Many consumers consider the Better Business Bureau’s ratings as the definitive measure of good businesses. The BBB has been around for over a century and it’s played such an influential role in shaping advertising standards that quite a few people believe the BBB is a government organization and that it has legal authority, when in...
Paperwork is the bane of many a business owner’s existence, but business documentation plays a crucial role in protecting both the business and its employees. The temptation to play things by ear and rely on verbal agreements can be hard to resist, especially when you know it will save you a few hours in the...
When you’re providing services in a competitive market, differentiating yourself can be hard. If you’re not finding the leads you need, try centering your business around a value proposition and show your customers how you do things differently. If you’re operating in a large city, chances are there are tons of other service businesses like...
Do you have a system for getting new employees up to speed? If you don’t, your turnover rates might the be product of more than just ‘bad luck.’ Onboarding is the process of introducing new employees to your business and integrating them into both the professional and social work cycle, and if you do it...
Many small contracting business owners try to capture the attention of ‘everyone’ when they market their services. But no matter how attractive a larger market might sound, it rarely pays off. There are thousands of ways to make your business stand out, but there isn’t a single solution. Some businesses try to target specific ideal customer...
How would you describe your ideal customer? What about your worst customer? With the right approach, you can attract more of the former and a lot less of the latter. Whenever a business offers a service, the way they present it influences how and why customers respond. If you’ve been attracting the wrong kinds of...
Every business covets that top-of-the-page listing on Google search, but few know how to get listed there. Listing your business with Google’s business listings is the best way to show up on local search results. Google makes the process incredibly easy, and with this guide we’ll show you the ins and outs of getting listed...
Do you know how to make a website? Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to pay thousands of dollars just for a website. With the right tools and just a bit of time, you can setup and run your own website using Squarespace. With plans starting at $12 per month and free templates, Squarespace...
Do you have a custom email address for your business? Many small businesses use free email accounts like those offered by Google, Yahoo, and even AOL. But for small business owners, those free email accounts can be a bad idea. Are you driving away customers by using the wrong email address? Many customers judge a...
Facebook is the largest, most active, most popular social media network on the web. With a userbase of 1.13 billion daily users and diverse demographics, 50 million small businesses turn to it as their go-to advertising and outreach platform. But with the changes made in 2016 to Facebook’s business pages, most advertising guides are out...
