WELCOME

Regarding MBA Events

We weren't surprised when we started taking registrations for our Want to Start Your Own Business? Be Careful…It's Not an Entry Level Position. We sold out. So we've planned another on May 15. The focus of this seminar is information not only for beginners but also for "seasoned" business owners, so be sure to register if you would like a refresher on the nuances of owning a company.

Long-time MBA member Leza Raffel presents Mega Marketing on a Shoestring Budget on May 3. Leza is the president of an award-winning marketing and PR firm and is well-known in this region for her hard-hitting, results-oriented workshops and keynote speeches.

Also, veteran radio and television personality Lorraine Ranalli will present Reaching Your Clients with Ink on May 8. Her seminar is particularly appropriate for small business owners who work with all phases of in-house promotions including advertising, letters and brochures.

I hope you'll discover how much your association has to offer. Email or call me with your questions at 800-533-3732, and I thank you for your membership and interest.

Libby Beatty, Chair
MBA Board of Directors

NEWSWORTHY

New Postage Rate Gets Stamp of Approval

The United States Postal Service has confirmed the approval of the Postal Rate Commission's recommended rate increase for first-class postage. Effective May 14, 2007, the cost of the 39 cent first-class stamp will increase to 41 cents.

In an effort to ease rate increases on consumers, the authorization of the Forever Stamp, which can be used for any future one-ounce letter mailing without extra postage, was also approved.

In an effort to encourage mailers to seek cost-effective alternatives to reduce the cost of handling, the authorization of approved shape-based pricing will also come into effect.

Clean Machine

Spring is a great time to rid your life and your PC of the clutter and waste that has accumulated over the past year. Here are some tips to help organize and optimize your computer:

Remove Programs and Files: By removing old, unnecessary files and programs your computer can run more smoothly. Be sure to carefully consider each item before you delete.

Deleting an entire program folder that you don't think you need, when you actually do, can damage your PC's performance. To avoid losing important files permanently, you should back up any files you may want to use in the future.

Disc Clean-Up: Free up space on your computer by running the Disk Cleanup program. Go to My Computer or Windows Explorer and right-click on the letter associated with your hard drive, usually "C." Next click Properties, then Disk Cleanup. Follow the steps and check off the desired boxes, and the program will tell you how much space it can free up.

You should immediately notice a difference in your computer's speed and performance.

Click here for more spring cleaning tips for your PC.

BACK TO TOP

MARKETING

Survey Says:
Ask A Simple Question to Retain Customers

The Net Promoter program suggests using a shockingly simple question to identify and classify your customers - "On a 1-10 scale how likely are you to recommend us?"

Customers who respond with ratings of 9 and 10 are a company's "promoters" and those with responses of 6 and under are "detractors."

The survey is effective for companies of all sizes and supplies invaluable feedback about how customers view your company and how likely they are to do business with you again.

Build Your Word-of-Mouth Program

One of the most powerful tools of advertising is WOM (word of mouth). If done correctly, WOM advertising can affordably ensure that your business is the talk of the town. Here are a couple of ideas on how to spread the word about your business.

PR coverage. Seek out the editors and journalists who write about your market. Try submitting informational press releases tied to current events. If you can position yourself as an industry expert with a newspaper, they may seek you out the next time they need a professional opinion for an article.

Viral Marketing. Create a venue for people to talk about your business or business ideas. Company blogs are growing in popularity and act as a great source of publicity and market research. They also motivate people to talk about your business and its products.

BACK TO TOP

YOUR FINANCES

IRS 2007 Tax Calendar

The IRS has a free product to help make your life easier. The 2007 Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed provides small business owners with a ready resource for meeting their tax obligations.

The 12-month wall calendar is filled with useful information on general business taxes, electronic filing and payment options, retirement plans, business publications and forms, and common tax filing dates.

Have Your Credit Card Questions Answered

Trying to find a credit card company with whom to do business? Here are some questions to help ensure you get exactly what you want:

How will my payment due dates be established? Not all creditors allow you to choose your payment dates but some do.

What would my introductory rate cover? Find out how long the promotional or "teaser" rate lasts, and get figures on how your future payments will break down.

To what extent would I be liable to the business account? The person who applied for the card is considered the authorized officer of the account and, in most cases, is held personally liable if the business defaults on a payment.

Mediate Before you Litigate

If you should find your business at the brink of litigation, consider hiring a mediating service to help save you from the stress of expensive and time consuming legal battles.

A mediator is a person who acts as a moderator in a negotiation but has no legal power to bind either party to a course of action. Many experts agree that mediation is successful nearly 80% of the time and helps parties fashion settlements that suit both sides fairly.

To find mediators to help you stay out of court, check the MBA Member Directory.

BACK TO TOP

HUMAN RESOURCES

Plan A-head-of-the-Family:
Succession of Your Family Business

Many family-owned businesses are run by a senior member of the family who possesses the knowledge and experience that keeps the business running day after day. The loss of a key person without proper planning can be devastating to the family as well as the business.

Successors must be chosen, taught the necessary skills and introduced to the proper connections. Future business processes like budgets and marketing plans should be established to guide the business into the future. Choosing successors and creating a future plan of transition will ensure that the family and the business continue to thrive.

Keeping Your Staff Sharp

Large companies often use "mystery shoppers" to test their employees' customer service skills. If you're interested in honing the skills of your sales people, why not do the same?

Arrange for a suitable subject to be your shopper. Give your subject a questionnaire that will focus on the customer service end of the call or visit, such as the friendliness of the staff person. But also include questions that will enable the shopper to ask the most pertinent questions about your products and services.

Depending on the number of staff and the results of the survey, you may need more than one shopper or more than one visit. Completed questionnaires should help you identify staff strengths and areas which need to be reviewed.

Minors in the Workplace

If you are in retail or the food service industry, chances are you have thought about hiring or currently have teenage employees. Aside from the obvious challenges of managing younger employees is the challenge of keeping them safe on the job.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has programs to safeguard young workers and the businesses that employ them. OSHA offers outreach, education and training programs to help educate workers, teachers and parents about how to prevent injury and illness.

BACK TO TOP

IT

Microsoft's Free Small Biz Solution

If your small business is still not on-line because of time or money, Microsoft may have a free solution for you. Microsoft Office Live Basic is a free website tool that can help you display your business via Microsoft templates. The point and click design tool allows you to set up your own site from a selection of pre-designed layouts. Third party advertising on your new site, however, is a drawback. Other perks of the service include the domain name of your choice, 25 e-mail accounts as well as website management and analysis tools.

Office Live also offers monthly subscriptions that for a fee provide more advanced web services to help you organize, work and share your information online.

Tech Talk: Questions for Your IT Consultant

Q: Do you have experience with other small companies in my industry? Be sure that your consultant has an understanding of your small business's needs.

Q: Will you supply support after the system is implemented? Many consultants are too busy to help with maintenance and repairs. Be sure to sign an agreement that offers long-term support for your investment.

Q: What are your shortcomings? Use a consultant who is honest about their abilities. It is often unlikely one consultant can address all of your IT issues. Knowing in what areas you will need assistance will help you plan for hiring future consultants.

BACK TO TOP

MBA EVENTS OF INTEREST

Mega Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

How can a company implement a professional, results-oriented marketing campaign on a limited budget? This timely workshop will give you an insider's look at strategies for success.

Attend this seminar to learn how to: set realistic marketing goals; develop and promote your unique selling point; define and access your target market; maximize your message through public relations; use cost-cutting strategies for direct mail and advertising and track the success of your efforts.

Thursday, May 3, 2007
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
MBA Conference Room
867 Sussex Blvd., Broomall, PA
Free for MBA members, $25 for non-members, includes credit towards membership (must be paid in advance)
Sponsored by Sun East Federal Credit Union
Reserve by Friday, April 27, 2007
Click here to register

Presenter: Leza Raffel, founder and president of The Communication Solutions Group, is the driving force behind her 15-year-old company. Ms. Raffel worked as a public relations specialist and director of public relations with other companies before starting her own full-service public relations and marketing firm.

She specializes in overseeing the development and implementation of complete marketing plans. She also excels at media relations, with a myriad of contacts and connections.

Reaching Your Clients with Ink

This fun and interactive seminar will take the anxiety out of writing for writers of all abilities. Drawing from her experience as a broadcast journalist, post-secondary teacher, author and ghostwriter, seminar presenter Lorraine Ranalli will offer tips and tricks for getting ideas out of your head and onto paper.

You'll learn how writing first and thinking later can improve all of your communications - whether you're working on an e-mail, brochure, ad or letter.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
MBA Conference Room
867 Sussex Blvd., Broomall, PA
Free for MBA members, $25 for non-members, includes credit towards membership (must be paid in advance)
Reserve by Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Click here to register

Presenter: Lorraine Ranalli, PR Coordinates, is a veteran Philadelphia broadcaster and author of "Gravy Wars" and "The Adventures of Dayne Traveler." She is also a ghostwriter. Although she can be heard on music radio station B101, Ms. Ranalli made writing and public relations her primary career focus in May 2006.

SOLD OUT:
Want to Start Your Own Business?
Be Careful…It's Not an Entry Level Position
A Seminar for New & Seasoned Business Owners

The April 10, 2007 presentation of this seminar was not only sold out, but surprisingly, was attended 100% by people already in business. Obviously there are still a lot of questions that need answering and this is the seminar to do that for you. The additional presentation of this seminar will be on May 15. Register early!

MBA Summer Networking Luau Is Back

Look for further event details and prizes to be announced soon

Thursday, August 16, 2007
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant
4120 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127

Join the luau update list!

BACK TO TOP

Unless specifically indicated, MBA does not intend mention of companies, products or services discussed in this publication to be construed to be endorsements. The information in this publication is offered as examples that may be useful to our small business readers. Please consult with an industry professional before implementing any of the tips or subscribing to any of the services described above.