Chrome, An Essential Business Mineral

I LOVE GOOGLE CHROME!!!! Did I come on a little strong…………………….? I can’t talk enough about the productivity elements that Chrome offers to business people.  I've battled between Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome for a while, but now I’m a heavy metal head! Why you ask?  Let me tell you: 1.  Synchronization – I drive a lot for my work and I have an Android phone so it is great to have all of my contacts and prospective addresses...

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This is really a problem….

In 2013 the United States personal savings rate was 4.20%.  That means that a little over 4% of a household’s income is saved over a period of time.  4% The median household income is about $51,017 1  with an average household size of 4.16 people 2……………… That means that about $2,000 is saved a year (yeah right) and that is to be used for retirement, emergencies, hospital bills, and child expenses………… With the new policies...

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Your Family or Your Staff???

Even if you’re of the best health you’ve probably had some kind of conversation or read something about healthcare reform this year.  If not, here’s some news for you! Starting October 1st, 2013 the people of the United States will have the opportunity to  apply for medical benefits facilitated by the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare as the media has coined it. This is so significant to small business owners (which are the majority...

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You’re Going To Lose A Lot Of Money

Did you know that since 2005, more than 80% of all credit card breaches have occurred at a small business? Sounds like a horror movie doesn’t it?  Sadly, it is reality.  Everyday I see more and more businesses being “sloppy” about PCI compliance (Payment Card Industry if you’re a little more than sloppy……). Some have all of their clients credit card numbers on an Excel spreadsheet anyone can get to…………… Some have a binder with all...

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3 Things All Small Businesses Should Do

So you've been in business for a while.  Things are going pretty good.  You're paying your bills.  Your doors are still open,............but you're they're all the time!!   Are you running your business or is your business running you?  And when I say "run" it I mean being the most efficient with the least amount of your most valuable resource, ………..time.   Owning your own business is supposed to provide...

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Don’t Tweet Like A Twit

Hi guys!  So let’s start off with a few updates on social media’s impact.  Namely Twitter.  Last year, Twitter was the number 2 tool for social media branding at 53% of businesses using it.  Facebook was number one at 83%, but that is a different strategy.  I want to talk about a few quick tips for Twitter, because I see a lot of businesses make these mistakes.  Top 5 tips: Know that you’re tweeting! You’d be...

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4 Insights To Improve Your Business Now

So I was talking to a business owner about their current situation. They ran a furniture store. Pretty good inventory and a decent location because it was near some new housing and not too far from a military base. They were drowning. As I spoke to them more they said “we don’t understand the new way of business.” That resounded with me because a lot of small business owners are thinking this, but won’t say anything. They were used to the old school ways of people having extra cash and buying the most expensive things or referrals...

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Your Fear Of Technology Is Killing Your Business

I work with all different walks of life when it comes to business. Young, old, black, white, skinny, fat, foreign, local, etc. With that said, I have noticed a terribly annoying trend with certain groups (there’s not one specific, but all in all they are pesky). This group is the “I don’t like technology even though it controls 99% of my life” group. When I say technology it can be anything from social media topaperless payments to email marketing. These people seem content on the “word of mouth” factor and referrals from...

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Your Clients Will Love When You Do This

Running a business is hard. Period. So how can you make it easier is the prime question. A lot of people don’t realize a core element of “business”. Old business was a better example of how it should be done. Let’s talk about Jimmy’s Shake Shop. Jimmy made the best shakes anybody had tried so he decided to open a shop. Jimmy personally spoke to every customer that came in the shop. Jimmy really befriended a lot of them too. That element is mostly gone these days. Now I’m not saying be fake, but make an effort....

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This Is Why You Should Go Paperless

You may have heard of paperless offices. If you haven’t, you’ve lived under a tree! So why should you make the plunge into paperless? There are a plethora of reasons (bear in mind that a paperless office can still print things out. The point though is to avoid this as much as possible. A lot of owners get scared that “paperless” means there is no other option.) 1. Saving money: You can save upwards of $100,000 a year by going paperless...

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What Everybody Should Know About Receipts

Shopping. Sometimes mundane yet sometimes exciting. We do it habitually but also impulsively. It is such a joy, but carries a serious threat. WE USE 4.3 MILLION TREES A YEAR FOR RECEIPTS! We found that in the United States 80% of the population receives 1 to 3 receipts a day!  That is a ton of paper.  On top of that, 70% said they have no organized way of storing their receipts (think about the size of them.....You're either stapling...

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While You Are Drooling Over the iPhone 5 Launch, Don’t Forget These 3 Things

The new iPhone has been unveiled!!!!!!!!! Stop everything! This is a code red!!!!! ……………………….. Ok, now on to serious matters. The world has been captivated with the iPhone since its inception. Why is that? Apple was a niche computer manufacturer with a decent share hold and the company had no experience in smartphones. So how did they poise themselves for success and hold onto it? 1. Exposure. a. Apple is great for their showmanship....

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3 Things You Should Do Like The Kardashians

The Kardashian family. One of the most known, talked about, and followed families on the planet. And this is all for absolutely no reason! There’s not really any clear “talent” in this family, but America eats them up. Why though? What can you learn from them? I’ll tell you 3 things they are talented at that you should apply to your business strategy 1. They are all over you like a spider monkey! a. Every outlet of the media has Kardashian. They are on every single platform (as new as Pinterest is they already...

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I Bet You're Not Doing This 1 Simple Thing To Nurture Your Business

With so many tips out there for small business owners, what is the most powerful? ( When I speak of business owners on this topic I am mainly referring to those with a physical business). Some people think it is to invest in a commercial on TV (which is still pretty powerful). Others will say online directory marketing (also powerful). Although both of these are great things to do, they also can be very expensive………some of these online advertisers charge $200 a month and you may not have a great return on that investment all of the time....

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Shocking Way You're Killing Your Staff and the Earth

Human beings. The top of the food chain, arguably. We are a consuming people. Otherwise we would’ve never gotten to the pinnacles we are at now, but at what cost. I look at it like a butterfly effect sometimes. You just don’t know how much one mundane incident means to the future. Here’s one that most business owners don’t think about……………. Your receipts These small little slips can do some significant damage. ...

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3 Things Businesses Can Learn From Political Ads

My name is Daryl Perry and I approve this message.......... Ok, so you're seeing possibly hundreds of political ads now.  Question is, are they effective?  Some would say yes.  Many would say no.  I've noticed a few things about these political ads that could be extremely effective in small business. 1.     Great Attention Grabbers §  Most of these ads begin by focusing on some hot button topic.  What are your customer’s saying?  Do you know?  If you do you can print mail or email...

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2 Reasons Your Business Is Slowing Down

2 Reasons Your Business Is Slowing DownI work with a lot of different types of business owners, but they typically have 1 common concern.........How do I get more customers?Often people think they are eating from a shrinking pie, so what they have is suitable.  The thing is, the pie may be growing, but you're trying to cut it with the wrong knife.  So how do you get the simple marketing tools you need today?1.  USE THE INTERNET, USE THE INTERNET, USE THE INTERNET!!   Often times, owners get in a system as they call it, but...

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