SMBs & SMB Experts: How Are You Preparing For An Economic Uptick?

Inquiring Reporters Want To Know

Yes, it's another chance for publicity. If you are an expert on small business and have advice for this subject or if you are a small business owner who has thought about this and would like to weigh in, use the information below to contact the reporter for this MSN story.

Summary: Small business strategies to prepare for an uptick


Name: Jeff Wuorio Business on Main
Category: Business and Finance

Email: query-2psb@helpareporter.net

Media Outlet: Business on Main

Deadline: 7:00 PM EST - 4 January

Query:

I am writing a story that will offer small businesses
suggestions on ways they can prepare for what many expect to be
improving financial conditions in the coming year. This could be
anything from marketing to finance to staffing and personnel
moves.

Requirements:

Really like to talk with small business experts and/or small
business owners themselves who have considered this issue.

I Need Help...People Dismiss Me Because I Offer Too Much In My Services!

My company, GoSmallBiz, offers so much to business owners that when I tell them the price, they think something's wrong with the services. It is tough to get people to buy when this happens.

If I tell people about the unlimited legal phone consultations, the unlimited qualified business consultations, the access to legal documents, the 3-7 reviewed contracts and documents, the 3-10 debt collection letters, the 75 hours of trial defense if sued, that any other legal issue is at 25% discount, the 5% contingency fee discount, the hosted website and more, they think that $75 per month is too little to pay for all that. Like Britney Spears, oops, I did it again.

They think there must be some kind of catch like the lawyers and consultants are 3rd rate (nope). Or that they are locked in to a long term contract (nope, month to month). Well, maybe there is one catch. The business consultations are done through electronic mail. But you can be as detailed as you need to be and its unlimited!

If you have any advice on a better way to let people know about my services and avoid this reaction, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Kelly

PS - I don't control the pricing so I can't raise them and they have never been raised on a customer.

DC Area Health Care SMBs: Did You Use Social Media To Get Clients?

If you are at a DC, MD or VA health care company and you used social media or content media to attract clients, The Examiner is looking to interview you for an upcoming article. Get free publicity if they use you in the article.  

Write them a note by 12pm New Year's day. Details and contact information is below.

Name: Gail Brown Examiner.com
Category: Business and Finance

Email: query-2pj9@helpareporter.net

Media Outlet: Examiner.com

Deadline: 12:00 PM EST - 1 January

Query:

Did you find the use of social media or content marketing
helpful in securing client/customers? If so, what strategies
were used, and what were the results achieved?
Requirements:

Must be a small business providing health care IT services,
business-2-business, in the DC, MD, or VA area. Only provide 1-2
paragraphs.

Home Improvement and Home Renovation Professionals

If home improvement shows have affected your business adversely, this is an opportunity for free publicity from a national homebuilding magazine has come up. The reporter's name is Mary Gardner. If you qualify, they may use you in a story she's writing. Her deadline is December 22, 2012.

Here is what she wrote:

I am writing a series of articles for national and local
homebuilding trades and business outlets. I am interested in
stories from business owners in the homebuilding business that
have had clients try to undercut the fees based on what they
"saw" on TV. Did they under estimate the TIME involved? The
prices? The extra fees? Or have OTHER expectations based on a TV
show that is designed to make things look and feel easier than
they REALLY ARE? How has this HURT your relationships or your
business and HOW have you dealt with it? 

Requirements:

These articles need to have stories of REAL individuals that OWN
or WORK in businesses.. in the home improvement industry.
Architects, realtors, home designers, decorators, or any vendor
that sells a product that goes IN THE HOME. Please be as
specific and give actual conversations if you have examples of
peoples/clients misdirected expectations and HOW you resolved
their expectations.. or if you lost a customer as a result.Thank you!

You can contact her by email query-2oqf@helpareporter.net

Free Publicity For Telling How You Get Business By Bidding

If you use bids to get business this is a chance at free publicity. A freelance reporter is looking to for businesses that can discuss how to use bids to benefit their business. Her deadline for this story is December 14, 2012 at 7pm, so get to her ASAP.

Contact her by clicking here.

Top 5 Ways For Small Businesses To Avoid An ADA Lawsuit

Disabiliy Means More Than Most People Think

In an article by Brian Tracy entitled "Don't Get Sued For Disability Discrimination", he writes about a hypothetical employee who sits down in his employer's office and announces that he needs time off because he's depressed. According to Tracy, this sets off an immediate Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) alarm because Congress included, among others, depression as covered under the law. What should a small business owner do?

My first thought is that if I have under 15 employees, it really isn't my problem. But Tracy's article explains that states usually cover smaller businesses, including Connecticut, which  covers as low as 3-employee firms. As James McDonald, managing partner of the Irvine, CA office of the employment law firm of Fisher & Phillips says in the article, "The definition of disability has expanded substantially."

 So here are the top 5 ways small business owners can avoid an ADA lawsuit:

1. Keep an open mind
2. Treat your employees as you would like your employer to treat you. 
3. Don't act based on stereotypes. 
4. Recognize that sometimes because of the effects of an impairment, the individual cannot do the job.
5. Make sure to have policies and procedures in place that will let employees raise their issues

 Consult with your attorney on these matters to make sure you are in compliance.

Business Plan Helps Tell The Story of Your Business

Facts tell. Stories sell. If you've been in sales for any amount of time, you've heard this. And it is the truth. People love a story and if you can tell the story of your business, it will be much easier to sell what you want to sell; whether its products, services or your business itself. The GoSmallBiz Toolbox package has a module called "Business Plan Builder" that can not only help you create a business plan, but tell the story of your business. It is only one of 8 modules. The video below gives a brief explanation.