America’s SBDC Blog

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Are You Just Procrastinating?

August 8, 2013

Do you know what you should be doing to make your business ‘world class,’ but you are not doing it? You may come up with a million reasons why you have yet to act, but actually, you’re putting it off. Procrastinating. Getting in your own way. Ah, we’ve all been there. Indeed 70% of North Americans report procrastinating from time to time, and 20% of us are chronic procrastinators – regularly and habitually putting things off for the utopian tomorrow.

If you haven’t taken action on an important task, project, or business growth strategy its only for one reason – and its not because you are lazy: It’s because you haven’t identified the specific “type” of procrastinator you are (or “types”). By identifying your “type,’ you can begin the find the right solution.

After working with hundreds of people in small businesses, I have identified 10 types of “Action Blockers.” You can see from reading the list that there are very different reasons that set you up to put things off, and the skills you would need to become an “Action Taker” vary accordingly. (more…)

Could We Do This in a Team Meeting?

August 6, 2013

I spend a lot of time in my seminars imploring leaders and managers to spend more time with their employees: “You need to spend time every day with your direct-reports providing guidance, direction, support, and coaching!”

Often, managers will raise their hands and ask, “Could we do this in a team meeting?”

Team meetings are great. They are critical to any leader/manager’s repertoire. But team meetings are really only useful for four purposes:

  • Creating a feeling of belonging and togetherness. (This reason should be used sparingly. Maybe once a quarter).
  • Sharing a bunch of information to a bunch of people in the same way at the same time.
  • If there is an open question/problem with multiple constituents so the various constituents may discuss together; hear what each other says; respond spontaneously to each other; and move together toward a common solution.
  • Because team meetings so often make it clear that certain one-on-one huddles are necessary and must immediately follow the team meeting!

(more…)

How to Master the Art of Self-Promotion

August 1, 2013

“Politics is a direct-response business,” declares the digital director of President Obama’s re-election campaign. “People do things if you ask them to do it, and … don’t … if you don’t ask.”

Exactly! In fact, this is true not only in politics, but also in social media. If you want your readers to click “like” or “retweet” or “reblog” or “pin” or “plus,” you gotta ask for it. Not for nothing do two of the web’s most popular sites — BuzzFeed and Mashable — serve up big buttons at the top of each article, beseeching you to “share me now!” What’s more, these icons now include the number of shares in real time, boxing you in with peer pressure: “Don’t share me–I dare you!” This is marketing at its finest: so subliminal, you think you’re making a considered choice.

Too often, however, those in the communications field blanch at making an explicit ask. We think of ourselves as marketers, not salesman. We trust in the purity of our craft, rather than tricks of the trade. Yet there’s a reason “marketing” and “business development” often find themselves in the same job title. It’s because a marketing budget isn’t self-sustaining, but ultimately depends on the success of sales–those who make the ask for a living. As any salesman will tell you, products don’t “sell themselves.” People need nudges. (more…)

Starting up? Journey of female entrepreneurs proves anything is possible.

July 30, 2013
By Cindy Bates, Microsoft

Even entrepreneurs with amazing ideas weren’t born knowing how to navigate all of the challenges of running a business. The small business owners I speak with regularly share the impact their role models and mentors have had as sources of business guidance and inspiration. Now there’s another place to turn for examples of entrepreneurial success: a new online exhibit created by the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM). This exhibit highlights the impressive journey of women entrepreneurs throughout the last century. It’s something all business owners – male and female alike – can relate to and learn from.

“From Ideas to Independence: A Century of Entrepreneurial Women” leads visitors from the earliest days of female entrepreneurship in the early 20th century through today. If you’ve encountered obstacles in your quest to start or grow a small business, this exhibit will fuel your fire to keep pursuing your goals. Not only does it detail motivational stories of women in business, but it explores the many obstacles they’ve faced – from social pressures to financial discrimination. (more…)

Debit Cards – Top of Wallet

July 29, 2013

Offer your customers a choice with PIN and signature debit options at the point of sale. The more payment options you offer, the more customers you can attract.

Linked directly to customer checking accounts, debit cards are one of the fastest growing payment methods today. First Data offers debit processing with signature- or PIN-secured debit cards so customers can access cash, buy goods and pay bills.

You’ll be able to provide customers with a quick and secure way to pay and have the ability to offer cash back with a purchase. For the customer, this means time savings with fewer trips to the ATM. We have a wide range of debit acceptance POS equipment options for you to choose from. Did you know that PIN debit can be less expensive to process than credit cards? So you may save money while offering your customers the payment options they want. (more…)