Small Business Idea Generator Blog

We're Moving (and cool new stuff is on the way)!

This is turning out to be a launch-crazy week. I will be launching a fresh new design at avertua.com (hopefully) this week, and part of that launch is moving this blog to it's new, permanent home at smallbusinessideagenerator.com.

The new SBIG site will not only include this blog, but a bunch of other small business resources, tools and even training. That part will be coming in a couple weeks. Please don't mind the work-in-progress look at the new site! Everything should be fixed and working properly in a few days.

I am transferring the feed over to the new blog and hopefully we won't lose anyone. But be sure to check your subscription once the dust has settled.

I'll be back over here to update you on the progress later in the week. Stay tuned!

A Contest Worth Entering

What small business couldn't use a $5,000 grant? Well, now we all have a chance with Intuit's Love a Local Business competition. 

During January and February, Intuit will award one Grand Prize grant worth $35,000 to one small business and four other lucky small businesses will win $5,000 grants each month. The Grand Prize small business grant includes $25,000 worth of local radio advertising, $9,500 cash and $500 in Intuit products and services.

To nominate a business, including your own, just visit http://lovealocalbusiness.com/ and select the Love a Business tab if you're nominating a small business other than your own, or choose apply for a grant if you're nominating your own small business.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and nominate a local business!

Want to Write for the Small Business Idea Generator Blog?

I am looking to incorporate some fresh voices on the Small Business Idea Generator, so I'm putting out an open call for guest bloggers. I'm looking for well-written posts that are at least 300 words in a small business-related category.

What do you get?

Aside from getting your name out there to a potentially new audience, here are some of the other "perks" you will get for contributing to the blog:

• A bio with photo at the beginning of your post, including links to your own website/blog.
• Potential traffic from my existing blog marketing activities (sent to 200+ feed subscribers, tweeted to over 3,600 Twitter followers, posted on my Facebook profile for 700+ friends, shared on other outlets, such as LinkedIn, FindVirtual and more).
• First crack at trying out and reviewing any free products/services that SBIG has access to.

If you're interested in writing a post or two (or as many as you'd like), email me or leave a comment below, letting me know your area of expertise and the post topic you'd like to cover.

Image credit: typofi

Overcoming the Fears of Entrepreneurship: Money

This is the first in a series of posts identifying some of the fears of business ownership and outlining ways you can conquer them.

Regardless how prepared you are, starting a business is scary. There are so many things to think (and worry) about, and it can be completely overwhelming. But does that mean you shouldn't go for it? Of course not. You just need to be prepared to tackle your fears.

One of the biggest fears of entrepreneurship is the worry that you won't make enough money. This is a biggie...and unfortunately, there aren't any guarantees. It can be very difficult to anticipate if (and when) you will make enough to provide for your family, purchase health insurance if needed, pay your mortgage and other bills, and support your quality of life.

Since there are so many unknowns, one way you can overcome the fear is by putting enough money aside to cover your expenses for at least a year, two if possible, before starting the business full-time. This will give you a bit of a buffer if profits are slow coming in, and it will also give you time to start a plan B if you need to supplement your income.

While you're saving up, you may consider keeping your full-time job and starting your business on the side, focusing on it during nights and weekends. While this can be stressful because it means you will be working all the time, it gives you time to get your feet wet with business ownership while you still have the security of a steady paycheck. Then you can wait until you have a client base in place and confidence in your business to take the jump to full-time.

The key is knowing how much you need to make and devising a plan well in advance for meeting those needs. A budget is a must-have tool for doing this successfully.

How did you handle the fear of not making enough money when you started your business?

Image credit: TALUDA

Giving Your Clients the Royal Treatment

I recently read this post by Carolyn Higgins over on Fortune Marketing Company's blog. In her post, she talked about how there are many different factors that play a part in a customer's satisfaction, beyond the quality of the product or service they are buying. According to Carolyn, small business owners sell an experience; our products and services do not work alone.

This makes so much sense when you think about it. Sure, our clients come to us because of the products and services we provide. BUT, they stay with us (and recommend us to others) because of the experience we offer them. So how can you ensure you're treating your clients well enough so you stay on their minds for all the right reasons?

Here are a few ways you can treat your clients like royalty:

• Provide exceptional service
• Promptly respond to calls and emails
• Listen to and acknowledge client requests
• Ask for feedback
• Be accountable when something goes wrong

It all comes down to doing more than the bare minimum and striving to exceed expectations. How do you give your clients an experience that keeps them coming back?

Image credit: brokenarts

Size Doesn't Matter

There's a major generalization in the business world that all small businesses dream of getting big, but that's not accurate. While I think all small business owners aim for success and longevity, that doesn't translate into physical growth for every business. There are a lot of reasons why you may want to keep your business small. Here are a few.

You are happy with the time/effort you're putting in and income you're getting out.

Business growth usually comes with more to manage and a juggling of priorities. If you're content with the level of success you have, growing may simply not make your list of goals. The work/life balance is a big challenge for small business owners. If you've reached a balance that works, you may not want to mess with a good thing.

You don't want to change the unique value you offer clients.

You've created a successful business because you're good at what you do and you offer your clients something they can't get anywhere else. If you add growth to the formula, things are likely to change. While that change can be a good thing, sometimes it's not worth the risk that it will have negative results.

You prefer to focus on non-physical growth.

Not growing physically doesn't mean your business is stagnant. You can still focus on business development that doesn't revolve around physical growth -- offering new services, creating new products, and finding new ways to manage your business and become more productive.

So whether you are a small business working on physical growth, or a small business focusing on maintaining your current client base and company configuration, it all comes down to what your individual goals are...and in reality, bigger isn't always better.

Do you have big goals for your small business? Is physical growth a part of that?

Image credit: forwardcom

Free Facebook Training for Small Business

Are you ready to start using Facebook to promote your business? If so, you won't want to miss this free training session organized by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing on January 21 at 1:00 pm EST. The session features Dave Kerpen, Mari Smith, and Nick O’Neill in a live webinar discussion.

The training is free and all participants will also receive a free Facebook for Business Greatest Hits, a PDF ebook featuring articles from each of the panel participants. Find out more about the session.

Here are some links that provide more help navigating Facebook for your business:

• How to Market Your Business With Facebook, The New York Times
• 32 Ways to Use Facebook for Business, Web Worker Daily
• 30+ Apps for Doing Business on Facebook, Mashable

I Think I Can: How Positive Thinking Can Make You More Successful

It's no secret that positive thinking can be powerful in all aspects of your life. In fact, it can have a tremendous impact on what you're able to accomplish and how quickly you get there.

Positive thinking can keep you going when you face a challenge, and it can be the difference between being good and being great. Here are some ways positive thinking can make you more successful.

Positive thinking boosts confidence.

The more optimisticly you think, the easier it will be for you to believe you can do anything. And when you start to believe that anything is possible, you'll increase your confidence - a necessary trait for any kind of success.

Positive thinking helps you focus.

Thinking about the benefits and what you have to gain by striving for something can help you zero in on what it takes to get there. Once you have that focus, it becomes easier to continue on the path to success.

Positive thinking psychs you up for the challenge.

Challenges can be overwhelming, especially when they seem like mountains keeping us from our goals. But if you use that fear of failure to fire up your determination and drive, you can turn positive thinking into the fuel that keeps you going.

Have you experienced any specific benefits from thinking positively? Do you think it has made you more successful?

Image credit: ilco

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): A Worthy Investment

As you work through your budget for the New Year, consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) if you don't already have one. A UPS is just a back-up battery, but it can save you lost work and lots of stress in the case of a power failure.

Imagine that you're plugging away on that client project or buckled down on writing your book when the power goes out. And let's say you've gotten just a bit lazy with saving your files as you work. If you're working on a desktop computer without a backup power supply, you could potentially lose hours of work if you're not careful.

While a UPS isn't meant to provide hours of power so you experience no downtime, it can help you manage the potential crisis that comes from a temporary loss of electricity. Not only does having a UPS give you a chance to save your documents and safely shut down your machine, but it can also keep your Internet connection live while you shoot off an email to clients and colleagues letting them know you'll be offline for a bit (assuming you have your modem and router plugged into the UPS).

Here are some great tips and advice for choosing an uninterruptible power supply:

New Year's Resolutions vs. Business Goals

There is a lot of talk this time of year about New Year's resolutions, goals and other preparations for 2010. But, while each may have their own benefits, all New Year's commitments are not created equal. As you decide if you will be making a New Year's resolution or committing to a business goal, consider the difference between the two.

What is a New Year's Resolution?

New Year's resolutions are simple, behavior-driven activities that typically do not require advanced planning. Resolutions are similar to mantras you voice to give yourself motivation and encouragement as you work at bettering yourself. Here are some examples of resolutions you may make in your business.

What is a Business Goal?

Goals are measurable accomplishments that you commit to achieving in your business at some point in the future. Goals are frequently complex and can be made up of many different mini-goals. For more on goal setting:

• 7 Easy Steps to Get You Started with Goal Setting
• A Really SMART Way to Set Goals
• 10 Simple Tips to Help You Achieve Even Your Most Ambitious Goals
• SMART Goals + Motivation = Success
• 30 Ways to Celebrate Your Success

So...New Year's Resolutions or Goals?

To me, goal setting is not a once-a-year activity, but something you should do on a regular basis. Making goals a consistent part of your business in terms of identifying both long- and short-term goals and measuring their success is really the only way to benefit from goal setting.

Resolutions are a perfect way to motivate yourself for a handful of actions you want to incorporate into your life in the New Year...and they can keep you on track as you stretch yourself to reach your goals.

Do you make resolutions or goals? Which do you find more useful?

Image credit: gabriel77