Free E-Guide to Help Your Business Prepare for Disaster

What runs through your mind when you flip on the evening news or catch the headlines on your mobile device and see that another tornado or hurricane has devastated town “X”, leaving countless businesses, not to mention residents, in dire straits? I’m guessing you feel empathy, perhaps followed by the question, “Wow, if that happened to me, would my business survive?”

Well, these are actually really important questions to be asking yourself, regardless of whether you live in an area prone to natural disasters. Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, and they’re not just physical. Virtual disasters that wreak havoc on IT networks can be just as destructive as physical catastrophes, paralyzing businesses and threatening their survival.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates more than 40 percent of businesses never reopen following a disaster and, of the remaining companies, at least 25 percent will close in two years. Furthermore, with fewer resources than larger corporations, SMBs have a harder time recovering from virtual and physical disasters than their larger counterparts.

I don’t bring all of this up just to make you afraid, but rather to make you aware and point you to a great resource that can help get your business get ready for “the worst,” should it happen. Click here for a free disaster preparedness e-guide, specifically tailored to SMBs. I encourage you to set aside some time as soon as possible to check out the guide and determine what steps your business needs to take to be able to withstand the unexpected.

I’m Cindy Bates, vice president of Microsoft’s U.S. SMB organization; and I’m very excited to be a regular contributor to the ASBDC Biz Blog to connect with the ASBDC community, discuss relevant technology trends and provide some advice for anyone looking to leverage technology for business success.

I’m excited to report that there’s technology movement making waves among businesses these days: “the cloud.” I’m looking forward to sharing insights on SMB technology trends, tips and tricks for your business on the ASBDC Biz Blog. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter (@Cindy_Bates) or follow Microsoft SMB on Twitter (@MicrosoftSMB) and Facebook (Microsoft SMB).

Veteran Entrepreneurs: Demonstrating Our Gratitude Through Acts of Support.

They served and fought on our behalf. They devoted years of their lives and many endured repeated deployments. Now is our opportunity to help them in return. 26% of returning veterans are not looking for a job or a degree: they’re looking to get into business for themselves, and we should all be contributing in one way or another to help. We can help returned vets build new lives and thrive as they launch new business and grow their piece of the "American dream" in these tough economic times. 

Imagine the impact it would have if millions of experienced business people individually stepped up and did just one thing, like mentoring, coaching, investing, creating strategic partnerships, making introductions to contacts and connections to help further an enterprise, donating or discounting equipment or materials, office space, and so much more that might be needed. What a powerful thing it would be to show our gratitude in this way and pay it forward to help support local veteran entrepreneurs in our towns and neighborhoods all across the country. Imagine if the rest of us were to make a point of buying their products and services and do whatever we can to help give them a leg up.

This is a serious problem and we can't wait for policies to solve it. Every month thousands of returning veterans arrive stateside to confront a stressed economy and meager job prospects. Veterans have a 25% higher unemployment rate than the general population, and it’s trending in the wrong direction. It’s our responsibility to foster the success of these people who have subjected themselves to the rigors and sacrifices of military service on our behalf. And when things are not going well, it’s our duty to do more. Many Vets come home to personal financial troubles. Those who owned homes often have fallen behind in their mortgage payments. In the current era, policy makers in many respects sacrifice the nation’s warriors to “benign neglect.” “Thank you for your service” is not enough, we can all do our part to create a successful and secure future for veterans and their families. Helping them to start businesses not only helps veterans but helps increase job growth and spur further economic recovery for us all.

The perfect Win-Win!

So as we continue to write about entrepreneurial veterans over the next year for the ASBDC, we’ll focus on how ordinary people are reaching out to help veterans launch and grow their businesses. If you’re an entrepreneurial veteran who’s been helped, or a citizen with a success story to share about how you are helping out, please leave a short comment below. We would love to hear your story. It may also help inspire others to pay it forward in ways they may not have ever thought of.

This is a golden opportunity to build not only a more successful and prosperous country, but also to weave closer communities through gratitude and support.

We couldn't’ have imagined that the online launch of the Funding Roadmap TM would coincide with the most profound economic crisis of our lifetime, but here we are, and as a world full of investors and lenders look to reboot, we’re here to provide an innovative, networked business planning and due diligence reporting system for funding professionals and entrepreneurs alike. It also includes a video pitching platform, a document repository and deal flow marketplace so entrepreneurs will have an online medium to brilliantly communicate all the essential data – along with their personal passion and commitment.”

Ruth. E. Hedges is the creator and CEO of Fundingroadmap.com. and Starups Across America. She has been featured in the New York Times, on ABC’s Home Show, and the Financial News Network did a two-part series on her for their show entitled ‘American Entrepreneur’.
For more information please visit http://fundingroadmap.com and http://www.startupsacrossamerica.com/SAA/

Dragon Brings Good Luck for Entreprenuers

Luck.  Money. Ambition. Initiative. Success.

Who wouldn’t want all that? Well, if Chinese astrology is right, they’re coming your way as we enter the lunar – or Chinese – New Year. It’s the Year of the Dragon – considered the luckiest year in the Chinese zodiac, and it should be a great year for entrepreneurs and small business owners!

The Chinese New Year began on January 23 and festivities continue for two weeks.  So “Gung hay fat choy!” (Loosely translated, that’s “happy new year.”)  It’s time for my annual Chinese New Year’s column – giving you a glimpse of what’s predicted to affect you and your small business in the coming year.  

Now, I’m not a believer in astrology, but why not have some fun with this tradition that more than a billion people around the globe share?  Of course, it’s a great time time to have a delicious Chinese meal with colleagues or friends; we have an annual Chinese New Year lunch in my company.

Moreover, it’s an opportunity to reflect on how you can choose to embody some of the traits that are associated with the coming year as you plan to grow your business in 2012

Chinese astrology is based on a 12 year cycle – each year named for one of the animals that supposedly responded when Buddha called. Each animal is associated with certain traits, generally ones you can figure out: the ox for hard work, the tiger for aggressiveness. In a large part of the world, personal and business decisions are influenced by which year it is in the Chinese zodiac.

We’re now entering the year of the Dragon – an incredibly auspicious year, the most fortunate of all, according to tradition. Dragon years are associated with good luck, money, accomplishment,   celebrations, longevity, success.  If, in fact, that’s what this year brings, it should be a terrific time for business owners or to start a new business! People born in the year of the dragon are likely to be leaders, active, powerful, who take initiative and are creative. Good traits for entrepreneurs!

The Dragon is considered the most special of all the symbols and the most powerful. It’s the only symbol that is not a real animal and has mystical qualities.  In China, many people want children who embody Dragon traits, and births in China rise by about 5% in Dragon years.  Likewise, it is a good year to give “birth” to a new business.

According to the “Economist” magazine, the stock market likes Dragon years too. From 1900-2011, the Dow Jones Index has increased an average of 7.7% in Dragon Years – the second best record of any animal of the Chinese zodiac.

So what is forecasted for this coming Dragon year and what does that mean for you and your business?    
* Wealth – It should be a good year for making money, and hopefully this means an increasingly strong overall economy. So don’t be afraid to aggressively pursue financial goals this year – you’re more likely to succeed. But as the cash rolls in, be sure to put some aside for a rainy day.  
* Ambition – Have you been afraid to live your dreams, follow your passion? Now’s the time to go for it!
* Innovativeness – A good year for trying new approaches, introducing new products or services, reinvigorating your company with creative ideas.
* Virtue  - As you grow your business this year, remember your social responsibility to others – your employees, society, environment.
* Harmony – Find ways to communicate better with your employees and customers and create a harmonious workplace.
*  Big changes – Dragon years can be tumultuous, so be prepared for the unexpected. But it can be a time to shake yourself up too, so it can be a terrific year to try new things, take big chances, make significant change.

As you grow your company this year, remember to harness the strength and power of a dragon and try to attract the good luck dragons bring. Dragon years are associated with people who take initiatives – “do-ers.”  So don’t wait for good fortune to come to you, go out and make your own fortune. Be bold, be brave. Make your mark.  After all, a fire-breathing, tail-wagging dragon would likely carve quite a path wherever it goes. Happy new year!

Copyright Rhonda Abrams, 2012
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Rhonda Abrams is the author of “Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies.” Rhonda is the President of PlanningShop, creator of content for entrepreneurs. Register for her free business tips newsletter at www.PlanningShop.com, “like” PlanningShop's Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter @RhondaAbrams.

7 Ways to Make Your Kick-Off Gathering a Successful One

Hosting an event is a great way to kick off the New Year.  No matter the type, an event gives your business or organization an opportunity to make a more personal connection with the people you meet.  This can give you a huge advantage, especially in a tough economy.  Here are 7 ways to make your event a successful one and start 2012 off on the right foot:

1. Get the word out early. Sending a save-the-date email as soon as you firm up your event details allows invitees to reserve the time. You can follow up later and ask people to RSVP and register in advance. If you're charging, ask people to pay in advance as well-- they'll be more likely to be there.

2. Create a sense of excitement and exclusivity. Everyone wants to feel like a VIP. Email a coupon to attendees that they can redeem at the door, or if there will be a cash bar, send a free drink ticket that attendees can redeem if they bring the coupon.

3. Increase the urgency when needed. As the registration deadline nears, send a reminder email to anyone you've invited who hasn't signed up yet. For example, "Only 5 spots left. Register today!"

4. Encourage guests to bring their friends. If you're hosting a fundraiser, incentivizing people to bring a friend can mean double the donations, or if you're a consumer-oriented business, rewarding customers if they bring additional guests could mean even more purchases.

5. Involve the community. Want to spice up your event with a little entertainment? Look no further than the local schools. Invite a school group to sing or play at your event. They're cute, free, and they'll bring their parents.

6. Put all event details on your event homepage. Don't make your guests work to find your event. Put all the pertinent details about your event on a special event homepage and be sure to include a link to a map for directions.

7. Use multi-channel marketing to promote your event. Don't just use email or event marketing tools for planning and promoting your events. Use all of the tools in your marketing toolkit. For example:

· Provide a link to your event homepage on all of your social networks.

· Use social syndication tools to allow invited guests to promote your event for you.

· If you're co-hosting with other businesses or organizations, share the cost by cross-promoting the event on each of your websites, via social media, and in other outlets, such as community newspapers (which often place nonprofit bulletin board ads for free).

Start the year on a memorable note

Running a great event doesn’t have to cost a lot (particularly if you team up with your business neighbors). With some thought, planning, and promotion, you can begin the year on a high note—and hopefully pick up some great new prospects during the process.

Want to learn more about how you can run a successful event? Join the conversation with Event Marketing from Constant Contact on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ctcteventmarketing.

Gina Watkins is a leading expert on e-marketing for small business – and has a real passion for helping businesses to succeed. Her ongoing series of dynamic lectures are filled with real-world examples, humor and results-driven wisdom garnered from more than two decades of sales, business development and marketing experience. In addition to owning her own business, she is an award-winning direct marketer, has been featured on WUSA Channel 9's Mind Over Money show, Dr. Gayle Carson’s Women In Business radio show, Morgan State’s Briefcase Radio program, and in numerous other media. In her role as Constant Contact Regional Development Director, she’s presented to more than ten thousand seminar attendees about the keys to success with easy, affordable, highly effective technology tools that grow trusted business relationships.

Small Business…the Hope for America’s Future.

When I’m asked to speak on small business, it always amazes me how few people realize the role small business plays in our economy.  Here are some interesting stats from the Small Business Administration.

•  Small businesses Generate $5 Trillion in business in the US
• Represent 99% of all employer firms
• Pay 44% of total US payroll
• 68% of employment
• Employ 50% of private sector employees

These are the numbers that helped build our country, that keep our economy running strong, that create the jobs.  We don’t need bailouts or government assistance…all we need is the opportunity and the drive to make it happen.

And we have that…

There has never been a better time to start your own business.  The proliferation of the internet has been a great equalizer, knocking down traditional barriers to entry, making it easier, faster and cheaper to start and build your own business than ever before.

 Let’s think about some of the tools, what they can do for you and their costs.

• How to incorporate your great idea?  Try the Company Corporation (http://www.incorporate.com/). Their prices to incorporate start at $79 and they will walk you through the entire process
• Website.  It still amazes me that some of the businesses I speak with don’t have a website!  The cost of putting up a decent site has dropped dramatically over the last few years, with many sites offering low cost templates to get you started.  Try Network Solutions (http://www.networksolutions.com) where you can register a domain name for under $10 bucks and you can build a website for free…no geek skills required!

Now that we are incorporated and have a site that tells the world what we do, it’s time to tell them!

•  Media.  From Twitter (www.twitter.com) to Facebook (www.facebook.com) it’s easier and cheaper than ever to get the word out.  Build a base of potential buyers using the strength and power of their millions of users.
•  Marketing. Groupon (www.groupon.com)  and Living Social (www.livingsocial.com) are only two examples of the dozens of sites that will take your product to market for free and share the revenue with you.
• Employees. Gone are the days when you had to hire full time employees to help build your Company.  A much better and very common practice is to use part time or contract employees to do specific tasks.  You can have one person working on the marketing on your site, another working on the social media, another working with on you on tweaking your message.  Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) and Fiverr (www.fiverr.com) are both great resources for finding immediate talent to use when you need them.
• Office space.  Almost a thing of the past.  Outsource your marketing, staffing, web development and web presence.  Who needs an office?  You need a computer, an internet connection and the drive and desire to succeed.  Bricks and mortar are no longer a requirement, but in many cases a hindrance.

So what are you waiting for?  America was built by people who had a dream…and the desire to make it a reality.  It’s time to get started.

Peter Justen is the Founder of FivePlus, a cloud based financial dashboard for small businesses (www.fiveplus.co) He is considered a subject matter expert in small business, and has been interviewed by leading publications including Forbes.com, WSJ, INC, Entrepreneur, PC Magazine, PC World, and FOX News Radio. Peter was profiled by Smart CEO Magazine as one of the “20 Leaders We Admire in Washington, D.C.”, and was singled out by the Government of Finland in their study on innovation as a “Shining example of US Innovation”.  

Essential Apps Every Small Business Should Use

Success in the small business arena can be measured many ways.  However, one of my favorite barometers is tied to the speed at which a business owner can adjust his business to the ever-changing needs of his customers.  And making those decisions quickly is directly tied to having the right information at the right time.

Today’s smartphones empower business owners with real-time access to this information.  But, with literally millions of apps competing for space on your phone, which programs should earn a spot?  Following, are my four favorites that I use every day.

Toodledo.com

I used to keep a small slip of paper in my pocket, my to-do list.  However, at the end of the day, it would disappear along with all of my undone tasks.  Now, I don’t have that problem anymore.  With toodledo, I can access my list from anywhere and any device. Their incredible iPad and smartphone apps sync, so every task is only a click away. All tasks are organized in folders of your choice to help separate, say, home tasks from office errands. This one app keeps me focused!

Dropbox.com
Having access to every document anywhere on any device is no longer a pipe dream.  With Dropbox, all files on my work PC automatically sync with my home PC, and even my iPhone!  I can now view any contract with a client from home, without having to drive to the office on a weekend.  I can view my vacation photos at work even though I copied them off my camera at home!  It’s amazing, and well worth your time to install.

Pulse.me
News overload.  It’s so easy to spend too much time following the subjects you are interested in online.  Pulse.me is not a website, per se.  It is an app for your tablet or smartphone.  You tell it your favorite news sites (including those in your industry).  It will give you a page that contains short snippets of every article.  You can easily peruse this list without having to go to the actual site.  It cut my research time in half!

EverNote.com
Have you ever needed to jot something down “on the go?”  Or have you wanted to make note of a website for later research?  Evernote is for you.  Think of it as an incredibly synchronized sticky note system.  If I am at a client’s office and need to check my price list, it is only a click away.  Or, if I discover a cool website, I can quickly mark it and access it later.  You will find yourself using Evernote for everything!

What are your must-have apps?  Drop me note and let me know, or comment below. 

Eric Spellmann continues to be one of the highest rated speakers at our national ASBDC conferences.  His unique view that small business websites should “do” something pushes against the standard “online pamphlet” view of most web design companies.  He believes your customer’s websites should be driving qualified leads and sales on a weekly basis.  Eric speaks at a number of other national and state conferences nationwide, but enjoys running one of the most successful web design companies in the country.  He truly believes in the SBDC mission as it helped him start his own company many years ago.  To contact him, visit his website at EricSpellmann.com.

America The Land of Opportunity

America is the land of opportunity and nobody knows that better than the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces protecting our Freedom both here at home and in foreign lands. We understand it because we have seen what it is like when people don’t have Freedom, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Personally, I've served in both Bosnia and Afghanistan. In Bosnia I witnessed as people who had lived under a communist dictator for decades, suffered through a brutal civil war and then tried to learn the values of Freedom and capitalism. Fast forward 5 years and I found myself in Afghanistan which, while completely different culture, terrain and ethnic background, was undergoing the same transition after we ousted the Taliban. 

Witnessing and enabling the transition to a FREE society is an amazing experience and I believe that without it success is not possible.

The first step in Success stems from the three important factors that I believe are critical for success. First, as I mentioned, you need FREEDOM. Freedom is essential to allowing people the opportunity to be successful. The day I realized what freedom meant was a very hot day in Afghanistan. I was pulling security on the street while my team was inside a building. A small girl probably 5-6 years old approached with an older gentleman. Every bad thought was running through my head. Like does she have a bomb strapped to her? And for the first time in my military career I didn't know how to react. The older gentlemen nudged her forward and she extended her hand up to me. I was one of the scary looking bearded guys [flash a picture of me with my beard] so I was amazed that she came up to me. When I took her hand she looked up at me and she said, Thank you for freeing my country. That was a powerful moment for me because I understood Freedom and what it would mean for that little girl. Cherish your Freedom.

Second, you need a good moral foundation. Do the right thing and good things happen for you. Follow your moral compass.

Third, you need other people. People are everywhere and you can't go through life without affecting other people's lives or being affected by other people. Always keep your faith in people.

Military Veteran Entrepreneurs have a number of unique qualities that give us a distinct advantage over non Veterans. Our leadership training, combat experience, decision making ability, our ability to plan and execute and our risk taking genetics. The list is truly much longer than those few items. That’s not to say non Veterans cannot be successful, because I know a lot of them (they do outnumber us 99 to 1), but we are unique and know how to win and be successful.

Veterans know and understand teamwork, they stand by one another and help each other when we need it and that makes all of us more successful.

Blue Pen Success is an Entrepreneur training program based on the tried and true My Own Business Inc. (MOBI) training. MOBI allows certified graduates to teach the course. I decided to "teach it by creating an online video series of the courses for FREE!! www.bluepensuccess.com

Want more Fans and Followers? Start by Looking at Your Email List

If you are using social media to market your business, you are always on the hunt for more Facebook fans, Twitter followers and LinkedIn connections, but how and where do you get them?  The answer may be sitting right in front of you. Your email list can be one of the best resources to help build your social following, and here are six easy ways to do just that:

1. Send a dedicated email. Send a special email to your subscribers announcing your social media presence every now and then. But don’t stop there. Make sure to tell these people why they should connect with you on social media in addition to email. For example, it’s because they’ll get additional tips/advice, be the first to hear about exclusive promotions/deals, or whatever else you decide to share. We are a big fan of telling subscribers that social media is where they can join you in a conversation. After all, email is a one-way “push” from you, so your customers will want somewhere where they can interact with you.

2. Include links in your email newsletter. Make your social media presence a regular part of your normal mailing by adding links to your social network profiles within the emails you already send. This will provide your customers with a constant reminder that they can connect with you in multiple places.

3. Encourage discussion. In your email newsletters, ask people what they think of the topics you discuss and direct them to your Facebook Page or to Twitter and encourage them to share their thoughts. These kinds of strong social calls to action will provide a link between the two channels, just make sure you are monitoring the discussion so you can reply and keep it rolling.

4. Enable social sharing. Incorporating sharing features into your email marketing gets your email out onto social networks where it will be seen by people beyond your mailing list. This can be as easy as adding the “Like” and “Tweet” buttons in the body of the email. Your audience will share the message with their networks as long as you provide solid content and make it easy for them to do so.

5. Feature an exclusive offer. Why not make Facebook or Twitter the place to be by featuring an offer that people can only see if they Like your Facebook Page or follow you on Twitter? Promote this offer to your email subscribers and encourage them to connect with you on social media.

6. Incentivize your subscribers. One national maker of dog bones and chews we know ran a campaign to increase its number of Facebook Likes by offering a $20 coupon to email subscribers once it reached 5,000 Likes. Your goal doesn't have to be as ambitious, but you can still reward your email subscribes if they help you get to your desired number.

Looking for more great ideas on how you can use email to grow your social media following? Check out Constant Contact’s blog, Constant Commentary.

Gina Watkins is a leading expert on e-marketing for small business – and has a real passion for helping businesses to succeed. Her ongoing series of dynamic lectures are filled with real-world examples, humor and results-driven wisdom garnered from more than two decades of sales, business development and marketing experience. In addition to owning her own business, she is an award-winning direct marketer, has been featured on WUSA Channel 9's Mind Over Money show, Dr. Gayle Carson’s Women In Business radio show, Morgan State’s Briefcase Radio program, and in numerous other media. In her role as Constant Contact Regional Development Director, she’s presented to more than ten thousand seminar attendees about the keys to success with easy, affordable, highly effective technology tools that grow trusted business relationships.

Ramon's Taste of Tech - Dell M110 Data Projector

Youth Entrepreneurship: The Equation for Success

(O + R)∞ + Pr – F + Ac = Ye    

People always ask, "What is youth entrepreneurship? Is it just some kid that starts a business?”

During 2012, this column will explore various topics in relation to youth entrepreneurship. It will be analyzed through an equation that applies to all the successful youth entrepreneurs in recent history.

“Youth” is a concept defined by the observer. If someone thinks you are young, then you are youthful to them. This means you could be 9 or 29 – but either way, motivated to start your own business. Therefore, a “youth entrepreneur” is someone that is considered a youth and is an entrepreneur.  

The key to being a successful youth entrepreneur is the equation above, and young entrepreneurs have never been more important to the world. So let’s break it down, and start actualizing this equation today.

The main ingredient that makes the young so perfect for entrepreneurship is optimism. Believing that something is possible must be an element of any entrepreneurial endeavor, or it doesn’t have a chance. The next element is resourcefulness. This involves creativity and not running to get borrow money every time you hit a roadblock.

One of the two main barriers for young entrepreneurs listed in the “Young Invincibles” brief from the Kauffman Foundation was lack of financial resources (the other was training). Financial resources can be subsidized through infinite optimism added to infinite resourcefulness. Many major business expenses can be reduced or eliminated entirely by applying a perspective that combines resourcefulness and optimism.

The next element of any enterprise is the need for problems. You have to have a lemon to make lemonade, and you certainly have to make lemonade in order to open up a lemonade stand and turn a profit. Without the ability to identify, analyze and embrace problems as opportunities, there cannot be entrepreneurship on any level.  Problems will occur in business, but the individuals with the youthful mindset of “anything is possible” implement the most creative solutions. The way this looks to a consumer is: “Wow, a unique and effective way to solve one of my big problems…I will gladly spend money on that!”

Once infinite optimism and resourcefulness have been combined and focused on a problem, there are two critical components necessary to achieve a young entrepreneur’s goals: resisting fear and taking action. Taking action even when you might be afraid is courage.

After all, what usually happens when people get a great idea? They let fear and inaction rob them of the opportunity to solve a problem, make money from the solution and change the world.

These two are the most difficult - even for young people. We start our lives without fear. We learn to worry about what others think, losing money and our creature comforts being taken away. Learned fear has conquered many would-be revolutionary inventors, societal innovators and empirical entrepreneurs.

In 2012, follow the equation of youth entrepreneurship, and share it with everyone you know. The next generation depends on it!

Amy P. Kelly is an entrepreneur that specializes in ways that businesses can support causes that improve communities and lives. She is Vice President of ClearPath where her team helps entrepreneurs achieve their goals. Amy started her first business at nine selling hair barrettes and is currently working on several new ventures while leading The Lemonhead Movement www.lemonheadsrule.com.  Some of her projects include: BodyRejoice, The MomVest, Strategies for Life and YipDeals www.yipdeals.com.  Amy has a particular affinity for youth entrepreneurship and is a wife and mother of four. Contact her at amypkelly@live.com.