and hiring great employees is only a part of the formula for success. Great workers can quickly become inefficient and unproductive if managed poorly.

The Manager's Role

A manager's fundamental goal is to ensure the long term health of a company. By managing people effectively, a manager can act like the lubricant between the gears to motivate employee efficiency and keep the company running smoothly.

One of the most important skills a manager can have is the ability identify and develop individual core competencies and work habits and to place the right employees in the right jobs based on those stregnths. A hockey coach would not place a natural offense man in the goal. The same is true for the office. Each employee has different experiences, traits and skills that will benefit different objectives.

Qualities of a Great Manager

Managers must lead by example and rely on their reputation to be fair, make sound judgments and decisions, and to assert their power only when necessary. The way employees view their manager determines the quality of their work and performance and commitment to company objectives.

Managers must be able to put their faith in their subordinates. In order to build trust in employee's work, start with smaller tasks and give more responsibility after each success.

Small successes can build employee confidence in their work. After each acheivement employees will be more comfortable completing subsequent tasks while managers will become more comfortable handing off important projects and will assign tasks the employee has proved they can complete.

When an employee makes an error,it is important to work with them in private to identify the misunderstanding that led to the error without making personal judgments.

The manager's goal is to build confidence, not destroy it in order to make employees feel enabled to complete their work.

What do you think are the most important qualities of effective mangers?

Hiring the Right Employees

Jess Saba — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:32:00 GMT

Hiring for Small Businesses

Hiring the right employees is especially important for small businesses. Choosing the right employees can influence the overall productivity, quality, employee and customer satisfaction and employee retention within a company. Since each new hire requires capital and time and energy to train and assimilate the employess to corporate culture, it is important to make the process as efficent as possible and to try to make the most informed decision for each new hire.

Small Business Hiring Advantages

Small businesses have certain inherent advantages over large corporations when looking to attract and hire the most qualified employees. While large companies can entice candidates with persuasive benefits packages and the perception of stability, small businesses have the ability to offer a greater quality of life. For example, small businesses can offer employees flexibility, the option to telecommute, the opportunity to influence growth and development and the chance to be creative.

Hiring for small businesses tends to be a much more personal experience. Hiring professionals have the opportunity to develop more relaxed and personal relationships with candidates and the final decision can be made with less bureaucracy and red tape and can hand pick the employees who fit well with the office culture.

Where to look for candidates

Ask internally for references: Current employees understand the company and have an idea of the qualifications for each position. Ask employees to recommend qualified candidates to apply.

Network: Look to your professional network and ask around to people who know your business personally before relying on recruiting companies, job boards or employment sites.

College Career Services: Each college and university has an office dedicated to placing their students in jobs for which they are most qualified. Recent college graduates tend to make great employees because they are eager to make a good impression are willing to work hard to build their reputations.

Finding what you are looking for

Once you define which qualities you are expecting in a candidate by outlining the job description, requirements and salary you can begin to look for qualified candidates.

Small business usually need fewer people with more specialized skills. Look for candidates with past experience which may contribute to your companies initiatives. Assess the skills already available within the workforce and create a list of desirable traits in a new hire that would balance out the workforce.

For example: If you have great idea people, search for candidates who are great at implementing ideas. If you have great team players, look to hire a team leader.

During the interview outline skills required for the position and ask candidates to offer specific examples of how their skills match what you are looking for.

Start early, interview many candidates and take the time to make the most informed decision based on how the candidate's skills match the position requirements.

Small Business Marketing Plan

Jess Saba — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:25:00 GMT

The Importance of The Marketing Plan

For small businesses the marketing plan is one of the most important tools available to ensure a company is on track to create and keep new customers.

A well developed marketing plan will help companies attract target customers by offering products and services that satisfy customer's needs, demands and wants then delivers exceptional customer service, convenience and value to keep them returning to the business.

The key to creating and implementing a successful marketing plan is to remain customer focused rather than profit driven. The marketing team's job is to foster a relationship then to hand the customer to the sales team to encourage a purchase.

Define Target Market: In order to point your marketing efforts in the right direction spend time researching to determine, as specifically as possible, who you are offering your product or service to. Determine the demographics, the buying behaviors and needs of your customers.

Ask For Feedback: Speak to your customers. How did they hear about you? Do they like your product? What could you improve?
Build Relationships: Find creative ways to make your customer feel special and valued. Developing long term relationships will help create repeat customers.

Attracting New Customers

Despite tight marketing budgets, small businesses have many opportunities to effectively and creatively reach their customers. Below are a few ideas to get you started:

Send Press Releases: News stories are a great way to gain free attention for your business. When sending a press release make sure you have an interesting angle and your story is newsworthy.
Create a Newsletter: Email makes it easy to stay in contact with your customers. Build your email list, ask for permission to contact each customer, then distribute a monthly newsletter to stay on their radar.
Offer Samples: Where does your target demographic spend time? Go there and offer samples to

Keeping Your Customers

After you spend time and energy to attract a customer to your business it is vital to find ways to keep customers coming back. Small businesses have an advantage over larger companies with their ability to stay in close contact with customers and their ability to quickly change managerial tactics.

By offering a superior and unexpected quality of customer service, value and convenience your return customers may become your biggest asset.

Creating a culture of great customer service requires training employees to take care of and listen to customers, to offer personal attention and focus on service.

For more information read:

Small Business Finance: Bootstrapping

Jess Saba — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT

Saving money is like raising capital - without the interest

As a small business owner you know how much easier it is to spend money than to make it. Each dollar your business earns is a result of years of hard work, education and experience, hundreds of conversations with potential customers, time networking with other business people and the careful development of a product or service.

Since it takes valuable time and resources to make money, it is important, as a business owner, to make sure each dollar spent contributes to the growth and development of your business.

The best way for you business to fail is by running out of money. Saving where you can and using your resources as efficiently as possible will help ensure you have enough money to reach a higher valuation.

Bootstrapping: Using your capital to its fullest potential

Bootstrapping is a skill set which allows entrepreneurs to decide where to allocate funds and to find creative ways to use the resouces they have available in order to save money and create additional revenue sources to stay operational and viable.

Goal of bootstrapping is to save money, find new ways to use your resources to generate new revenue streams and to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Vinturella and Erickson, the authors of "Raising Entrepreneurial Capital" suggest six ways to bootstrap:

Generate Sales Quickly:

In order to become operational quickly look for small niche markets to which your business can offer a auxiliary servic.

Generate Cash Flow Quickly:

Cash flow is more important to start-ups than profits because cash flow will help pay bills and fund growth. Focus your attention on products and projects that will bring money in quickly.

Sell High-Valued Products and Services:

Selling high valued products to fewer customers is a better use of time than selling low-cost products to many customers. Since bootstrapping involves the most efficent use of time as well as money, focus your attention on gaining customers for your high value products.

Create the Best Team You Can Afford:

In the early stages of your business focus on attracting enthusiastic employees with an entrepreneurial spirt versus expensive executives and professionals. Your management team will grow as cash flow increases and your business gains credibility.

Control Your Growth:

Growing too fast may force you to invest in anticipation of sales and create a need for outside financing. More moderate growth may allow you to self finance your business and grow at a more sustainable pace.

Manage Your Accounts Receivable:

One way to improve your cash flow, which will reduce your need for expensive outside financing, is to get customers to pay in advance and to be diligent about billing customers who owe money for a product or service you have provided.

To successfully bootstrap find ways to do more with less, stay flexible by viewing each situation as an opportunity and save money by avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Resources available to entrepreneurs include capital, employee expertise, network connection, skill sets and personal relationships.

Making Connections: Social Networking for Business

Jess Saba — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:21:00 GMT

If you have ever moved to a new town you know that it takes time and effort to establish a presence in your community and to meet a new people. The hope is to develop relationships with people who will introduce you to new people, invite you to events and look to you for advice and guidance.

Social networking online for your business is the same idea.

The goal of social networking is to create mutually beneficial relationships where information, experience and contacts can be shared.

The hope is that by sharing resources and industry knowledge your business will be looked to as a credible supplier of relevant and useful information and you will be able to benefit from the help of others in your network.

The benefits of a potent social network include insight into your demographic's opinions, increased opportunites to make business connections and access to a diversity ideas which may spark innovation and creativity.

Social networking introduces you to people with diverse worldviews who may be able to offer new ideas and may challange your perceptions with can trigger creative and innovative energy.

The challenge is to create a credible, dependable and trustworthy online presence that encourages people to look to you as a source of unique information and connections. The secret is investing time and energy to expand your online network and reputation.

The consequences to your business of underdeveloping your social network include a loss of credibility, risk of fading into obscurity in your market and losing relevancy. Also, underutilizing the potential of social networks increases your chances of missing opportunities to grow and innovate.

Developing a network

Offering readers remarkable content which can be shared with other industry professionals, potential customers, business partners and the interested public is the secret to expanding your social network.

What do you know?

Evaluate the unique knowledge your company has. What information can you share with readers that will be new, interesting and difficult to get from another source? Information that feels private is most appealing and will foster interest in the information your company decides to share.

Who do you know?

Do you have access to industry professionals who may be able to contribute to your content? Visit other blogs and suggest an article the author might be interested in.

Be involved.

Be sure to read other blogs and leaving relevant and analytical comments. The more comments your leave, the more developed your reputation as a thought leader will become.

How to Design an Effective Document at Work

Jess Saba — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:44:00 GMT

Document Design

When you write a document at work it is important to present information in a clear, concise and easy to follow format. Your ability to capture and maintain the readers attention will depend on the document's visual appeal and design.

The design of the document can help project a positive, professional image of you, your product and your company which can lead to increased credibility.

Visual cues are design elements which bring attention to important information. Bolding, chunking, italics, lists, and the use of white space and headers help direct reader's attention to the main points of the document.

Design Elements:

Chunking and headings help break up the monotony of text and allow a reader to anticipate visual stopping points before a new idea is introduced.

Chunking: The use of smaller paragraphs opposed to large blocks of text.

For the reader, looking at a block of text is like running down a perfectly straight, flat road. The distance ahead is apparent and daunting when no rest stops or stopping points can be seen.
Use the design elements listed below to create mental stopping points to give readers a rest and help maintain their interest.

Headings: The best way to organize ideas. Headings are brief descriptive words that introduce a new concept or summarize the paragraph below.

Make sure your headings are either bolded or a larger font than the rest of the document and be sure each heading matches. Headings can ask a questions, make a statement or offer keywords to help the reader quickly get an idea of the information.

Lists: Help divide, rank and organize information to emphasize important points. Lists can be numbered, bulleted or lettered.
Typeface: Choose a legible, attractive, functional font that matches the message. Do not switch fonts throughout the document, this will make the information seem disorganized and unprofessional.

Use bold and italics only when attracting attention to the information that is very important.

White Space: The key to page layout is to visually organize information by finding a balance between text, illustrations and white space. White space is the areas on the page free from text and graphics.

Do not be afraid of white space.

Often times it is better to use addtional pages with carefully organized information as opposed to cramming all the information on as few pages as possible.

Franchising Basics: Types of Franchises

Jess Saba — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:53:00 GMT

Franchise Information

Many entrepreneurs enter into franchise contracts as a way to manage the risks involved with starting a business. Potential franchisees are usually looking to run their own business while increasing their chances of success.

Franchising is a great alternative to starting from scratch because it can offer entrepreneurs access to experienced professionals, an automatic position in the marketplace, operational cost savings and a large network of peer franchisees.

There are two basic types of franchises.

Product/ trade name Franchise:

Franchisees purchase the right to sell a product or to use a trade name. The franchiser does not typically offer support which allows the franchisee to operate as an independent business person. Franchisees are essentially distributors for the product manufacturer.

As a product/ trade name franchisee, you have the opportunity to combine business ownership with the benefits of an established business model including access to franchise wide marketing efforts, national brand recognition and brand reputation.

Examples: Brand name stores, automotive dealerships, gasoline stations, beverage bottling companies.

Business Format Franchise:

When a franchisee purchases a business format franchise they receive access to the total business system. The benefits include training in marketing, sales, accounting, company standards, economies of scale benefits, expert advice and guidance and geographic territory rights.

Essentially, the franchisee receives detailed instructions for duplicating a tested business model. The franchiser provides training and guidance at start-up and throughout business ownership.

Choose a format then add hard work

While franchising helps reduce risks and increases the chance of success and longevity of the business, seeing positive results takes dedication, long hours, hard work and a deep desire to see the business do well.

For more information Click Here: To read " Raising Entrepreneurial Capital" by John B. Vinturella and Suzanne M. Erickson.

Writing at Work: The Basics

Jess Saba — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:44:00 GMT

Take the time to write well

I recently received an email at work which included a message at the bottom which read , "Please excuse any typos or misspellings, this message was sent from my iPhone."

Is new technology a good excuse for poor grammar in a business setting? Is it more important to reply immediately on the run rather than sitting down to write a thoughtful response?

While the iPhone example is extreme, many business people are using computers as an excuse to let their basic writing skills become less refined and hurried in the name of efficiency. E-mails are sent without being proofread, employees easily forget that every electronic note can be archived, tracked and reviewed and instant message conversations replace those around the water cooler.

Each email, text message, instant message or memo contributes to your personal brand and the way others perceive your commitment to your of quality of work.

It is worth the time and energy it takes to improve writing skills and to use them to build a reputation as a thoughtful and well educated employee.

For each correspondence you write be sure to think about the following elements in order to accomplish your intended goal and to be persuasive.

Grammar: Review the rules of grammar, use the dictionary to choose the most precise words, spell check and use capital letters when needed. Sloppy writing sends a very clear message.
Identify Your Audience: Who will read this? Each audience has different backgrounds, values, opinions, experiences and a different relationship with you. What are your audiences expectations of your work? How much do they know about the topic? What are their attitudes?
Purpose: Why should your audience read this? Why would they be interested? Get to the point immediately. Is there a call to action?
Message: What do you have to say? What details are important and how much detail will you give? What are the key points?
Style and Tone: How do you communicate? What words you choose and the length and construction of your paragraphs will dictate the way the you intend to sound. Are you trying to be formal, infomal, personal or impersonal?

While it is easy to get into a routine of quickly sending emails throughout the office, to clients or to the public, it is important to take the extra time to think about how the note will be preceived. People with correct grammar, few typos and good writing skills will stand out in an environment of unthoughtful, hasty correspondence.

Plan... Before You Start Your Business Plan

Jess Saba — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:28:00 GMT

Preparation is the Key to a Successful Venture

The National Federation of Independent Business' has found that over their lifetime only 39% of businesses are profitable. Great opportunities take time, energy and money from executives and entrepreneurs. With all the expertise and resources that go into creating a successful business, why do such large percentages of start-ups fail?

John W. Mullins, author of "The New Business Road Test", claims entrepreneurial failure is a result of overlooking the 'fatal flaw' at the first stages of business development.

Mullins says, " Most business plans should have been abandoned before they were written...The good news in all this is that opportunities are not static. They can be shaped in many ways. Potentially fatal flaws are there to be fixed." (The New Business Road Test, p. 21)

A fatal flaw is a fundamental flaw in the opportunity which is easily overlooked if a thorough examination of the business idea is not completed. Identifying the fatal flaw is important in helping entrepreneurs make 'mid-course corrections to reshape the opportunity so that it becomes worth pursuing- before writing a business plan.' (pg.22)

The process of examining all aspects of the opportunity before writing a business plan will help identify and fix issues.

Mullins recommends stopping at certain points in the development of your business idea to choose to opt out or to continue with the opportunity. He suggests four possible solutions for moving forward once the critical flaw has been identified:

Test a different market

Offer a different product or service than originally planned

Work at a different level in the value chain, as a wholesaler or distributor

Change the entrepreneurial team to add new skills

Or, if no fatal flaw exists your research may help:

You improve your product or service, or help you offer a solution that is faster and cheaper than the original.
You may be able to identify a sustainable competitive advantage
You may gain greater confidence in the team you have chosen.

If you have an opportunity that is worthy of your time and energy you owe it to yourself, your partners and your investors to make sure you can offer a sustainable product or service that attracts customers and capital.

Finding and fixing your fatal flaw before you write your business plan will give your idea a stronger foundation, your investors greater confidence and you the best chance at starting a successful business right out of the gate.

Click here for more information on John W. Mullins' book, " The New Business Road Test."

How to Start a Conversations With Anyone

Jess Saba — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:14:00 GMT

As a business person, you know the importance of maintaining relationships but sometimes the hardest part of building a relationship is starting the first conversation.

Below are three tips you can use to start a conversation with someone on the street, at a cocktail party or in the office.

Ask about something they are wearing:

If there is someone you would like to talk to, but can't think of something to say then ask about something they are wearing, holding or even looking at.
The clothes people wear, the wine they are drinking, the fact that they do not wear a watch or their tendancy to examine woodwork are all strong ingredients for an interesting conversation.
I once met a great friend when I noticed his biking water bottle and asked if he was a cyclist.

Start with a simple observation:

The reason so many people start a conversation with a question about the weather is because topics such as temperature, precipitation, blue skies or a heavy wind are capable of initiating an interaction without offending someone's beliefs, values or opinions.

Choose a neutral topic, make your statement with confidence and conviction.

Ask open ended questions:

Open ended questions give the other person a chance to take the conversation in a variety of different directions. These questions have the potential to elicit much more information than simple yes/no questions.
The answers will help you understand what is important to them and may offer insight into the next topic.

For more tips and tricks for being an expert conversationalist read the book: How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes.

Internal Blogs: The Digital Water Cooler

Jess Saba — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:28:00 GMT

Many companies host blogs as a way to speak directly to the public. Much of the content is published to attract customers, media attention or public support.

While reaching the consumer and sharing expertise and industry insights on the web is important, your company can also use a blog to connect with the people inside your corporation.

An internal blog is a website which speaks to your employees, franchisees or temps. The blog can be available to the public or hosted privately on your company intra net.

Benefits of an Internal Blog

Promotes Discussion: A company blog gives each employee a voice. Comments, discussion boards and input can provide management with insight into opinions, needs, ideas and perspectives that may not otherwise be heard.
Quickly Provide News: If your company experiences a crisis, a new product release or a policy change, your public relations team can help frame a consistent message to handle the public opinion.
Event Information: Whether you need to provide information about the upcoming national sales meeting, fund raising event or community service project, an internal blog can be a hub for information, photos or directions.
Educate Employees: Frequent updates and breaking news about your industry, business or demographic will help expand your employees' knowledge of the most current developments and innovations.
Training: Blogs are a great way to provide training information to employees to help improve basic skills or company methodologies. Reminders about company policies or expectations can be included as well.

Creating Your Company Blog

Decide if your blog will be public or private. Your audience will dictate the content, look and feel of your blog.
Decide who will contribute to the content. Will your in-house public relations professional author all of the content, or will you have each employee write about their specialization?
Choose a Content Management System. Do you have an IT person who can set up a blog for you?

Additional ideas for internal blog posts: CEO's picture of the week, sales updates, new internal contests, new projects, employee driven content and employee bios.

Starting Your Business: The Business Plan

Jess Saba — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:47:00 GMT

Thinking through your business and organizing your goals

When building a house it is important to make sure the foundation is built with the strongest concrete and has been given time to set. If you build a house on a weak foundation it becomes harder and more expensive to fix the structural problems as the house is built. Taking the time to write a thorough and detailed business plan is a just as important to the success and longevity of your business. Take the time to ask the hard questions before you make major investments and answer the questions honestly.

Importance and use of a business plan:

A business plan can be used to help entrepreneurs
Organize ideas and set goals for the business
To prove to investors, friends and family that you have thought about the concept and to help them understand the vison
To create a timeline for expansion and growth
To motivate you to action
To help an entrepreneur tackle a seriers of smaller problems and individual peices of an issue

Stephen Lawrence and Frank Moyes, professors at The University of Colorado in Boulder at the Deming School of Entrepreneurship, have created a detailed guide to writing a successful business plan. Below are what they identify as the essential sections to include in your business plan. Depending on how you expect to use the business plan you may want to give more attention to different sections.

Executive Summary
Company Overview
Product and Service
Market and Industry Analysis
Marketing Plan
Operations Plan
Development Plan
Management
Competitive Advantage
Financial Plan
Funding

If you have a great idea sit down and write out the concept, the vision and your goals. Take the time to write out a business plan if you think you might be able to turn your passion into a lifestyle.

Even if now is not the perfect time to implement the plan you will be ready for when the right time comes along.

Heidi Ganahl wrote her business plan five years before the first Camp Bow Wow opened. To read her story, click here.

Franchising: Concept Testing vs. Natural Expansion

Jess Saba — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:51:00 GMT

Concept Testing an Expandable Business

When I walked into Rickshaw Dumpling Bar in New York City for the first time I was convinced that I was walking into a franchise location. The simple red logo was printed on the napkins, the windows, the take out boxes and the cups. The interior design was simple and clean and the palette was mainly red, white and silver. The circulation optimized space for moving hungry business people in and out as fast as possible and the menu, displayed in simple print over the cash register was easy to read.

To my surprise, I discovered the only Rickshaw locations were the one I was standing in and a Dumpling Truck that travels the streets of NYC.

As I spent the next six weeks walking the streets of New York I noticed many other businesses which looked and felt like a franchise were actually single location restaurants primed for expansion.

It seems the model for franchising is changing.

In the past businesses decided to franchise after experiencing a certain level of success. After a working business model and reputation had been established, business owners would either look for additional locations to run themselves or to license their trade name to another owner.

Now, it seems that many businesses are developing the primary location as a way to test a concept for mass production.

Instead of starting as a "mom and pop" shop and expanding organically, the concept testing model does a few things differently from the start.

The business concept, the branding capabilities and the potential for customer loyalty are carefully planned for reproduction.

A Marketable Logo: An easily recognizable logo is produced by a professional graphic designer which allows customers to identify the brand as it expands.

The Flow and Feel: It is important to create a unique and comfortable layout which optimizes efficiency and accessibility. The design must be created with duplication in mind.

Interior Design: The potential to achieve economies of scale must be considered when choosing each aspect of the business including colors, fixtures, supplies and furniture.

What do you think of the idea of concept testing vs. natural expansion to franchising?

Small Business and Hiring Interns

Jess Saba — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:28:00 GMT

The Positive effect of interns and where you can find one

If you own a small business you know how much work needs to be done on a daily basis. You may need to address manufacturing, production, marketing, sales, distribution, customer relations, employee relations and pay roll issues all within the same day.

The good news is that with all those topics on your mind, there are students and recent graduates who would love the opportunity to work as an intern to help you out in exchange for a reference and the chance to learn about your business.

There are many benefits to hiring an intern:

Interns are less expensive to pay per hour than full time employees
Interns are looking for experience to enhance their resume, make networking connections and receive a good recommendation. Most interns will work hard to receive a positive reference.
Interns have access to the most cutting edge trend information through their classes, peers and broad range of interests.
Hiring an intern in the future as a full time employee can save you the money, time and resources of finding, interviewing and training a new employee.

The Process of Hiring an Intern

Determine Expectations:

Before you think about hiring an intern, create an outline of the day to day duties, projects and meetings the student would be responsible for. Be sure to include your expectations of work hours, qualifications, attitude and commitment.

In exchange, be sure to outline which benefits the intern will receive from working for you. Experience? Class credit? Pay? Contacts?

The more clear you are the better chances you have of hiring the right person for the job and managing expectations.

Hire an Intern:

One of the best places to look when hiring an intern is at the closest College or University. Most higher education institutions have a Career Services department which is in charge of placing students in jobs during school and after graduation. Career Services will also be able to help you navigate the process of offering credit as compensation.

When hiring a student it is important to be flexible with hours and to work with their class and exam schedule. Also, about 30% of students simply cannot afford an unpaid internship.

Duration:

Most internships last for more than a month and less than a year. Some internships last for one-semester or for one summer, others may be extended or cut short depending on the relationship between the company and the intern.

Managing your intern:

Once you hire an intern the next step is effectively managing your new employee. This may be their first job experience so it is important to clarify the four following topics on the first day:

Orientate: Introduce the intern to the work environment, the staff, the clients and the culture.

Instruct: Train your intern and state how the student can best complete the tasks you have assigned.

Supervise: Who does the intern report to or ask for help?

Evaluate: Giving feedback during and after the internship is vital to the success of the relationship.

Offering Internships can be mutually beneficial to you as a small business owner and to students looking to gain experience.

Home Business: Increase your quality of life

Jess Saba — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 09:51:00 GMT

The normal commute for employees working in a company office requires the same amount of time as about 5 weeks of work according to Home Business Magazine.

Daily round trip commuting time: 1 hours (~ 20 miles to work)
Weekly round trip commuting time: 5 hours (~ 5 day workweek)
Yearly round trip commuting time: 250 hours (~ 5 weeks of work)

Imagine the improvement in your quality of life if you could spend an extra 250 hours a year at home. Below are some of the benefits of owning a home business or working from home.

More time with your family:

Home based employees can substitute child care for being there. Trade in commutes to the office for trips to the grocery store or local farm to prepare family dinners.

Chance to eat better and slower:

When you work at home it is much easier to eat well in the morning than to grab fast coffee, donuts or bagels on the run. You now have time to cut up fruit and vegetables, make oatmeal ( which helps reduce chances of heart disease) or to eat cereal with your children or spouse before work.

More time to exercise

Working from home gives you easy access to workout clothes, the gym or park and a convenient shower. You might even have time for a break to throw a baseball with your son.

More comfortable work environment

A home workspace can be free of office politics, florescent lighting and drab wall colors.

Increased productivity

Home business owners and employees who work from home have proven to be more productive and less stressed out.

Try telecommuting 1 or 2 days a week to see if your quality of life improves.

Franchising: Small Business Opportunity

Jess Saba — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 07:55:00 GMT

Franchising Introduction

So you're interested in opening a franchise of your favorite business and you are looking for some answers? Below are some definitions to get your franchising feet wet.

The Basics

What is 'franchising'?

The concept of franchising started naturally as one business owner saw an opportunity to expand his own successful business beyond his geographical region by lending his business model and trademarks to another qualified entrepreneur. This allowed the franchisee to adopt the name and original reputation for quality, value and service while offering a great product to a larger number of people.

What are the benefits if I become a franchisee?

There are many benefits of opening a franchise. The most popular reasons to adopt a franchise business model are the use of their reputation, national branding campaigns and access to a support system as well as reduced investment risks.

In exchange for start up and royalty fees, a franchiser offers a complete business model, commitment to building the brand, education and training, operational support and leveraged buying power.

The U.S. Dept of Commerce states that 90% of franchises are still in operation after 10 years, compared to just 18% for other forms of small businesses.
A recent Gallup Poll of franchisees found that more than 94% considered themselves successful, and that more than 75% would buy their franchise again if they had to do it over.

For more information on franchising contact the U.S Small Business Association, a government run agency, which exists "to to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation." Click Here to visit the SBA website for more information on franchising.

Personal Business

Jess Saba — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:01:00 GMT

Entrepreneurial Inspiration

Do you have an idea for a business you would like to start? If so, here are three lessons you can learn from the story of President and Founder of Camp Bow Wow, Heidi Ganahl.

Starting from the bottom is better than not starting at all:

When Heidi started Camp Bow Wow she maxed out her credit cards, borrowed from friends and family and invested her savings to develop a business plan she had written many years before. Heidi also strove for success despite the tragic death of her husband. Instead of giving up Heidi decided to follow through and make something big happen. Now there are more than 150 Camp Bow Wow locations across the United States.

Turn your passion into a business:

After the death of her husband, Heidi found strength from the love of her dogs. It was as if they had said, "Hey come on, you've still got life to live, lets get up and play ball."
If you know that there is one thing that will make you happy and inspire you every day than there is a way to earn a living doing what you love. Write your business plan and go for it.

Do not be afraid to ask for help:

Starting a business is hard enough with the help of partners, investors and consultants, but if you are going for it alone it is beneficial to ask for assistance when you need it.
Inspiration, motivation, financial support and understanding are valuable assistance that family, friends and advisers can offer to a aspiring entrepreneur. Having a solid support base is one of the most critical elements of starting a business for scratch.

To hear more about the inspiration behind how Heidi Ganahl started Camp Bow Wow Click here to watch her interview on The Big Idea with Donnie Deutch.CNBC.

Franchise Terms You Must Know

Jess Saba — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:16:00 GMT

The first step of purchasing a franchise is doing research to learn how franchising works. Below are the definitions of few basic terms that everyone interested in franchising should become familiar with.

Visit the Small Business Association for more information about successfully starting and running a small business or franchise.

Franchise: "A franchise is a legal and commercial relationship between the owner of a trademark, service mark, trade name, or advertising symbol and an individual or group wishing to use that identification in a business. The franchise governs the method of conducting business between the two parties. Generally, a franchisee sells goods or services supplied by the franchiser or that meet the franchiser's quality standards." (www.sba.gov)

Advertising Fee- "An annual fee paid by the franchisee to the franchisor for advertising expenditures; usually less then three percent of the franchisee's annual sales and usually paid in addition to the royalty fee. Not all franchisors charge advertising fees." (www.franchisingventures.com)

Franchise Agreement- A written contract detailing the mutual responsibilities of franchisors and franchisees. It is usually for a several-year term, and when the term is up, the contract expires and must be renewed. Some state laws require the contract to be renewable at the franchisee's option. Usually a franchise agreement may not be sold, transferred, or otherwise assigned without the franchisor's permission.(www.franchisingventures.com)

FDD-Franchise Disclosure Document- "All franchisor companies are should provide this document to prospective franchisees at the first personal meeting to discuss the sale of the franchise, and at least ten business days prior to the prospective franchisee signing a franchise agreement, or paying the franchisor money to buy the franchise. The document aids the prospective franchisee's evaluation of the franchisor company." (www.franchisingventures.com)

Marketing Plan- A technique by which franchises are to be sold. Includes the number of sales anticipated within a series of time periods (first year, second year, etc.), to whom those sales are to be made (profile of the individual, area franchising, sub-franchising), and the anticipated geographical expansion of the franchise system." (www.franchisingventures.com)

Non-competition Clause- Prevents the franchisee from entering a similar line of business not only during the term of the agreement and renewal terms, but also for a period of time after the agreement ends unless prior approval has been received from the franchisor. (www.franchisingventures.com)

To Learn more about franchising opportunites with Camp Bow Wow, Click Here.

Event Planning to Attract Customers

Jess Saba — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:48:00 GMT

Plan A Great Event

A great way to bring people together is to offer them something fun and free to do in a relaxed environment. Any business owner, if creative enough, can bring their customers together to create a community event centered around the thing your business does best.

These events will give your business exposure in a fun setting and customers will identify your business with the memories they create at the event.

Below are a few ideas:

Summertime Movie Series: Offer a sit-in movie once a week using the extra space you have at your business location. Guest can bring lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor spaces. Offer free popcorn. If you don't have the space you could create and sponsor a film series in the town park.

Choose a genre of films based on the industry you are in.
For example, if you are a restaurant show 'Ratatouille' or 'Food Inc'. If you are a bookstore show 'You've Got Mail'. If you are a doggie day care show 'Hotel for Dogs', ' Beethoven' and 'Homeward Bound.'

Have an ice cream social: You provide the ice cream, the toppings and the seating and they will come! This is a great way to get people to feel good about your business and you will be providing a safe, fun environment for families, children and teens to be in at night.

Organize a town sports tournament: Everyone loves kickball, softball and volleyball! People will associate all the fun they are having with your business.

Offer a class: Cooking classes, dog training sessions, drawing 101, lectures, wine and cheese tastings or a how-to class.

Support local artists: Invite local artist to display their work at your location. Or, host a craft fair and offer the products of your favorite local artisans.

Every business has different amounts of resources and space available and each community has different tastes and dynamics. Be sure to create an event that fits your budget, utilizes your available space and targets your demographic specifically.

Be creative and make sure to join the fun!

Curb Appeal: Improving Appearance and Branding

Jess Saba — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:46:00 GMT

Entrances That Attract

The entrance to your business should captivate your customer and welcome them to your establishment.

The way you choose to present your business from the outside offers insight into what customers can expect from you as a service provider. The first glance customers have of your business can have a lasting impact on the way your brand is viewed.

Here are a few ways you can improve your facade to demonstrate your values as a business:

Pick up trash- In New York City every store has an employee with a broom and dustpan picking up debris and keeping the sidewalk outside the entrance clean.
When picking up trash feel free to venture beyond your property line and help out your neighbor. Not only does a clean walkway welcome cutomers into your business but it send the message that you care about your community and neighborhood.

Landscape well- Landscaping may illustrate your attention to detail, your free spirt or your businesses level of creativity.
Improve the appearance of the walkway to your business entrance by planting tall grasses, bushes, wildflowers and mosses. Window boxes, hanging plants and ground planters are a great way to add character and charm. While bricks, stones and pebbles can be used to lead a customer to your door.

Example: A restaurant that plants herbs in window boxes sends the message that they value the freshest ingredients.

Or:

A business that offers several comfortable benches for public use sends the message that anyone is welcome to rest and relax outside the storefront and that community interaction is valued.

Remove clutter- Make sure there are no unnecessary objects in front of or against your building or in your parking lot that may make a customer feel that you are unorganized.
When choosing the way you would like to be viewed superficially, think about the essence of the company and how you can portray those values through initial appearances

Changing the Story: Corporate and Franchisee Relations

Jess Saba — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:45:00 GMT

Positively Great Company Culture

Many times corporate employees and franchisees become frustrated with each other due to disagreements about the way individual locations are run. But, both must feel that they are mutually beneficial to each other to ensure the longevity of a franchised company. Corporate employees and franchisees must communicate effectivly in order to remain in business.

The satisfaction of a franchise owner with the corporate headquarters will determine they way the franchisee interacts with its customers. Any disatisfaction that trickles down will quickly hurt the national brand.

Corporate employees often become frustrated with the management practices of franchise owners while franchisees tend to feel unsatisfied with the quality of assistance they receive.

In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Peter Bregman writes about changing corporate culture by changing the stories that are told. This idea is applicable to corporate employees as well as to franchisees.

Bregman writes, "To start a culture change all we need to do is two simple things:

1. Do dramatic story-worthy things that represent the culture we want to create. Then let other people tell stories about it.

2. Find other people who do story-worthy things that represent the culture we want to create. Then tell stories about them"

Currently, many corporations tell stories of the difficult franchisees they work with or how the owners do not know how to run their business. But, what if the vocalized stories were ones of the most pleasant owners or the most creative marketing tactics? The positive stories would encourage similar behavior and employees would look for similar examples to share.

Conversely, if corporate employees act in the most positive and helpful way to assist franchise owners then the owners will begin to speak about the quality of the advice and attention they received.

For example: As an employee at the corporate office your job is to assist franchise owners with a variety of questions they may have. One franchisee is particularly upset. Instead of getting off the phone and saying, "Ugh, that woman is so difficult!" loud enough to get a response from the employees around you, say "Marsha from Ohio just called and was looking for some help with X, does anyone have any ideas on how to help her?" The follow up call will help Marsha feel like her needs are being considered and the corporate employees will see a constructive relationship develop.

As Bregman says, "We live by stories. We tell them, repeat them, listen to them carefully, and act in accordance with them"

And besides, everyone likes a good story.

Find Peter Bregman's article here http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/06/the-best-way-to-change-a-corpo.html?cm_re=homepage-061609-_-secondary-1-_-headline

How to Ask a Better Question

Jess Saba — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:41:00 GMT

Dynamic Asking

The Problem

It is easy to ask superficial questions that require little thought and encourage equally hasty responses. Asking the right questions is the precusor to interesting and productive conversations. Since effective conversations are based around articulation and understanding, it is important to think through a situation and develop critical responses.

The ability to ask the right questions demonstrates that the speaker is thoughtfully considering the situation and is carefully looking for ways to solve a problem.

Room for Improvement:

Managers, employees and customers alike must learn to frame questions which elicit the most productive responses.

Additionally, asking a question instead of replying with an immediate response allows for the opportunity to think through a situation.

Questions allow a conversation to naturally diverge while offered solutions guide the conversation to an anticipated result which stifles creativity and the exploration of new solutions.

Once you have started to think about asking better questions let the recipient know that you value their answers and follow up questions. Make sure that others feel comfortable asking questions in return and knowing their answers will be given the proper consideration.

Effective communication in the workplace is an essential art which can strengthen relationships and increase employee morale.

The Harvard Business Review recently published an article by Judith Ross titled, "How to Ask Better Questions" which outlines seven ways in which asking the right questions creates value.

The Harvard Business Review states that "the most effective and empowering questions create value in one or more of the following ways:

1. They create clarity: ‘ Can you explain more about this situation'
2. They construct better working relations: Instead of ‘Did you make your sales goal?' ask, "How have sales been going?'
3. They help people think analytically and critically: ‘What are the consequences of going this route?'
4. They inspire people to reflect and see things in fresh, unpredictable ways: ‘Why did this work?'
5. They encourage breakthrough thinking: ‘Can that be done in any other way?'
6. They challenge assumptions: ‘What do you think you will lose if you start sharing responsibility for the implementation process?'
7. They create ownership of solutions: ‘Based on your experience, what do you suggest we do here?'"

Asking more thoughtful questions enhances a person's ability to become a better thinker. Figuring out what and how to ask questions is no easy task. It takes forming the question in your mind before verbalizing it.

The key is to figure out what problem needs to be solved, how to concisely frame the topic and finally ask a question that will elicit a thoughtful response.

Then listen.

Find the article here : http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hmu/2009/05/real-leaders-ask.php?cm_re=homepage-061609-_-body-left-r1-_-