3 Essential Security Measures to Secure Your Business Data
GDPR laws enacted by the European Union sent shockwaves across the business world. No one operating online was safe from their reach, no matter where they were based. The regulations brought in some chilling new consequences for failures to protect personal data. Yet, it wasn’t just GDPR that shook things up in 2018. A series…
Read MoreGrowing a Services Business Requires Selling Yourself
The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what…
Read More3 Payroll Nightmares You Might Have
Vampire Digit might not be too scary, but you know what is? Making payroll mistakes. *gasp* Payroll is a necessary and recurring task for all businesses with employees. So making mistakes can be detrimental for a lot of reasons: Taxes. You can get loads of fees piled on if you report your payroll taxes incorrectly. Even though…
Read More3 Most Efficient Ways to Set Up Your Business’s Financial Systems for Success
Your financial system should be as precise as the grooves in a vinyl record. A solid financial system includes components like your accounting software, purchase approval process, receipt collection process, system for budget creation, and even your point-of-sale (POS) software. These are just a few examples; anything related to handling finances is part of your…
Read MoreHow Much Money Do You Need to be Wealthy?
When you sit back and think about how much money you would need not to have a financial worry in the world, what’s the number that comes to mind? If you’re thinking of an amount similar to most people, it’s probably a lot more than you’re worth. A Charles Schwab survey of 1,000 Americans between…
Read MoreAnother Personal Story: Timing is Everything in a Sale
Almost anyone who has sold a company has a story to tell about their good deal, the problems with the buyer, a last-minute change of terms, or more. I have saved this next story until now because it is one of my favorites, and certainly illustrates the point about timing being a combination of luck and…
Read More4 Cheap (or Free) Customer Acquisition Strategies for Your Online Business
Facebook ads. Google ads. Instagram ads. Twitter ads… You’d be forgiven for thinking that ads on social media are the only, or dare I say it, the best way to market your business these days online. But there are other effective ways you’re probably overlooking. And you don’t have to spend a dime on marketing…
Read MoreThis One Thing Makes All Marketing Boom or Bust
For local businesses, one “marketing engine” drives results for all other marketing efforts. Fine tune that engine and your marketing costs will plummet and sales will boom. Fail to keep that engine running smoothly and your marketing costs will skyrocket and sales will go bust. What is this “marketing engine?” Online customer reviews. Customer reviews…
Read MoreThe Challenged Customer
Our customers (and us) live in worlds characterized by information overload, rapidly changing circumstances, increasing demands, rising management expectations, scarcer resources, increasing scale, disruption, distraction, and complexity. It’s impossible to avoid feeling overwhelmed, unbalanced, and distracted. Getting things done, getting the support and resources to move forward is increasingly difficult. They must coordinate efforts across more…
Read MoreBusiness and Personal Records: Are You Prepared for a Disaster?
This year’s wildfires, record rains, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and potential for earthquakes should all act as reminders that you should be prepared for a disaster. Sure, it will take some effort on your part and you may never be affected by a disaster, but if you are, you will sure wish you had been prepared.…
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