To make the most of email marketing, try these 10 tips.

1.  Get help. Email marketing service such as Constant Contact, iContact and MailChimp automate delivery and provide templates to simplify the technical aspects of sending email.
2. Follow CAN-SPAM laws. Email marketing services help you stay up-to-date with the latest regulations regarding email privacy, but the ultimate responsibility for compliance is yours. Read the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s CAN-SPAM Act Compliance Guide.
3. Build your own email list. Create your own list of email addresses from customers and prospects—you’ll get better results than you will by renting lists. Ask customers to sign up for your emails at the point of sale, by collecting business cards, via sign-up sheets at events or on the home page of your website.
4. Make it simple. Don’t force customers to fill out a lengthy registration form to receive emails. Simply request a name and email address (or even just an email address). If you want more information later, entice customers to provide it by offering a discount, free consultation or something else of value in return.
5. Decide what you’ll deliver. Will you send notices of sales and special events at your business, news about your company, codes good for discounts and deals, a regular newsletter or all of the above? Start small and add more components as you get comfortable.
6. Design for mobile. According to a report by Knotice, more than 40 percent of emails are opened on a mobile device. Make sure your emails are simply designed, using minimal images that load quickly, so they’re easily readable wherever recipients open them.
7. Time it right. In general, you’ll want to email at least once a month, or customers may forget about you. An email newsletter can be sent monthly; try sending notices of sales or special offers bimonthly or even weekly.
8. Get social. Promote your email signups on your social media accounts. Put social sharing tools like Facebook and Twitter buttons in your emails; ask subscribers to forward emails and share them with friends.
9. Maintain your list. Regularly remove addresses that get bouncebacks; check your list for duplicate addresses or misspellings like “@gamail.com.” If you send too many emails to “dead” addresses, you may get marked as a spammer.
10. Test and measure. Test to see what subject lines, content, design and frequency get the best results. Your email service provider should provide analytics tools that show you open rates, clickthrough rates and other measures of success. Use this information to fine-tune your email marketing efforts.

 10 Tips for Successful Email Marketing.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.

1. Understand how customer service affects your business goals. For instance, if your goal is to increase profitability by 10 percent this quarter, but poor customer service results in having to redo many of the orders you fill, you will spend more time and money, cutting into your profitability.

2. Engage your team. Every employee, whether or not they directly interact with customers, must understand how their job performance contributes to customer service, how customer service drives business goals, and how achieving business goals is in their best interest.

3. Set customer service goals. Once you know what business goals you hope to achieve, you can set customer service goals. Make them specific and measurable. For example, you might have a goal to fulfill 100 percent of orders within 48 hours, or to answer all incoming calls before the third ring.

4. Create systems and procedures. Using standardized systems ensures that customers receive the same quality of service no matter which employees they interact with. Develop processes and systems your employees will use to achieve the customer service goals you’ve set.

5. Develop an operations manual. Detail these processes in an operations manual (you can keep it online, offline or both) that your employees can refer to. Your operations manual should include sections for each department in your business and should be updated regularly.

6. Provide ongoing training. Train employees in the procedures and systems that you’ve developed; update your training as needed. Every business has its customer service stars. Enlist these top employees to train the others and give them feedback on how they’re doing.

7. Harness technology. A survey this year by LivePerson found 51 percent of online shoppers will give up immediately if they can’t get help right away when making an online purchase. Whether your website sells products or not, make sure your website offers a variety of ways to contact your business. Enable customers to serve themselves by incorporating tools such as maps and directions, answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), or online appointment scheduling.

8. Measure results. Track and measure progress toward the customer service goals you set. For example, if one customer service goal is keeping your restaurant’s restroom clean by having employees check it hourly, have them sign their initials on a form when they’ve done so.

9. Get feedback from customers. Interact with customers both offline and online to find out how well your business is meeting their customer service expectations. Tools such as comment cards, social media, online reviews at sites like Yelp! or online surveys like those you can do with SurveyMonkey are all great ways to discover what needs improvement.

10. Don’t get complacent. Give your business regular customer service audits. Enlist friends or a professional mystery shopping service that can view your business’s customer service with an objective eye. Have them come in as customers and alert you to any problems or shortcomings they find.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.

Sponsored by:

VSolvit
is an award-winning technology services provider that specializes in developing enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and custom web applications. VSolvit also provides IT, program/project management, and administrative services.

1. Harness your natural rhythms. Do you notice that you have more energy in the mornings, or that you’re most creative late at night? Whenever possible, take advantage of these natural energy cycles. For instance, if you’re more energetic in the morning, schedule key tasks such as client meetings, brainstorming sessions or long-range planning then.

2. Choose a scheduling system. Having your to-do list and appointments written down in multiple places causes confusion. Create one electronic calendar you can access anywhere, such as iCal, Outlook or Google Calendar, and put all your commitments there. Simplify scheduling by sharing it with your assistant.

3. Make appointments with yourself. Important but non-urgent tasks like strategic planning often get pushed aside by urgent tasks like dealing with a customer crisis. Set aside time each week to work on long-term issues in your business, and treat this time as you would an appointment with your biggest customer.

4. Manage interruptions. Interruptions can’t be avoided, but they can be managed. Try building in a 15-minute cushion between appointments to account for interruptions; closing your door for a set time each day so you can focus; and turning off sound alerts on your computer so you don’t get distracted every time a new email arrives.

5. Get a grip on email. Try checking your email just three times a day—in the morning, before lunch and in the late afternoon. Train your team to eliminate unnecessary emails and avoid “reply all.” Consider holding a “no email” day (or afternoon) once a week so people can focus on work uninterrupted.

6. Limit meetings. Hold meetings only when necessary and keep them as brief as possible. (Holding meetings standing up can encourage brevity.) Start on time, and people who are habitually late will quickly learn to show up on time.

7. Use technology. There are apps to help you do everything faster, from scanning receipts to sharing contact information to taking notes and more. Search “business productivity apps” online, and ask your colleagues what apps they rely on, to find the best ones for you.

8. Pare down. Are you participating in organizations, reading industry publications or using outdated processes that no longer add value to your business? Look for ways to simplify and streamline, whether by canceling memberships, unsubscribing from emails or revamping business processes.

9. Delegate. Trying to do everything themselves is a common time-waster for small business owners. Determine which tasks only you can perform, then train your employees to take over the rest. Yes, training will take a little time upfront, but it will save you time in the long run.

10. Get enough rest and exercise. It sounds counterintuitive, but taking time out to exercise and get adequate sleep will give you the energy to get through your day more effectively and productively.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.

1. Have a plan. Too often, small business owners get so caught up in day-to-day operations that they neglect long-range planning. If you have a business plan, update it to reflect your current goals. If you’ve never written a business plan, do so—it will force you to think about what you want to achieve in 2013 and beyond.

2. Take action. Don’t put that business plan in a drawer and forget about it. No matter how busy you are, set aside at least one hour a week to assess your progress toward the goals you’ve set. Together with your partners and key employees, create action steps and set deadlines for accomplishing them.

3. Give your website a makeover. Does your business’s website reflect what you do, or is the information outdated? Does it look current, or is it sporting a design template from 1999? Does it load easily on mobile devices so customers can access your business wherever they are? Make the necessary changes to modernize your website.

4. Take charge of your finances. If you’re not already using accounting software, make 2013 the year you upgrade. A program such as QuickBooks is inexpensive, easy to learn and makes budgeting and forecasting simple.

5. Plan ahead for financing. How will you finance your business growth plans for 2013? If you can’t fund growth from profits, investigate options for outside financing, whether from bank loans, private investors such as angel capital groups, or your friends and family.

6. Start socializing. No matter what your industry, almost any business can benefit from social media. If you aren’t currently using social media, resolve to try at least one social network in 2013. If you are active on social media, step it up a notch by learning more about your favorite social network, posting more often or adding more videos and photos to your mix.

7. Delegate. It’s tough for small business owners to give up control, but delegation is essential for business growth. Give employees more autonomy so you don’t become a bottleneck in your organization. Try to structure operations so you can focus on your strengths and delegate the rest.

8. Assess your HR needs. Do your employees have the skills your business needs to grow in 2013? Whether you need to provide additional training, hire new employees or outsource to independent contractors, think about how you will fill the gaps.

9. Upgrade your equipment. Whether it’s technology tools like tablets and smartphones or a new pizza oven for your restaurant, small changes can make a big difference to your bottom line. Decide what investment would have the biggest impact on your productivity and profits, and figure out a way to make it happen.

10. Celebrate success. No matter how busy you are, be sure to celebrate when you, your employees and your business achieve important goals. Taking time out to recognize results will re-energize you and your team for the next challenge.

Do you need help achieving any of these goals? Contact your local SBDC, where expert Business Advisors can assist with all of these activities and more.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.

Sponsored by:

VSolvit is an award-winning technology services provider that specializes in developing enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and custom web applications.  VSolvit also provides IT, program/project management, and administrative services.

The SBDC is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBDC serves small business owners and entrepreneurs through individualized consulting services and training workshops, and offers a wide variety of services for business start-up, expansion, and minority and women-owned business certification.

Visit www.smallbizla.org for more information or call 562.938.5020 to make an appointment.

The City welcomes the SBDC as a partner in its new business retention program. For more information, contact Economic Development Manager Robin Scherr at rscherr@sgch.org or 308.2806 ext. 5123.

1. Be a positive person. As the business owner, you set the tone for the whole company. Even when you’re feeling stressed-out and grumpy, you need to project a smiling, positive attitude. Optimism is contagious; spread it around!

2. Communicate your company’s goals. Employees feel more motivated to work hard when they know the goal they’re working toward. If everyone is working long hours to land a big client or fulfill a rush order, make sure your team knows how accomplishing this goal will benefit the company and their jobs.

3. Listen. Many employees today are overloaded with work, but reluctant to say anything about it. Ask employees what problems they’re facing and what they need to do their jobs better. You may not be able to fulfill every request, but there’s sure to be something you can do to help lighten the load.

4. Make work fun. Take a lesson from successful companies like Google and Facebook, where employees gladly work long hours because the office is a fun place to be. Think about what your employees would enjoy, whether potluck lunches, yoga breaks or bringing their pets to the office, and implement it.

5. Come together. Feeling part of a group builds employee morale and loyalty. Hold quick morning meetings where everyone shares challenges or successes; plan team events like happy hours or bowling after work; and walk around to talk to your employees regularly, no matter how busy you are.

6. Celebrate. Whether it’s employee birthdays, reaching a sales quota, the anniversary of your business or your 1,000^th customer, celebrate the good stuff in your business. Public recognition of both individual and team successes builds momentum to achieve even more.

7. Pay fair. Money is a big morale-booster. Make sure your pay scale is competitive with similar businesses in your industry and region. If you can’t afford to give employees raises, consider implementing pay-for-performance with bonuses or profit-sharing plans that are tied to the company’s financial performance.

8. Empower employees. Employees want to feel autonomous and be treated like adults. Set policies and limits, but within those limits, give your workers leeway to figure out how to handle problems or accomplish tasks in their own way.

9. Offer work perks. Working from home or working flexible hours are perks that employees value enormously. If their duties permit it, give employees this kind of flexibility at least one day a week—and watch their mood improve.

10. Nip negativity in the bud. One bad apple can spoil the whole team’s morale. Be aware of what employees are talking about, and deal with rumor-mongers, gossips and complainers quickly so they don’t infect the rest of your staff.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.

To improve the way you track and manage your business expenses, try these 10 tips.

1. Get automated. Accounting software such as Quickbooks greatly simplifies tracking and managing expenses. Be sure to choose the same program your accountant uses or one that is compatible; this makes it easy for you or your accountant to import information directly to your tax return at tax time. Microsoft Office also offers spreadsheet templates you can use to track business expenses.

2. Prepare for tax time. Be especially sure to accurately record expenses you plan to deduct on your business taxes, such as travel and entertainment, business use of vehicles, office equipment and supplies, association fees and charitable contributions. Visit the IRS website for details on deductible business expenses.

3. Never mingle business and personal funds. Avoid using personal cash, checking accounts or credit cards for business expenses. Even if you reimburse yourself or employees for these expenditures, commingling funds adds unnecessary complexity and can expose your business to IRS scrutiny.

4. Watch your cash. Petty cash expenditures can create problems if not adequately tracked. Limit the use of petty cash to times when it’s absolutely necessary. Create a cash account in your financial software to track cash expenditures.

5. Save receipts. You’ll need receipts to document tax-deductible expenses in case you’re ever audited. Jot down the purpose of the expense on each receipt. Save storage space and hassles by using a scanner or your smartphone to create PDFs or photos of receipts and file them digitally.

6. Be timely. Record expenses as soon as possible after they occur so you don’t end up with piles of receipts. Regularly documenting data saves you time in the long run and ensures your financial records are always up to date.

7. Give yourself credit. Using business credit cards streamlines expense recording, since business credit card statements typically break down your monthly, quarterly and annual spending into categories. And with most retailers now accepting credit cards for amounts as small as $5, there’s little need to carry cash.

8. Harness technology. There are mobile apps (applications) and cloud-based solutions that enable you to track expenses wherever you are and categorize them to the appropriate project or client. Look for products that integrate easily with your existing accounting software.

9. Monitor results. Using your accounting software, create weekly and monthly reports to examine your expenses and revenues. Develop a monthly, quarterly and annual budget based on past expenditures. Regularly monitor your expenses to see if they’re in line with your budget.

10. Trim the fat. Are your expenses escalating beyond your budget, or do you need to improve your profit margins? Look at each expense to figure out where you can cut back, starting with those that don’t directly contribute to the bottom line.

10 Tips for Tracking and Managing Small Business Expenses – November 2012

sponsored by vsolvit

Thursday, November 29, 2012

1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

Many technology startup entrepreneurs would happily admit that they love nothing more than spending their days on product development. However, financial, legal, recruiting, sales and marketing are all aspects of businesses you cannot afford to neglect.

Join us at our next Emerging Tech Salon for a special afternoon off workshop breakouts as our featured speakers, who range in marketing and business expertise, will lead several intimate discussions.

The Emerging Commerce Council identifies and engages with business clusters that have economic growth potential – including signature, emerging and innovative industry groups. The Council aims to promote policies that will strengthen these industries, elevate their global reach, drive job creation and regional economic prosperity.

Business Workshops Include:

Preparing for your series A round
Structure your business and financial documentation and present your product in a manner that appeals to a wider pool of investors regardless of their background. Workshop leader: Ernst & Young

The art and science of a contract
Create the proper documentation, structure and language that clearly conveys the terms and conditions of a legally binding contract. Workshop leader: TBA

Social media and lead generation
Discover how to properly generate a social media community aligned with your product and generate qualified leads. Workshop leader: David Henzel,Partner/VP of Marketing,NetDNA

Recruiting and retaining talent
Develop a recruitment strategy that best communicates your mission, culture and product to appeal and retain the best and brightest employees for your company. Workshop leader: TBA

Location: L.A. Area Chamber, 350 S. Bixel Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Room: Board Room.

For more information, contact Jessica Duboff at 213-580-7558.

To register for this workshop, click on link: http://bit.ly/T4TlyP

HUB ZONE—8A—WOMAN OWNED—VETERAN OWNED—DBE—SMALL BUSINESSES—MBE

Bonding and insurance have been barriers preventing small businesses from obtaining city, state, federal, and other public government funded contracts. This workshop will cover bond resources including the SBA’s “quick bond app.” Application assistance will be provided for bond pre-qualification, during this valuable workshop. Licensed insurance agent Charlene Reynolds will also discuss proper liability insurance requirements for contractors and professional services companies.

November 28, 2012

9:00 am to 11:00 am

Free Workshop – parking is $9 at SBA building.

SBA Los Angeles District Office

330 North Brand Suite 1200

Glendale, CA 91203

*** Register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4795303883/rss# ***

Follow these 10 tips.

1. Run your family business like a business. If most or all of your key employees are family members, it’s easy to get sloppy about things like keeping your corporation in compliance, properly documenting decisions or maintaining accurate financial records. Always treat your business like a business.

2. Create a succession plan. If you want your business to survive, you must develop a plan for what will happen when you retire, die or otherwise exit the company. But a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey found that nearly half of family businesses had no succession plan. Enlist your accountant, attorney, key employees and family members in developing a succession plan that details who will take on key roles.

3. Develop leadership among all employees. Hold regular performance reviews for family and nonfamily employees alike. Provide training in-house, through local community college and adult education programs, or through industry associations to develop employees’ strengths and streamline the succession process.

4. Don’t play favorites. If non-family employees believe they have no chance of moving up in the company, they’ll quickly become resentful and unmotivated. Set a clear path to promotion and advancement for both family and non-family employees.

5. Separate business and family expenses. You might be tempted to make loans from the company to family members, or to let them write off personal expenses (such as the purchase of a car or vacation home) as business expenses. Even if such actions don’t get you in trouble with the IRS, they will foster resentment among non-family employees.

6. Set boundaries. Decide when discussing the business is allowed and when it’s off-limits (such as during dinner, or at holiday gatherings). This helps ensure that family relationships don’t revolve solely around business and aren’t poisoned by business conflicts.

7. Communicate openly. Non-family employees often feel they’re kept in the dark about the inner workings of family businesses. Whenever possible, share information openly with family and nonfamily employees alike.

8. Don’t guarantee employment. Each family member should have an opportunity to work in the business, but not everyone will be suited to continue doing so. Base hiring decisions on the business’s – not the family member’s—needs. Talk to your attorney about structuring the business so that  nonemployee family members can still have some ownership.

9. Learn to resolve conflicts. Business conflicts can infect family relationships; family problems can flare up disguised as business issues. Develop a plan for dealing with business-related disagreements between family members, both those who work in the business and those who do not.

10. Get outside input. Whether you’re dealing with personal conflicts or trying to make business decisions, seeking opinions from trusted outsiders such as your board of directors or an SBDC Business Advisor can give you much-needed perspective.

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and President of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Before launching her business, she was Editorial Director of Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for free TrendCast reports.