WELCOME

With the threats that are inherent in an economic crisis, it makes sense every now and then to take a minute and pull ourselves together. This little break, used correctly, can become the calming influence to keep us on track. Here are some ideas:

Define and refine your long term goals. Make the assumption that time will cure all ills and when your ills are cured, you'll have a thoughtful, comprehensive plan to follow.

Set aside time to learn innovative techniques to market your business including the power of social media. Work smarter not harder.

Break your bad habits. The old saying still rules: Read it and then file it, act on it or trash it. I think I will personally apply that rule.

Lagging spending and delayed gratification will improve. In the meantime, we can give our lives a little more balance.

Libby Beatty, Chair
MBA Board of Directors

NEWSWORTHY

Feel Free to Go Postal

Be sure to check out the United States Postal Service's website once in a while. It offers lots of ideas for shipping and some free offers too. For instance Get Your Free Flat Rate Box Shipping Kit is one offer now on the website.

Answer a few questions about your business to get your free flat rate box shipping kit which includes a complete set of flat rates boxes, the USPS Shipping Guide booklet and up to $160 in offers from authorized postage vendors.

BACK TO TOP

MARKETING

Google, Yahoo and MSN Drive New Customers to Local Businesses
By MBA Member Matt Magee

New research by The Kelsey Group indicates 70% of U.S. households now use the Internet when shopping locally and 54 percent of Americans have substituted the Internet for phone books. DM News reports that 35 percent of all Internet searches are local in nature.

Over 1 billion local searches are conducted every month online from cell phones, PDA's, laptops, office and even the family PC; all searching for goods and services that are located close to home.

Most importantly, these searches are being conducted by motivated buyers ready to make a purchase. When these targeted prospects use the Internet to search for what your business offers, be that a product or service, are they able to find you?

Local Search is a trend that, if embraced, can significantly fuel the growth of your neighborhood storefront or office. Here are some tips to help you get noticed online:

• Get a website with your own domain name and “Claim” your local business listing at getlisted.org
  
  
• Use research tools to discover what keyword terms are being used to locate your business by motivated online prospects
  
  
• Get links and “citations” from other sites and directories to boost the power rankings of your Business Center Profiles

Contact Matt Magee, M3WebConsulting, at (610) 688-4228. M3WC employs Internet-based marketing solutions to better position clients' core business offerings. Call for a free website and marketing/competition analysis.

BONUS: For Matt's Fast Facts tip sheet, Getting Noticed Online, simply log on to MBA's website, go to the Publications drop down and visit the Fast Facts page. Look under the Marketing heading for Getting Noticed Online.

BACK TO TOP

YOUR FINANCES

A New Approach to Debt Collection

According to the Commercial Collection Agency Association the longer you let a payment go the more likely you'll lose more of what's owed to you. The following tips can help you reassess the way you approach late-paying customers:

Triage: Consider the size and the time involved in the debt and create an attack plan that helps you focus your efforts on the big fish first. Likewise, consider what you know about your clients so you know who you can approach softly and who needs a firmer effort.

Eye-to-Eye: If it's feasible, plan a meeting or a surprise pop-in to address the account face-to-face. You can even suggest that your check be written on the spot to "put the issue to rest." It's a little harder to get the run around when you are staring your customer in the eye.

Set Guidelines: Ask for an exact time when you can expect payment. Depending on the account and the relationship, you can offer to slightly extend payments but don't offer discounts.

BACK TO TOP

FOR THE HOME-BASED BIZ

Home Business: House Rules

Maintaining order and a professional appearance is important for any business, but running one from home can pose additional challenges. Here are some ideas to help keep order and professionalism in your home business:

Privacy Notice: Create rules of conduct for you and your family when you work from home. To keep interruptions to a minimum, a "Do Not Disturb" sign posted on your office door is a good idea. You can also ask your family members to call your business line if they need to talk.

When to Answer the Phone: If a family member or pet happens to be in the office when a business call comes in – do not pick it up until all the distractions are removed. An interrupting child or a loud pet can hurt your credibility. If the other party is doing most of the talking, consider using your phone’s mute button so that you can hear, background noises from your side of the phone are masked.

Get Out of the Office: For some, living and working at home can translate to stress, depression and loneliness. By taking your work to the library or a coffee shop you can break the monotony and provide an opportunity to interact with others and market your business.

BACK TO TOP

HUMAN RESOURCES

Make Plans for Drug-Free Work Week

October 19-25, 2009 is National Drug-Free Work Week. This week will highlight workplace safety and health and encourage workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help.

Drug-Free Work Week is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor in coordination with members of its Drug-Free Workplace Alliance. This cooperative program, which represents both employer/contractor associations and labor unions, aims to improve safety and health through drug-free workplace programs.

It focuses on the construction industry because research indicates that it has higher than average rates of worker alcohol and drug abuse, a serious concern given that it also tops the list of industries with the highest rates of workplace accidents and injuries. But because drug-free workplace programs benefit all workplaces, employers and employees in all industries, not just construction, are encouraged to take part in Drug-Free Work Week.

For specific ideas to participate in Drug-Free Work Week, visit the Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace website and click on Drug-Free Work Week. Suggestions range from simple to comprehensive, but all help promote safer, healthier workplaces and are wise business practices that can be implemented at any time of the year.

BACK TO TOP

IT

WatchDox Changes the Way You Share Information

Securing valuable business data is really about maintaining as much control as possible. With WatchDox, you can do just that. WatchDox offers users the ability to track and control e-mailed documents. Use WatchDox to e-mail a document, and you'll have the option to set permissions on the file allowing you to control how the recipient views, copies/pastes, prints and forwards the document. You also can set an expiration date that will render the file unreadable.

Other features include watermark placement and a log that tracks the number of times a document is viewed, printed and forwarded. WatchDox offers various pricing and subscription packages, although a free trial version is available.

BACK TO TOP

NEW MEMBERS

When our member base increases there is more of everything: more creative networking, more benefits and more experienced, enthusiastic business owners. All move our members toward growth, success and the entrepreneurial spirit.

Click here to meet our newest small business partners.

BACK TO TOP

COMMENTARY

Common Sense 1 Obamanomics 0
By Stephen Markowitz

The business community, small and large, is under attack. There is no other way to frame the current anti-business environment instigated by this Administration. Companies are being taken over by a government that cannot run Medicare, the post office or Cash for Clunkers without deficits and mismanagement. Small business owners are being eyed as a bottomless pocket of available cash to bail out a failing healthcare initiative. While some oversight is definitely needed (see obscene bonuses, failure of regulators to regulate, and Bernard Madoff), the intrusiveness of this Administration must be countered.

The town hall meetings, unstaged, staged, selectively videoed or otherwise cannot be written off as the rantings of a lot of discontented, selfish Middle Americans. The implosion of the “Public Option” shows that the people are now influencing their representatives. Score 1 for Common Sense. And those town hall meetings had a great deal to do with that. There is a palpable anger, and frustration that is growing.

Obamanomics, the re-distribution of wealth and services based on idealism rather than realism, elicits great support from many who see it as a chance to level the playing field. Those who support such reckless programs just assume that business owners are rich and must be made to pay more for the privilege of becoming so. But most of you are not rich. You create jobs, you help to anchor communities and you support your community with your money and your volunteerism.

It grates to now be told that you are the enemy, the reason that America is failing. Our President warns that we do what he knows is best for us or a great calamity will befall America. We will talk more about Obamanomics, but for now I pose one question to you. Would you hire a president for your company whose resume indicates only one activity - applying to companies to become a president? We’ve hired a smart, thoughtful, charismatic man to be our leader - except he has no experience in leading.

The growing dissent is not an obstacle to improving America. It is a response to the realization that our leader is being mentored and pressured by the extreme Left Wing of a party, now presenting its bill for services rendered in unilaterally promoting him into the Presidency. Could this be the reason a majority of Americans now poll as conservative?

Stephen Markowitz is chief executive officer of The Administrators, Inc. His column Commentary appeared for 15 years in The Alliance Report, MBA's printed newsletter. His comments reflect his views and not necessarily the opinions of the board and staff of Midlantic Business Alliance. Contact him at SMarkowitz@TheAdministratorsInc.com.

BACK TO TOP

ARE YOU ON FACEBOOK?

If you are on Facebook, visit MBA and become a Fan! Be the first Fan today to leave the following Facebook phrase on our wall and you'll become MBA’s September AR Online sponsor.

Facebook Phrase: MBA's marvelous members make MBA magnificent.

BACK TO TOP

Sponsors of MBA's AR Online Newsletter

The Administrators, Inc.
(800)634-4428
Making health insurance affordable

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.