Jane Applegate

201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

Completely revised and updated edition of this very popular and successful small business book The first edition of 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business was hailed by management guru and author Tom Peters as "Brilliantly researched. Brilliantly written. A gem of priceless value on almost every page. Read. Inhale. Absorb. Great Stuff!" In this completely updated third edition of 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business, renowned small-business expert and consultant Jane Applegate shares new, powerful, creative, simple, and proven approaches for building a better small business. * Details how business owners can use online marketing and social networking more effectively * Offers timely strategies for thriving in challenging economic times * Includes scores of real-life success stories and all-new interviews with small-business owners, experts, and VIP's including Guy Kawasaki, Kay Koplovitz, and Michael Bloomberg It may be small, but your business is a big deal to you, your customers, and employees. 201 Great Ideas provides lively, practical strategies to help you manage, grow, and promote your business.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: For Dummies
• Seitenzahl: 336
• Erscheinungstermin: 8. April 2011
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781118067710
• Artikelnr.: 37485260

Autorenporträt

JANE APPLEGATE is one of the nation's most respected business journalists and an award-winning writer and producer. A successful small business owner in her own right, she is the CEO of The Applegate Group, a multimedia communications and production company that produces original small business content for clients, independent films, documentaries, promotional videos, and events.

Inhaltsangabe

Introduction xvii
Chapter 1 Management Strategies 1
1. Always Deal with Decision Makers 2
2. Never Work with Anyone Who Gives You a Headache or a Stomachache 3
3. Don't Be Afraid to Reinvent Your Business 5
4. Add Spirituality to Your Business Life 7
5. Ask for a Quick "Yes" or "No" 9
6. Say Goodbye to Corporate Life 10
7. Create an Informal Advisory Board 12
8. Move Your Business into an Incubator 14
9. Organize a Company Retreat 16
10. Create a Greener and Safer Workplace 17
11. Think Ergonomically 19
12. Make Meetings More Productive 21
13. Meet Clients in Elegant Public Places 21
14. Work the Phones or Walk the Floor 22
15. Join or Create a Peer Support Group 23
16. Know When to Reach Out for Help 26
17. Hire a Great Lawyer 27
18. Seek Help from a Restaurant Consultant 29
19. Thank Everyone You Work With 32
20. Move Your Business into a Main Street Revitalization Zone 32
21. Ask Your Staff to Evaluate You 34
22. Cross-Train Your Employees 35
23. Create a Disaster Recovery Plan 36
Chapter 2 Money Matters 39
24. Become a Profit Enhancement Officer 41
25. Write a Killer Business Plan 42
26. More Insider Tips to Woo Investors 43
27. Find Yourself an Angel 44
28. Hire a Virtual Chief Financial Offi cer 47
29. Choose the Right Bank 48
30. Create a Sensitivity Analysis 50
31. Find a Good Accountant 50
32. Work with an Enrolled Agent to Do Your Taxes 52
33. Find a Strategic Partner to Invest in Your Company 53
34. Even Out Your Cash Flow 55
35. Consider Buying a Franchise 56
36. Franchise Your Business Concept 57
37. Barter for Goods and Services 59
38. Seek Vendor Financing 60
39. EB-5 Visas for Foreign Investors 61
40. Invest in Yourself by Tapping Your 401(k) 63
41. Apply for a Government-Backed Bank Loan 64
42. Invoice Bimonthly and Add an Overhead Charge 65
43. Ask for a Deposit 66
44. Lock Your Supply Cabinet 66
45. Set Up a Retirement Plan 67
46. Establish an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) 68
47. Find a Good Independent Insurance Broker 69
48. Buy Disability Insurance 70
49. Hire a Debt Arbitrator 72
50. Collect the Money People Owe You 73
51. Accept Credit Cards 74
52. Work Part Time to Support Your Business 75
53. Expand Your Vendor Network 77
54. Check Out Economic Development Incentives 78
55. Produce an Independent Film 79
56. Buy Prepaid Legal Insurance or Make a Deal with a Law Firm 82
57. Find the Right Offi ce Space 82
58. Hire a Savvy Real Estate Broker 84
59. Share Space with a Compatible Business 85
60. Buy Used Offi ce Furnishings 86
61. Sell Your Business at the Right Time and Price 87
62. Sell Your Company to an Industry Giant 88
Chapter 3 Technology and Telecommunications 91
63. Twitter for Business: Tips from Guy Kawasaki 94
64. Facebook Tips for Business Owners 95
65. Use Skype for Business 96
66. Set Up a Teleconference 97
67. Make the Most of Voice Mail 99
68. Don't Let E-Mail Rule or Ruin Your Life 100
69. Take This Technology Checkup 101
70. Smart Technology and Telecommunication Toys to Buy for Your Business
102
71. Post Videos and Photos on Your Web Site 103
72. Consider a Cloud-Based Telephone Service 103
73. Create a Dynamic Web Site 104
74. The Truth about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 106
75. Hire a Great Web Designer 107
76. Run Your Business in the Cloud 109
77. Use Online Mailing Solutions 110
78. Train Employees Online 111
79. Sell Products Online 112
80. Visit My Favorite Web Sites 113
Chapter 4 Develop and Launch New Products and Services 115
81. Create a Fad 117
82. Import Something New and Diff erent 118
83. Turn Your Hobby into a Successful Business 119
84. Become an Exclusive Importer 121
85. Launch a Green Product 123
86. Build a Working Model of Your Product 124
87. Make a Model with 3-D Software 126
88. Serve the High and Low Ends of the Market 127
89. Partner with a Big Company for Distribution 129
90. Take Advantage of an Online Technology Exchange 130
91. Have Your Product Mandated for Use by the Government 134
92. Create a Business Based on a Personal Challenge 135
93. Sell Your Wares in a Farmer's Market 135
94. Set Up a Cart in a Shopping Mall 137
Chapter 5 Marketing Strategies 141
95. Strike a Deal with a Giant 143
96. Look Bigger Online 144
97. Take Advantage of Co-op Advertising 145
98. Market to Callers on Hold 147
99. Consider Multilevel Marketing: Send Out Cards 148
100. Cross-Promote Your Products or Services 150
101. Sell through a Dealer Network 152
102. Create a Cool Business Card 153
103. Create a Dynamic Database 154
104. Package Your Products for Success 155
105. Give to Charity 156
106. Use Coupons to Attract Customers 158
107. Use Food as a Selling Tool 159
108. Set Up a Strong Referral Network 160
109. Give It Away 161
110. Design a Great Sign for Your Business 162
111. Produce an Infomercial 163
112. Put a Pig in Your Window 165
113. Put Your Company Name on Everything 166
114. Free Up Your Sales Team to Sell 167
115. Hire a Celebrity Spokesperson 168
116. Publish a Newsletter or Blog 169
117. Market Your Consulting Services 170
118. Host an Open House 171
119. Use Great Public Relations to Promote Your Business 172
120. Coproduce a Seminar 175
121. Ask for Two Business Cards 176
122. Treat Your Best Clients Well 176
123. Invite Associates to a Trade Show 177
124. Know Your Competition 178
125. Tap the Growing Hispanic Market 181
126. Make Your 800 Number Ring 182
127. Attend Charity Events to Make Contacts 183
128. Publicize Your Specialty Food Business 184
129. Market to Uncle Sam and Other Agencies 185
130. Get Certifi ed as a Woman- or Minority-Owned Business 187
131. Don't Forsake the Yellow Pages 188
132. Send Pizza to Potential Clients 189
133. Think BIG-Why Not? 189
Chapter 6 People 193
134. Cast a Wide Net to Attract Good Employees 195
135. Write Clear Job Descriptions 196
136. Know What Not to Ask Job Applicants 197
137. Recruit Great Employees 198
138. Look Far and Wide for the Best Person 199
139. Work with People You Like 200
140. Hire Talented Seniors 201
141. Hire Teenagers 202
142. Use the BATH System for Hiring 203
143. Perform a Personnel Checkup 204
144. Hire a Welfare Recipient 206
145. Hire Ex-Cons 207
146. Telecommuting as an Option 209
147. Tailor Benefi ts to Employees' Needs 210
148. Off er Classes in English as a Second Language 211
149. Find Out How Disney Does It 211
150. Ask Your Best Clients to Meet Key Job Candidates 213
151. Hire an Experienced Labor Attorney 214
152. Hire an Interim Executive 215
153. Train Your Employees 217
154. Off er Employees the Right Incentives 218
155. How to Deal with Domestic Violence 219
156. Be Serious about Your Sexual Harassment Policy 221
157. Rely on Temps and Freelancers 222
158. Work with a Virtual Talent Agency 223
159. Send Gifts to an Employee's Spouse 225
Chapter 7 Time and Personal Management Ideas 227
160. Get Organized-Right Now 228
161. Appoint a Personal Information Offi cer 231
162. Plan "In" Days and "Out" Days 231
163. Beat Your Deadlines 232
164. Spend an Hour a Day Thinking 233
165. Five Quick Time Management Tips 234
166. Work Hard and Play Harder 234
167. Tell the Truth 235
168. Overcome a Fear of Public Speaking-Join Toastmasters 236
169. Find a Mentor and Be a Mentor 237
170. Do Something to Reduce Stress 239
171. Put on a Happy Face 240
Chapter 8 Customer Service 243
172. Customer Service the Zappos Way 244
173. Quick Customer Service Quiz 246
174. Hire a Mystery Shopper 246
175. Listen to the Telephone Doctor 248
176. Don't Make Your Customers Angry 249
177. Make House Calls or Have a Trunk Sale 250
178. Make Apparel to Order 251
179. Demand Great Service from Vendors 253
180. Get to Know Your Customers Personally 253
181. Wrap It Up 255
182. Customer Service at Its Best 256
Chapter 9 Going Global 259
183. Return to Your Homeland to Export Products 261
184. Move Your Manufacturing to Mexico 263
185. Forge an International Alliance 265
186. Do Business in India 266
187. Explore Opportunities in Russia 268
188. Do Business in China 269
189. Meet U.S. Safety Rules for Products Made Abroad 270
190. Learn about a Culture before Going Abroad 271
191. Translate Your Marketing Materials 272
192. Abide by the Etiquette of International Trade 273
Chapter 10 Great Ideas and Insights from VIPs 275
193. Herb Kelleher-Be a Maverick 275
194. Lynn Tilton-Be a Modern Industrialist 277
195. Mike Bloomberg-Keep It Simple 278
196. Tom Peters-Forget Credentials 282
197. Kay Koplovitz-Leverage a New Technology 283
198. Wally Amos-Reinvent Yourself 284
199. Lillian Vernon-Advice from the Mail-Order Queen 285
200. Charles Shackleton-Follow Your Passion 287
201. Set Your Ego Aside and Ask for Help 288
Conclusion 289
Resources 291
About the Author 305
Index 307