More and more small businesses these days are home-based or physically scaled down, operating out of a small office with minimal equipment. Additionally, more businesses start with modest budgets and aim to cut overhead costs in order to develop into successful startups more quickly. Because small businesses still need a team to operate, the cost-effective, simple solution is to partner with a virtual team of workers instead of staffing an office with salaried employees, which requires a bigger office rental, bulkier payroll, and an HR department—to name a few things. Even though virtual support teams are non-traditional (though they are…
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Small businesses need to utilize these digital marketing tips—period! In the days before the internet, companies spent huge sums on visual campaigns. Nowadays, this type of marketing is not only old-fashioned and expensive but becoming irrelevant, too. The majority of consumers read, shop, and communicate on their devices. The average adult’s attention span is around 6-8 seconds, so you have to grab their attention quickly. Today’s small business owners can benefit from a wide, growing variety of platforms to market their businesses. You now have the ability to learn so much more about your target audience and market specifically to…
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Every successful industry mogul, from Jack Welch to Sara Blakely, has faced failure. Sara Blakely, creator of Spanx and self-made female billionaire, told CNBC in an interview that her father would often ask her and her brother the same question at dinner: “What have you failed at this week?” The exercise was not one of self-flagellation and wallowing in disappointment but to one that pointed out that there is no failure without trying—and that not trying is a worse alternative than failure. As an entrepreneur I have faced my share of failures, too. In fact, because my process is all about…
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Whether it is to spend more time with family, to make a better living, or simply follow a passion or skill set, so many women these days are making the move into independent business ownership. As exciting as the decision to work for yourself is, it can be daunting when you realize how much work, dedication, and patience are required for success. You may have well-meaning friends or peers who have attempted to encourage you by saying that it can take months—or years—for your business to get off the ground or that starting out is hard for everyone. Meanwhile, you…
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I have been a small business owner for a long time and have partnered with dozens of other successful entrepreneurs. Through my own personal experience building my company, as well as helping the successful people I partner with, I have learned a few things about successful small business branding. Here are 4 branding tips that every entrepreneur can use. 1. Know Your NicheUnderstanding your target market is absolutely key to knowing how to market to them. In today’s economy, successful marketing means that a brand is more than a fancy logo or enticing slogan; in order to engage clients businesses must…
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If you are like most small business owners, you want to focus the majority of your time on building your business. Yet, you may be finding that you are spending an exorbitant amount of time on tasks you shouldn’t. Even if you find that you are getting sucked into these tasks and they are taking away from you really building your business – it’s time to get a team in place. The first team member that I would suggest that you hire is a virtual assistant. Read on for a quick rundown of 9 ways our team can save you…
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Starting a business in any industry, time period, or global climate can be a serious roller coaster. So many changes will be made in policies, procedures, staffing needs, marketing, and so on that you are going to feel overwhelmed most of the time without someone there to help you out. It’s always great to feel confident and proud enough that you can start your business by yourself, but with all the stress and endless preparation that comes with it, why wouldn’t you want an anchor to keep you focused and organized? Hiring a virtual assistant from the get-go is the…
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It’s fairly simple to start working with a virtual assistant. I start by having an in-depth consultation with my prospective clients to give me an idea of the areas they need assistance with. This initial consultation also gives me enough time to decide if I think working with the client would be a good fit for both parties. Once the contracts have been signed and we are ready to start working together, there are several systems that I use to keep my client and their projects organized. I’ve outlined some of these systems, all of which are essential for a job well done.…
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