WELCOME

MBA's members that are home based are clearly the category of membership that is growing the fastest. Here's one possible reason: Medium and larger companies are cleaning house, letting huge portions of their staff go. And since the companies aren't replacing those seats, there are few jobs for anybody to find.

The trend then is for these people to start their own businesses. If you are in this category of "start ups," I applaud you and hope for your success.

MBA, in all of its 30+ years, has helped thousands of start-ups in one way or another. If you have started working on a new venture, you're discovering that it isn't easy. So, here's a tip: Coming in January, MBA will, once again, present "Starting Your Own Business," a seminar that will help in all areas of beginning and running a business. It's not just a run-of-the-mill kind of presentation. Trust me. Details will follow soon.

Libby Beatty, Chair
MBA Board of Directors

NEWSWORTHY

INSURANCE UPDATE
Coverage of the 2010-2011 Flu Vaccine

To combat the 2010-2011 flu season, now is the time to get the flu vaccine. It's easier this year, too, since one vaccine will provide protection against both the seasonal flu and H1N1.

Who is covered?

Blue Cross will continue its coverage of either an injectable flu vaccine or the intranasal flu vaccine for managed care members during the 2010-2011 flu season, when a benefit for immunization exists.

Due to health care reform, members who have the 100 percent preventive benefits will have no cost-sharing requirements (such as copayment, coinsurance, or deductible) for the vaccine and administration of the vaccine.

What has changed?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) have new recommendations for 2010, including:

• all persons aged 6 months and older should receive the flu vaccine annually;
• all children aged 6 months to 8 years who did not receive at least one dose of a novel H1N1 vaccine should receive two doses of a 2010-2011 flu vaccine, regardless of previous flu vaccination history;
• protection of persons at higher risk for flu related complications should continue to be a focus of vaccination efforts as providers and programs transition to routine vaccination of all persons aged 6 months or older.

Who should get vaccinated this season?

According to the CDC and the ACIP, it's especially important that the following groups get vaccinated:

• pregnant women;
• children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old;
• people 65 years of age and older;
• people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
• people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
• people who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including health care workers, household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu; and household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated).

Members who receive an influenza vaccine in a setting other than a physician's office or hospital (e.g., in a supermarket, pharmacy, etc.) are eligible for reimbursement of their out-of-pocket costs up to $25. Member reimbursement for this type of service requires submission of the paid receipt or bill, along with a specially-designed claim form.

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MARKETING

Marketing your Mistletoe?

No matter what type of business you have, the holidays represent a huge opportunity to give your marketing techniques a makeover.

Here's how…

Delineate Decorations: Decorating your business space is a good idea, but you don't have to cover the entire store with snow and wreaths. By decorating just a portion of the space, you will save money and highlight your holiday offerings and products.

Season of Giving: If your business operates from an office with little to no client traffic, decorations shouldn't be your focus. Instead, let the actions of your business herald in the season of giving by donating proceeds to charities chosen by clients, giving gifts to clients and offering discounts to new customers.

For Goodness Sake: By infusing a personal touch to cards and other seasonal correspondences your gesture of season's greetings will carry more clout. This means hand signing cards and personalizing greeting cards to include the name of the customer. Pass this job off to an employee, and have them sign your name and extend a greeting from the staff too.

The Power of Pro Bono for Productivity

With budgets getting tighter every day, small businesses need more cost-effective methods to keep employees happy, motivated and inspired. One technique is to let your employees take on some pro bono work. Pro bono work typically allows for more freedom giving employees the chance to exercise their creativity.

When employees feel motivated and creative they produce good work, and that good work may make its way in front of people who are interested in paying to get more! So consider letting your employees dedicate a small portion of their work day to a cause or charity. It will help keep them on the ball and give your business a chance to create an alliance with charitable organizations.

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YOUR FINANCES

Cash Stash

Here are some suggestions for putting your savings in places where they can be accessed quickly in case of emergencies:

Savings Account: The benefits of savings accounts are that they offer security and safety with the insurance of FDIC. The downside is that they typically offer low interest rates. These accounts are best for those with the discipline to leave the money alone. Use Bankrate.com to see lists of the highest-paying accounts.

Certificates of Deposit: Also known as "CDs," these are FDIC-insured investments that are offered by financial institutions. These are basically loans you make to the bank for a set interest rate for a specific amount of time. They can be cashed in at any time, but you can incur penalties for early withdrawal.

T-Bills: These are bills sold by the U.S. Treasury that vary in maturity rates. If staggered, you can take advantage of varying interest rates and have money available when you need it.

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FOR THE HOME-BASED BIZ

Tips for Working at Home

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is creating a structure that suits the needs of your business and personal life. Here's how to create a healthy balance:

The Right Impression: Refer to your work environment as your home "business" or "office." Telling potential clients or other business professionals that you "work at home" may give them the impression that you are less than professional.

Break the Silence: If you work with or for others, make sure that you reach out to them once a day. Aside from staying synchronized it helps to remind you that there is a world outside that needs to be engaged if you wish to run your business in it.

Realistic Schedule: Just because you're a night owl doesn't mean that your customers and associates are too. Remember that meetings and deliveries may need to be done on someone else's schedule - so keep yours flexible and realistic.

Home Town Marketing

Whether your home business services your county or your country, gaining local support is a great way to build a client base and word-of-mouth.

Here how to reach those buying local:

Talk Online: Blogs and newsgroups that hold an interest for your target market are a great way to get local recognition. Join conversations on blogs but don't just pitch a sale, get a feel for the group and learn what you can. You can also offer your expertise as a contributor for local news groups.

Local Alliances: Search online for local businesses that share some aspect of your business or client base. Write them an e-mail as an introduction and discuss the potential to forge an alliance. These also serve as excellent networking opportunities.

Local Media: Writing letters to local papers or offering your expertise in an advice column is a good way to get in the public eye. You could also consider developing a TV show on a local cable access. You're not allowed to advertise on public access but you can hold and announce contests and have free giveaways.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

What Employees Want

A recent survey revealed some of the most commons answers to the question, "What do you expect from your boss?" Here are some of the most frequent answers that should help show you how you can live up to your employees' expectations:

Leader and a Player: Many employees want a boss who can lead the team and play as a team member. This means they deliver clear directions and goals but aren't afraid to lead the charge and do some work too.

A Bond: It seems that the recession has helped forge new bonds between management and employees and many employees and bosses feel closer than ever. In a small business these relationships can lead to trust and a sense of belonging that both breed productivity.

Your Job: Nearly half the people surveyed expressed interest in taking over their boss's job. This means that half your staff is motivated to learn and take initiative, so take the reins and start to treat them to function like bosses in training.

Virtua Launches a Site for Women's Health

Virtua HealthCare Systems of Marlton, NJ has launched a website full of resources to help women manage their health - VirtuaWoman.org. The concept is to offer women a place to manage their health needs in the midst of their busy work and family schedules.

The site helps women find doctors, deal with their personal health care records and receive guidance through the diagnosis and treatment of health issues. Membership is free and offers each woman a secure online data repository for meds, treatments and appointments.

The community portal is an open forum for women to share their experiences and offer advice on issues like parenting, fitness and other relevant issues. It also offers a rewards program offering coupons and discounts at local retailers as well as a collection of health articles and tips.

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IT

Tech Tools for Social Networking Productivity

The following tech tools will save time and allow you to get to know your business contacts a little better:

Knowem: For businesses utilizing social networks to boost brand awareness, Knowem will determine the availability of your user name on over 200 sites. Knowem can also register your user name to secure it before someone else does.

Jigsaw: This is a database of 21,000,000 contacts for people who want to get someone's phone number or e-mail address. By contributing information from your contacts you gain access to the database. If you don't want to contribute, you can pay for access.

Spokeo: This site functions as a background checker that can help you get the skinny on potential hires, new contacts or prospects. By entering the person's name or e-mail address Spokeo scours social networks to dig up their information.

Gmail for Free VoIP Calls

To date, Skype has been the most popular and reliable means to make VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls, with the drawback of both parties needing to have Skype software. Google has solved that problem by offering free VoIP calls through Gmail Voice.

If you are not a Gmail user you can sign up for free and then download Google's voice and video plug-ins to use Gmail voice. All calls within the US and Canada are free and foreign calls cost $0.02 per minute. Gmail voice allows you to call land lines and mobile numbers where Skype only connects you to other Skype accounts. The sound quality is better than average, but no more perfect than other free VoIPs.

Gmail voice also gives you the option of recording phone conversations at a click. If you travel a lot, Gmail Voice is a very cheap way to make calls from anywhere.

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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.

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MBA EVENTS OF INTEREST

Breakfast Networking Event

Enjoy a full breakfast, then spend the morning networking with a group of businessmen and women who want to meet new clients and contacts like you.

Bring along your business cards, brochures or whatever else it takes to showcase your company to fellow business professionals.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
8:30 AM to 10:30 AM

Generations Restuarant
9 State Road, Media, PA

$5 for members,
$10 for non-members to attend,
$30 for non-members to attend and join MBA

Click here to register.

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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.