Successful Blog

Account for Your Business Needs

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Businesswoman Calculating TaxIf you could name one thing as a business owner keeping you awake at night, what would it be?

Some business owners may say it is the challenge of putting together consistent marketing and advertising campaigns for their brands.

Others, meantime, may point to whether or not they are making the right hires.

For others, it is the financial aspect of running a business, being able to make sure the company stays in the black and avoids dipping into the red zone too often.

No matter what might have you awake at night in running a company, there are means available to lessen those fears.

Most importantly, are you able to account for your business needs?

Getting the Right People in the Right Places

One of your biggest challenges in overseeing a company is making sure you have the right people in the right places.

You can look at your business as operating a bus, having each occupant in a certain seat.

While you should never downplay the time and effort each employee brings to your business, most employees have a specific role within your company. That means having the most talented and experienced people in the most important positions.

One such position is the person or persons handling your accounting needs.

Stop for a moment and think about how important having good finances in place is for a business, especially if you are a small business owner.

Unlike larger operations that typically have extra financial capital to help them survive the tough times, smaller companies are oftentimes playing with a smaller margin of error. As a result, just one or two financial mistakes can cause a major ripple effect through the entire company.

For those individuals overseeing your accounting, they may have come into the position at an early period for your company, perhaps even when you opened up.

Over time, financial matters and needs change, meaning your accounting folks need to stay on top of things at all times.

If you feel they may need some additional education, consider the idea of online accounting degree programs.

By taking and completing such coursework, your accounting professionals are better suited to serve you and your staff.

Taking such coursework in today’s world is made even easier by the fact that the materials can be studied and completed online. Instead of employees having to worry about commuting to and from classes after work, they can do much of their studying and testing from the comforts of home.

Employers Have Role to Play

While you want your employees to be as educated as possible, you also have a role to play as their employer.

Keep in mind that many workers in today’s economic climate are oftentimes juggling more than one job. They may work for you in a full-time capacity, but they might also leave after work to go to a part-time job. Meantime, some of your employees go straight home after work to care for families.

No matter what the circumstances may be, you likely have a fair number of workers that must juggle expenses on a regular basis, expenses that may deter them from wanting to expand their levels of education.

In those cases, this is where you as an employer can step in and contribute.

As more business owners have discovered over time, it is worth paying for a portion or even all of an employee’s education during their employ with you.

Not only do you get a better employee in most cases, but it serves as an incentive for people to want to come and join your company. Seeing that you care about things like more education can be the difference when a potential employee is looking at taking a job with you or a competitor. They can see that with more education, there will likely be more chances to advance in the company, ultimately leading to more income.

If you have been thinking about contributing to an employee’s education during their time with you, areas such as accounting, departmental management, sales and marketing etc. are all key components of a successful business.

Is it time for you to account for your business needs?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Your Business Can’t Afford a Tax Disaster

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Behind On Your BillsDo you ever stop to think about how many hours you truly put into running your business? In the event you do, the numbers could possibly be mind-blowing.

As most business owners, overseeing a business oftentimes means working more than the typical 9 to 5 routine. In fact, it can mean long hours and the feeling at times like you will never quite get ahead.

Now, imagine what your business life would be like if you throw a tax problem into the mix. Think it can’t happen to you?

For too many business owners, issues with the Internal Revenue Service can prove both financially and mentally taxing.

That said how will you make sure that your business avoids disaster when it comes to your taxes?

Tax Attorney Can Mean All the Difference

For those business owners running into taxing issues, it is crucial that they try and not go it alone.

When hiring the right tax attorney to stand up and fight for you, you improve your odds of having any potential financial losses go against you and your company.

So, how do you go about hiring the best tax attorney out there?

Remember, you need someone skilled enough to know the various tax codes, rules, and regulations on the book.

You also require someone willing to take your case because they want to assist you; simply not get a payment due to your misfortunes.

When it comes to finding the best and brightest tax attorneys out there, be it MCC4Tax or another such business, keep these tips in mind:

  • Selection process – The key is always to weed out those tax attorneys best not suited to meet your needs. How much experience do they have? Are they experts at predicting what the government will try and prove when going after business owners? In such efforts, can they shoot down any arguments by the other side, allowing their clients (possibly you) to come out a winner? Do they come highly recommended from other business owners (see more below), owners that relied on their legal expertise to win their cases? Those are but a few of the questions you should expect to have answers for before you choose your legal representation;
  • Client testimonials – As a business owner yourself, do you at times rely on client testimonials to enhance your business reputation? If the answer is yes, then apply that same line of thinking in searching for a tax attorney. He or she should be someone who comes highly recommended by others. If you view and/or listen to client testimonials, make sure you clearly hear what others are saying about your prospective tax attorney. What sets him or her apart from the others in this profession? While you likely will have to pay a little more for better legal representation, it may be the best spent money you will discover over time;
  • After the selection is made – Once you have your tax attorney working for you, make sure he or she is totally up to speed on your case. You may have made a simple error on your taxes, an error that can be easily corrected. On the other hand, a more notable mistake or mistakes can involve much more work by your attorney. Be sure to provide them with all pertinent details about your business, your tax filings etc. The ultimate goal is to have any and all charges during an audit reversed to go in your favor. If they are not changed, your business can take a hit on several fronts. First, the financial hit alone can prove quite damaging. Secondly, word oftentimes spreads quickly in the business community. Consumers hearing about your “questionable” business practices may be deterred from wanting to do business with you the next time around or even the first time around.

Knowing your business simply can’t afford a tax disaster, it is important that you carefully select your tax attorney.

Remember, he or she will try their best to save you a financial headache, a headache that can have implications beyond just finances.

When you are in need of a tax attorney, vet them properly, choosing the one best suited to get you a victory at the end of the day.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

How Much Education Do Your Employees Need?

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Business Woman Executive ManagementYour employees are the engine that helps run your business.

With that being the case, do you feel your employees have the right amount of education at the time of hire and while they are doing their jobs?

As more and more companies are discovering, paying in full or in part to send employees back to school to further their educations can be a very beneficial move.

With technology ever-changing, many employers see a need to give their employees additional educational opportunities, allowing them to stay abreast of what is needed in contributing to businesses in today’s technological world.

So, how much education do your employees need?

Encouraging Workers to Grow

As an employer, you have myriad of responsibilities sitting on your plate day and night.

One of those responsibilities is making sure that you not only hired the best possible workforce, but that you make sure they remain on top of their work responsibilities each and every day.

But what if they’re falling behind as far as education? What happens when competitors have employees who are more advanced, especially in the area of technology? Do you run the risk as a business owner of letting the competition get the better of you?

One means whereby employers can stay on top of the latest in technology, accounting and other areas is by offering their employees the ability to continue their educations while working.

Although there can be issues with employees having enough time to work and go to school at the same time, letting workers study and gain more education online can be just the answer.

Through online accounting degree programs, employees can not only master skills necessary in the accounting field, but they can do so while not having to let their workplace responsibilities take a backseat.

If your business is open to such possibilities, there are several factors to keep in mind.

These include:

  • Support – First and foremost, make sure your employees know you fully support their efforts to further educate themselves while under your employ (whether you encourage the workers to gain more knowledge or they want to do it on their own). Some employees may feel like you will worry about them being able to juggle both work and school at the same time; this is where your support for their initiatives becomes so important.
  • Initiative – Face it; some employees need a little push from time to time. With that being the case, encourage those requiring such support to want to further their skills and knowledge. Some companies will put in place incentives for workers to increase their educations. Whether it is the ability to move up the corporate ladder or to get additional education which is essentially free, the possibilities can be endless. When you have a motivated team of employees, your business tends to do better than those just seemingly going through the motions day after day.
  • Finances – Finally, who will pay for each and every employee who wants more education to receive it? Some companies will foot the entire bill, while others will cover a portion of the expenses. In some cases, employers won’t pay for added education, but will instead offer other amenities (opportunities for additional salary and job responsibilities etc.). No matter which option your business chooses, be sure to figure out the financial end of things before signing off on online or in-person educational opportunities for your staff.

In looking at the big picture as an employer, always remember that the work world is literally changing each and every day.

As a result of this, it is important that your business stays abreast of what is necessary to outshine the competition. If you don’t stay on top of what is needed to successfully run your operation, you could find yourself and your employees watching the competition pass you by.

Lastly, always be supportive of those employees looking to learn more.

It is easy for many workers to fall into a rut and just show up on a daily basis for work.

The key is finding those employees who want to learn everything possible and more about their specific jobs.

When they do that, everyone benefits.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

How to be a live streaming video superstar

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We’re living through a visual revolution right now.

Marketers have always had to write compelling copy, whether it was destined for a print brochure, a website, or an ebook. However, the stakes have been raised. It’s not enough to have snappy text and a big, beautiful image.

Now you need to consider whether to add live streaming video to your marketing toolbox.

Facebook Live, SnapChat, Youtube Live Streaming, Twitter (with Periscope), all allow you to instantly broadcast as if you are a mini programming director at a network.

It’s tempting to just push that big red button and start recording yourself.

Before you do that, let’s just run through a few key checkpoints, shall we?

Business Case

First stop is to evaluate whether live streaming video will actually help you meet your business goals.

  • How will it take your strategy forward?
  • Will your audience find value from it?
  • What type of content will suit your mission? There’s a big difference between a quick series of behind the scenes Snaps and a weekly YouTube interview show.
  • Do you have the resources to invest (time, money, staff)?

Technical Considerations

You’re not going to do anything half-baked, so be sure you think about all of the items below before you launch a live video project.

  • Which platform to focus on – each platform has its own culture, demographics, and style. We all know that Snapchat was claimed by the Millennials first, but the rest of us are starting to join Snapchat too. Here’s a great article that offers demographic data for each social platform. Periscope was missing from that article, so here’s demographic data for Periscope specifically.
  • Lighting – this might seem obvious, but don’t shoot directly into a light source (like a window behind you). Especially if you are doing a “talking head,” consider having at least a couple of different light sources. Sit facing a window, and add a lamp for warmth somewhere to the side.
  • How do you look – whether you’re being formal or informal, dress for the part. Imagine the image you want to project to the world, and dress accordingly. Also try to avoid stark black, white, or tiny patterns. They don’t come across well on video. You don’t need a Kardashian glam squad, but check your hair and makeup (don’t look like a ghost).
  • Scenery/backdrop – what’s your location? If you’re in your den or desk area, look at the books or objects on the shelf behind you…are they items you want the world to see? Does it look cluttered? If you’re shooting outdoors, will you have people coming into the shot? Is there a way to work your logo into the scene? Also, it goes against everything you’ve been taught, but on Snapchat, you shoot vertically (not horizontally).
  • Audio – it’s not ideal to just speak into your built-in computer or smartphone microphone. Even using the earbud microphone is better. However, if you plan to routinely shoot live video, you might want to invest in a professional microphone (desktop if you’re stationary and lavalier if you’re moving around). You can get good equipment without breaking the bank.

Content Strategy

Live video should be just one component of your content strategy, and it should support the rest of the plan. You might want to host a followup live Q&A to discuss your latest blog post. You might consider shooting some live video at an event you’ve been promoting.

  • How long – are you doing a Snap (currently only 10 seconds at a time)? Or are you doing a live Periscope stream at an event (currently no time limit)?
  • What are your key points – unless you’re smooth like butter, you’ll want to plan your key content ahead of time. What are the main points you want to make? Don’t get caught in the trap of filling time by rambling and shooting random things in your house. Plan your words, and plan your shots.
  • Do you have guests (do you need permissions) – if you’re including another person in your video, you may need them to sign a release or permission to broadcast them. Here’s a useful article that explains when you do (or don’t) need a video release.
  • How will you save it – each video streaming platform has different mechanisms for downloading or saving your work. Be sure to check in advance how you do that (sometimes you need to specify in advance of recording). You’ll always want to save a copy of your work so that you can promote it and use it in the future.

Promotional Plan

If a video shows in the woods, will anyone see it? There’s no point in creating a fantastic live video stream if no-one is watching. In the case of live video, you have to promote to your audience in advance, so they know when to be there. The whole point of going live is to capture the magic of a particular moment in time, which is much different from just shooting a tutorial video that will sit on your website. Live streaming is all about action, insider access, and unmissable moments.

  • Let people know where you are – once you’ve chosen your platform, tell your audience all about it. Some of the platforms give you special graphic codes to use in promoting your streams (you see those yellow ghost images all over the place for Snapchat).  There’s even a whole app for promoting Snapchat channels (Ghostcodes). For Facebook Live, be sure to post the date and time in your stream ahead of time, and tell them what your topic is going to be.
  • Cross-promote on other platforms – incorporate your image code or link into the bios for all of your social outposts. Send an email to your list ahead of time, telling them where you’ll be popping up live. Build the excitement before the live stream, and let the audience know that they’ll be able to participate (all of the platforms include some way for the audience to comment or reply back).
  • Long term game plan – don’t think of this as a one-time deal. Make a long-term plan and editorial calendar just like you do for your other types of content. You can’t reap the rewards without putting in the sweat equity!

Are any of you experimenting with live video? What have been your challenges and successes so far?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Will You Print More Growth Moving Forward?

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Build up a brand concept: Smiling businessman building the wordMoving your brand forward can sometimes be a challenging task.

For some companies, growing too quickly can actually lead to an early demise. Then again, when some companies grow too slowly, the same result can be equally devastating.

That said it is important as a business owner to know about how much to grow, when to try and start that growth, and when exactly to slow things down.

So, will your business print more growth moving forward?

Growing at Just the Right Pace is Crucial

So that your brand can grow at just about the right pace, print these tips up:

  • Planning – You can’t do anything in the business world (or for much of that matter in other parts of life) without having a solid plan in pace. With a solid plan in place, your business has the ability to not only grow, but sustain that growth over time. Part of that plan means keeping a close eye not only on your specific industry, but also the overall economy. Red flags such as major layoffs across the board, a slowdown in consumer buying etc. are telltale warnings of rough times. Don’t be oblivious to such warnings, heed them;
  • Services – Knowing when to bring on additional staff, when you might need to put in place a few cutbacks etc. can be challenging. Companies such as City Print Design and others in the business of promoting a company’s message through brochures, flyers, pamphlets, business cards etc. are almost always in demand for their services. The same holds true for necessities such as accounting firms, tax preparation services, healthcare services and others. The message being, some industries are almost all but assured of never ceasing to exist. That said make sure your business always works as if today could be the last day. Never take the foot off the gas in providing unparalleled service to customers the world over;
  • Technology – Another important component in growing at just the right pace is mastering technology. As technology continues to expand and play an even more dominant role in the business world, it is critical that your brand properly use it to the fullest extent. Doing so allows you to stay even with or even surpass the competition. Always look for ways to introduce more technology into your business operation, yet without compromising the core values that have made you a successful brand in the first place. Part of that technology is making sure you have a firm grasp of how the Internet can help not only grow your business now, but down the road;
  • Staff – The mention of technology a moment ago also plays into the importance of making sure your workers not only understand how to use the latest technology, but they also embrace it. While some businesses still exist and actually do okay with an old-fashioned approach to doing business (little or no Internet usage, shying away from social media, zero or little interest in mobile marketing etc.), your brand can capture even more business by encouraging your team to use the available technology out there to the fullest extent possible. In doing so, your brand will oftentimes be seen as a trendsetter, not one that is just trying to keep up with the competition;
  • Future – Lastly, while no business owners has a crystal ball to tell him or herself where their company may be 10 or even five years down the road, there should always be a desire to run one’s business as long as it is financially and feasibly possible. While some unforeseen events can certainly alter those plans at different stages, certain brands as mentioned earlier (accounting, printing, taxes, healthcare etc.) are all but guaranteed to be here many decades from now. As a result, always look at the big picture for your business. If it is a family-run company, will it likely be passed down from generation to generation? When it comes to bigger operations such as healthcare, the question oftentimes is how will technology and finances dictate procedures decades from now? No matter what your line of business, have one eye on today’s responsibilities, along with one eye on what the future holds for your growth potential.

Photo credit: BigStockphoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Marketing One of the Most Needed Legal Services

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Time For ChangeFor those going through a divorce, it can be one of the most unnerving times in their lives.

For those dealing in a divorce that involves children, property, animosity and more, the situation can be 10 times worse.

So, what role do divorce attorneys play in trying to keep both sides from going at each other?

As many divorce lawyers and attorneys will tell you, doing the most for their clients and keeping the peace are oftentimes the two biggest goals.

Finding such clients has become easier and easier for many in the legal profession over the last decade or two do much in part to better marketing efforts.

Whether it is legal websites, blog postings, content marketing, social media, the list goes on and on.

So, is your law firm doing its best to market your family law services?

Myriad of Ways to Get One’s Message Out There

For many lawyers and attorneys, the key to landing more clients is in fact through sound marketing principles, principles that involve a well-rounded approach.

Among the ways divorce lawyers and attorneys should be courting potential clients:

  • Content marketing – Whether it is through content marketing pieces on their own blogs, guest posting on other blogs of interest, press releases, white papers, the list is literally endless. By having a stellar content marketing plan in place, attorneys and lawyers have the potential to reach countless individuals (families for that matter too) in need. Once some of those individuals and/or families see the final results they can obtain, they might be noting that was the attorney who did a great job with my divorce. As a legal pro in the area of family law, make it a point to direct a sizable portion of your promotional efforts towards content marketing. While you never want to come across as trying to make a sale if you will, it is important that you make it clear in your marketing efforts as to why your firm stands above the rest;
  • Client testimonials – Some of your best marketing and advertising efforts can come right from the mouths of those you have helped. Client testimonials are about as good as it gets for a law firm in terms of telling potential clients why one divorce court expert is better than the others. In putting together client testimonials, you obviously want permission from any participant you consider to go in front of the camera or provide a quote for a publication. Anything that may come across as possibly being coerced etc. will not only look bad, it could damage your reputation in the legal field;
  • Video promotions – Along with the above-mentioned client testimonials, more law firms are coming to realize that video promotions can be another winning form of marketing. Allowing potential clients the opportunity to get to know you and your staff better certainly can’t hurt. The video doesn’t have to be long (in fact it should not be long and drawn out). Simply tell a story as to why your law firm is the best choice for those in need of legal services when it comes to divorce proceedings. Finally, be sure to include pertinent members of your firm in the video, allowing potential clients to put a face with a name or voice they speak with on the phone etc.

Family law can of course be both exciting and contentious at times.

That said lawyers and attorneys in this line of practice know that there are plenty of people in need of such services, not to mention plenty of legal pros nationwide looking to score their business.

Always remember as a divorce attorney to focus on demonstrating through myriad of marketing and advertising means why your law firm is a notch above the competition.

Sure, you certainly are not going to land every consumer out there in need of family law services, but you will attain your fair share when you stick to good marketing principles and of course stellar customer service initiatives.

Simply put, you are one of the most needed legal services out there.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing services on the web.