Still Printing

May 16, 2012 / vbsinsider / No comments

With all the talk of making offices (and life for that matter) more and more paperless, there is still a major need for printed materials. People react differently to receiving a piece of paper. Digital files are great for some things but there are still a large number of things that just work better in print.

There are still many industries that rely heavily on printed materials. Law firms, marketing agencies, event promoters, and any business that sends out paper invoices, has to depend on printed paper.

Law firms print boxes and boxes of paper document for ‘discovery’. Law firms also have to have a lot of envelope printing. They use envelopes to mail invoices, subpenas and a myriad of other documents. Marketing firms and event promoters do a lot flyer printing. They do event postcard-style printing as well as traditional flyers. These two industries thrive on social marketing; handing out promotional material, leaving flyers at kiosks and other locations.

Businesses of all types have printing needs. Printing invoices, color communications, internal memos, letters, brochures, business cards and even writing pads; are all things that just about every business will need to print.

Out of all theses things, a few can be printed in-house with a standard ink-jet or laser printer, but many must be sent out to professional printers to get the quality and style needed to be acceptable for business.

Here are a few smart printing tips:

  • Order your the largest quantity as possible. This usually lessens the cost per print.
  • Be sure to thoroughly proof read all your print documents or designs before sending to the printer.
  • Order smaller quantities of items that change frequently. This helps prevent waste.
  • If you design flyers or other print media, be sure you set it up according to your printers requirements. Be sure to check for proper margins are maintained or if you require a ‘bleed’, that you give the printer a design within their requirements.
  • Be sure any digital images have at least a 300 dpi resolution (600 dpi is the best but file size can become prohibitive)
  • Understand the types of files your printer can work with if you are not supply hard copies.
  • If color must be exact, find out from the print the color settings they use (RGB or CMYK). See if they can match Pantone colors for really precise coloring.
  • Request a proof for your approval, prior to giving the go-ahead on a print project.
  • Plan ahead…. plane for at least a two day turn-around on large print jobs.

If you keep those things, mentioned above, in mind you should be just fine with preparing, submitting and getting a completed print job. There are many printers around so you have choices. Most can provide the same print services, but customer service, turn-around times, and price are the major factors that will set one company apart from another. Choose your printer wisely and that may require a little trial and error but it will be worth it. If you need a good printer check out SuperFinePrinting.

Category: Small Business Services / Tags: , ,

Get an M&A Advisor

May 16, 2012 / vbsinsider / No comments

It is a fact of life in the business world, that there are businesses that get acquired, sold and merged. Businesses change ownership due to a parent or holding company being purchased. They are also sold as a part of the owners exit strategy or to avoid bankruptcy. There are companies that merge to gain mutual benefits. Whatever the reason, companies change ownership and management from time to time. When completing these complex types of transactions, it’s advisable to consult a professional. There are professionals that can guide you through due diligence compliance, meeting various regulatory requirements and the law. If your business is in a technical or scientific sector like the chemical industry, you may want to get a professional that also understands the quirks of chemical industry.

Chemical mergers and acquisitions present unique issues that expert M&A advisers are prepared to deal with due to their experience and understanding of the industry. I your advisers are part of a chemical investment bank they should understand the ins and outs of an industry that is science driven, but affected by market forces, and environmental laws. You want advisers that can effectively navigate all these different, yet equally important aspects of your transaction. Your chemical advisory should be able to assist you with the valuation of your company and evaluate the valuation of other entities involved. They should be able to explain how current laws and regulations will effect your transaction as well as other factors that can have an impact on your transaction.

Get a pro before you enter any merger or acquisition…. be smart.

 

Category: Small Business Services / Tags: , ,

Everyone Loves Awards

May 15, 2012 / vbsinsider / No comments

When caught up in the daily challenges of running a business, it is sometimes very easy to overlook the contributions of the people that are on your team. As a business owner or manager, your success is based, in part on how your team performs. Like it or not, to some degree, your success is in direct connection to the performance of the people you hire.

Take care of the people that work hard for you. I know that they get paid to do a job, but any good manager knows that a little recognition goes a long way. Giving an employee some recognition for a job well done can be good as a raise in salary (almost!). Humans like to be recognized for doing well and they are much more willing to go ‘above and beyond’, when they feel like it is appreciated and recognized.

You should implement an employee awards program at your company if you don’t already have one in place. The awards can be relatively inexpensive, but the return you get from an appreciated employee can be substantial.

A great employee reward are trophies. You’ve seen them… the glass or crystal trophies. They look very prestigious, are not too large and they can be displayed on an employees desk or shelf area. These trophies work well for employee awards because they are not subject to a person’s taste (gift cards or certificates), they can be displayed at work (incentive for other employees) and they can be customized with the employees name and other information.

 

 

Category: Small Business Insight, Small Business Services / Tags: , ,

Panama- Good for Business

May 15, 2012 / vbsinsider / No comments

Businesses are always looking for ways to save money and increase profits. Sometimes, the best way to achieve your goals, as a business, is to move all or part of the operation to a place that offerers less regulatory hurdles, less taxes and maybe even cheaper labor.

When considering forming a new business, offshore company formation can be the path to reaping the benefits of operating outside of the United States. Panama is one such place that businesses consider when looking to create an offshore company or move all or part of their business out of the country.

Panama offers great benefits to businesses like the ‘corporate veil’ (corporate protections afforded by the national government), the dollar is their national currency,  they are a free trade economy and they are one of the most stable governments in Latin America. Panama presents businesses with strong, Constitutionally protected, banking laws and they offer foreign companies great tax incentives because foreign investment is a big part of their economy. In addition, All income generated outside of Panama is tax exempt. Interests from bank accounts are also tax exempt.

Consider all your options when looking to expand or create a new business. You may find that you can gain some nice benefits from form your company in Panama.

Category: Small Business Insight / Tags: ,

Social Branding

May 15, 2012 / vbsinsider / No comments

Branding is very important for the longevity and success of a business. Your brand should reflect your company’s values, mission, purpose and ‘personality’.

A brand is a “Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”Branding began as a way to tell one person’s cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp.

We are all accustomed to the more traditional ways that companies use to create greater awareness of their brand. Some of these techniques include custom logos, print and media ads, color-schemes and promotional items. These are still very effective in spreading brand awareness but there is a new method that businesses, of all sizes, are just beginning to explore fully. That method of branding is social branding.

With the rise of social networking and all the new ways people interact online, there is a new dynamic in spreading your brand. To spread your social brand you need to do a few things:

We are all accustomed to the more traditional ways that companies use to create greater awareness of their brand. Some of these techniques include custom logos, print and media ads, color-schemes and promotional items. These are still very effective in spreading brand awareness but there is a new method that businesses, of all sizes, are just beginning to explore fully. That method of branding is social branding.

With the rise of social networking and all the new ways people interact online, there is a new dynamic in spreading your brand. To spread your social brand you need to do a few things:

  • Create a social persona for your company. Your persona is generally guided by your target audience. If you sell skateboards your persona my be young, full-of-life and trendy.
  • Craft your social message and stick to it
  • Be active. People may feel that your only there to sell things if you only interact occasionally and it’s to directly advertise
  • Listen to feedback you get from people you interact with while social networking.
  • Address customer concerns or direct them to the proper place to have those concerns addressed
Social branding is a ‘new-world’ and it requires consistency and active engagement. If you don’t have the time or the staff to maintain a social presence, hire professionals or wait til it can be given the proper attention.

 

Category: Small Business Marketing / Tags: ,

Build Good Business Relationship… Send a Gift!

May 14, 2012 / vbsinsider / One comment

Running a business, in many ways, is about building relationships. Building good business relationships is the basis for cultivating a strong business network. Corporate gifting is an excellent way to nurture those relationships and keeping your company at the fore-front of your business associates’ minds.

Gifting, as it relates to business, is a very good thing. It creates loyalty amongst your clients, establishes your business as a recognizable ‘partner to associates and can give you the edge if you are competeing to get more business. This is why companies send out Christmas cards, calenders, pens and the miriad of other promotional gifts, to clients, business associates and potential clients.

The gifts are just a token from your company so you don’t have to approach it as if you are looking for a gift for your spouse, friend or even your co-worker. Take time to send gifts that appropriate to the business and the relationship you have with that business. When sending a gift to an individual (maybe a CEO) you may want to spend a few dollars and give it some thought. I nice writing pen with your company logo or a fancy mail opener would be good gifts for an executive. When buying for an office of people or a team, try to get something that everyone can use. Things like desk ‘trinkets’ or fruit baskets usually work well for groups. The main thing is to give gifts that are business appropriate. Avoid items with slang, nudity, profanity or anything that is generally offensive.

In the same spirit as gifting, you can also have a corporate event. These events allow you to invite your clients, business associates or executives from a company that you are trying to get business from. These events allow you to show the client a nice time and make a positive impression on them. Corporate events allow people to mingle and network, build connections and share a little enjoyment.

 

Do the things that promote good business relationships it will pay off.

 

Category: Small Business Insight / Tags: , ,

SideSkills: Get the help you Need

May 9, 2012 / vbsinsider / One comment

You know the saying, “good help is hard to find”… many small business owners know this all too well. Small business owners and their manager often have a bit of a challenge finding good employees, with the proper qualifications and whom they can afford to pay. There is a large group of unemployed people, in this economic climate, but it can be a chore to get connected with the right people.

If your small business is in need of employees, you may have considered the traditional employment agencies. They will usually find you some people to interview and they may get you someone that ultimately will fit in at your company, but they will also charge you a substantial fee. You will usually be required to pay the employment agency more than you would have to pay the actual employee for a set period of time before you can hire the employee directly.

To avoid the traditional employment agency try something new. Try SideSkills. SideSkills is a place for employers and job-seekers to interact in a community-like environment. Employers offering full-time Jobs, part-time Jobs, and freelance projects can post their job offers and browse through the resumes for potential employees at no cost. Depending on your needs you may even be able to pay a person that you hire through SideSkills secure payment system. Find employees in online community where work and social life intersect and combine.

Category: Small Business Services / Tags: , ,
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