January, 2019

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27 Easy and Free Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

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Getting the word out about your business is one way to make sure it succeeds. Indeed, many aspects of your business may depend on it. And what better way than to come up with some free marketing ideas to attract new customers. Overall, small business marketing can mean many different things: from advertising and public relations to promotions and sales.

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Push vs. pull payments: a quick guide

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Watch our 3-minute quick guide to push vs. pull payments to find out which is best for your business, and how the right option can save you time and effort when collecting payments.

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21 Lead Generation Strategies That Actually Work in 2019

Fundera

Whether you’re running your small business out of your home or out of a warehouse, there’s one thing you can always use: More customers. And the catch-all term for the way to get these new customers? Lead generation. To grow, your business has to gain exposure to new potential clients and customers. Sure, this is far from a new concept—the concept of gaining new customers is as old as business itself.

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The 30 Best Business Books for Entrepreneurs

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No matter how experienced you are as an entrepreneur—whether you’re just opening your doors or have already started a few successful businesses—you can always benefit from advice from someone who has followed a similar journey. That’s where reading some of the best business books come in. . Maybe you need a little inspiration to rev up your engines, or you could use some advice on how to be a better manager and bring your business to new heights.

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The 10 Best Freelance Gigs and Side Hustles of 2019 (Report)

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If you’re like many Americans, you might have a New Year’s resolution to make more money or manage your money more wisely in 2019. For some people, financial independence means starting a full-fledged business , but that’s not a viable or desirable path for everyone. Some opt for a lucrative freelance gig or side hustle to supplement other income and get a taste of entrepreneurial life.

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Small Business Growth Strategies: 6 Ways to Grow and Measure Growth

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6 Small Business Growth Strategies and Indicators. Increase demand through strategic partnerships. Improve your profit by removing unprofitable products and services. Boost revenue by improving your conversion rate. Increase sales by creating a sales funnel. Fortify your workforce with new recruiting tactics. Shore up market share with a customer relationship management system.

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The 25 Best Business Ideas for the Aspiring Mompreneur

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Many new mothers see raising children and growing a family as a full-time job. But more and more mothers are inspired to take on the full-time job of raising children while running a business—all at the same time. And from these ambitious and inspiring mothers, we have the rise of the term “mompreneur” in the small business space. If you’re an aspiring mompreneur, hoping to make the most out of your past experiences, skills, and your current schedule, what are some of the best businesses to star

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How to Buy a Business: What to Know Before Taking the Plunge

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Buying a Business in 8 Steps. Figure out what you’re interested in and the kind of business you’re looking for. Determine if the business will succeed by assessing the current assets of the business and what you’ll need to invest. Understand why the business is for sale to determine any risks. Review the business’s financials to determine if buying it aligns with your budget and goals.

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How to Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing for Your Small Business

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Digital marketing tactics may have gotten the lion’s share of attention over the past decade, but one of the most valuable and effective marketing strategies actually has its origins offline. Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and modern technology has made it easier than ever to get people talking about your brand. If you’ve heard of referral marketing or the concept of brand loyalty, it’s worth noting that both of these fall under the word-of-mouth marketing umbre

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How to Advertise on Facebook: A Step-by-Step Guide

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As a small business owner, you know all about embracing new opportunities when they knock on the door. You’re the chief decision-maker for your brand, and when new customer acquisition channels emerge, you’re curious because you see them as routes to sustained growth. Businesses like yours, the ones that adapt to a changing landscape and think about the future, are the companies that will be the 100-year enterprises of tomorrow.

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Types of Business Entities: Pros, Cons, and How to Choose

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Types of Business Entities. Sole proprietorship: Unincorporated business with one owner. General partnership: Unincorporated business with two or more owners. Limited partnership: Registered business composed of active, general partners and passive, limited partners. Limited liability partnership: Partnership structure that shields all partners from personal liability.

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Social Media Marketing for Small Business: The Ultimate Guide

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Marketing is a battle amongst brands to occupy the headspace of their target demographic. When a consumer thinks of a specific product or service, you want them to associate that product or service with your brand over your competitors. No small feat considering the sheer volume of ads humans are exposed to on a daily basis. One of the best methods to help you win this battle is social media marketing.

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17 Ways to Support Small Business

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17 Ways to Support Small Business. Shop at small businesses. Participate in Small Business Saturday. Skip Black Friday. Choose small businesses during the holidays. Word of mouth. Create a guide to local small businesses. Open an information station for local small businesses. Partner with another small business. Host an event for small business owners.

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The Best Business Exit Strategy for You: 9 Ways to Move On

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9 Business Exit Strategy Plans. Become a lifestyle entrepreneur. Pass the business along to a family member. Find an acquirer. Pursue an “acquihire”. Have existing managers buy you out. Sell your stake to a partner/investor. Plan an initial public offering (IPO). Liquidate the business. File for bankruptcy. As a business owner, you should always be thinking about your next move.

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How to Become an Airbnb Host and How Much Can You Make?

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If you’ve traveled recently, there’s a good chance you paid to stay in someone else’s home rather than a hotel, and you did so because of Airbnb. If your experience was positive, you might be asking how to become an Airbnb host yourself. So, we’re here to discuss the economics of hosting on Airbnb—how much money can you earn renting out your space to travelers, and how much the process will cost you.

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The 10 Best Banks for Small Business in 2019

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The 10 Best Banks for Small Business in 2019. Wells Fargo: Best for small business lending. Chase: Best for small business credit cards. Capital One: Best for high number of deposits and monthly transactions. Bank of America: Best for low-cost checking accounts. Azlo (from BBVA Compass): Best for digital, no-fee checking accounts. Citibank: Best for a range of checking options.

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The 25 Best Online Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs in 2019

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The Top 15 Online Business Ideas. Social Media Marketing. SEO Consulting. Freelance Designing. Freelance Writing. eBook Writing. Translation. Editing. Writing a Blog. Freelance Researching. Freelance Coding & Web Design. Software & App Development. Photography. Business Coaching. College Consulting. Tutoring. For many would-be entrepreneurs, running an online business is a dream that offers the promise of financial security and independence.

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The 5 Most Profitable Small Businesses in 2019

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The 5 Most Profitable Small Businesses in 2019. Mobile Businesses. Child-Oriented Businesses. “Sharing Economy” Businesses. Online Education Businesses. Freelance B2B Service Businesses. Some people venture into entrepreneurship knowing what industry they want to conquer and what type of business they want to start. However, for many new entrepreneurs, it can be difficult to figure out how to start a business and exactly what kind of business is the best choice.

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UTM Tracking for Small Businesses: How to Get Started

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UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. You’re probably thinking, “That sounds complicated.” Although it can seem complex at first, UTM tracking is actually quite simple once you know what you’re doing. This ultimate guide to getting started with UTM tracking for small businesses will answer all the questions you might have and tell you everything you need to know about UTM tracking.

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How Small Business Owners Can Avoid Burnout At Every Stage of Their Business

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Everyone has felt burnt out at one point or another in their lives. Whether studying for four finals in a week or finishing every report for the end of the quarter, we’re familiar with the feelings of exhaustion and negativity that come along with working too hard. If you’re an entrepreneur, you may actually experience burnout more often than others.

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The Step-by-Step Guide to Opening a Salon

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If you’re interested in opening a salon, you’re not alone: the beauty industry is worth over $56 billion annually , and hair care the largest segment with 86,000 locations nationwide. Luckily, there’s rarely a shortage of people wanting to look more beautiful—even in economic recessions—and there’s often a waiting market if one is ready to open their own salon.

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5 Ways to Get Clients to Sign Proposals Quickly

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You’ve put together the perfect proposal. Your prospective client appears eager to buy your services. You’re optimistic about the deal closing fast. So you hit send, sit back, and wait. And wait… and wait… and wait. If that scenario sounds familiar, then you’re not alone. Unresponsive clients are the bane of any salesperson’s life. Figuring out what went wrong can be like banging your head against a wall.

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15 Inspiring Podcasts Every Small Business Owner Should Download

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15 Inspiring Small Business Podcasts. Startups for the Rest of Us. Mixergy. Smart Passive Income. Being Boss. Brown Ambition. The New Business Podcast. Masters in Business. How I Built This. Product Hunt Radio. Business Schooled. Startup. Entrepreneur on Fire. The Tim Ferriss Show. Social Media Marketing. Breaking Down Your Business. Today’s small business owner is busier than ever.

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How to Start a Catering Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

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How to Start a Catering Business. Make a Business Plan and Access Capital. Source Vendors for Your Supplies. Acquire the Necessary Licenses and Clearances. Determine Your Pricing. Hire, Outfit, and Train Your Staff. Market During Your Events. Prepare for the Unexpected. The catering industry attracts a broad range of entrepreneurs. Maybe you’re an excellent cook, or maybe you love throwing parties, or maybe you’re interested in event planning and want to get the ball rolling by catering.

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The Complete Guide to Guerrilla Marketing for Small Business

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What Is Guerrilla Marketing? Guerrilla marketing is a low-cost marketing strategy that aims to promote products or services in public spaces using creativity and ingenuity. Guerrilla marketing tactics are often unconventional and designed to help or entertain the customer. When you’re getting your business started , it’s easy to be overwhelmed by how costly and complicated it can be to get and keep the attention of new customers.

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7 Benefits of Letting Employees Work Remotely

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Are you thinking about giving your employees the opportunity to work remotely? For many companies, having remote workers streamlines productivity and business growth. Remote work is an upward trend across most industries. More employees, of all generations, want to change the way they work. And as it becomes harder and harder to secure solid talent, telecommuting is a popular benefit many businesses are offering to entice the best employees. .

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How to Start a Consulting Business in 9 Steps

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Give advice to somebody and you’re a good friend. Give advice to a working professional about their finances or business matters, and you’re a consultant. If you know the ins and outs of expert business advice and you have specialized knowledge to share, you could be ready to strike out and figure out how to start a consulting business. Starting any kind of business is a challenge, but starting a business where your goal is to help others run their own more efficiently is doubly challenging.

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Should You Hire an Accountant? A Cost-Benefit Analysis

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Hiring an Accountant: A Cost-Benefit Analysis. Costs of hiring an accountant: Accountant’s wages ($28/hr national average); Time interacting with accountant; Any new software; Opportunity cost of wages. Benefits of hiring an accountant: Time saved on avoided bookkeeping; Potential growth from time saved; Potential gains from accountant’s advice; Avoiding fines from tax filing mistakes.

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20 Business Networking Strategies for Entrepreneurs

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20 Business Networking Strategies for Entrepreneurs. Take every opportunity to meet new people. Focus on how you can help. Go alone. Don’t forget your business cards. Find a community. Be sure to meet people in other industries, too. Make a networking goal, and stick to it. Outline your objectives and target networking audience. Network with your customers.

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The 14 Best Entrepreneur Movies All Business Owners Must Watch

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Of all the TV shows and movies created in entertainment, the best entrepreneur movies tend to hit home the hardest for small business owners. There’s nothing like envisioning yourself on the big screen, especially when the main character is bucking against the establishment, duking it out with the head honcho, and ultimately leaving their 9-5 only to build a legendary business. .

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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing (And When You Might Need To)

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What Is a Certificate of Good Standing? A certificate of good standing, or certificate of existence, shows that a business has paid taxes, filed required documents, and otherwise complied with regulations in the business’s state of formation. You can obtain a certificate of good standing from your state’s business filing agency. It might be required when opening a business bank account, applying for a loan, or raising funds from investors.