Small Business Quick Tips

Here's a great article written by one of my clients:

Do you own a small business? Here are some quick tips that can help your business:

Have a business plan and a good accountant. Both of these are crucial to the success of any small business. Have a one year and five year plan - know what your goals are, and break them down into monthly and weekly action plans. A good accountant to bounce your ideas off of and advise you if and when it's appropriate to take on debt is also critical.

Figure out what your business model is. This is so simple and should be done before you even start your business, but if you haven't done this, it's not too late. Who is your target customer? Do you know of another business that is the same as yours that is successful? How are they selling? These are all questions you need to be asking in order to devise a system and successful business model.

Join the local chamber. Your local chamber of commerce is a great place to meet fellow business owners and do some quality networking. Bring business cards with you, and keep in mind that you won't get quick results from networking, but instead are sowing seeds for the future. Any referrals you get are guaranteed to be quality, because they're based on trust and from people you've taken the time to build relationships with.

Join an exclusive networking group. Taking the concept of networking to the next level, networking groups such as BNI offer a great opportunity to do some more active and focused networking. These groups allow only one person per profession, and can be a great source of business for you if you dedicate the time and effort required.

Image is everything. Remember that you are a professional, and should always regard yourself and your business as such. Rather than print business cards and brochures on your own printer, get them professionally done. This doesn't have to be expensive, and will make your business look better. Use a voice-mail service rather than an answering machine on your phone. Answer with your company name. Be courteous and maintain a professional demeanor at all times. Dress for success. Your image is everything!
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Anthony Diedrick owns DS1Communcations, South Florida's and Washington DC's premier Norstar provider. Anthony has over 20 years of telecommunications industry experience and oversees a team of highly trained technical personnel. You can find out more at http://www.ds1communications.com