8 Do’s and Don’ts When Confronting a Customer about Delinquent Accounts

If you’re a small business owner who operates on credit, than you know all too well what it feels like when a payment date passes and you still haven’t received your check. To get paid, you have to confront the customer.

Confronting a Customer about Delinquent Accounts

However, this communication is crucial, so make sure when an account is first past due, you follow these 8 do’s and don’ts to reach out to the customer successfully.

“¢ Do send a letter first – When the payment date first passes, immediately respond with a reminder letter.

“¢ Don’t send a generic letter – Don’t send the same letter to all customers.…

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Streamlining Your Workstation For Productivity

What’s all the fuss about keeping a clean desk? In college, my favorite professor had stacks of books and articles that rivaled the Empire State Building. CEOs like Apple’s Steve Jobs and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have even been photographed at desks that didn’t exactly display a model of organization.

streamline your desk for better productivity

Still, if you’re running a small business, you want things to work efficiently. That boils all the way down to your work station, both as an example to your employees and a place where you can be as productive as possible in the least amount of time necessary.

At the end of the day, your desk should have little more on it than your computer, keyboard, mouse pad, phone, and perhaps a framed photograph of a loved one.…

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Five Ways New Business Owners Can Save Money

5 tips for cutting business expenses

Starting a new business is a gamble, especially in the current economic climate. You might have a winning concept, excellent leads and the drive to succeed, but how do you keep your business afloat until the money rolls in?

1. Review Your Bills. There’s no need for both landlines and mobile phones – cut out the landlines and call clients from your office for free with Google Talk. Your insurance plan is another area in which you could cut costs, at least temporarily. Go with a plan that offers a higher deductible to cut monthly premiums.

2. Shop Smart. Planning ahead when it comes to shopping is critical.…

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Marketing Like A Kung Fu Master

When 18 year old Bruce Lee arrived in America in 1959 he had several things working against him. He only had $100 in his pocket, barely spoke the language, and had no employment prospects. However, he did have an insatiable desire to bring his love of the martial arts to all Americans.

Determined to introduce Americans to his style of martial arts, Lee didn’t allow the lack of a marketing budget deter him getting his message out. In fact you may consider Bruce Lee a marketing pioneer in that he mastered the art of free demonstrations long before infomercials gained popularity!…

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Prevent Cyber Crime: Tips To Combat Cyber Criminals At Your Company

preventing cyber crimes in your business

Imagine what would happen if your company’s data was compromised. Cybercrime can cause a company to lose money, credibility and customer trust. Cyber criminals work hard to gain access to your files and personal information. Needless to say, protecting your company against cybercrime should be a priority.

Don’t Rely on Firewalls Alone

Just because your company’s network is protected by a firewall doesn’t mean it’s totally safe. While the use of mobile marketing, desktop mobility and social media make branding and engagement easier, these new technologies also make data much more vulnerable to malicious threats. Because the threats are constantly evolving, the approach to cyber security has to follow suit.…

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Why Accepting Guest Articles Isn’t As Easy as It Looks

Companies often put a large focus on how to submit guest articles and why guest posting is a great SEO tactic, but few consider how difficult it can be to actually accept a guest article on their own site. There are many different choices and different questions that a website owner needs to ask before allowing someone to contribute a guest article, but these questions are often taken for granted.

choosing guest writers for your blog

Unfortunately, not putting time and thought into accepting guest posts can cause website owners more headaches than if they were to take the time to research and writer an article on their own.…

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Small Businesses and Shipping Providers: What Are the Options?

Depending on the industry, small businesses usually depend on logistics and shipping services at some point. While some choose to facilitate those functions internally, others might consider outsourcing the work. When juggling between the two alternatives, it is helpful to consider a few key points.

Any small business owner knows today’s market is extremely competitive, and many small businesses continually battle large businesses to try and stay afloat. Mistakes can be very costly and drive consumers away from a “mom-and-pop” operation to a big business they know will deliver products and results they need. If a business is too small to employ accurate and timely shipping services, it might be better to outsource the work.…

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Is Your Business Aware of Carbon Accounting?

Carbon accounting is the accepted method for calculating how much, or little, your business contributes towards global warming. The concept of carbon accounting has been around for a while now and ERP software developer Epicor has conducted a global survey of businesses, ranging from start-ups to multi-national corporations, on the topic.

They have presented their findings in the above infographic.

Some of the results are astounding:

The fact that 58% of all businesses surveyed were not even aware of carbon accounting is the first shocking statistic, especially from the perspective of green campaigners, but it is maybe even more shocking that of the 48% who were aware of the process, less than 25% understood it correctly.…

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10 Steps to Start Importing from China

When it comes to importing goods from China to the United States, getting started is the most complicated part of the process. Free trade agreements have made business exchanges between the two nations a cinch. By spending a bit of time preparing yourself for the process, you can get started in no-time at all.

tips for importing goods from China

While the process is simple, it is also an exact one. It is absolutely crucial that you follow all customs requirements and do not make any assumptions when it comes to importing goods. A small mistake can be a costly one when it comes to importing goods from anywhere in the world.…

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