Articles by About.com Small Business Information Guide Darrell Zahorsky...

The About.com Marketing & Sales Top


Does Your Business Card Pass the Trash Test?
Reach into your wallet and pull out your business card. Your Small Business Information guide has put together the business card test. Learn if your business card will pass or be trashed.

What a Blog Can Do For Your Small Business?
The blogging movement is picking up speed with the launch of blogs on our About.com network and the purchase of blog software company Pyra Labs to Google. More companies are experimenting with the blog environment. Will blogging become the next mainstream application like email? Will business blogs improve your business?

Ten Sure-Fire Trade Show Best Practices
Is now a good time to spend on trade shows? With overall economic and business activity at a stand still, trade shows attendance and exhibits may be down. However, much like the stock market, the best opportunities can be at the bottom.

Secrets of a Winning Marketing Promotion
The continued spending by small and large companies on promotional marketing is a clear indication that promos work. Apply promotional marketing to your small business and experience a sales boost.

6 Steps To Get "Slightly" Famous
Steven Van Yoder is author of Get Slightly Famous: Become an Celebrity in Your Field and Attract More Business with Less Effort. Learn the 6 key steps to profitable fame.

5 Myths of Sales Prospecting
Sales prospecting is a key activity for most sales driven small businesses. Take the time to revisit your assumptions about sales prospecting...the results will surprise you.

Jump Start Your Small Business Marketing - NOW
Your competitors are most likely cutting back on their marketing efforts, making it easier than ever for you to go after their business. The sooner you set you sights on growing your business - the better.

6 Laws of Small Business Advertising Success
Small business owners can reap huge rewards by understanding the basic fundamentals of advertising. Gain confidence and better ad results by learning the 6 laws of small business advertising success.

7 Sure-Fire Ways to Build Your Referral Business
Referred leads offer a 60 percent close ratio for your small business. Learn how to optimize your customer referrals to your company.

Sales Strategy Creates a Competitive Advantage
In today's economy, big and small businesses are seeking every opportunity to win sales through competitive advantages. Smart small business owners know a sales strategy can create a competitive advantage.

A "Magic Box" and E-mail Marketing
Small business is jumping on the affordable e-mail marketing bandwagon. Combine your e-mail marketing newsletter with a "magic box" for a sales campaign you'll never forget.

Is Your Small Business Website Profitable?
The release of Verizon Superpages.com 4th annual Small Business Internet Survey shows 41% of small businesses saw sales revenue increases in 2002 from their websites. Is your website generating profits? This week's feature covers key tips from Donna McGuire of Upper West Web.

The Forgotten Sesame Street Business Lesson
In an over communicated society with over 30,000 new product introduced a year, how does your business stand out. Learn the valuable lesson from Sesame Street that will make your company stand above the crowd.

Sales In Turbulent Times
To prosper in the face of adversity your About.com Small Business Guide has assembled 5 key sales strategies for small business in tough economic conditions.

Secrets of Selling to Big Corporations
Selling your services to big corporations is an attractive proposition. The contracts are larger than with small businesses and individuals, and often longer-term.

The About.com Business Plans & Financing Your Business Top


The Critical Steps to Writing a Business Plan
Writing a business plan can be an overwhelming task. These feelings often translate into immobilization or confusion as to how to start the business plan. Learn the critical steps to start your plan on the right foot.

Create A Money Winning Business Plan Outline
Everything you need to know to Create A Money Winning Business Plan Outline. Learn what to add to make sure your business plan is complete.

Financing Your Business by Private Placement
With the limited infusion of capital into the stock market, the private investor market is an attractive alternative for investors and small businesses. Private placement offers a viable form of business financing without the constraints of taking a company public and conceding control.

Find Your Business Life Cycle
Your business is changing. With the passage of time, your company will go through various stages of the business life cycle. Learn what upcoming focuses, challenges and financing sources you will need to succeed.

The Truth About Small Business Grants
Small business grants are often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. We have all seen the headlines:Free Government Grants for Small Business. But what is true and what is fiction?

A Business Owner's Secret Weapon: Swot Anaylsis
The SWOT analysis is a business tool available in the tool box of any small business owner. However, running a business forces you to focus on the issues and fires burning today, not tomorrow. Learn how to apply a SWOT analysis to your business, and position yourself ahead of competitors.

What Your Banker Doesn't Want You To Know
Learn the new and traditional rules of securing a credit line or loan from the bank. Maybe you don't even require a business plan.

Free-up Working Capital In Two Words
Don't fall into the trap of having an asset rich and cash poor company. Learn the two words that will make sure you have cash to survive touch times and take advantage of new opportunties.

Small Business Banking 101
Mixing your personal bank account with business is like oil and water, they don't mix. Learn the five reasons not to mix personal & business banking.

The About.com Starting A Business Top


Top Ten Business Opportunities for 2003
The hottest business opportunities for 2003 from your About.com Small Business Information Guide. Learn what's hot in business opportunities in the New Year.

Hottest Trends for 2003
What are the hottest trends shaping business in 2003? Read our small business feature on the top trends to watch.

Pros & Cons of Buying A Franchise
Buying a franchise is an option considered by corporate employees experiencing downsizing or unfavorable work conditions. Before you take the leap, your About.com Guide for Small Business Information has assembled the pros and cons of buying a franchise.

Start Your Own Corporation
Should your small business become a corporation? This is a question you need to ask during the start-up and evolution of your company. Learn what you need to know about incorporating your small business.

The 7 Habits of Business Success
The elusive dream of business success captures the imagination of aspiring and existing business owners everywhere. A vision of flowing profits, industry respect, thrilled customers and a balanced life. This vision is only possible by developing habits that drive business success. Take the time to learn the 7 habits of business success.

6 Keys to Avoid Part-time Business Disaster
Part-time businesses allow entrepreneurs to "test the waters" and see if the business is viable while still earning a full-time paycheck. But there are many traps to avoid when moonlighting. Learn the 6 keys to avoid part-time business disaster.

Creating A Winning Business Partnership
Greater rewards may result from forming a business partnership. Partnerships offer more freedom for business owners with shared business tasks and the potential to earn greater profits.

Pink Slips To Deposit Slips
Start your own business after a layoff. The top five tips for the unemployed before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship.

Pricing Strategies for Small Business
The pricing strategy of a small business can ultimately determine it's fate. Small business owners can ensure profitability and longevity by paying close attention to their pricing strategy.

Office Space: Lease or Buy?
Your Small Business Information Guide has assembled the pros and cons of office space leasing or buying.

The About.com Operating A Business Top


Make Your Business Search Smart
The fast-growing skill of the business professional is and will continue to be the use of knowledge. This translates into the ability to find and use critical information to make the best business decisions. If you or someone on your staff is not savvy enough to search for business information than your business will be out of business.

Boost Your Business Now With Joint Ventures
Years ago, a husband & wife team, partnered their small, unknown company with the likes of 3M & Disney. These joint ventures created a new technology of scratch & sniff stickers of Disney characters. The end result of this partnership was the birth of a multi-million dollar business, Mello Smello. No small business today can afford to ignore the rewards of joint venturing.

Signs Along The Bumpy Road of Business
Operating a successful business requires the ability to see the road ahead. Many businesses fail or go bankrupt simply because the signs were ignored. Take the time to learn the danger signs that can ground your company. The journey will go much straighter in the end.

Science Reveals Customer Service Secrets
Five principles of customer service from the field of behavioral science. New insights into customer service for small business.

Scenario Planning for Uncertain Times
By incorporating scenario planning into your business, you have the opportunity to be ready for change. Your decision-making skills will become sharper and you will manage the risks of operating a business in this topsy-turvy world.

Selling Your Business
The time to start thinking about selling your business begins in the start-up stage and throughout the life cycle of your business. If your business is your retirement nest egg, consider every major decision and how it will add value to your company's exit plan.

Ignite the Two Fires of Employee Motivation
The workplace environment can be shaped to create a motivating workforce. Before you can build motivation within your company, you must understand motivation.

Peer Business Advisor Groups Ease The Pressure of Ownership
Small business owners achieve great benefits from the power of a peer advisory group. Learn how joining a group of small business peers can ease the pressure of business ownership.

Small Business Best Practice Benchmarking
Big business has benefited greatly from benchmarking best practices. Small business can reap even greater rewards. Learn how to effectively borrow outside ideas and strategies for your small business.

Small Business Tax Tips for Year-end
Holiday cheer. Hustle and bustle. Hardly a time to think about small business taxes. But a quick look at these year-end tax tips for small business can pay big dividends for 2003.

Six Ways to Prepare Small Business for Deflation
The big "D" word is creeping into the vocabulary of economists and market watchers. This article is what you need to know about deflation and your small business.

Fraud No Small Matter for Small Businesses
Claimant fraud is the most talked about kind of fraud. It is also the type that employers are in the best position to help uncover. Claimant fraud happens when employees knowingly lie to collect benefits.

Is Your Small Business Privacy-Friendly?
Small business has much to gain by adopting a privacy policy. Privacy policies present an opportunity for building customer trust, enhancing company credibility and winning more business.

Time To Hire Talent
Small business advantage to hiring talent. Is it time to hire? Check the time to hire indicators.

Small Business Phone Money-Saving Tips
10 Ways you can save money on your small business long distance phone costs. David Wood of Business Long Distance Plans shares his tips and secrets to choosing a small business calling plan.