Research shows that customers are getting Smarter and may be improving their credit and reducing their debt. What this means for your business. The pain caused by the effects of the Great Recession and the weak recovery have been felt by consumers and businesses alike. This pain, however, has led to some surprising results. It just may be the case that people can learn from their mistakes! New research shows that consumers are finally making progress in improving their overall financial … [Read more...]
4 Things You Need To Start A Social Network In Your Industry
If your industry doesn't have a social network in place yet then why not start one? Here are the four things you need. For most small business owners social networks remain a bit of a mystery. The majority of Americans are on Facebook, along with several hundred million people from other countries. Around 100 million people around the world are on LinkedIn. Billions of tweets are sent out over Twitter. Tools like YourBuzz and HubSpot help small businesses use social networks as a means to … [Read more...]
Are You Hiring More Men Than Women?
In the wake of the recession, statistics show that men are faring much better than women when it comes to finding work. Are You Hiring More Men Than Women? According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, The Great Recession officially ended in June 2009. But it certainly doesn’t feel like that for most small business owners and the nearly 10 percent of the labor force that remains unemployed. During the so-called recovery there have been a number of studies produced analyzing how … [Read more...]
Are Interest Rates Heading Up?
Interest Rates Heading Up is no good for businesses or consumers, but often they're inevitable. Here's how you can prepare. As the U.S. economy navigates a toxic mix of sluggish growth, high unemployment, rising inflation and trillion dollar budget deficits, increases in interest rates are a real possibility. Increasing rates are exactly what we don’t need. As interest rates go up, both consumers and businesses tend to spend less. People already in debt must divert money budgeted for other … [Read more...]
The ROI Of Daily Deals Takes Another Hit
New research systematically reviews daily deals from the point of view of the small business owner. The ROI Of Daily Deals Takes Another Hit. If there is one business trend that can officially be labeled as saturated in 2011, it is the rise of “daily deals” websites. Companies like Groupon, LivingSocial, Bloomspot, AppSumo, Gilt Man, Travelzoo, BuyWithMe and many, many others use different variations of the daily-deal model in an attempt to secure sales for their customers. Most of these … [Read more...]
What The End Of Quantitative Easing 2 Means For Your Business
How will the end of the $600 billion economic stimulus package affect your business? The end of June 2011 marks the conclusion of the $600 billion economic stimulus program known as “Quantitative Easing 2” or “QE2.” It’s called “2” because it represents the second round of quantitative easing undertaken by the Federal Reserve after the financial crisis spurred by the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Before discussing what the implications are for your business, it’s important to understand what … [Read more...]
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Did the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 work? Some experts say no. Did The Economic Stimulus Create Jobs? In February 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”) was enacted. The law contained approximately $787 billion in economic stimulus consisting of new government expenditures and some tax incentives. It was a response to the serious challenges facing the U.S. economy as a direct result of the crisis in the financial sector. The logic beyond the law … [Read more...]
Economic Outlook: What Can We Learn From GDP Numbers?
Business owners spend most of their time analyzing their own numbers. But it's also important to look at the bigger picture. Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”) is one of the most important measures of the condition of our economy. Both GDP in dollar terms and changes over time to GDP can help us understand where things stand today and where they will most likely go over the next several years. As business owners, we spend most of our time analyzing the numbers of our company. But every once in a … [Read more...]
Tactics To Enhance Your Revenue
Improving your business' revenues and profitability does not require giant leaps in productivity. Many business owners waste too much time. Here are 3 Proven Tactics To Enhance Your Revenue. Improving your business’ revenues and profitability does not require giant leaps in productivity. Many business owners waste too much time trying to find the magic bullet that will transform their businesses overnight. Do these exist? Yes. Is it a good idea to chase them? In my experience there answer is … [Read more...]
Take it Personally When Pitching to Investors
When it comes time to Pitching to Investors, most business owners play it safe. They have their traditional PowerPoint presentation that includes the Mission, Vision, Product description, management team experience, sales strategy, financial projections and competitive advantages. That’s fine, but it isn’t enough to convince investors to write you a check. Experienced angel investors and venture capitalists evaluate dozens or hundreds of potential investments each year. Most of them have the … [Read more...]