Small Business Resources
New Small Business Jobs Act Offers Numerous Tax Incentives
On September 27, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 , or H.R. 5297 (hereafter, “the Act”). Though many of the Act’s provisions focus on small businesses , the new law also contains tax incentives that apply to all businesses as well as new retirement savings incentives for individuals . It is important to note that some of these provisions offer taxpayers a very small window of opportunity, requiring action before the end of the year to take advantage of the savings. INCENTIVES FOR ALL BUSINESSES The Act enhances and extends a number of tax incentives that were originally included in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (“the 2008 Stimulus Act”) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“the. Read More.
States and Cities Offer Incentives and Programs to Help Small Businesses
Independent of federal government programs, many states and cities are leading efforts to spur economic growth in their local economy . In some cases, these local municipalities have the ability to impact local business faster and more efficiently than the federal government. Local programs can bring about sustainable growth in local areas that rely more on the strength of the local chamber and talent pool. Across the nation, instances of creative and innovative programs are shaping up, and the New York Times highlights many of these programs in their article “What States and Cities Are Doing to Help Small Businesses” Encouraging Customer Loyalty – A Cleveland-area small-business council encourages customers. Read More.
Process Credit Card Payments on Your iPhone
Handling credit card payments is a challenge for many small business owners. Although customers often prefer this method of payment, high processing costs and cumbersome administrative processes have prevented many businesses from accepting credit payments. However, there is good news for businesses on this front. Recently, many alternatives low cost credit card processing options have emerged for business owners. Jennifer Alsever for CNNMoney.com has outlined several ways businesses can take advantage of new technology to affordably process credit cards in her article “Turn your iPhone into a credit card terminal”. In an interview with Pat Jackson of Jackson Comfort Systems, Alsever. Read More.
Sales Tips: How to Squash Your Price is Too High”
Here’s a good introduction for you and your salespeople for handling the sales rebuttal “Your price high.” This video is from Nick Moreno at the National Sales Center , a sales training firm.
Operations Manual: A Must for Every Business
Successful businesses will benefit from standard operating procedures written in an easy-to-use manual for employees, that cover everything from greeting customers, storing and ordering inventory and handling month end procedures. When the business owner is gone for a short period, or new employees are trained, it is important for a business to be able to reference to a standard set of procedures, so that the business is able to deliver the same service to its customers week after week. It is also helpful for a business to maintain a standard set of operating principles, so that after a review of. Read More.
Safeguard Your Business Ideas: Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights
Got a great idea for a business? Have you already started the process of putting this idea into action? Entrepreneurs, inventors and business owners all need to protect the innovations that they create in their business or in their home garage. It’s crucial that when you set up a business or put a business idea into action you safeguard your rights and the profits to your idea. In a recent article from the Wall Street Journal, Colleen Debaise explains how to project your business ideas by these methods: