Small Business Mole|

We like the work that comes out of Score. You should go take a look at their site as they have some good tips for you to consider. The website link is at the bottom of this article.

By Christine Banning, SCORE VP Corporate Relations

• Create a brand. Spend a little money to create a professional logo, business card and stationery. Present a professional image.
• Ramp up Online. Make creating a Web site a top priority. A Web site is today’s calling card. You really shouldn’t do without one. Give people a place to go to learn about your business.
• Make Your First Sale. This is key. Get that first sale even if it’s friends or family at a discounted rate. This counts as getting started, so go for it.
• Promote Testimonials. Get testimonials from your first sales. Start building credibility for your business from day one.
• Build Buzz. Be creative. Look for a special promotion, big event, email campaign or something out of the norm for your business to get people talking about you, your product or service.

Brought to you by SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business.”
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The following is the next article in a series that we will be posting to help you  bridge the gap between the current down economy and when things get back on the up swing again.

By: Johnathan Blum

My fellow small-business owners, we may be battered, we may be bruised, we may be scared out of our minds. But at least we are still in the game.

And the good news is, the technological revolution in small-business tools came just at the nick of time with readily available digital tools we can use — right now, this week — to get control of the crazy situation and keep our businesses, well, in business.

Here are three steps you can take today:

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Hard to believe but just in a blink of an eye we will be into the 2009 business cycle. The IRS has put together a easy to read planning calendar that might be of use for you as you get ready for next year. It covers dates through the year you should be aware of. You can find this PDF file on the right side of the website under Pages then click the link for Forms and Materials . The file is called: IRS Planning Calendar for 2009. You can click on the form and it will download for you.

The Business Mole

Well a modified version of the original auto bailout plan has passed the US House of Representatives. Whether you agree with the plan or not I did like the way the House of Representatives got through the debate and into the vote quickly. It is hard to say, as a small business owner, how this will affect me. One thing is sure the top executives at these firms have done a terrible job managing their company’s future. My guess is some type off assisance is needed to give these auto companies a chance to survive. If they fail it will be like an atomic bomb exploded within the industrial sector of this country. That can’t be good for anyone. More unemployment, lower retail sales, more pressure on lending institutions, and a heck of a lot of bad vibrations within the stock market, and yes a trickle down effect to our businesses as well.

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Please take a look at this excellent site that has a series of high quality easy to follow videos designed to help you and your family get ready for an emergency. It’s our understanding that they will be adding new segments each quarter. It’s surprising how little the effort required to save your life or to protect your assets during an emergency

We found this site as being very informative:

http://www.preparednessvideos.com

The Mole

The following article was in Forbes and although we may have some tough times ahead in 2009 maybe the new administration and incoming congress can help get us out of the financial cellar sometime next year. Until then we all need to tighten our belts and take the ride.

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The sun will come out after this economic storm, and until then, small businesses - dubbed the backbone of the economy - have access to more offerings to keep them going, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration said at a Tuesday conference here.

“These are interesting times, they are challenging times, and they are scary times,” said Sandy K. Baruah, acting administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, a government agency aimed at helping Americans start, build and grow small businesses. “But our period of slow growth that is ahead of us will be followed by some pretty impressive economic growth.”

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On behalf of the entire team at Discovery Bay Group L.L.C. and the Small Business Mole we would like to express our deepest thanks to all our men and women in the armed forces. The bravery, commitment, and abilities you show in protecting all of us is a debt we can never adequately repay.

We also say a prayer for all the families who have lost loved ones while serving their country.

The Business Mole

By PAUL B. BROWN

For years, a good way to guarantee a laugh was to walk into a room of small business owners and announce, “I’m from the government and I am here to help you.”

Entrepreneurs were more used to dealing with red tape, endless delays in getting an answer to a question and federal employees who were frequently less than helpful.

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We are getting close to what will be, because of our current economic condition, a possible challenging retail sales experience during this holiday. So customer service should become an extremely important part of your overall sales strategy this year. Here is an article from Ask.com that details some principles you should think about.

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won’t be profitable for long.

Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.

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