What do both small business owners as well as large business owners have at their disposal?

Well if these organizations have been in business any length of time they better have made a few clients happy. Many small businesses overlook the fact that they have “Raving Fans” to spread the good word about their company. Many small business owners put a tremendous amount of time, energy and money on all kinds of ads in local publications or networking groups. These are all necessary to a point but the easiest way to expand a business is to let your “Loyal Followers”, or as Ken Blanchard puts it, “Raving Fans”, act as your best sales reps...

On February 5^th, millions of Americans will tune in to watch the Super Bowl. In fact, a new survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association found that 173 million people will watch the game Sunday, the most in the survey’s eight-year history and up from an estimated 171 million last year...

We talked last week about Burger King offering delivery service to have an edge on the competition, now the latest in fast food evolution is the addition of breakfast to Taco Bell’s menu.  With McDonald’s, Burger King and now Wendy’s offering breakfast it was really only a matter of time before Taco Bell hopped on the bandwagon... 

One Long Island local scored big this January when Chevrolet announced it will air 26 year old LI native Zachary Borst’s ad titled “Chevy Happy Grad”.   Beating out 400 other scripts and 198 films by independent film makers as part of the Route 66 Super Bowl ad contest, Borst’s ad will air to the tune of 110 million TV viewers during the Super Bowl.  In addition to having his ad on television during the Super Bowl, he’s also receiving a $25,000 grand prize...

As the US struggles to accelerate a sluggish recovery, a deeper look needs to be taken at the reasons for the slow recovery.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the federal government’s official source of employment statistics, in October 2011, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Americans 25 years and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree was 4.4 percent. For those who graduated high school, the unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in October 2011.  However, for those without a high school degree the rate is 10.6 percent, and for those aged 25 and over, the unemployment rate was 13.8 percent.   These are staggering numbers.   How are we supposed to compete on a global scale when we have almost a quarter of high school students dropping out each year, or in other terms, over 340,000 students a year? In fact, the Education Database recently reported that high school dropouts are not eligible for 90% of the jobs in our economy and we have 40 million high school dropouts in the US today...

The days of walking out of your house, getting into the car and driving to the nearest fast food joint are over.  If you haven’t heard by now, Burger King is giving its customers a more convenient way of eating: they now deliver.  For Burger King, this isn’t new; the home of the whopper has actually been testing out their delivery service internally for years. Countries like, Mexico, Turkey, Brazil and Colombia have taken advantage of this service so it’s only fair that America gets to experience this as well. What does this service cost you?  A $2 fee will be charged and order must be a minimum of $8 to $10 dollars in specific restaurants in Washington D.C. where the service is available...

According to The Labor Department, initial claims for first-time jobless benefits rose 24,000 to 399,000 on Thursday, the highest in six weeks. The four week average, a better indicator of labor market trends, rose 7,750 to 381,750 from a revised 374,000. However, growth is expected to slow during the first three months of this year and help for the economy may still be necessary despite recent data that suggested the recovery was changing in the right direction...

On the fourth day of business, it’s time to ask if your job candidate has been naughty or nice this year.   Yes, it’s social media time. 

By John Jantsch

Small business owners are an odd lot. I can say this without judgment because I am one.

Cracking the small business code is something that routinely perplexes large organizations. I see it every day, and I’ve been asked numerous times to consult on that very puzzle.

The thing is, however, a lot of small businesses want to sell to other small businesses too. Many times I find that they miss the subtleties of attracting small business even though they need look no further than their own buying habits for keys to the sale...

On the third day of business, I want to talk about how image matters for both the employer and the job seeker.

As we return from the holidays and settle back into our routines, it’s time to return to my strategies for better interviews and more effective hiring decisions for both employers and job seekers.

Last week we started with the first day of business, which was having a plan.  On the second day of business, I’m going to talk about resumes...

You constantly hear the term “work-life balance”, but does it really exist?  To some people the concept is unmanageable; to others, it's something that's achieved by discipline and smart choices. The first step in figuring out what “work-life balance” is, is asking yourself what it means to you.

The Boston Globe released a recent survey that stated Google, MITRE, Facebook, McKinsey & Co. and Bain & Co. as the top 5 companies that put an emphasis on career opportunities and work-life balance. Work-life balance opportunities range from social events, the option to work from home or saying good-bye to the traditional 9-5 hours. "Many companies are integrating flexibility into their business strategies," says Sara Sutton Fell, founder and CEO of FlexJobs.com. "Both job seekers and employers are looking out of the box and embracing non-traditional opportunities"...

I recently came across an article that brought up an interesting economic issue.  The struggling economy affects everyone in one way or another; however it seems to have a more drastic effect on Americans under 35 rather than those over 65.  Taking into account all of the points mentioned in the article, I’d have to say that I agree...

I read an article on The Hill about a letter from the National Payroll Reporting Consortium, a union of major payroll firms that includes Automatic Data Processing and Paychex.   The letter criticized the payroll tax legislation that was passed by the Senate earlier in the week.

Pete Isberg, president of the National Payroll Reporting Consortium states that “the two-month extension would be a nightmare for payroll processing firms to implement because it includes a provision to ensure that wealthy income earners don’t pay a lower payroll tax rate than middle-class workers”...

It’s that time of year again, we’re shopping and decorating, over-eating and over-spending…there’s family parties and cocktails with friends, Secret Santa’s…the fun never ends!  And if you’re fortunate to work at a company that is able to throw a holiday party there are a few things to remember to avoid being “that guy/girl”. You know who I’m talking about, the guy who made a fool of himself at last year’s holiday party by getting drunk and hitting on the boss’ wife.  Or the woman who flashed everyone on the dance floor…  While it’s a time to celebrate and kick back with your co-workers, it’s important to remember that it is a work function and everything you do has an impact on your reputation and can make or break your career...

Don’t you just love those afternoons when you’re in and out of meetings, you’re backed up with email, you’re on and off the phone with so many people that you can’t even get their names straight anymore and just when you’re ready to pull your hair out the phone rings.  You pick it up.  The robotic voice on the other line asks you “Does your business need more money?”  I’ll bet it takes all you have not to throw your phone out the window!  Well I’ve got some great news for you!  The H.R. 3035: Mobile Informational Act of 2011 will allow you to enjoy these scintillating conversations on your cell phone!  Who’s excited?!  Yeah, I didn’t think so...

It’s been two years, countless complaints by politicians in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and an angry main street but at long last the MTA Payroll Tax that many believe was “unconstitutional” has been eliminated for many small businesses across New York State. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a new law eliminating the MTA Tax for 289,000 small businesses across the state with an annual payroll under $1.25 million. Businesses with a payroll between $1.25 million and $1.5 million will see their MTA payroll tax cut to 0.11 cents per employee, while those with payrolls up to $1.75 million will have their tax reduced to 0.23 cents. These adjustments eliminate the tax for almost 80 percent of businesses in the region. The state will fund the $250 million cost of the payroll tax through a $2.6 billion increase in income taxes on the wealthy...

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  We would like to introduce our latest episode, “Who Says You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?”  When Anthony McCabe, owner of Genesis Creations Contracting, wanted to take his business to a new level we knew the Basso On Business team could help. Together, we will help Anthony assimilate new technology into his business, take a step back from managing the company’s daily construction jobs to focusing on really managing the company and help him fine tune his messaging to his clients and prospects...

Every business owner or entrepreneur struggles with this at one point or another.  Whether you are cash strapped or have the cash but it’s still not incentivizing your employees, we’re always looking for ways to help ramp up the employee motivation level.

I came across a great article on Inc.com with nine ways to motivate your employees without using cash.  I took a few minutes to examine her list and compare with what I’ve done and the results...

“First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there's the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Pledge to Shop Small on November 26th. If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge,” states American Express. 

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, I couldn’t agree more and I have officially taken the pledge to shop small this Saturday.   Why shop small?  What’s in it for you?  Well, it’s more than a warm and fuzzy feeling that will fade away when you leave the store.  It’s an affirmative action to make sure that contribute to the stores that dot your local Main St, not your local Wal-Mart.  It’s an action to say to your business neighbor that you want their lights on and their doors open.  Too often you drive through a town to see half the storefronts boarded up.  Well, Small Business Saturday is your way to not only start your Christmas shopping but support your local economy...

I recently read an article on SmallBizTrends.com, 8 Steps to Take Your Brick and Mortar Business Online written by Tyler Garns, Director of Marketing for Infusionsoft.  I decided to rate one of my companies, Advantage Payroll Services, against the 8 steps they suggest to follow to ensure your company has a significant presence online. 

Here’s how Advantage stacks up:

1. Get Found- Check!   Tyler suggests list your business listed in Google places, industry directories, local directories and more.    If you Google Advantage Payroll Services Long Island, you’ll see us clearly listed on the map.  If you click the map, you’ll see our logo comes up in the information box.  We’re also listed on multiple local websites and we have a profile for our branch on LinkedIn...

When Facebook was introduced in 2004 it was available only to college students and shared only basic information.  Then the “Wall” was added to open communication between Facebook users.  In 2005, the “Photos” application was added.  Finally in 2006, Facebook was opened to the general public and the social media craze took off...

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  Marvin Soskil, the owner of Brett Harrison Jewels and Sluggers Jewels, has been working diligently with the Basso on Business team to make changes in every aspect of his professional life in order to make some major league decision and strategic business changes. This week we examined the effect of the techniques Marvin has implemented thus far on his business, on his goals, and on his sense of self...

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  Marvin Soskil, the owner of Brett Harrison Jewels and Sluggers Jewels, has been working diligently with the Basso on Business team to make changes in every aspect of his professional life in order to make some major league decision and strategic business changes. This week we talked about really focusing on his targets in order to accomplish his goals...  

A recently published study has found that most Americans are not financially prepared for an emergency. Bankrate.com reports that a mere 24% of consumers have the recommended financial cushion of six months’ expenses set aside. What’s more: 24% of Americans have no emergency savings whatsoever. Financial experts are slightly surprised by these results, given the high rates of joblessness and unemployment that ravaged our society from 2007-2009. However, the recent challenges have made it more difficult for Americans to conserve money for unexpected expenses. As the light at the end of the economic tunnel starts to peek through, I wonder what this information means for small businesses. Many businesses were forced to downsize or shut their doors altogether during the recent slowing (some might even say halting) of our economy. Is your business prepared to weather the another economic storm?