Essential Online Tools for Small Businesses

There are a wide variety of useful tools available to small businesses that are helpful in starting and maintaining your business model. We've put together a list of the ones we cannot seem to live without - most of which are... get this... FREE!Bitly - This is a great resource if your business requires you to post links to an audience. Most of the time, the link is dreadful looking and long. Think of Bitly as your cleaning lady. It tidies up the link and keeps it clean. The system is very user-friendly and it's FREE.Google Alerts - Google Alerts can be forgotten, but it is powerful. It's nice for businesses that deal with clients because it allows you to set up alerts that come into your inbox when something you want to know about is in the news. For example: If you have a client who is a weight loss coach, you could set up a Google Alert with the phrase "weight loss techniques or healthy weight loss tools" and whenever something is published on the Internet for that topic, you are alerted. You can then forward the hot new information to your client. It's an easy way to show you are on top of your game and care about their business model. The alerts can be set up to come daily, weekly or monthly. This is also completely FREE.Dropbox - This is a service that lets you bring photos, documents, and videos anywhere, and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again! Dropbox can be useful if you and your team are in different areas of the country. It is FREE up to a certain amount of storage.Constant Contact - For just $15 a month, you can easily design a great email marketing campaign. The system also offers a number of other services to help you grow your business. They also have great coaches to guide you along the way if you get stuck. Outside of the software, Constant Contact has local FREE seminars you can attend, varying in topics to walk you through how to use their services and provide tips and tricks to growing a business. It is a great full-service option to growing your business at minimal cost.


Google Analytics - Knowing how consumers are finding your business online is imperative to your business's success. Google Analytics is an easy method to tracking your website traffic, and getting information on how many visits your site has, how people are finding your website, etc. Google Analytics is easy to install and it is completely FREE.SurveyMonkey - With SurveyMonkey, you can create and publish online surveys in minutes, and view results graphically and in real time. It provides free online questionnaires and surveys. SurveyMonkey is user-friendly and truly is a great way for you to track results. It is FREE for the basic account.There are a number of tools out there, but these are the ones that are essential in helping our business thrive each and every day. Each item on this list is capable of helping grow and maintain a clean business model, which is imperative to business success. Implementing these great, easy-to-use business tools can help your business flourish into the great company it's meant to be.

3 Things To Look For In An IT Support Service

A successful organization depends on Information Technology (IT) at every phase of its operation, from basic bookkeeping to customer relations. Whether you are running a small business, a large corporation, or something in between, the quality of your IT support is critical to your performance. It is important to make the right decision when choosing an IT support service.Here are three things to look for in an IT support service:CompetenceThe number one criterion for deciding upon which company to enlist to help with your technology is competence. How good is the technical team in diagnosing problems as they arise? Does the service work proactively to foresee and prevent IT problems before they arise? What is their track record in assisting small to medium size businesses in keeping their computers, networks, and other critical technology running smoothly?The best way to assess the competence of an IT support company is through the appraisals of their clients. Positive feedback from current and previous clients is good sign they are filling technical support needs of those organizations. A competent IT support service will be able to supply client testimonials in person or on their website.DiligenceHere are some of the services a diligent IT support service will offer:
Quick response times - When your technology is in need of repair, long delays can cripple your business. The best IT support service companies will respond immediately to your critical IT needs.
24/7 network security monitoring - Hackers and other intruders don't operate only during business hour. Good network security is a round-the-clock necessity.
Asset and inventory tracking - There are so many facets to keep track of in a business that efficient digital management is a requirement for any organization.
Network performance reports - The continuing assessment of your network performance can only be gauged with accurate reports.



FlexibilityEvery organization is unique, bringing with it its own problems, challenges, and needs, and an IT support service needs to be flexible in the way it serves each business. Pricing should be tailored based upon your particular business type, the size of your business, the nature of your hardware and software, and your budget. A flexible IT support service will offer a variety of support options, including straight hourly service, prepaid, discounted blocks of service hours, and different levels of monthly service packages. Support methods need to be flexible, also. Phone, remote, and on-site support should be available as needed. Finding an IT support service that is competent, diligent, and flexible can make the difference for a business, keeping it running smoothly and serving its customers efficiently.

Small Business Marketing to the Federal Government

Once my company was finally on the GSA MOBIS Schedule, the next step was marketing.First, we needed a mailing list. The marketing company I hired gave me a list of 100's of government contracts to sift through to identify: (1) the contracts relevant to my services, (2) the government agencies that purchased those services; and (3) the names and phone numbers of the purchasing agents for those agencies.My next task was to create a marketing letter that introduced my company. The first paragraph described my company and explained thatwe were interested in doing business with the agency.It briefly described our services in general terms and then requested the recipient to please add our business name to their agency's mailing list to receive bid and non-bid opportunities under Federal Supply Categories. These were listed by schedule and sin number in MOBIS as well as by NAICS codes.It went on to say:"We are registered with CCR/ORCA/SAM/ and Pro-Net. We are interested in both small and large purchase opportunities. Please send your agency's Fiscal Year 2014 forecast or Long Range Acquisition Plan. We understand that this information may be viewed online; however, we would prefer to keep a hard copy for our reference.In addition, please send any hard copy publications you may have about doing business with your agency. Also, please forward the telephone number, address and email address for any buyers or contracting officials who may have the need for our services."


The letter concluded with the statement that I would follow up with the recipient within two weeks, provided contact information if there were any questions, and thanked the recipient for "your time and assistance in this matter."Anyone who opened the letter and did not respond by asking to be removed from the mailing list was considered fair game. There were 90 in that list, and not one of them replied with any of the information I had requested.I was tasked with calling each of them. Which I did. Yes, the person who had shied away from even doing warm calling for the past twenty-five years actually made all of these cold calls. Most people were very gracious. Each one explained that the best way to get work with their agency was to watch federal postings and respond to the Requests for Proposals.So that is what I have done. I have spent hours responding to requests for proposals with absolutely no success. This has included estimating total travel costs without knowing when the training would occur and how that would affect transportation and lodging.I have had absolutely no success. Why? The answer is very simple. I'll tell you in my article: A GSA Schedule Cautionary Tale.

No Magic Pipeline to Federal Contracts - Part Two

I needed invoices that supported each program that I wanted to have on the GSA price list. These invoices had to be from programs facilitated in the past 5 years.The problem was that, due to the economy and my less than competent marketing acumen, my business had suffered greatly for several years. Although I had an extensive roster of training programs that I had presented over the years, only a few had been of client interest during that time period. This was one of the compelling reasons why I wanted to get onto the GSA Schedule.Since I didn't have invoices for most of the programs, my list went from 50 programs down to about 10. I was very disheartened. But things got much worse. I had a terrible problem when I had to prove my financial stability to meet eligibility requirementsIn the meantime, I had to acquire the required registrations. I already had a DUNS number, but I had to register on the System for Award Management (SAM) website.I also had to satisfactorily complete a mandatory 5-module online Pathway to Success training program.Next, I had to undergo a Dun & Bradstreet Open Ratings Past Performance Evaluation. This entailed contacting past clients and asking them if they would be willing to participate, then waiting to see if they did participate.The process took 35 days and the final report cost $185. It was only valid for 12 months. I can't tell you how close I came to having to go through that process all over again, due to multiple delays.


After many more hoops, the proposal was supposed to be submitted for review electronically through GSA's eOffer system, which required a digital certificate. I absolutely could not get the certificate using a Mac. After many frustrating attempts and phone calls for assistance, I finally had to borrow a PC to get the certificate.The proposal was submitted and after a lengthy review and many questions, rather than denying the proposal due to my unacceptable financial status, the GSA agent decided to simply return the proposal. I had to wait a year until my financials were in sufficient shape to resubmit.Then there were more questions, more documentation, and pricing negotiations where GSA wanted even more discounts. At long last, the GSA marketing company was able to create and submit the Final Proposal Revision that included all negotiated terms.It sounded so very promising: "Contractors will receive a Contract Award and GSA Schedule Contract Number approximately a week after submitting the Final Proposal Revision. Once awarded, you may begin selling from your Schedule immediately." Hurray! I could begin selling immediately!! So, did I?You'll have to check out my article: Marketing to the Federal Government to find the answer.

Small Businesses Need a Start

As we appear to be living in a period of uncertainty with regards to the economy, employment and European community membership etc., the emphasis is on businesses to generate jobs, wealth and prosperity which is fine although I fail to see how new business ventures are supposed to get started.We need people to start businesses otherwise there are no employment prospects for tomorrow - we can't just rely on the enterprises existing today. The problem is that if somebody wants to start up and as in most cases has limited funds to pour into their ventures where do they start?The first thing most will need is a business home - somewhere to trade from and this is where the first obstacle becomes evident. If you're living in rented accommodation more often than not you aren't allowed to use the address for business purposes - this is the case for private landlords as well as council properties - so you need to get business premises which often means a lease or at least longer term commitment. Without a business track record that won't be easy, you'll also need to pay in many instances money 'up front' as a token of goodwill.Banks despite their advertising campaigns are not very enthusiastic when it comes to new businesses, so money is tight - if possible at all. This leaves our potential job creators of tomorrow with very few options - we're not exactly encouraging them are we? If we're going to encourage people to start businesses, which appears to be inevitable, then it's got to be made easier. I'm not suggesting for a second that running a business is easy, but does the journey have to be quite so obstacle ridden?


With the failings of many 'big businesses' and with public sector jobs being discarded the only option for many will be to run their own enterprise, perhaps not out of choice, but need. Self employment in all its forms can be very rewarding financially and satisfying - although rarely 'plain sailing' - there is much to learn and in the majority of cases a new mind-set to be adopted.Having been self-employed for 20 years I do understand the pitfalls, and that leads me to the conclusion we're just not helping tomorrow's creators today. This is a massive shame and very short sighted; people who have a 20/30/40 year working life in front of them need a 'leg up' now to start creating the prosperity and opportunities for tomorrow - after all us 40 plus folk will be reliant on the next generation soon, let's make sure they've got a chance.

Want More Clients? Be Special!

The biggest wish of most VAs I come into contact with is to have more clients... better clients... great clients.But many times they are not doing anything to find those clients.Look at your client list. Do you love everyone you work with?Are there people you 'watch' online that you wish you could work with?I know there are people that I would love to work with... so how do you stand out?Be special. Get specialized. Get known for what you do best.Think about those clients for a moment. They know what they need help or support with. In many cases, they are looking for that help when they are networking, whether it's online or in person.If people don't know what you specialize in, how is your name supposed to get brought up to those who need you most?It's so important to stand out in the sea of online support professionals - even if you specialize in general support.So how do you do that? Well, there are a few ways.1. Focus your marketing message. Be really clear on what it is you put out there. Talking about everything you know how to do is confusing and will water down your overall message. Be specific when you talk about your area of expertise and it will be much clearer to the people who are listening.2. Speak with the right people. Getting in touch with the right people is such a huge part of your hurdle in finding great clients. Research where they hang out in large groups, and go there. Connect with them. Get to know them. Make sure you are listening and asking questions to learn more about what they need. Always.


3. Find others who can help. Strategic partners can be the best way to really build your business. A strategic partner is someone who serves the same market as you, but doesn't provide the same service as you. Looking for someone who can help you (and who you can help in return) is not only a good business practice, it's really fun too! Referrals will always be the best way to build your business.4. Get really good at your specialty. Need extra training? Get it. Need better procedures? Set them up. Master a step by step process to implement your specialty, so you can support the maximum number of clients easily. Make sure when you build your business that you have the right foundation in place!Being special... and specialized... helps you to clearly convey your services to the people who will be your clients, or who will happily refer you to people who will be your clients.So, what's your specialty? and who knows about it?

No Magic Pipeline to Federal Contracts - Part One

How could I resist? It sounded so good: if I could just manage to get onto the Government Services Administration (GSA) schedule, it sounded like federal agencies would be able to directly contract with my company. There would be no need for me to respond to Requests for Proposals.The GSA website proudly states that "The GSA Schedules program is the premier acquisition vehicle in government, with approximately $50 billion a year in spending or 10 percent of overall federal procurement spending. GSA Schedules are fast, easy, and effective contracting vehicles for both customers and vendors."The prospect was sweetened by the fact that there are specific set-asides for small businesses and for women-owned businesses.On December 13, 2013, I received my Congressional Notification that my company would be on the Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services (MOBIS) register through 12/19/2018.It was almost anticlimactic, because it had taken two years to complete many exhaustive, time consuming and frequently expensive steps to get there.I signed on with a company that promised to get me onto the GSA Schedule. I had looked at the solicitation requirements and knew that I couldn't complete the process without professional guidance. I bit the bullet and paid them $1,500 thousand dollars upfront.After considerable discussion and research, we determined that my services best fit Schedule 874: Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services (MOBIS). There appeared to be four categories that were most relevant: Consulting Services, Facilitation Services, Training Services, Ancillary Supplies and/or Services.I spent weeks writing up detailed descriptions of my company, my services, my corporate practices, my credentials and my finances. This included narratives of work to support my inclusion under these four service categories.


Each narrative required: the customer/client name; project name; point of contact's phone number and email address; project performance period; dollar value of the entire project; copy of the statement of work; brief summary of the project as a whole; end results achieved; tools, methodology and/or processes utilized to the complete the project; compliance with any applicable laws, client requirements, professional standards, etc.; the project schedule with major milestones; tasks; deliverables; explanation of any delays; how the work was performed; if all of the tasks were completed as described; and specific experience and/or special qualifications that enabled me to complete the project.After creating two narratives for each service category, my GSA marketing firm informed me that I could only use work completed in the past five years. I had to throw out half of what I had written.I provided a list of my training programs and the GSA marketing company developed a proposed GSA price list. By the way, concerning that price list. The government wants significant discounts and volume discounts on top of that. The entire pricing system is amazingly one-sided in the government's favor.Then I was told that I had to show invoices that supported each program. If I didn't have an invoice from the past 5 years, I could not propose the program. To be continued in the article: No Magic Pipelines to Federal Contracts- Part Two.

Booklet Tips - Shelf Life Vs. Online

Does it matter to you or your quantity buyers how long your tips booklet content stays in front of people? Or is it more important to get that information out as quickly and inexpensively as possible before moving on and generating more information? Maybe a combination of both functions is really what matters.There are pluses and minuses to delivering your tips booklet content online and offline, with certain variables dictating how you proceed. While it may cost very little in time or money to deliver a PDF of your tips booklet to a lot of people as a site download or as an email attachment, the value of its content or the presence of the sender can be quickly lost. That PDF may get hastily deleted or automatically stored on the recipients' hard drive, without even looking carefully at what the product is, much less deciding if it's valuable in any way.Imagine receiving a printed copy of that same tips booklet, with "A gift from XYZ Company at the PDQ Conference" on the bottom of the booklet cover. And the booklet is distributed at a live multi-day educational event. How likely are you to ignore, discard, or automatically store that printed booklet? You see the title and sponsorship on the cover, determine that the booklet size is very approachable, and consider that the production quality is impressive. You make a more conscious decision to at least put it aside within view and revisit it when you've got a moment.Even if the downloadable version was sponsored by a reputable participant in your industry, was well produced, and took up space calculated only in pixels, how do you balance the extent of impact that PDF is likely to have compared to a printed tips booklet? Yes, the printed booklet may cost more to create, yet it has a good chance of not only resurfacing on someone's radar; it also has a good chance of prompting larger sales for the sponsoring company and for the author's company.


That printed tips booklet lives on way beyond the live multi-day educational event where the booklet was distributed. In fact, it gives the event producer, the booklet sponsor, and the booklet author a very long shelf life and presence way beyond the event itself. Yes, a PDF could pop up on a search of something else on a person's hard drive, likely with much less value at that point.ACTION - Think about where you want your tips booklet to go to help the most people for the longest period of time. Helping is defined by how the content improves someone's life and also by how the booklet can generate revenue.You can always make your booklet available as both a download and a tangible print version once you get clear about who can best use what you've got and how you want to go about letting those people know it's available. Expanding the shelf life of your booklet extends your reach and your bottom line."Turn Your Tips Into Products, Your Tips Products Into Moneymakers.TM"© 2014