5050BIZ Launches New Generation Virtual Office That Bundles Business Management, Social Networking and Communication Tools All in One Website
December 19, 2009 -

5050BIZ today launched an innovative, low-cost, easy-to-use virtual office different from other business solutions. It bundles together, in a single Website, many of the digital management and communication tools, as well as social business networking tools that businesses need to succeed today.

Using Article Marketing to Create Continuous Evergreen Traffic
December 18, 2009 -

by Ed Duvall - Marketing via articles is one of the best forms of free advertising on or offline that is available for bringing new visitors to our websites.

Business Law Savvy - Protect Your Company From 5 Common Legal Risks
December 18, 2009 -

by Marjorie Jobe, J.D. - Unfortunately in today's business world, it is only a matter of time before your company is sued by someone or investigated by some governmental agency. However, you can lesson the odds by understanding and identifying the most common legal problems that could come your way and protecting your company against them.

Why Managers and Supervisors ARE NOT the Best Communicators During Times of Change
December 16, 2009 -

by - Marcia Xenitelis - Everywhere you look these days the focus in Human Resources and Employee Communication is managing change within organizations. But most of these programs fail to achieve their objectives. During bad economic times the focus is usually on providing coaching on understanding the emotions people go through during change, helping employees deal with the complex emotions of watching colleagues leave, communication strategies that utilise management hierarchies to communicate face to face with their teams on what is happening next in organizational restructures and so on. The reason why this approach does not work is because the focus is on managing fear, not change.

What Is Winning?
December 15, 2009 -

by Andre Taylor - As an author, speaker, and leadership development consultant I tell individuals and companies all the time: "You Can Still Win!" I have also authored a book by the same name and give talks to groups of all sizes on the subject. It's a given: If you ask most people whether they would like to win they'll say "yes," without hesitation, but how often do we truly examine what we mean by winning?

Abraham Lincoln and the 10,000-Hour Rule
December 15, 2009 -

by Gene Griessman, Ph.D. - The Beatles did it before becoming world famous. Bill Gates did it before becoming one of the world's richest men. And Abraham Lincoln did it before becoming one of America's most honored President. Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers, maintains that anyone who expects to become world-class at anything had better plan on doing it. And what is IT?

Entrepreneur: Do you want to be one? Are you prepared to be one?
December 15, 2009 -

by Joe Vaccaro, CBM - Do you want more independence, money, and quality time with the family? Are you experiencing career stagnation? Are you worried about downsizing, mergers, or going into an early retirement that you never wanted? Do you need a new challenge? You might be saying to yourself that you have always been successful in everything you have done in the past, so how difficult can going into business for yourself really be?

Protect Your Business From Criminal Investigations – The Worst Legal Disaster Imaginable
December 15, 2009 -

by Marjorie Jobe, J.D. - Most business owners and executives think that because they are good people who do their best to follow all laws and rules, they are immune from worrying about criminal business investigations and issues. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Everyday conduct and occurrences can be construed as criminal.

Have You Sold Yourself?
December 14, 2009 -

by Mark Hunter - You will always be your number one customer. It's not the big account you service, nor is it the hot new prospect you just uncovered; it's you. The reason is simple. If you're not completely confident in what you're selling, you will never come close to maximizing your sales potential.

Appreciating The Driving Forces Of Network Marketing
December 12, 2009 -

by Kirk Bannerman - Terms such as Network Marketing, 'MLM', and Multi Level Marketing all refer to the same type of business model. This industry has had more than it's share of scumbag crooks and con artists that have used and abused the concept. However, if you do your homework and get involved with a legitimate network marketing organization, this business model has exceptional income potential.

Social Media Marketing Strategies
December 12, 2009 -

by Tammy Corbett - Social Media Marketing (SMM) targets users by promoting content through bookmarking, blogging, online video sharing, and social networking to potentially expand their audience and drive traffic to their website. Businesses are beginning to understand the power of these influences when it comes to establishing a reputation and growing their online business. Social media marketing strategies such as a business' engagement in various social media websites can help to generate branding and a personal connection with its users.

Six Advantages to Virtual Trade Shows
December 11, 2009 -

by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP - A virtual trade show is a cross between a webcast meeting and a video game. And it's the next big trend in trade shows. Although a mere 1% of all trade shows are now held online, industry experts expect that by 2015, more than 25% of trade shows will be conducted in virtual environments. That's a market you can't afford to ignore.

Four Simple Ways to Reduce Tech Support and Help Desk Costs
December 11, 2009 -

by Scott Gordon - If you are looking for areas in your business where you can 'trim the fat,' you are not alone – many companies are in a similar position. Taking a closer look at ways you can reduce the costs associated with your in-house tech support and help desk is a great place to get started. Thankfully, there are some simple things that your company can do to reduce tech support costs – and increase user satisfaction in the process.

IRS Fines Numerous Business Owners, Accountants, Insurance Agents $200k +
December 11, 2009 -

by Lance Wallach - Currently, the Internal Revenues Service ("IRS") has the discretion to assess hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties under Section 6707A of the Internal Revenue Code ("Code") in an attempt to curb tax avoidance shelters. This discretion can be applied regardless of the innocence of the taxpayer and was granted by Congress. It works so if the you have engaged in a listed transaction and failed to properly disclose it, you will be subject to a potentially draconian penalty regardless of any other facts and circumstances concerning the transaction. For some, this penalty has been assessed a million dollars and for many it is the beginning of a long nightmare.

Sales Goals in a Tough Economy
December 10, 2009 -

by Mark Hunter - I understand that it takes work to make your goal, but, at the same time, don't lose sight that occasionally nice breaks do occur. The good news is that you can be successful if you're willing to take the time to work through the following steps, despite the current state of the economy.

She Made It Up As She Went
December 10, 2009 -

by Greg Tamblyn - Hae-Yung showed me that creativity and determination can often overcome inexperience. She would rather try something new, make a mistake and correct it, than do nothing for fear of failure.

Close Too Quick and You Lose Profit
December 09, 2009 -

by Mark Hunter - It's always rewarding to close a sale and immediately have the new client sign the documents to secure the sale. No matter how many years in the business, this always feels good. We all have stories about new customers who have "fallen into our lap" and bought quickly. For some reason, we can't seem to forget the great rush that occurs from these new clients. I'm here to say that as good as the rush might be when we allow a sale to occur too quickly, we wind up leaving money on the table.

How To Get Audited
December 09, 2009 -

by Lance Wallach - The government needs money. Hopefully, after you read this article, they will not get any more of yours. The IRS has learned that small businesses give them the best results on audits with the least effort on their part. The IRS has decided to go where they think the cheating is taking place. Unfortunately, they think that you and your small business are not paying your fair share.

Money Between The Margins
December 09, 2009 -

by John Griffin Latimer - Every sentence, every word has the potential to lure in consumers, ripping them from the competition and persuading them to empty the money eating a hole in their wallets, into the embracing constraints of yours. Though be aware, if your copy is sloppy, far from proper form, not only will you see adverse results, but you stand to deplete the integrity and reputation of your company, casting you into the bottomless depths of failure.

Catalog Copywriting – How Many Ways Can You Say Great?
December 09, 2009 -

by Denise McGill - Do you find the same words cropping up repeatedly in your catalog copy? Words like perfect, great, designed, style and provide? If so, then one of the hazards you face is that copy soon becomes predictable and can quickly lose consumer interest.

Create Backlinks and Targeted Visitors Using No Cost Resources
December 08, 2009 -

by Ed Duvall - You want to create as many backlinks from other sites as you can because a well visited site also means that search engine spiders are more than likely also visiting it and spidering it for new content and when a spider finds a new link it generally follows it and spiders that site also. Creating backlinks and generating targeted visitors using no cost resources can be easier than you think.

Avoiding Intra-Founder Headaches
December 08, 2009 -

by Darren Green - The launch of any new business venture tends to put rose colored lenses over the eyes of the creators of the company. The real world, unfortunately, tends to set in rather quickly once the honeymoon phase is over. Minor disagreements between or among the founding partners often grow over time, sometimes reaching a point where these once-unified world beaters are no longer on speaking terms. It’s at this point that many a founder surreptitiously approaches legal counsel to find out what they can do to fix this untenable state of affairs.

How to Disagree with the Boss
December 08, 2009 -

by Gene Griessman, Ph.D. - Considerable skill is required to successfully say to someone in a power position, "I want to do it my way instead of your way." Yet this skill is often needed by leaders at every level--whether you're a three-star general communicating with a four-star general, a CEO with a board member or key investors, a vice president with your CEO, a teacher with your principal, or an account manager with your client.

The Power of Words
December 08, 2009 -

by Gene Griessman, Ph.D. - (Some years ago I wrote this Lincoln soliloquy for the training film "Lincoln On Communication" and subsequently incorporated it into my one-man play "The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln." It is included in Chapter 19 of "Lincoln Speaks To Leaders".)

Employee Communication: 5 Ways To Measure The Impact On Business Outcomes
December 07, 2009 -

Marcia Xenitelis - If you are involved in employee communication then you already know that one of the most important aspects of employee communication today is measurement. But so much of that measurement is focused on whether employees access the tools organizations use to communicate with them. You know, questions such as do they read the newsletter, do they access the corporate blog, do they find the information sessions interesting. None of these questions prove that your employee communication tools measure engagement which is what every CEO wants to know. There is one key reason; you are measuring the acceptance of communication tools, not measuring employee communication strategy. So here's what you do.

The Value of Employee Engagement Surveys as Part of a Change Management Strategy
December 07, 2009 -

by Marcia Xenitelis - One of the things that continues to surprise me is that when times are bad organizations still spend money on employee engagement surveys. A general look around the office or factory and tea room discussions would make it obvious to all that wanted to see it that employees are not so much engaged as they are worried about their jobs. This leads us to two major issues to consider during tough times, the first is how we inspire confidence and innovation in an organization that appears to be in freeze mode. The second is what you should measure as an indicator of employee engagement.

How to Find the Right Experts to Guide You Through These Times
December 07, 2009 -

by Lance Wallach - In this environment, more than ever, you simply cannot afford mistakes or omissions with respect to your finances. Such mistakes can result in audits and other problems that could eventually lead to the closing of your establishment.

Public Relations 101 - You Need a Publicity Virtual Assistant to Market Your Business
December 07, 2009 -

by Diana Ennen - In today's trying economy, it is extremely difficult to succeed. Small businesses and large businesses alike are facing record lows when it comes to sales. Even those in the service industry are seeing less and less clients sign up. So what's the answer? Easy, hire a publicity virtual assistant to help with all your PR needs.

Business Succession Planning; Facilitating the Sale of the Business
December 07, 2009 -

by Lance Wallach - Most business owners want to: build wealth and maximize the value of what is left behind for heirs; protect their wealth to insure that what they have spent a lifetime building isn't eaten away by taxes, inflation and/or the cost of medical care; distribute their wealth so that their loved ones may be taken care of, and see to it that their assets and possessions go where they want them to go in the time frame they want this to happen. This is the essence of estate planning.