First Step Marketing

Never leave home

…without your business cards! They are an indispensable marketing tool. Make them really stylish. They’re very often the first impression people will get of you, and you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Full colour cards are not that expensive to print anymore. Shop around for a good price. Keep a supply of business cards with you all the time and hand them out often. Include a photograph or sketch of your work if you can. Read the rest of this entry »

An agent will take your articles and find retail outlets for you, charging you a negotiated commission on orders taken and goods sold. This is a good option if your product is easily manufactured and plentiful, and you prefer making to selling. Read the rest of this entry »

• Ask your mother or best friend what they believe is your best quality.

Convert what you love doing into a profession.

• Ask yourself what job you would most like to do if you were a member of the crew on a luxury liner for 90 days.
• Your qualities tell you a lot about yourself.
• The biggest clue is to think about what you truly love doing. Read the rest of this entry »
  

In the beginning…

The only factors standing between you and starting your business are fear and excuses. I feel very strongly about this. We can only succeed if we are able to successfully rid ourselves of our fear and the action that it holds back. Once that’s done, you will already feel lighter - and be prepared to take the risks that success requires. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the small-business ideas which follow, are familiar businesses which can be differentiated in innovative ways. Others are new ideas which have not been subject to thorough investigation. The intention of this listing is not to provide ready-made business ideas, but to set you thinking; ideas breed new ideas. Read the rest of this entry »

Creative thought does not end once a good business opportunity has been identified. For as long as the business operates, it will be faced with problems and opportunities that force creative thinking. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get into a rut and grow complacent. If this happens, good opportunities may be missed and many setbacks, which could have been avoided with some creative problem solving, could occur. Read the rest of this entry »

Running a business is risky business. Advice on how to make sure your company is properly insured against every possible hazard that may arise could alone fill a book. All business owners decide to take risks at one time or another as a matter of course, but when it comes to choosing insurance, some go all out and insure their business, facilities, employees, and even themselves against the most remote risks, while others buy the minimum amount of insurance, usually for catastrophic events only. Read the rest of this entry »

To get started on your quest, first call your town clerk to see what you need to do to make your business legal on a local basis. The clerk will also be able to lead you to state offices so you know what you’ll have to do with the state government.

Here’s a rundown on some of the things you’ll have to take care of in order to start your business off on the right foot. Read the rest of this entry »

Two important questions to ask yourself after you’ve completed the interrogation: First, what do you like about the way they run their business? Second, what is one thing you noticed about their business that you would never use in your own? Remember, if you’re entering an area where your business will be facing competition, as long as you can focus your business in a way where you’re doing something that your competitors are not, you have an excellent chance to make your business stand out despite the competition. Read the rest of this entry »

If so, how long have they been around? And have they been largely successful?

If there isn’t already a business filling the niche that you plan to fill, don’t fret. It may mean that you have a special talent for keeping your finger on the pulse of American life, but it may also mean that your idea is just a little ahead of its time. Sometimes being second in a given field is better than being first; if you’re providing a brand-new product or service that people haven’t previously viewed as necessary to their lives, Read the rest of this entry »