Small Business Labs

JANUARY 5, 2012

Below is our fifth annual Top 10 Small Business Trends list.  Links to our prior lists are available here.   Our overall economic outlook is for continued moderate growth with U.S. GDP increasing 2.5%-3.0%.  While we expect hiring and the job market to improve, unemployment will remain high, finishing the year around 8%.  Social Trends.   1.  Being Human:  A trend that has rippled through our research the past couple of years - and especially

2012 207

2012 Social Media Telecommuting Temping 207

Stephanie LH Calahan

JANUARY 19, 2012

Sometimes taking action is not the right choice.  I have been thinking about that statement for a while now.  Then, tonight it came up again as I was interviewing Des Gray on Mindset.   OK, so maybe it is time that I write about it again. It seems funny for me to say it because I'm continually telling people they need to get into action and out of perfectionism and procrastination.  Just do something!

2011 199

2011 Training Interviewing Goals 199

Customers Rock!

JANUARY 10, 2012

A lot of businesses love social media because they feel it helps them spread the word about their organization and what they do. And it does. However, I strongly feel one of the most effective uses of social media is to build and deepen relationships with customers – be they consumers, clients, donors, or constituents. I predict this will be a big focus for social media in 2012.

Social Media 181

Social Media 2012 Twitter Agencies 181

Office Organization Success

JANUARY 9, 2012

How many times have you registered for a teleclasses – and the teleclass teacher has continued to email you to register for the teleclass? How many times have your purchased a product – and the product creator continues to email you to offer you the product? How many times have you registered for an online program – and the coach/consultant/mentor continues to email you to participate in their program?

Promotion 178

Promotion Purchasing 2012 Mentoring 178

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Payroll

Eat Your Career

JANUARY 30, 2012

I’m not a big fan of the word “hate” but let me be honest: I’ve definitely felt some very, VERY strong negativity toward a few of my superiors in the past. Hey, I’m only human. This is probably one of the most common challenges I hear from professionals. Working for someone you don’t like is the absolute worst. And yet, it can be a great learning experience if you approach it with the right attitude.

2012 169

2012 Facebook Google Interviewing 169

Office Dynamics

JANUARY 1, 2012

After more than 40 years of living in and with this profession, these are my wishes for every administrative professional, especially you. I hope you will pass this on to your peers so that we might light a fire that burns in all administrative professionals' hearts. My wishes for you are that you. live your profession with inspiration, enthusiasm, energy, inquisitiveness, and passion. wake up every day with excitement about the work you do and the opportunities that lie ahead that day. will nev

Administrative Professionals 169

Administrative Professionals 2012 Mentoring Learning 169

Stephanie LH Calahan

JANUARY 13, 2012

Warning - this message may be a bit more harsh than you are used to reading from me.  Read it anyway! If you are like most business owners, you created your business because you wanted to live on your own terms and you knew that you have something amazing to offer. But, have you realized that dream? Are you doing what you love, or putting out fires?

2012 177

2012 Confidence Social Media Environment 177

Customers Rock!

JANUARY 24, 2012

This post is part of the Social ROI Blog Carnival at Think Customers: the 1to1 Media blog. Visit the blog carnival post “ Calculating the ROI of Social Media ” to check out the full list of posts from numerous well-known social media thought leaders. There are many ways to measure the success of social media at an organization. Some of these metrics are often focused only on tactical results (ex: number of followers or fans).

Social Media 171

Social Media Verizon Customer Service 2012 171

Virtual Moxie

JANUARY 30, 2012

Clients who think the best way to get support is by "hiring" cheap labor should look to underdeveloped countries. Don't try to talk them out of it. You're not what they need, and they're not your market.

Training 168

Training 168

Eat Your Career

JANUARY 18, 2012

Okay, listen up guys. I don’t say this often but here goes…. I was wrong. Well, maybe not completely wrong. But a little wrong. You see, I’ve written a lot in the past about why letting emotions guide you in the decision-making process is a dangerous thing. I, like the rest of the world, have been trained to believe that emotional decisions almost always lead to disaster.

Facebook 169

Facebook Google Training Email 169

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

Equipment

Small Business Labs

JANUARY 30, 2012

The New York Times Economix blog post The Quiet Driver of Economic Growth: Exports covers the steady growth in the percent of U.S. GDP generated by exports.  The chart below is from the article.     Most interesting is their explanation for the rise in exports - domestic problems.  Key quote: Much of the rise in exports is a consequence of domestic problems.

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The Small Business Blog

JANUARY 28, 2012

In a recent article from Econsultancy: Bad reviews improve conversion by 67%, which referred to a study undertaken by Reevoo (a provider of impartial product reviews, ratings and price comparison) called Bad Reviews are Good for Business, they found that “68% of consumers trust reviews more when they see both good and bad scores” and…

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168

Stephanie LH Calahan

JANUARY 16, 2012

There was a time that "open office design" was a new term, but it was a way of organizing your facilities that was reserved for large corporations. I remember, back when I worked in corporate the move we made from traditional offices to "open space."  I have to admit, I was really resistant!  However, over time, I came to realize how valuable that open space was for my team.

Environment 165

Environment Collaborate Agencies Equipment 165

Step It Up VA Coaching

JANUARY 12, 2012

by Donna Toothaker. When you run your own business, creating and fostering a positive mindset is the one most important thing you must do to put yourself – and keep yourself – on track for success. The foundation to building a positive business mindset is personal integrity – knowing who you are, what your gifts are, what your mission is, and having the strength of your convictions.

Gifts 156

Gifts AT&T Goals UPS 156

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Management

Virtual Moxie

JANUARY 16, 2012

In the US, today is the deadline for paying (if you’re required to) 2011 Q4 estimated taxes to the fine folks at the IRS. I know a lot of people really hate paying taxes, and probably won’t pay estimateds, or will wait till zero hour to make it happen. So many people I know wish we could all pay less than we do. Without a doubt, that would be nice. I, personally, used to struggle like mad with paying estimateds.

2011 157

2011 Phones UPS 157

Office Dynamics

JANUARY 17, 2012

This is what we have been talking about and we find it very exciting that this is the forecasted direction of the assistant. Please read on and tell us what you think! This is an excerpt from a recent newsletter we received from Leni Miller, Found er & President, E A Search. The new year has arrived and with it, a significant increase in search activity for top executive and personal support professionals.

Salary 155

Salary Management 155

Office Organization Success

JANUARY 31, 2012

One thing that kept cropping up for me when I was teaching at a recent event was the fact that so many of you are getting overwhelmed with your marketing; not so much with the list building or connecting with potential clients, but your actual marketing planning. The busier you get in your business the harder it becomes to keep a handle on things. Just some of the issues that cropped up at the event I was at were: You’re being asked to speak at events or telesummits and don’t know how this fits

Calendars 155

Calendars Google 2012 Promotion 155

The Small Business Blog

JANUARY 18, 2012

Crowdfunding is becoming an increasingly popular method for small businesses and social ventures to raise much needed funds. The map below gives you some idea of the scale of growth in Crowdfunding over recent years.

2011 167

2011 167

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Interviewing

Ian's Messy Desk

JANUARY 2, 2012

1. SPEND TIME PLANNING AND ORGANIZING. Setting aside time to think and plan is time well-spent. Organize in a way that makes sense to you. If you need color and pictures, use a lot on your calendar or planning book. Some people need to have papers filed away; others get their creative energy from their piles. So forget the “shoulds” and organize your way. 2.

Management 151

Management Calendars Goals 2012 151

Eat Your Career

JANUARY 22, 2012

I’ve written in the past about the pros and cons of job hopping. Yes, it’s true; you can spin it any way you want. But let’s be real: job hopping is no fun. Whether it’s a “good thing” or a “bad thing,” for your career might be debatable in theory. But, in reality, it’s a serious pain. When you bounce from job to job , you find yourself in a perpetual state of transition, never really settled.

Resume 149

Resume Facebook Google Stress 149

Eco-Office Gals

JANUARY 23, 2012

Going green isn’t exactly easy to do by your lonesome. Few of us are experts in the fields of energy innovation, nor do we have the skills to assess our individual circumstances and lifestyles and come to practical conclusions about how to save energy. Sure we can make the switch to CFLs, carpool three days out of the week, and properly insulate our homes, but in many cases the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint are ignored in favor of these more apparent and easier issue to tack

Carbon Footprint 149

Carbon Footprint Agencies 2012 Lifestyle 149

Small Business Labs

JANUARY 31, 2012

U Mass Dartmouth marketing professor Nora Barnes has caused quite a stir in social media circles with her latest  study on the usage of social media by Inc. 500 companies.  The research shows the number of Inc. 500 companies blogging declined in 2011.   It actually declined quite a bit.  In 2010 half of the Inc. 500 blogged.  But in 2011 only 37% did.   While blogging is down, social media usage is up.  Facebook is used by by 74% of Inc. 500 members, Lin

Social Media 149

Social Media 2011 Forms Twitter 149

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Policies

Virtual Moxie

JANUARY 23, 2012

I love, love , LOVE Pinterest. If you’ve not visited the site, it’s pretty much a beautiful haven for the “mature” woman (according to Forbes). There are guys, but guys aren't the main users. Chicks are. And Pinterest is full of user-created “pin” boards of things that people find that they want to keep and remember or want to share with others. I have 13 pin boards, with names like All You Need is Love (which has images and quotations of the same sorts of things I post to my LoveLavishly blog)

Social Media 148

Social Media Clothes Twitter Expenses 148

The Small Business Blog

JANUARY 11, 2012

January is perhaps unsurprisingly one of the busiest months of the year to start up a business, yet the statistics on survival rates continue to make shocking news. For example in 2010 297,000 UK businesses went bust, equivalent to more than 1,170 every working day.

UPS 166

UPS 2010 166

Practically Perfect PA

JANUARY 5, 2012

One of the tasks that is often given to a PA/EA is the introduction of new members of staff and having the responsibility for the induction process. Putting together an efficient policy is important because it ensures that all employees are integrated into the company and their role in the organisation quickly. Support staff should ensure the new starter has all of the necessary information they need to begin their job.

Equipment 148

Equipment Filing Twitter Policies 148

Ian's Messy Desk

JANUARY 31, 2012

I have a terrible time remembering people ’s names. Let me rephrase that, I have a terrible time learning people’s names. I don’t know how often I’ve been embarrassed when someone greets my by name and I can’t remember who the person is. I envy those people that remember your name from the first time they hear it. Anyone with such an ability has a head start on building strong relationships.

Learning 148

Learning UPS 148

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

Collaborate

Step It Up VA Coaching

JANUARY 26, 2012

by Donna Toothaker. You have created a fabulous business, doing excellent work for a slew of wonderful entrepreneurs. Your clients love your work… in fact, many, if not all, tell you regularly how pleased they are, and give you great feedback. You have likely heard over and over that rave reviews from your clients are perhaps your most valuable tool for bringing in new clients.

Social Media 147

Social Media AT&T Goals Promotion 147

Job Advice Blog

JANUARY 6, 2012

The emotional stress associated with unemployment is understood only by those who are unemployed. Often, even people closely associated with the unemployed such as spouses or other family members don’t fathom the emotional pressure and pain that settles in on those without sources of income and places to go to called work. Unfortunately, some jobless [.].

Stress 146

Stress Interviewing Skills 146

Virtual Moxie

JANUARY 31, 2012

The time between when you send your client agreement/intake packet to a new client and the time you actually begin working with her is the "intake" period--the time you do the work to get things ready on your end to work with the client. . This might be setting up files, or reading materials the client sends you to bring you up to speed, or setting up an online collaborative workspace, or any number of other things you might do in preparation for the actual work to begin.

Filing 146

Filing Collaborate UPS 146

The Small Business Blog

JANUARY 22, 2012

We’ve all seen the news lately and heard of lots of large and small businesses closing down. No doubt, you’ve also seen the impact on your high street with both large and smaller, independent retailers shutting up shop.

Customer Service 165

Customer Service Environment UPS 165

Speaker: Tim Buteyn

Let's set the scene: you’ve identified a critical performance gap in your organization and need to close that gap. A colleague suggests training, but you suspect there’s something going on that training can’t address. How can you determine if training is the right solution before you commit your budget and resources to a new training program? In this webinar, you will learn how to determine if training is the right solution using the Behavior Engineering Model.

Training