By Rob Basso on
5/23/2013 9:20 AM
How is your small business feeling? A little more optimistic, according to a new survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB’s Index of Small Business Optimism rose 2.6 points to 92.1 last month, erasing a drop of 1.3 during March...
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By Rob Basso on
5/21/2013 9:31 AM
We all wish that our businesses would run seamlessly and that with only minimal effort and guidance, they would soar into success and longevity. The truth is that the road to success does have pot-holes and we’re all bound to get a few flat tires now and then. For every mis-step or bad judgment your company makes, there must be a transparent correction made. Consider the scrutiny that the corporate policies of Yahoo! have come under in the last few months. The struggling company brought in a new CEO, former Facebook exec Marissa Mayer, who surely is on the cutting edge and knows how to push Yahoo! into the future, right?
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By Rob Basso on
5/16/2013 9:22 AM
Remember a few years ago when self-checkout first debuted? You don’t have to deal with a cashier, you see all the prices very clearly on a computer screen, you can make sure that pesky bag packer doesn’t squish your Wonderbread, and you can expedite the process. But not all stores are singing the praises of self-checkout. IKEA, for one, just killed self-checkout in US Stores last year. There were multiple security and inventory issues associated with the system which isn’t exactly conducive to a store that sells huge, heavy boxes of furniture...
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By Rob Basso on
5/14/2013 9:13 AM
We’ve all seen it happen; you go into a prospect and offer them an incredible savings against your big competitor, only to be cut off at the knees. What happened? It could be that your small business lacks big company swagger. Take a look at some of your key materials to see if it looks like your company can walk the walk...
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By Rob Basso on
5/9/2013 9:02 AM
Are you a small business owner confused by how the Affordable Care Act will affect your business? You aren’t alone. Most people haven’t read the enormous, several-thousand-page document, and according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll, 42 percent of Americans do not know that the Affordable Care Act has been passed into law...
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By Rob Basso on
5/7/2013 9:09 AM
Are you looking for innovative ways to increase your brand’s prominence? Here’s an interesting idea; tattoo your employees. Yes, I’m serious. A New York City-based brokerage, Rapid Realty, offers employees a 15% increase in commission if they get the company’s logo tattooed on their body. Epic fail?
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By Rob Basso on
5/2/2013 10:02 AM
In the business world today, there’s a lot of talk about brands. We should all be focused on maintaining a consistent image and reputation for our companies. But do we have to have an expansive (and expensive) team to do it? The answer is: not necessarily...
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By Rob Basso on
4/30/2013 9:28 AM
I know I’ve been using them as examples to make a point a lot lately, but it’s because it is one of the few truly human industries out there: hospitality. Yes, as small business owners our companies tend to be more human than their corporate robotic counterparts, but the hospitality industry is singularly focused on creature comfort. But still, hospitality is mostly about travel, and having a place to hang your hat when away from home. So how does a hotel, which caters to travelers, make a place for itself in the local community?
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By Rob Basso on
4/25/2013 9:15 AM
You are a small business owner. You have a great idea for a new product that will fill an emerging need within an industry. This could be the next big thing. You have so many years of successful experience with the same product in a different market,but the industry is so specialized that it requires breaking long-established personal and professional working relationships in order to gain market share...
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By Rob Basso on
4/23/2013 9:23 AM
If you haven’t started doing it yet, now is the time to do some email advertising. It can be a one-size fits all email or a more targeted, segmented approach, but either way you should get on it. If you have already begun email marketing but feel unsure if the results justify the resources spent, there are some things you can do to improve its impact...
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