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	Insurance   Home Office Coverage by Valerie Schields, Financial Planner Many small businesses are currently being run at home. Many times a separate room is designated, and should be for tax purposes.  Many times the Home Office Business Owner neglects to consider the appropriate insurance  to cover their business.  A Home office may need an insurance policy that is separate from the one covering the rest of the house.  A typical homeowners policy usually does not cover more than $2500 in equipment.  Office equipment such as computers, copiers, fax machines and printers, plus valuable files may add up to more than your homeowner policy covers. If you are running a full time business from your home, it is suggested that you talk to your insurance agent regarding a policy rider to cover the business.  This rider is usually very inexpensive ($200 average), and you will appreciate its value should the need arise. Back to Biz Tips Directory   International Business Make sure international payments are made in U.S. funds. The currency conversion might otherwise be costly and slow down your actual receipt of funds. You can make sure payments are sent to you as U.S. funds from a U.S. bank. The best way to figure out if your check is drawn on a U>S Bank is to look at the bottom of the check for the 9-digit ABA routing number. If it's there you're probably receiving U.S. funds. If you don't know what an ABA routing number is you can visit the American Bankers Association at http://www.aba.com to find lists of publications that give the details. Back to Biz Tips Directory   Law     Back to Biz Tips Directory y Marketing     Where to Find New Business – by Kellie Barbar Along with the perks of being your own boss, and having charge of your won business, is the never-ending challenge of finding new business. The following methods work: 1. Referrals:  ASK your current customers for names and phone numbers of people they recommend or ASK them to call these people for you.  If they are satisfied with your service/product, they will be happy to refer you.   (Note: You must ASK) 2. Network and Socialize:  Meet people in face-to-face business settings.  Make a plan, and make these gatherings a BUSINESS  focus for you rather than a social chat.  Save the conversation about the weather for another time. 3. Use the Media: Work with someone or become educated on how to write and send out press releases.  These keep the media alert of you and the changes in your business. You may be surprises to learn that there is a great deal of information in the business sections of local newspapers that is not paid advertising.  It is information gathered from press releases and it is printed for free. 4.  Get Online:  Get a presence on the Web.  If not your own web page, get a page on a small business web page with a link to your email address.  Many web pages offer links, banners and small business advertising.          Back to Biz Tips Directory  Think outside the box By Sumner Davenport, Self-Investment Company Times have changed, our customers have changed and the old way of doing things does not fit the new emerging opportunities. It’s time to think outside the box. Start by erasing your mind of how everyone else is doing it   Let go of the ideas of  how they are getting rich, how they are marketing their product,, etc.  Start writing your own vision.  Start envisioning your success, and think of new and exciting ways to get attention, produce and promote a product, make a difference – from your unique position.  Focus on your talents, your experience, your expertise and you can make a difference in the marketplace.            Back to Biz Tips Directory  Speak up! By Precilla Kaven, Professional Speakers Agent Look for opportunities to speak to groups.  Many charity and civic groups are looking for speakers at their business meetings.  They usually don’t pay for these speakers, however, the exposure is worth the time.   To get the most from speaking for free: 1.   Choose the groups that have the best target audience for your business 2.   Prepare a short introduction that can be used by the group in their advertising or when introducing you before your speech.  This way they can deliver information about you that is important for prospects to know.  By having this information delivered prior to your presentation, it gives more time to your presentation.  3.   Prepare your entire “speaking time” in advance.  Your “speaking time” includes your networking before and after your presentation.  4.   Practice! Practice! Practice!  Make sure you sound casual and confident in your presentation as well as your networking 5.   Listen! Listen to what others have to say.  You will learn who is your best potential client by listening, especially before and after your presentation 6.  Follow-up           Back to Biz Tips Directory  Query Your Customers,  by Sumner Davenport, Many small businesses feel that establishing and keeping customers is the most difficult part of their business.  They are constantly trying to discover what their prospect and customer wants. The best way to understand your customer is to ask them.  Always take time to ask a customer why they bought.  Ask customers that have left you to tell you why.  If you asked them why they bought when they first became a customer, they will be more likely to tell you why they quit.  Some of the feedback you get will be valuable for the growth of your business.  Other feed back will show you how to define your target market.  Even when customers leave, it isn’t always for a bad reason.  Finding out why helps you to know you are still doing a good job.           Back to Biz Tips Directory  Keep Your Name in their Face,  By Michelle Green, Lasting Impressions Wouldn’t it be nice to have your customers or prospects think of you every day.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have your number handy when they want to call you?  Wouldn’t it be nice to know how? It’s easy, it’s simple and it can be inexpensive. Promotional Items also now as Advertising specialties. But before you rush out and buy 100 pens to give away, start with a plan. Who is your target market?  What impact do you want to make with a promotional item?  What image do you want to project?  What is your budget?  What will you follow-up with? Don’t make the mistake of buying “trinkets” and giving them away like candy.   Make a plan, and make the promotional items work for you. Back to Biz Tips Directory  Organizing     Back to Biz Tips Directory  Problem Solving     Back to Biz Tips Directory  Sales      Back to Biz Tips Directory  Say Thank You by Sumner Davenport, Stay In Touch Greetings Remember to say "Thank You" to your customers and do it personally. The two points of this tip are equally important. Your business with your customers is a relationship, no different than your relationship with friends that you want to keep in your life. Like anyone else, your customers need to know that they are appreciated. This is more than a quick email with two short words. Your customers will notice the attention you give to the thank you as part of its sincerity. Instead of an email - call them. Your voice will deliver the message with more sincerity than your keyboard. If they only have one second to find out the reason for your call, your message will stay in their mind much longer. Use the old fashioned way - send them a handwritten note. Mail is personal., And it can't be overlooked. Even if the envelope gets put in the pile of other papers on their desk, it will eventually be found. And most likely at the right moment. Just seeing the envelope, before ever opening it to read the message, they already know your message and you are different. Do it soon and do it often. Would you rather be thanked the next day or next year for something you did for someone? And would one "thank you" carry you for the lifetime of your relationship? When you show your customers that you appreciate them, they will return the appreciation as a loyal customer.   Back to Biz Tips Directory    Time Management     FIVE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS By Sandra Palmer     1 - Close your office door when you want to think strategically.  Even when working at home alone, this action creates an environment of focus.     2  - Limit duration of phone calls. Decide in advance how much time you have available for the phone call.  Set a time and stay with it.     3 - Read only business related emails, regular mail, notes and faxes during prime business hours.  Save all personal correspondence for after “money Making” prime business hours     4 - Plan all appointments in advance (1) How much time is necessary (2) What do you want to accomplish (3) What materials do you need to have with you (Begin collecting these materials as your work, and placing them in a convenient place, you can easily access just before the meeting , or in your briefcase if the meeting is out of your office)      5 – Get Organized.  It takes less time to find notes, materials and communications when you have a specific place for them.  Pondering and searching are two big time wasters. Article excerpt by Sandra Palmer Submitted to Self-Investment Company for use in Business Tips Back to Biz Tips Directory  Venture Capital When making presentations to Venture Capital prospects - keep it simple and whet their appetite for more. When you've captured their interest put your best presentation with the answers to their questions   More than Inspiration More than Platitudes Personal stories of overcoming life's challenges STOP WORKPLACE ABUSE TODAY STOP workplace abuse,  sexual harassment,  bullying, mobbing, discrimination, retaliation.