Monthly Archives: June 2011

Awesome Affiliates: Hillary Gadsby of GAIIN

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This week’s affiliate is providing entrepreneurs with the chance to access a network of experienced professionals and their collective marketing, investing, and entrepreneurial knowledge. GAIIN™ (Global Action International Investment Network) acts as an international hub, bringing representatives from government offices and private businesses together at their Summits to find both financing channels and expert advice as to the best way to build a sustainable future. Hilary Gadsby, co-owner of GAIIN™ and CEO of her own corporate marketing firm, A Gadsby Affair, has graciously gave our readers her advice on the best ways for their business to take advantage of international opportunities.

Taking Advantage of International Opportunities

Nearly 96% of consumers and over 66% of the world’s purchasing power reside outside the United States.  To take advantage of these opportunities, small businesses looking to increase sales and profit by taking their businesses global should consider these suggestions. For further resources, visit www.export.gov.

Using chambers of commerce and consulates overseas

Most foreign entities are happy to help new businesses hoping to expand to their shores. So do a little bit of research, and see if any programs are specifically in place to attract foreign companies.

Standard marketing: where are the opportunities?

You likely know how to sell your product in the states, but what is your target audience overseas? Again, a little bit of marketing research can go a long way; you may even find an entirely different niche to market to! Test your product or service before you decide to set up a sales office or manufacture in that country

Trade missions

To help you in your marketing research, plan a business trip to whatever country you are looking to expand into. What is being sold there now? Is there anything similar to your product? Is there anyone you can meet with that has experience operating in this market? A trade mission is an excellent opportunity to gain some first-hand experience.

What are the customary ways of doing business in each country?

This is extremely important, as you do not want to ruin a potential deal simply due to a cultural misunderstanding. Know what potential business partners and investors expect from you; dress, greetings, and punctuality are all-important and vary between regions. Something often overlooked are business gifts. Many countries have specific beliefs associated with objects, so if you plan to give a gift, make sure it does not signify something else in the culture you are planning to operate in.

How do you learn about the networking connections you need?

When you talk to the Chamber of Commerce, see if there are any events in the area where you can network with other businesses. Often times they will sponsor events to help new businesses get their foot in the door. International Conferences are also an excellent place to meet people who can help you establish yourself in a foreign country.

Find strategic partnerships with similar markets:

This can help you track down sources of financing and funding that have a history of working with similar products. A partnership could also mean advice on how best to minimize risk in this market.

To further assist businesses to connect internationally in Los Angeles, GAIIN™ Inc., (Global Action International Investment Network) presents a unique branded conference and event series that is designed to ignite true global change. Bringing together a multidisciplinary mix of international government and trade organizations, cross-industry experts, leaders in global finance and investment, innovative businesses in technology and sustainability, GAIIN events facilitate international working partnerships, real global collaboration and presents new financial funding avenues to help connect international businesses.

For more information visit www.gaiinconnect.com; or e-mail Hillary.gadsby@gaiinconnect.com or mike.miller@gaiinconnect.com

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How Start-Ups Can Save the World… or At Least Aid the Economic Recovery Effort

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If you haven’t heard (though I’m sure you have), the Great Recession is still lumbering on. Despite the lack of Midwestern Farmers moving west to find work, many analysts are making comparisons to the Great Depression of the 1920’s with the high unemployment rate and seemingly endless string of economic defeat. Analysts, economists, politicians and investors wait with bated breath for the release of unemployment figures for some sign of improvement. Unfortunately, the rate continues to hover around 9%.

The best possible way to tackle this problem would be to increase core, private job growth. While monetary injections via government projects can work, they are not sustainable; you can only pave the 101 so many times before people begin to think those in charge have lost it. April saw a huge spike in jobs, but they were mainly created through public spending. Thus, they are unsustainable in the long run. The lack of job security means many will be saving those paychecks, instead of running out to buy new clothes, cars and gadgets, denying consumer spending a much-needed influx of cash.

Start-ups, not public projects, are what the government should be focusing on. Whether it is through tax incentives, fund availability, or simply by stepping back and letting great ideas grow, uninhibited, into great companies, the United States’ government is remiss in overlooking the start up. It is understandable why they have chosen this path, as the tech boom of the nineties soon did a nosedive and brought a lot of money down with it, but we have learned from our tumultuous relationship with start-ups. We’ve changed. Give us another chance!

VC’s, a usual source for start-ups, have begun to scale back their investments, merely due to the risk involved. We are in a recession, as I am sure political pundits will remind us day after day after day after day… after day. This presents a delicious opportunity for government organizations already focused on small business. Take the SBA, for example; an excellent little program that ensures loans banks give to small businesses. Expand that program! It only takes a little bit of money to really help out a start-up. If the money is spent wisely, and not on every frivolous idea to be placed on the loan officer’s desk, it can go a long way to create new jobs in the private sector. The SBA, or something like it, could even be tweaked to include angel investors and venture capitalists. For a little bit of insurance, the government could rely on the keen mind and expertise of established investment professionals who have years of experience with start-ups.

America is a far cry from a second or third world country, but we can learn from the programs that have been proven to work in impoverished areas. Micro-loans help people help themselves, which is something that politicians on both sides of the aisle are always clamoring about. Peter Cohan, in an excellent post on Forbes, wrote that America should be made more palatable for entrepreneurs from China or India. I completely agree; an easing of the immigration process, coupled with accessible loan programs, means we maintain an advantage over other countries. In a research paper out of Duke and University of California Berkley, it was shown that one key founder in 25% of tech start-ups between 1995 and 2005 was foreign born. Few of these founders came stateside to create a company; more often than not, they were looking for an education. But why kick out people with great ideas once that education is over?

Recognition used to be all America needed, but with the internet nearly tearing down market borders completely, the Land of the Free needs some more free enterprise. Start-ups offer a solution to our economic troubles. Sustainable, private companies can help to lower the unemployment rate on a long-term scale. A lower unemployment rate means happy newscasters telling happy consumers and investors to go out and spend. As long as we are careful, and watch out for another tech/housing/consumer-spending bubble, start-ups may offer an end to the Great Recession.

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5 Must-Have Pages for Small Business Websites

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Putting together a website for a newly formed small business presents a multitude of angles to examine it from. You want the site to show off your new service or product for sale without being in your face about it (i.e. pop-up ads) but still the main focal point of the site. You strive for a professional design and user-friendly readable content. You’re aiming for a site that is fresh and fun, unlike the typical cookie cutter sites you’ve been to in the past. It’s easy to create these sites and focus on your service, but there are 5 pages that definite musts to include on any successful new (or existing, it’s never too late to revamp a site!) website.

1) About Us

It couldn’t be more simply put. About Us is where you’ll find the story behind the background of the company and its roots. It’s also where you will find information on the members within a business. We’re currently in the process of creating a remodeled About Us page with photos of our team members. Placing photos of those who work within a company is a great way to give visitors a “behind the scenes” look into your business. Write up a blurb on your background history and also include a downloadable PDF of your press kit containing your M.O.

2) Careers

Do you have any open positions within your company? Skip Craigslist and LinkedIn (for now) and put them up on your website first! Interested individuals who want to work within your company will try to go directly to the source before visiting a job posting site so they can get a leg up on the position requirements and salary expectations to see if they are qualified. Be sure to keep this page regularly updated- if not you’ll still receive resumes for positions that have been filled some time ago.

3) Company Blog

Just as the pictures give you an insider’s look into the company team members, hear what they have to say via a blog post. Company blogs are rapidly becoming one of the biggest absolute musts for any strong business site as they provide information about upcoming products, promotions, and tips for their readers. It’s also one of the biggest areas of the site where you can be creative and write in a more conversational, shorter tone. Keep your blog updated as often as possible and remember to use quality information in posting instead of filler just for the sake of blogging.

4) Contact Us

Where in the world are you located? Do you have more questions or concerns? Interested in signing up with a newsletter? Here’s the place to provide all of that information and more with just a click of the mouse on “submit.” Contact us pages usually offer built in templates for you to submit your message to an administrator who will get back to your question shortly. They also make a great place to submit any comments you may have for the company, from compliments to ideas for blog posts.

5) Press Features

Show off where you’ve been mentioned in the press here! Press features allow you to post links to buzzworthy articles in the news that you or your company may have been featured in. You can also include embedded videos from YouTube, podcasts, and awards that you’ve won here too. Your business is one to be proud of so show it off to the world!

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Awesome Affiliates: RealPractice

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This Awesome Affiliate is known for building websites of the best quality and successful online marketing for businesses and firms. In a Q&A sesh, RealPractice shares the tricks of the trade when it comes to their website and marketing biz:

How does RealPractice help small firms and businesses grow?
RealPractice helps small businesses generate more revenue. The company provides online marketing services, professional websites, and client acquisition solutions for firms across the country. These solutions help firms to get more calls from potential clients, track the effectiveness of online marketing, and ultimately close more business.

What do small firms and businesses need to know about online advertising?
Done well, online advertising can be a critical and productive way for firms to attract new clients, but it can be complicated and time consuming for businesses to do themselves. Like an auction, search engine advertising services like Google Adwords allow companies to “bid” on certain keywords and phrases that prospective clients might use in a search engine to find a service or business (“bankruptcy lawyer in Los Angeles, CA”). These bids, along with dozens of other “quality” factors, determine how high on the page (the “position”) search engines place the firm’s sponsored ads when visitors search for each phrase. These advertisements can be incredibly effective in generating new business, but there are many details to consider including: targeting, bidding, ad position, daily budget, keywords, landing pages, and more! If starting online advertising for the first time, we recommend that businesses and firms speak to a few reputable companies that professionally manage search engine marketing. Our team at RealPractice has years of experience across thousands of campaigns and would be happy to offer free consultations to any firm or business who want to explore generating more clients via search engine ads.

Does a professional website have to be expensive? Or should companies create their own websites?
For the vast majority of small firms and businesses, paying anything more than about $1,000 for a website is probably too much. We think that marketing dollars are better spent on online advertising, PR and social media to get potential clients to visit a well-designed, high-converting and cost-effective landing page or mini-site. A simple, clean site often does a better job of getting the phone to ring than an expensive, flashy or content-heavy one. RealPractice offers professional, affordable websites and would be happy to discuss special pricing for MyCorporation subscribers.
When it comes to companies building their own sites, at RealPractice, we’ve seen far too many self-built websites that are started but forever “under construction.” The initial excitement about building one’s own site quickly gives way to frustration and the paralysis of making things “look right.” Additionally, many do not know the basics of creating sites that get the most clients or that have solid SEO characteristics.

What advice do you have for businesses and firms just starting out when it comes to marketing?
1.Identify your ideal client and market to them. Think back to clients you’ve worked and think about those you enjoyed most or were the most profitable for the firm. Examine where these clients came from, what their reasons were for hiring the firm and focus your marketing efforts on attracting and retaining more of these types of clients.
2.Track the sources for all new clients. Follow the suggestions in an article we wrote for ABA’s Law Practice Today to better track investments in marketing. By closely evaluating what is working and what is not, firms and businesses can more efficiently allocate their time and marketing dollars during the coming year.
3.Get a new website or revamp the existing one to generate at least 5-10 prospective clients per month. Review our blog post to get tips on creating or improving a website and then work with a consultant to make sure the site is well-designed to drive phone calls and inquiries.

The RealPractice team has more than 11 years of experience helping companies of all sizes to grow and be more effective. We have thousands of small business clients as well as some of the largest firms in the world, across a variety of industries. We’d like to offer free marketing consultations to all MyCorporation readers – just email us at learnmore@realpractice.com.

For the next 30 days, MyCorporation and RealPractice are partnering to offer a special discount for lawyers on our incorporation packages. Create an account with us and enter in the code “LAWDIRECT” for a free (minus state fees and shipping and handling) incorporation or LLC with us!

Interested in becoming an affiliate with MyCorporation or finding out more information about RealPractice? Contact Cindi Sokoloff, Affiliate Manager at MyCorporation at (818) 746-2264 ext 320

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Be Careful the Next Time You Order a Double Shot at Starbucks!

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Starbucks, everyone’s favorite coffee mega-chain, made an announcement recently that had a few people scratching their heads; they are going to try and offer alcohol in one of their Portland stores. People don’t typically look for a shot of whiskey to go with their double shot no-foam latte, at least not publically. So coffee consumers all across the country are wondering what Starbucks is up to. They have already tried the model in Seattle, with some success, and some analysts are predicting that Starbucks is looking to expand into sit-down dining.

This raises an interesting question that many businesses face after a while; when do you decide to expand to other products? While selling booze may not exactly fit in your business model, there are plenty of linkable items that make sense together. A T-shirt company could expand to sell jeans, or a soda company may expand to sell water. Before making this type of change, you should ask yourself five key questions about the your plans and your company.

1. Does this make sense?

If you think about it, the coffee/liquor hybrid isn’t the oddest thing in the world. Sure, most people don’t go to Starbucks to get two fixes out of one trip, but who out there hasn’t added a shot of Bailey’s to an after-work Cup of Joe? This is going to be the absolute easiest question to answer, but sometimes there are moments where our genuinely great ideas unravel after a few days of thinking. Put yourself in the position of the consumer; if I go to this company to buy X, will I genuinely want to buy Y with it? Sometimes, odd mixes work really well together. Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles is a testament to that. Most of the time, though, it is better to stick to two products that are a bit more alike.

2. What does the current market look like?

Your company may have done really well selling a certain product by filling a niche in the community you market to, or simply meeting long-unheeded demand. Before you expand, you need to give as much thought to the new market you will be trying to break into as you did when you first began your company. You may have had your first great business idea quite a while ago, and it is easy to forget how hard it is to start a business when you have a successful one already chugging along. If you have the capital, hire someone to give you a good, well-researched report on current conditions for the product you want to sell. It is better to spend the money now, and not end up with boxes of product on your hands and no one to sell it to.

3. Will my customers prefer convenience to name?

It is highly likely you will be competing with another company for market share, and that company probably put a lot of time and effort in associating their name with their product. There is a lot of goodwill in a name, and people trust what has been firmly established. If you decide to break into the market, you need to figure out if your current customers will be willing to make the switch. If your products are related, it makes this process a little easier; someone looking to buy shampoo will probably be willing to buy a comb in the same store. You are going to have to offer something to entice new consumers over to your company, whether it is convenience, price, or quality. In this case, convenience is on your side as a lower price is indicative of a lower quality product, and a higher price will scare customers away.

4. Will this damage my reputation?

This is the question that Starbucks has to ask itself. Right now, it is trying to market itself as a neighborhood hangout. Young moms pushing their kids in strollers can relax for a couple of minutes with friends on the patio. If they start selling alcohol, the clientele will change, and that neighborhood image will definitely be lost. If you spent a lot of time, money, and effort on linking your company with a good quality product, you need to make sure that selling something else will not damage that reputation. Trust is a major component for consumers when they decide whom to do business with, so make sure you don’t destroy that trust.

5. Is it even worth it?

After you exhaustedly thought through those four, objectively ask yourself if it is worth all the effort to build up another product. It will take capital, dedication, and passion, just like when you first began your business. If you can look yourself in the mirror and say, “Yes, this is worth it,” then go for it. A successful company means you have a mind for business, and sometimes an entrepreneur needs to follow their gut feelings.

Coffee and Liquor, Chicken and Waffles, Bacon and Chocolate: not the most obvious combinations, but each delicious in its own way. Despite these exceptions, most companies will not do too well if they sell two, conflicting products. When deciding if to sell something new, always be sure to be as objective as possible and ask yourself the necessary questions. You may not have the next Roscoe’s or Starbucks on your hands, but you could sell a few more units, making your business that much stronger.

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2 Thumbs Up: How Small Businesses Can Shield Their Online Image From Bad Reviews

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So it has happened; a company is suing Google for libel.

The Ballymascanlon House Hotel in Ireland is angry that Google’s auto-complete function immediately links the hotel with receivership, which is when another party holds some assets until the business’s debts are repaid. In other words, the Hotel is being perceived as in some sort of financial trouble, which isn’t the case according to the hotel. Representatives from Ballymascanlon have said this has hurt their business and demanded it be removed.

Google didn’t change it, as the auto-complete feature simply shows what Google users most often search for, and so the Hotel moved to litigate. Of course, the entire case Ballymascanlon is building is silly and will no doubt be thrown out, but it does show the impact online perception has on a business. The hotel has a 1,200-year-old history, and a lawsuit over something Google has little control over is now completely overshadowing it.

This news story should act as a cautionary tale for small businesses looking to establish an online presence. The Internet acts as a megaphone, which means anyone with something to say about your company has a method to get their opinions heard. Many small business owners know how biting a negative review can be, so it is understandable that they want to avoid any media that could shine a spotlight on that review. But that could be more detrimental to your business than the review itself; it may create the perception that you aren’t confident in your business, or are trying to cover something up. That destroys trust and, without trust, potential customers will pass right over you. So what can you do to avoid that?

Get a Facebook

This is one of the easiest things you can do, as a Facebook requires very little monitoring. Consumers love to know their opinions are appreciated, and using Facebook means they can write on your page and tag your company whenever they mention it on their own profile. Facebook pages are extremely easy to find, and are a great way to stay in contact with your customers. Of course, you do want to make sure to keep an eye on it, and other sites, your customers use to write about your company.

Monitor Online Reviews

Be sure to know where your company is listed and to keep an eye on what is being posted. Even if you do not use the review and check-in features on sites like Yelp, Foursquare and Google, your customers do, and you should be sure to look into what people are saying about you. There will be a lot of fluff and quick blurbs, but occasionally someone will take the time to thoroughly write a review on your company. If it is good, note what they said and be sure to highlight those features. If it is bad, look into why it is bad and try to correct them. Above all else, don’t sweep anything under the rug.

Own up to your mistakes, and make it clear you are working to fix them

It is very easy to ignore bad reviews, and some sites even let you delete them off of your page, but that just creates the perception that, while you know about the problem, you refuse to do anything about it. Instead, make the changes that are necessary to counteract that review. If you did something really bizarre, like trying to sue Google for libel, that earned a lot of bad press, then own up to it. That shows maturity, which inspires confidence.

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Awesome Affiliates: Wpromote

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Happy Wednesday Awesome Affiliate readers! Today’s affiliate, Wpromote, leads businesses to the road of full-potential advertising. We welcome them to take the wheel and tell us a little bit about themselves:

In order for businesses to survive in today’s world of technology, advertising online is a must. Potential clients need be able to find you easily when they do a search for your business online, or they are likely to walk straight into a competitor’s arms. Small businesses often find online advertising, such as pay-per-click campaigns on Google, overwhelming and expensive and either neglect such campaigns or simply avoid them all together.

Wpromote, a leading search engine marketing firm based in Los Angeles, created QuickList to offer small businesses expert management for their online marketing campaigns. QuickList is the first smart, fast, and cost-effective way to increase your website’s visibility and traffic online. With QuickList your company will appear on the major search engines, including Google, Yahoo and Bing in just 24 hours.

We designed QuickList to be a service unlike any other and are confident that we can help small businesses grow online, which is why we are happy to offer our clients a free trial. So how does QuickList work? First, we hand submit your website to the major search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Then we create a customized search advertising campaign based on keywords related to your business. When potential clients search for a product or service you sell in a search engine, an ad for your website will appear in the sponsored listings. People can then click on your ad and be directed to your website to make a purchase or learn more about your company. This is a highly successful way to advertise because everyone who clicks on your ad is interested in the product or service that you offer.

When clients sign up for our QuickList service they receive the following:

• Listings in Just 24 Hours
• Easy Online Account Management
• Dedicated Account Management Team
• Monthly Search Engine Visibility Reports
• Ongoing Optimization of Keywords and Ads
• And Much More!

QuickList is great solution for anyone who wants to advertise online and simply doesn’t have the time or expertise to manage such campaigns. We work with a wide range of clients in various industries, from small Internet start-ups to local brick-and-mortar businesses. With Wpromote’s revolutionary QuickList service, no client is too big or small.

Interested in becoming an affiliate with MyCorporation or finding out more information about Wpromote? Contact Cindi Sokoloff, Affiliate Manager at MyCorporation at (818) 746-2264 ext 320

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Is an MBA Worth Monkeying Around for?

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A friend of mine, who is studying for his Master’s in Business Administration, once joked that, from what he could see in his classes, MBA must actually stand for “Mainly Baboons and Apes.”

Photo courtesy of jademacalla.deviantart.com

Education has become commoditized, whether we want to admit it or not. Becoming educated is no longer something you can do if you have the intellect and motivation; instead, it is something you must do to even get a job. Slowly but surely, getting a BA in Business is becoming just the first step in landing employment. Employers want to see Master’s Degrees, and with the huge influx in students enrolling in Master’s programs, there came a shift in the quality of that education. A New York Times article, published March 2009, explored if the methods and direction of business schools needed to be re-evaluated. It is no wonder, especially after two more years of economic recession, that people have begun to wonder if, in reality, the business world is full of what my friend saw in his classes; a bunch of monkeys throwing around buzz words.

Synergy? Upward thinking? Empowerment? Web 2.0? More often than not, it feels like the people giving presentations with those words flashing on their PowerPoint screens have as much idea about what they are saying as those who were dredged up to listen to them. But there is a reason why they talk like that, and it isn’t simply because they are really apes in suits.

A bad MBA, more often than not, points to a bad MBA program. An increase in demand meant a lot of schools began to turn away prospective students, and there was no lack of universities willing to offer them a position instead. In an effort to save money, these colleges will typically hire less-than-talented, part-time, professors to work teach courses for the MBA program. The amount of money universities typically pay part-time instructors is not too overwhelming, so it is no wonder that they decide to just pad courses with self-help books and take-home exams. It may make the student happy, but results in a poorly trained graduate.

That isn’t to say that all MBA programs are bad. A degree from a prestigious school like Harvard, Stanford, or even a good public university can still carry a lot of weight and open doors. But it seems like every company wants an MBA without having to pay for their extra education. So, if a student ends up shuffling through a less than stellar program, their sellability will drop, resulting in a position in either a smaller company, or in middle management for a larger one. From there, they could possibly wreak havoc, ruin efficiency, and just make life miserable for everyone they supervise.

There are, however, some positive developments that seem to be coming out of the MBA craze.  Good schools are opening up all across the world, and some of the most prestigious programs are trying to reach out to new pockets of talent. More and more satellite campuses are opening in the hopes of attracting good students who would like to study within their own country, instead of moving out to a foreign school. The Economist reported that the amount of Asian students applying to study in America, for example, dropped from 85% of GMAT takers in 2001 to 67% in 2009. These schools have the capital to invest in good professors as well; professors who do more than throw a Spencer Johnson book at their students and call it a day.

Ability should be more important than education. Education can aid and enhance a student’s abilities, but if they have no head for business to begin with, all the schooling in the world isn’t going to help them. Right now, it seems that the focus of many businesses is on short-term gains. If the recession has taught us anything, it is that thinking long-term is probably a better strategy. I wouldn’t be surprised if that lesson sticks for a little while and companies begin to hire based on talent, and not branding.

Hopefully, then, the business world will no longer be a planet of the apes.

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5 Topics to Stay Clear of Tweeting at the Workplace

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Fired for Tweeting. It’s a headline that is cropping up in the media more and more with more severe implications for the Twitterer in question at the workplace. Instead of getting a stern warning, companies are now issuing instant severance papers for those in social media who Tweet taboo topics on the company Twitter feed. The effect that a Tweet has is extremely wide-reaching and can easily ruin the reputation of a business or corporation put into the hands of those who click “retweet” just once.

The 140 characters that you are given to work with need to work in your favor as well as for the best interest of any company you work for. Be careful whenever Tweeting news at work because bad news will travel fast to followers-and steer clear of these 5 hot button topics:

1) Insensitive Jokes About Sensitive Content

You might think you’re being witty and funny, but when tweeting on issues concerning race, religion, and sexuality, keep your opinions out of it. Remember, your followers may not know who the voice behind the Tweet is and to assume that that is the belief of the company is harmful to both company ethics and reputation.

2) Dissing Your Employer

Don’t agree with the amount you get paid hourly? Unhappy about staying after 5pm? Or do you just “h8 my job uggggghhhh?” Talk about it with your employer instead of telling the internet all about it. If you’re looking for sympathy, you’re unlikely to find it, particularly in this economy. And bosses do look at the company Twitter and can easily deduce who wrote what. If you think you are Tweeting on your account instead of the company account, it still isn’t a Tweet you’d ever want to write. Chances are your employer knows about that Twitter account too.

3) Don’t Share Company Secrets

Don’t turn the company Twitter handler into a tell-all Tweet memoir. If you know gossip within the company, keep it to yourself.

4) Don’t Argue with Followers

It may not relate to a topic per say but occasionally followers will attempt to pry for further information from your company in a Tweet that you may not feel comfortable giving out. Depending on the tone of the Tweet, it might be best to refrain from responding (particularly in spamming cases) or answer politely by referring them to the website for further information. Building relationships online and offline for your company is crucial to its success. You never want to argue online with your followers or swear at them. It is never professional and with so many people viewing your account, it ruins your reputation.

5) Keep Personal Information Out of Your Tweets

FourSquare has made it popular to tell the world where the office is going to lunch at, but as always it is an optional site to link to. If you don’t feel comfortable telling Twitter (especially in the case of a home-based business) where you are located or the phone number to contact you at, you don’t need to. There is no way of knowing who is looking at your Twitter profile- and you are never required to give out information that you don’t want to.

Keep these tips in mind at work and you shouldn’t have any trouble with your Twitter account. Happy Tweeting!

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Awesome Affiliates: Outright

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This week’s featured affiliate is famous for being the only free, online bookkeeping software available in the United States for self-employed entrepreneurs. They are Outright and today they’d like to offer you 3 Reasons Why You Aren’t Looking At Your Business’s Bottom Line as our guest blog posters.

One of the most popular features of our bookkeeping software at Outright is the little green number at the top of the dashboard that tells our users how much profit they have made over the year. Outright users – like many small business owners –love being able to see their bottom line at a glance.

But sometimes small business owners aren’t aware of the bottom line. Are you one of them? Here are three reasons you might not be aware if your business is flourishing, losing money, or breaking even:

1.) Fear – You’re working hard every day, but there’s a nagging feeling at the back of your skull that perhaps your business isn’t profitable. Sure you cash checks, but the expenses that go along with running your business make you groan. Believe it or not, fear that the business isn’t doing well – i.e. that your dream isn’t working out like you planned – is one of the major reasons that people fail to look at their bottom line. If this is your problem, go ahead and do your books. Knowing whether you are profitable or losing money will take one less worry out of your head as you try to fall asleep at night. And if you are in the red, knowing your bottom line will put you on the right path to correcting your business’s course of action.

2.) Disorganization – Who has time to enter all those invoices and receipts into a bookkeeping system? You’re too busy working hard for the money! But this presents a problem at tax time, not to mention during the year. Imagine if you were spending a whopping $600 a year on your office supply addiction? Keeping good books – and a close eye on your bottom line – could alert you to the problem and allow you to curb it before you see your annual profits dip into the red.

3.) Lacking Bookkeeping Skills – Just because you’re a small business owner doesn’t mean that you automatically know how to keep your books. What’s a ledger? A debit? These aren’t concepts that most people learn in college, much less in the school of life. Just because you’re an excellent freelance writer, or landscaper, or salon owner doesn’t mean that you can balance a ledger. If this is your problem, it’s time to learn the basics of bookkeeping, hire a professional, or use a service like Outright, which automates your bookkeeping for you.

We understand business owners – you are busy running the day-to-day aspects of the business. Bookkeeping is difficult, confusing and time consuming. But knowing and understanding your bottom line is one of the key aspects of being a business owner. If you don’t know whether your business is raking in the dough or in the red, take the time to find out. Your business is your dream, and knowing whether you are profitable – or a need a small change of course – will put you back in charge of your business and your future.

This guest post was brought to you by Outright.com, the simplest way to manage your business bookkeeping. Sign up for a 90-day free trial ($9.99/month afterward) with Outright today and put your business bookkeeping on autopilot!

Interested in becoming an affiliate with MyCorporation or finding out more information about Outright? Contact Cindi Sokoloff, Affiliate Manager at MyCorporation at (818) 746-2264 ext 320.

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