Archive for May, 2007
Monday, May 7th, 2007
New IRS Publication
Extracted from NASE’s Get Connected eNewsletter, May 4, 2007.
A new publication from the IRS might make light reading for small-business owners. Publication 4591, “Small Business Federal Tax Responsibilities,” provides essential information for small businesses and the self-employed in one convenient location. The tri-fold brochure covers these topics:
Information about federal tax responsibilities
Most […]
No Comments » - Posted in Business Basics by Ricki Steigerwald
Monday, May 7th, 2007
Tips on creating a logo
Here are some tips from MarketingProf’s Get to the Point eNewsletter from May 14, 2007.
Have your designer start out working in black and white so that you can focus on the design, not the color.
A simple shape and design goes a long way. Think of the Nike and Coca-Cola sign.
Color counts, but don’t pick it […]
No Comments » - Posted in General Marketing by Ricki Steigerwald
Friday, May 4th, 2007
Can an assistant sign a letter for you?
If you work for a virtual assistant, you can authorize them to be able to sign a letter for you. It is best to do this in writing stating exactly in what circumstances the person can sign. It is important to note whether the person can sign checks, authorize credit card purchases, or […]
No Comments » - Posted in Working with a VA by Ricki Steigerwald
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
Statistics: How often people change careers
You are not alone, millions of Americans are forging their own career paths by changing jobs, becoming independent consultants and building their own businesses.
In 2006, 54 million Americans (40%) left their jobs. (Labor Department)
The average person born in the later years of the baby boom, held 10.5 jobs between the ages 18 and 40. (Labor […]
No Comments » - Posted in Micro-Biz News by Ricki Steigerwald
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
Acting Small - Makes You Bigger
Have you noticed how many articles have been written about Walmart loosing it’s competitive edge because it got away from such things as good customer service and making each consumer feel important? Walmart is also having supplier problems - many suppliers are tired of being bullied.
There are many books and articles out there about […]
No Comments » - Posted in General by Ricki Steigerwald
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
Tax Gap Proposal May Hinder Micro-Businesses
According to NASE, the proposal to fix the tax gap, puts more burden on micro businesses. Some of the proposals are:
Withholding tax payments from non-employee contractors. (Yikes!)
Obtaining and verifying TIN numbers of independent contractors.
Requiring credit and debit card companies to report to the IRS the gross total receipts a business made.
Source: NASE Press Release, “Tax […]
No Comments » - Posted in Micro-Biz News by Ricki Steigerwald
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
Spam Laws Reviewed
The most important thing to remember about email marketing is that you want to treat others as they would treat you. Many of us get a hundred or more emails a day - some of use can handle this load, others don’t.
Angering a customer or prospect does NOT get you the sale.
SmartBiz.com released a great […]
No Comments » - Posted in Web Marketing by Ricki Steigerwald
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
Postage Rate Increase
On May 14, the US Postal Service will increase its rates. It will cost you 41 cents to send a letter first class.
You can purchase “Forever Stamps” for 41 cents per stamp which you can use even if there is another price hike in the future. Unfortunately, Forever Stamps do not come in rolls of […]
No Comments » - Posted in Micro-Biz News by Ricki Steigerwald
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
From Ad Magazine to Online Search
A survey recently released by Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) conducted by BigResearch, investigates how effective magazine ads are at getting readers to log onto the Internet and do a product search. This survey, known as SIMM 9, is conducted two times a year. 15,287 consumers were surveyed.
47.2% began an online research after viewing […]
