For one, talk to your customers. Being in business means building a relationship with your customers, and if they have a problem with your business that you don’t know about, ask yourself if you have been listening to them. Talk to the customers that haven’t left and even those who have, find out what they like and don’t like about your service, then fix it. Try a little new marketing by offering your current customers better discounts for referrals. They can show off your work to their neighbors. Ask if it would be ok to take a certain amount off the bill if you could put a sign in their yard, choose the yards carefully. Your best advertisement is good work.

To begin with, take some time with your idea to figure out what you want out of it. Are you looking to get into a new field? Are you trying to expand on something you’ve been doing for a while? Determine how you want to approach your business, who you want to target, why what you’re doing is special and unique. Once you have a good idea of what it is you want to do and how, do an analysis of your competition to understand pricing, products, promotion, service, distribution, and quality. Then find ways to improve on most or all of these. Once you’ve gotten all of that information, you can start working on a business plan, which is basically an outline of what you believe your company will do from the initial setup phase to future expansion, this is where you should start.

That really depends on your business. But to start, I am sure your brother, the lawyer, could help you find someone in his field to use besides himself, i.e. “my friend could help, he practices …” There are all sorts of different types of lawyers and their specialties are specific, such as patent, corporate, and structural. If you’re planning on trying to get a patent, for example, you will need a patent lawyer. Generally you can find legal help online for reasonable prices these days. It’s no longer necessary to keep one on retainer like it used to be.

If your business plan is a mess, I am assuming you’re talking about the outline needing work. This could be as simple as going online and searching for “Business plans.” There will be plenty of examples that you can use as an outline for what you want. Pick the structure that works best for the type of business you’re starting. If all else fails, you can visit our Parent Corp’s website http://emadvisorycorp.com/business-plans.html and contact us directly.

There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to get a patent on the invention in question, but this is a lengthy and expensive process, often taking months and thousands of dollars. You can fill out a Provisional Patent Application (PPA) which will cost you approx. $75 and a few hours of your time, and will allow you to have protection on your ideas for 12 months, affording you all of the legal protection that entails and giving you a year to show off your ideas and find the investors you need to make it stick. Watch the time clock closely regarding your 12 months.

We do not tell fortunes here. This is one of the hardest questions that only you can answer; your success depends on you. All businesses are different, and there’s no way to predict whether it will succeed or not. However, realize that so much of your success depends on you. The work that you put into your business translates into success, so be aware that no matter what you’re doing, it won’t necessarily be easy. Visit the Services Section at www.EM-Advisory.com to get a few more ideas for yourself, and always think out of the box.

That largely depends on the business you’re in, but there are a few things you always want to keep an eye out for. Are you looking for desktops that will always stay in place or laptops that you can take home? Do you need specific software like accounting applications and industry-specific applications like metallurgy evaluators, stock-trackers, or any program that helps your company function? Do the computers you’re looking for meet or, preferably, exceed, the specifications listed for the programs you need? Don’t forget to include applications like firewalls, servers, and anti-virus programs. Do you need a network? How much storage space do you need? Can you make backups? These are all important questions you need answers to before buying computers for your office.

First of all, consider your standards. Are they too low? If so, your employees might be getting bored. Are they too high? They might be getting too stressed. Remember that each one is a unique source of knowledge and skill. Make sure your employees have everything they need to do their jobs and clearly communicate with them what you expect. Most importantly, get to know them so that you can reward them in ways that are meaningful to them as individuals. Find a balance with them, and they’ll work their best for you.

The first thing you might want to do is take a look at how your business is built. Is it easy for one department to contact another? Do they have a reason to? Are the tasks you’ve designed made for them work with one another, or are those tasks keep them apart? Do you do anything as a group away from the office environment? I know that I’ve answered your question with questions, but these questions are the ones you should be asking yourself. How you create your internal structure of your business makes all the difference in how your people and their departments communicate.

Websites these days can be very inexpensive and worth creating for a more expanded presence, i.e. tourism, new people moving into the area. Local search and local marketing is also gaining popularity on the Internet. Recent research by the Kelsey Group reported that 70% of Americans consult the web before making local buying decisions, while 36% of search engine queries now request local results. You should also utilize local review sites like Yelp, Insider Pages and Angie’s Lists

Having a website can allow you the opportunity to expand into new self promoting product lines like t-shirts, coffee mugs, embossed reusable ice cream cones with your logo on them sold through the website.

Yes and no. Grants exist in almost every government department, but you need to know how to write grants to get them. Colleges and universities generally get these because they write the grants for themselves; it’s a skill set they have perfected. However, if you’re wondering if the government can give you a “reasonably easy to get loan” with a favorable interest rate, then yes, it’s true. The US Small Business Administration has what’s called a guaranteed loan program that, if you prepare a proposal correctly, can provide you with a loan to get yourself started.

Sure there are! nBanks are not the only place you can find money these days. You might want to look for private investors, people with enough money that they’ll be able to help. In fact, there is a website specifically for that opening in the end of April, 2009 called www.BC-OnDemand.com . You also might want to consider talking to the US Small Business Administration who can provide loans to start-ups and are usually easier to deal with than the banks.

While it sounds like you’re doing the right things to run a gym if you want to draw new people in, you need to do something unique. What kind of group fitness classes do you offer? Talk to your existing members or set up a suggestion box (if you don’t have one already) to see if all of their needs are met. There needs to be a reason to attend your gym that makes it different from any other in your area. Consider this question, are your members leaving and not working out, or are they leaving for another gym? If it’s the latter, consider why these other businesses are taking your customers. What do they have that you don’t? If it’s the former, what can you do that will convince people that working out is a smart investment? You might change your ads to focus on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, or sponsor events that focus on healthy living and how regular workouts can contribute to that. You need to research both internally and your surrounding marketplace.

Honestly, you may be worrying too much about this. A common problem that small business owners have is that they underestimate their own product and its worth. A reasonable price increase is unlikely to drive away most of your key customers and might even draw more as they feel that higher prices equate to a better product. Keep in mind also that if you have, for example, a 10% profit margin, a 1% price hike means 10% more profit. A little bit can provide you with what you need to continue providing the service your customers have gotten used to. Also, consider offering discounts while raising prices, such as a referral discount, that will also have the benefit of increasing your customer base.

There are several options for accounting software that can help you out. QuickBooks is by far the most popular, well-known application for this, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best for your needs. How many different reports do you need? Do you have a payroll at all? How important is tracking inventory like art supplies? Do you own a computer? Consider what you need and then look for software that meets those needs. Looking at websites that compare various applications like www.toptenreviews.com can give you a good idea of what each application has to offer and how much it’ll cost. You might also look for software that offers free demos so you can see if it’ll work for you. Further, there are online services that can track all of this for you so you don’t have to worry as much about the record keeping.

The answer to this might be much simpler than you think. If you’re losing customers, it might be time for you to reduce your prices a little. Check your surrounding competition and price yourself just under them, start pushing for volume and repeat business. It doesn’t have to be much to make a big difference. Also, try offering specials and discounts. Referral discounts work really well as they also increase your customer base.

Great question, but nowadays banks choose people not the other way around unless you have a minimum of 6 to 7 figures to give them. Banks are all about collateral, yours, if its large enough they will talk to you. There are several things you should consider. First of all, do your homework and make sure you know everything about your business, your history, and anything else a bank might want to know. Will this bank be in business tomorrow? Besides financing you, what do you want to get out of a bank? Find a banker you’re comfortable working with, and line up a couple of other people at the bank that are familiar with your business in case one person leaves. Find somebody who’s willing to send business your way since they do have a vested interest in making sure you do well. Also, make sure you can be honest with your bank about good news and bad. Finally, think about potential growth. If you’re approaching a bank’s lending limit, then they won’t nbe able to help you expand in the future. Always try new options in your search, think out of the box. Visit www.EM-Advisory.com a little self promo never hurts.

This is a good time to look at your marketing. Repeat business often lulls owners into not searching for new customers, but as you lose regulars, you need to draw in new people. Consider this an opportunity to find new ways to promote your business. Maybe try holding an event like a competition or demonstration to draw people in. Perhaps you could offer smaller portions for lower costs to encourage people to remain and advertise on being a healthier option. Be creative in your advertising, and the customers will come. Give away “freebies”, they get to taste what you offer, while they are in your restaurant. Lastly, never forget to promote yourself every day, your charm, personality, you.

Being next to a vet is a great location for you, but just location won’t help you expand. There are several marketing strategies you can use, but your best bet would be to try targeting audiences in corresponding businesses. Like you do with the vet’s office, see about partnering with smaller pet stores or dog walkers. Think about whom else works in your field and work with them to attract new customers. One of your best advantages is that you have a clientele who can benefit from knowing other good companies that will help them with their pet ownership issues, and never forget viral marketing; word-of-mouth is your best business friend.

Obviously, you should talk about your business. What’s important to remember is that you need to be straight and honest. You can try and fast-talk your way into new clients with half-truths and false promises, but that won’t provide you with a nconsistent client base, and it eventually falls apart, usually sooner than later. Being honest and direct will encourage long-lasting relationships with your clients and help you succeed. Keep your ears open for your “new customer” nlikes and dislikes, stay away from his dislikes, try slowly to relate to his likes which might be in common with yours. You are always selling and marketing yourself.

Keep in mind that in a business like yours, you’re not just selling a product; you’re selling the prospects on the benefits of doing business with you. Frame your pitch in terms of what’s good about working with your company rather than just what’s good about your product. Do you provide solid customer service? Are your people friendly and reliable? Do you have a good track record regarding delivery? What’s better about working with your people and not just what’s better about your product? Most importantly, what is your competition doing?

If your regular customers are going to the other bakery, there’s something that they offer that you don’t. It could be that they’re simply closer to a large portion of your customer base (walking distance?), but odds are that they are doing something different from you that is attracting your customers. Find out what that is. Are they offering a different promotion? Do they have products you don’t make? Is it a presentation or customer service issue? Once you discover what the difference is between your bakeries, you can find a way to make yours more attractive again.

When you’re talking about working with suppliers, you’re talking about a relationship with another business owner. That relationship has to be about more than money. I can see that you’re concerned about quality, but have you considered service? Delivery? How fast you’re taken care of and how carefully? All of these should factor into any decision regarding a supplier. Consider also your customers. They might not mind a small price jump if you can keep it reasonable and the quality remains the same. They might be ok with a different quality product. Is there anything you can do with the leather to off-set the quality difference? Sometimes quality craftsmanship can make things better in the long run. In the end, your situation is not unique, but it will benefit you to do the research you need to, not only on other suppliers, but on your customers and your own capabilities.

A USP is an acronym for “unique selling proposition.” Basically, it’s a concept that originated in the 1940’s and the idea is that every advertisement makes a proposition to the customer that suggests that buying the product or using the service will grant them a benefit. The proposition must be both unique and strong enough to move a large consumer base. To make it even simpler, the USP is the thing about your product or service that is different from all similar products and services that makes yours worth buying instead of theirs. Everybody should have some idea of what this is.

You need to consider whether it’s worth the time to stay open. Do you have a large electricity output? Are there costs associated with operation that need to be offset by actual customers on a daily basis? Is there a reason for the slow day that will pass? Depending on what your business is shutting down on Wednesday might be your best option.

First of all, keep in mind that real estate works in cycles. By agreeing to a longer-term lease with your landlord, you might put yourself at a slight disadvantage in the future, let that idea alone for now. Remind him that it won’t be easy to fill the space. You’re an established business and have a much better chance of consistently paying the rent than a start-up that has no track record of success. More importantly, they know what to expect from you, and a new tenant could easily be a nightmare. Consider offering a simple profit share plan of your sales on a temporary basis and tie it to a potential rent decrease. Look for non-tangible benefits that could possibly help your landlord. How about advertising for other locations your landlord might own? Cross-promotion with another business? Find new ways to compensate for the rent and you’ll be able to talk them into something you can afford.

This will require a little trial and error after you’ve discovered what your competition charges. You’ll find that as you would begin your business and place bids on properties to service, you’ll learn quickly what you can charge to beat your competitors while offering additional services your competitors don’t. Keep supply and demand in mind and always check out your competition to see what they’re doing, both in terms of pricing and services offered.

There are several advantages to a teleclass if your company is large enough to support it. You can reach a wider audience for less cost. It’s more environmentally sound to not have people traveling all over the place. People can review later if they want. The risk is that you distance yourself from the people you’re trying to teach. I wouldn’t entirely eliminate the face to face contact of in-person lessons, but consider adding teleclasses to your arsenal of communication tools, and consider having the teleclass in employee groups.

When negotiating to get a product into stores, the major thing you need to keep in mind is what the advantage is for them. Why should they purchase your product? Just the idea that “it’ll make you money,” won’t cut it. Do your research and figure out how many parents would like to keep a baby journal but don’t have the time. Try selling direct at parenting classes, children gyms, and similar places (always with permission from the location, of course) to give these boutiques an idea of how in demand your product would be. Having knowledge of your product and unique “out of the box” placements will make any negotiation easier, especially if you know how it will benefit the other person.

What sort of business are you in? A company name should be something relevant to the business, memorable, and maybe interesting to people when they speak its name, something “unique”. It should say something about what you do and how you do it. There are no other hard and fast rules for naming a company. After considering the above, look in the mirror and ask yourself, what will my new company’s name be?

This is actually a good idea in today’s marketplace, you should always ask, it doesn’t hurt. If you’re a business buying product to resell and you ask for no terms and you pay cash, you should pay less than the business who buys both on credit and/or terms, i.e. 90 days. Remember paying by credit card will cost the merchant money to process that payment, and “time” in regards to terms, very expensive. Cash is so far the most reliable payment method when it comes to making sure that the funds are real and available.

Truly depends on the nature of that small business. Make sure there’s something on your site that gives people a reason to keep coming back. It’s one thing to get them to your site, which these days could be a marketing nightmare to get it right. You need something unique on there that appeals to your target audience.

The first thing I’d try is to find out what the specific issues of consulting verses employment of the selling and buying parties were. Talk with each of the parties; find the common ground in the specifics of what they both agree on. I’d then see if it was possible to create a new agreement which focused on both of their individual needs.

As per usual, it depends on your business, but when you’re trying to factor in all of the costs, leave nothing to question, it is your bottom line which is much more than money. With VoIP, your voice quality is directly related to your internet service and speed. Factor in that you might have to upgrade internet service in order to accommodate that. For many businesses, a DSL line would be ok, but if consistent, clear service is absolutely necessary for your business, then you’ll need a provider who can work with a T-1 or better and can provide “managed service” with SLAs. At this point, your costs may be nearing or exceeding standard phone service. VoIP sounds like a good deal, but you need to be sure that you keep all associated costs in mind; the most important is the customer service you may provide to your customers.

For one thing, keep the compensation simple. Percentages of order values work well in cases like this. Decide if you’re doing straight commission or a base plus commission. Try to keep the program incentive based on performance and long term contractual agreements. If you speak with a few of your reps to be surprised how often they might suggest less than more of what you were thinking, at that point a little more will make them “hungry”, watch your bottom line, but value the future volume they’ll produce. Just think about what you need and structure your compensation plan accordingly.

Generally, the best option for this sort of thing is a screen name that will be easiest to remember and says the most about the service, or not. If you Google twitter for a definition you get hundreds of them from other twitters, if you search for the definition of Google, it seems they have managed to buy the definition of “search”. The company’s actual name is sometimes a good way to go look at abbreviations or even descriptions of what you do. Social networking sites can be great for your business, but people still have to take you seriously, so keep that in mind.

Your best options as an entrepreneur is to focus on your own strengths first, you’ll discover your use of time, after you’ve identified your strengths. Then identify one by one people in business you can separately learn from who are experts in the specific areas that you are not for your project, this takes a little time, I’m still learning after 30 years and hope to never stop. Focus on the things necessary to get your project up and running, do not be afraid to ask lots of questions to everyone you can. When you’ve got yourself organized enough to move forward, step by step, then find your way to hire the people who you can help with your project. I wish I could tell you step by step 1 – 100 do this and you’ll succeed, but that’s not the answer, hard work and smart work is. Read through our website www.EM-Advisory.com and more of the questions and answers supplied through this site to help you identify more questions for yourself to answer.

These are not mutually exclusive propositions. To begin with, you should always be learning. Business continues to evolve and you need to know what direction it’s going in and what direction you want to go in to parallel with it while adding your own twist for new directions. That being said, you shouldn’t be afraid to implement the things you’ve learned. The trick is to ask yourself: “Is this appropriate to my business?” Every company is different, and while something may work for one, it might not really apply to another. You should implement your new knowledge as soon as you can, providing that it’s a good fit for what you do. If not, then keep learning while you evolve the new knowledge in to your own structure.

There are several ways to go about this. The first and most cost-effective is to simply contract your need as it may be needed, if you’re not able to learn it or dedicate the time for it yourself. Look at IT services that hire on a per-need basis for big problems. Offer incentives to employees who are willing to fix minor IT issues. These are good options for small company budgets.

It really depends on the business, but “customer service” should theoretically be everything that your company is about and represents. If you can provide for your customer in the best way you know how consistently within your own current structure, then you don’t need somebody else to do it for you, as long as your customers are satisfied and more. If your customers aren’t happy by the response when they have questions or comments, then it’s time to consider getting people specifically to deal with customers.

If you’re website is reselling something directly to consumers, then the best way to value it would be membership and purchase history’s, followed by the rate of new members monthly and about a dozen others factors besides the sites ranking in the world against its closest competitor. If you are engaging in a sale currently, please contact us directly at EM Advisory Corp, to many times company owners leave too much off the negotiating table.

Generally speaking, tough economic times is a good time to look into buying and merging companies since you’ll be able to get it for a good price, but you should also make sure to do your due diligence, this is not a time to guess. If you’d like specific advice on an upcoming purchase event you can contact us directly at EM Advisory Corp, or thus make sure you contact someone who can be completely objective by understanding both your needs and the other company’s wants. Just by your question please contact someone.

In most cases, it doesn’t really matter. Most small businesses use the calendar year for simplicity. However, it can be useful to use a fiscal year if your business has a busy season at a particular time. For example, this adviser was previously in the toy business working at a toy manufacturer. We made the bulk of our sales to retailers in the last quarter of the calendar year for the holiday season. We got paid for these sales January through March. In this situation, we ended our fiscal year in March and started the new year April 1. That is an example of when a fiscal year makes sense. Tourist businesses may also benefit from a fiscal year

We would urge you to speak with your accountant regarding your particular new business.

Without knowing your business we will try our best to give you some options to work with. There are several ways to stay competitive when you find that there are more people in your market space than when you originally started. First, I would ask myself a question, what if I went beyond the 20 mile radius, is my competition more or less? Depending on your own answer please consider the following suggestions

Keep in mind that you have an advantage over them since you’ve been there longest and therefore are established and have a customer base already

If you want to keep that customer base, though, you’ll have to get creative with your marketing. Try offering deals and benefits for your regular customers that encourage them to stay. 10% off coupons and the like go a long way toward maintaining a customer base. Also, since you still need to bring in new customers, referral bonuses will turn your customer base into a marketing machine for you, encouraging the people who have stayed loyal to your business to bring in friends, even ones who have considered your competitors. Holding an event also tends to draw attention to your business rather than the other people who are doing the same thing, so don’t be afraid to bring people in with raffles, small prizes, or similar things that are fun for your customers and get them to come to you

Most importantly, watch your competitors and see what they’re doing. How did they get started? How did they draw the attention of people in your area to begin with? If it worked for them, it can work for you as well. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box with your marketing and your presence.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL TAX ADVISOR PLEASE

That largely depends on what business you’re in, but the trick with tax and record keeping programs is to take the time to figure out your needs. Do you collect sales tax at the register? Look for software such as Trustfile that supports e-filing for sales and use tax (required in certain states). Do you buy a lot of equipment that’s deductible? Look for business-friendly features, such as a comprehensive Schedule C section for managing deductions (available in TurboTax Premier, but not the less expensive versions). Do you have a sole proprietorship and work at home? If so, you’ll need help in navigating tricky subjects such as the home-office deduction, which TaxCut Premium and TurboTax Premier support. Do you have employees or run a corporation? In this case, look at higher-end products, such as TurboTax Business.

Once you figure out what you need, do some research to compare the various products out there. Sites like www.toptenreviews.com are great for providing side-by-side comparisons of the features available to various programs. When you know what you need done, it’ll be easy to whittle down the options to the one that best fits your needs.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL TAX ADVISOR PLEASE

Our answer might seem a little incomplete, but we do not know what type of product you are trying to present to children or their age group. Children are among the most highly sought-after marketing demographics in the country. Part of this answer depends on what you mean by “children,” as marketing to teenagers is vastly different from marketing to kids under ten, for example, but there are some tips that remain the same for both.

First, remember that in the end the parents control the purse strings. While they might not be directly exposed to your advertising a lot of the time, the way you present your product is going to affect how the kids present it to their parents, so make sure that what you’re selling has a benefit that will appeal to the adults as well as the kids. Make sure also that you’re placing your product where kids are most likely to have access to it. Mall stores are going to be much better than large chain superstores if only because kids are more likely to hang out at malls than their local Walmart or Target. If you have your own store, find ways to also make it a hangout for kids. If the kids are there, they’ll be more likely to buy your product or at least be exposed to it.

With children it’s also extremely important to keep an eye on trends. Clever marketing finds way to take what is currently “in” and use it to draw the attention of the target audience, in your case, children. nnOlder kids often like the same things as younger kids, but attempt to show that in an ironic way, like taking a popular cartoon character and making a t-shirt with a witty or mocking statement regarding said character. With kids it’s even more important to think out of the box and craft a marketing approach and presence that will make owning your product, ultimately, fun.

Actually, now is a great time for entrepreneurship for exactly the reason you said. The bigger companies are floundering, so there is more of an opportunity to get into markets that were previously dominated by them. Part of what is changing in the markets is that there is a noted lack of faith developing in the larger companies. The perception of large companies these days are as untrustworthy, uninterested, and generally not in tune with their customers.

This isn’t to say that new industry titans will rise out of the ashes of global economic meltdown, but rather that it’s making a little space for new companies as the current titans don’t have the resources to focus on competing with smaller entities. More to the point, smaller, local shops are more likely to be able to win the trust and comfort of their customer bases again. This is a time when knowledge of a product, passion for the purchase and production of something, can go a long way. Doing something well at a local level makes it more likely that a small business can be successful, especially when you would add today’s technology and communication advantages for the small business owner.

Also keep in mind that in economic hard times, new and clever business models emerge. People are losing jobs, and they have been so corporatized that it’s sometimes hard to conceive of doing something on one’s own. However, there are needs out there to be filled, and clever people can be the ones to fill those needs. Finding a new way to produce, market, package, or present an already established product or service in a cheaper, faster, or more efficient manner changes the playing field from that point forward and is better both for companies and consumers.

Your biggest consideration is going to be local zoning laws. New Jersey is famous (or possibly infamous) for its stringent, varied, and unpredictable zoning laws. As late as last month a company in Hammonton was forced to scrap plans for a solar array on their property because of zoning regulations. That you’re putting them on the roof of your plant will help as it side-step a lot of impervious coverage laws (which are designed to limit the amount you can build on a lot that will prevent rainwater from soaking into the soil), but there are still a labyrinth of zoning laws you need to consider. Try going to your local municipal building to find out what sorts of laws you’re dealing with. Often the local government will also be able to inform you of county or state regulations you’ll need to follow.

Beyond that, consider how much power the panels will provide and what you can use them for. How much do you currently spend on electricity and how much would solar power cost you? Assume that it’ll take a year or more to recoup your investment and determine if that matches your plans. You will definitely want to find out about tax deductions that are probably available for moving to green technology. Also, find out if all your excess energy can or will be bought by the local utility company. The most important thing to consider, and what all of these questions boil down to, is “Will this help me make my business more successful and my product or service better?”

There are specific laws dealing with how internet radio pays for the use of licensed music, originally outlined by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) passed in 1998. It established rules and guidelines for how much internet radio has to pay. However, at the time that amount was really restrictive. There has been an ongoing debate about it since then, and only as recently as September 2008 did the US Congress pass a law stating that the amount of royalties an internet radio broadcaster has to pay would be based on a percentage of revenue, and January 2009 when that was accepted as official by the US Copyright Royalty Board.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL TAX ADVISOR PLEASEnnSome tax related time frames, such as your tax return filing deadline or the due date to pay the IRS estimated tax payments, are clear-cut. But when it comes to tax records and how long to keep tax records, the answer is far from simple. nnTax records such as receipts, canceled checks, and other documents that prove to the IRS an item of income or a tax deduction appearing on your tax return should be kept until the statute of limitations expires for that tax return. Usually this is three years from the date the tax return was due or tax return was filed with the IRS, or two years from the date the tax was paid to the IRS, whichever is later. This is the time period in which the IRS can question your tax return – typically three years after it is filed. There is no statute of limitations when a tax return is false or fraudulent or when no tax return is filed with the IRS. You should keep some tax records indefinitely, such as tax records relating to property, since you may need those tax records to prove to the IRS the amount of gain or loss if the property is sold. nnWE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL TAX ADVISOR PLEASE

This largely depends on your specific situation. First of all, is this vehicle an integral part of your business (like a shipping business), or is it a way to make the running of your business more convenient (as in a company car for you or an employee)? nnIs having a new vehicle every two or three years with no major repair risks more important than long-term cost? Or are long term cost savings more important than lower monthly payments? Is having some ownership in your vehicle more important than low up-front costs and no down payment? Is it important to you to pay off your vehicle and be debt-free for a while, even if it means higher monthly payments for the first few years?nnIt doesn’t make a specific difference to your business in the sense that there are no provisions for buying or leasing that have a direct impact on it. However, the same considerations that you would take for a personal vehicle in regards to buying or leasing still apply in this case. nnPlease contact your business CPA and ask them the same question, they do know much more about your business and would be a better source regarding your financial/business conditions.

That depends on what business you have, but in general it’s more civicly responsible to do so. Large national chains will almost always be able to undersell local shops just because they have the buying power to keep their costs lower, but keep in mind that money spent there won’t stay in your community and you will get lower quality customer service when the actual decision-makers are hidden away in a skyscraper in another city rather than working behind the counter. If you can afford to do so, building a relationship with local suppliers will get you better quality products and better service than working with a chain.

When you say “more customers,” that implies that you have some to begin with. If that’s the case, then you have the seeds of new customers already. Start giving referral bonuses to your current customers if they bring new people to your business. Let them have 10% off of cleaning services if they get you five new customers, for example. You can compound this by going a little bit extra with your current customers by doing things like sending thank you notes on a major holiday or simply asking if there’s anything you can do to improve your service. If your current customers see you as attentive and interested in their business, they’ll be more likely to recommend you to your friends.

This is an excellent question because it applies to so many business owners that simply don’t know what business they’re in. I don’t mean to sound insulting, but take a moment to actually look at your business and ask yourself what you do. Are you a laptop salesman? Or are you a laptop repairman? It sounds to me more like you’re in the repair business than the retail business. So scale back your retail operation and focus instead on the repair work where you’re making the most profit. There’s nothing wrong with cutting off parts of your business that are unprofitable, and when you realize what business you’re really in, you’ll find it’s also much easier to do that work and give you a better sense of where you want to go in the future.

There’s no formula for business success. No math will help you except the math on your balance sheet, so don’t look for one. There are some things that can help you, though. Sound management practices, technical support, experience in whatever industry you’re in, and the ability to plan will help you make the decisions you need in order to create a successful company. Remember, though, that even with all of these elements, there’s no guarantee that you’ll do well. It will still take a lot of hard work , a realistic outlook, and any number of other factors that you can’t necessarily control.

That’s an excellent question. While I can’t speak for all such offers, especially independent ones, there are actually a lot of grants that the US government offers for minority-owned businesses. For a strong list of these, try looking at the first section here: http://bcondemand.com/government_resources.php

For now, I would suggest finding another potential business. While e-cigarettes are currently sold nationwide in over 4000 retail outlets, the FDA’s findings show that they contain nitrosamines (which are the carcinogens found in regular cigarettes anyway) and diethylene glycol, the poisonous part of antifreeze. While it’s by no means a sure thing, odds are that the FDA will either heavily regulate them (as they are considered now a “drug delivery device”) or, more likely, ban them like was done in Australia. While you may be able to take advantage of the hype temporarily, it’s not a business with much of a future.

That depends entirely on what state you’re in. Some states require that you incorporate, while some just require that you register with the department of state. The best thing to do is to look at Business.gov’s website and search for your area to find out what permits you need to run a business there. The address is http://www.business.gov/register/licenses-and-permits/ . You can put in your zip code and business type and it will give you a list of everything you’ll need to be licensed in your area.

If you’re looking to import from Mexico, you want to contact the Trade Commission of Mexico in Los Angeles (350 S. Figueroa St, Suite 296, Los Angeles, California 90071, phone # (213) 628-1220). However, that’s for general information. The US doesn’t require a specific importer’s license, but you will be asked for your “importer’s number,” which is either the IRS tax number of your business, or your social security number if you don’t have a registered business. Otherwise, contact your local Customs office for more information on the paperwork you’ll need. Also, read this document from the US Customs website: http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/trade/iius.ctt/iius.pdf

Taking on a partner doesn’t always make it easier to run your business and can, in fact, make it more difficult. What you should look for in a partner is somebody who compliments you, and makes up for your weaknesses with their strengths. I know somebody whose uncle was an amazing salesman, but didn’t know how to run a business, so he hired my friend’s father, who helped him quadruple his business within two years. Make sure if you do take on a partner that you have a clear understanding in writing of what everyone’s rights and responsibilities are.

Wages are a tricky thing, but generally they’re set on the basis of position importance and skill requirements. What you should do is consult your accountant and trade association for the most current practices in your area, as well as cost ratios and profit margins. There is a federal minimum wage and several states have one, but for the most part once you have an idea of what the standard is, wage is something that you work out with your prospective employee.

That rather depends on who your family members are and if you feel that you can trust them to be good employees. Like with any other employee, you have work that needs to get done and they need to be able to do it. Which also means that you have to be able to keep your work and family life separate. In the end, it can work very well or very poorly, and you have to be willing to react either way.

Telecommunications can mean many things, but keep in mind that all small businesses share several common needs, specifically, the need to serve sales, purchases, financing, and operational functions. Your telecommunications option should be the one that best serves all of these functions. This covers things as simple as your long distance carrier to your internet provider and even fax machine. Only you can know what is most appropriate for your specific business in this regard, but think in terms of meeting the service needs listed above.

First, let me suggest that you work very closely with your financial adviser and accountant when making any decisions regarding the financial health of your business.

That being said, what you’ll need as far as start-up capital begins with equipment and building needs such as lease, equipment rental and purchase, and upkeep on all of it for a year. Next you’ll need enough for both fixed and variable operating costs, which include your salary as an owner, telecommunications (internet service, phone service), and money to repay your loans in the interim, among other things, again for at least a year.

Make sure when you’re writing your business plan to work these costs out and talk with your accountant to help provide accurate estimates of what the variable costs will run.

There are three things any loan officer is going to want to know: what you’ll use the loan for, how much you want, and how will you repay it. These three things comprise the big question “Why should we give you money?”nnBe ready with a smart, well organized business plan that outlines projected financial statements, as well as the name, location, and production facilities of the company. You’ll also want to have in there your legal structure, marketing structure, business organization, and your qualifications to run this type of business, as well as the qualifications of key people in your prospective company.

A well-written business plan is a good beginning when it comes to looking for start-up capital. If you need help writing one, you can find an almost limitless number of templates online or hire somebody like the people at our sister site EM Advisory Corp to help you write it.

There’s no way to anticipate your profits exactly before you actually make them, but there are ways to estimate them.nnThere are standards of comparison called “industry norms and ratios” that are used by businesses to figure out roughly how much a business should be making in an area. They’re broken down by standard industry classification (SIC) code by assets and size, and you can look up the kind of business you’re in in your area.nnSeveral groups keep copies of these ratios, but you can usually find them at your local library or by contacting the SBA.

The first thing you should do is consult an accountant or financial planner as they will be able to answer your questions in much more detail than we can here.

That being said, at the very minimum, your records should show your tax returns, both federal and state, including income tax and Social Security, requests for credit from vendors or bank loans, and claims about the business in regards to selling it.

However, we suggest that you keep much more detailed records than this that include credits and debits for the day, payroll, etc. A professional financial planner can help you determine what you need for your specific business.

Marketing is much more than just advertising and selling. It involves learning about the market you want to sell to, understanding what they can afford, and how best to approach them. There are four basic aspects to marketing: product (description of what you’re selling), price (how much it costs), promotion (how you inform people of what you’re selling), and place (the distribution channels you use to get the product to the market). Keeping those in mind, you have a very basic concept of what is actually involved in marketing.

Market potential in general boils down to a very basic formula. You figure out a customer profile (who you want to target with your marketing) and combine that with the geographic size you want to target (how many of those people are in that area). This is your general market potential.

To get a more specific marketing potential, you need to know also how many competitors you have and their strength in the market area. You can then estimate how much of their business you’ll be able to take from them (we recommend being conservative on your estimates), and that will be the market potential of your business.

There’s no one way to develop and execute an effective marketing campaign, and it can change from location to location. The thing to remember is that your marketing campaign determines the presence your business will have in your area.

Your best bet is to actually contact your local SBA and ask them for advice for your area. They’ll be able to tell you what people are looking for and how to be reach them.

First, let us recommend that you consult an expert on this, as setting price levels can be a complicated process. However, just as a basic idea, prices are based on a few major considerations.

The first thing you need to consider is your direct costs (actual material costs), labor, and overhead (facilities, utilities, taxes, insurance, security, and general operating costs). When you add all of these things up, you have the break-even cost.

From that point, you have to determine what you’d like your profit to be. Again, that is a very complicated decision, and we suggest talking to a financial adviser before settling on something.

It very much depends on your business, but if you’re running a small storefront in a local area, then location can be incredibly important.

What you need to consider when choosing a location is availability of your prospective clientele, their ability to access your establishment, the potential employee pool, and the number of competitors nearby. Be sure to be liberal in your definition of “competitor” when you’re considering this. Just because you run a bakery doesn’t mean the sports bar down the way won’t be drawing people into large, filling meals and pouring lots of alcohol that could prevent them from taking advantage of your lovely Black & White cookies.

That’s not an easy question to answer. It depends on what your business is, how long you’ve been running it, where it is now, what the demand is, and several other factors. The advantage to leasing, of course, is that you aren’t sinking as much money into the location right now, but it leave you with no resale or salvage value.nnTake some time to do a detailed cost analysis, especially with your financial planner. This is not an easy decision to make, and your best bet is to learn as much as you can about your specific situation before moving forward.

Not every business can, but 20% of small businesses are run out of homes directly. Contact your local SBA and Chamber of Commerce for information on what types of permits you’ll need.

Trade shows are a really good way to start, where you’ll get a chance to see demonstrations of all sorts of products from suppliers in your industry.

Another thing you may want to try is the Thomas Registry of Manufacturers, which can be found at your local major library or online at http://www.thomasnet.com/ . There you can look up suppliers by industry and geographic region to find the people best suited to your business.

The first place you should look is a good local library, usually a major city or a university one. They’ll have a wealth of information about local business, free for you to find.

Next, find a good business consultant. We would like to humbly suggest speaking to the good people at EM Advisory Corp.

Finally, make an appointment to speak to the people at the local US Small Business Administration. They’ll be able to help get you on the right track.

You might want to consider franchising. A lot of young people, not ready to start working in the corporate world while things are still so volatile, are instead opening and running franchises of popular businesses. It lowers the risk that they run when they get in, but allows them enough freedom to operate themselves.

Another option is to start an internet-based business. With less overhead and a wider access to potential customers, it’s sometimes easier to get started without corporate backing.

Finally, look into taking partners. You’re not the only person struggling in this economy just out of school. Find people with similar interests and vision and start a business together.

The threat of new entrants is a constant and consistent one. You have the advantage in that your business is established, but that’s no guarantee that a serious threat will not rise up to compete with you. In fact, it’s pretty much assured that eventually somebody will either improve on your product, or they will find some new product that will supersede yours.

There are two ways to combat this threat. The first is to keep innovating. Don’t sit on your laurels, no matter how good your business is doing. Continue to search out new ideas and new talent and take risks, or risk your business.

Secondly, establish a customer base. Keeping customer loyalty will be your best protection against the threat of new competitors. Always act in the interests of providing a quality product or service and you’ll have a good, solid base when somebody eventually tries to woo them away from you.

This will require a little trial and error after you’ve discovered what your competition charges. You’ll find that as you would begin your business and place bids on properties to service, you’ll learn quickly what you can charge to beat your competitors while offering additional services your competitors don’t. Keep supply and demand in mind and always check out your competition to see what they’re doing, both in terms of pricing and services offered.

Market potential in general boils down to a very basic formula. You figure out a customer profile (who you want to target with your marketing) and combine that with the geographic size you want to target (how many of those people are in that area). This is your general market potential.

To get a more specific marketing potential, you need to know also how many competitors you have and their strength in the market area. You can then estimate how much of their business you’ll be able to take from them (we recommend being conservative on your estimates), and that will be the market potential of your business.