The SMB NOW Blog

Author: Andy Wendt

Accounting Tips For SMB Owners

January 8, 2009 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Accounting Advice for SMB OwnersWhen running an SMB there are lots of pitfalls one should watch out for, and accounting practices are one major concern. Many SMBs employ an outside accounting firm to “keep their books”, and this can be a very good idea. However, it is also wise to learn accounting basics or tips yourself. Here are a few accounting tid-bits that an SMB owner may want to know:

1. Protect your company from check fraud – Ask that your bank never cash a check made out to an individual, with the exception of payroll checks.

2 Keep up to date on all tax rules and changes in accounting rules – Government tax rules change on a regular basis. It is a good idea to keep track of these changes yourself. You should never blindly depend on your accountant.

3. Review all cost and expenses – You should review your invoices often. Don’t play catch up with your records; use them to find ways to cut costs and also to find better and cheaper suppliers. Doing this will save you money in the long run

4. Keep your business and personal accountants separated – Many business owners keep one account for personal and business finances. This can cause problems when tax time comes. Keep things separated, it will make things much more simple when it comes time to track your business finances, moreover it will make creating a personal budget less of a problem.

5. Double and triple check your numbers – Many company’s pay the same bill twice due to accounting errors, costing them large amounts of money and many hours of labor to correct. If you check, check and recheck your numbers you will catch errors before it’s too late.

6. Keep records of bills paid – Your financial records and invoices serve two purposes. One, they can be used for cost control. But two is much more important, they can also be used when tax time comes around.

7. Basic is a good thing – An accounting system should be simple and easy for you to use. Having more than one checking account when one will do can make things much harder. So keep it simple.

8. Accounting software – Accounting software is easy to use and most packages are affordable. Many of these programs, such as Quickbooks, will turn your receipts into financial reports, making it a great tool for any SMB.

9. Hire someone to help at the office – It is best to be well versed in accounting, but having someone to help you is often the best way to keep things in line. Accountants are an invaluable extra set of eyes helping to watch your money.

By: Randy Lewis

Tagged: Accounting, Advice, Owner, SMB, Tips

SMB Cost Saving Tips To Avoid

December 4, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

SMB IT Cost Saving MistakesSticking to your budget on you office IT infrastructure can be a key ingredient to a successful SMB operation. However there are times when you need to think before you leap into what might seam like an easy call to reduce costs.

The flowing link will take you to a story on our Small Business Magazine about an attempt to save twenty dollars per month by switching internet service providers.

Continue reading about how much this move would cost this real life customer in the medical field and see if he learned his first lesson on an IT Cost Saving Money Pitt.

Tagged: SMB Cust Cutting, SMB IT Cost Savings, SMB Money Pit

SMB And The E-Store

November 13, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

SMB Online SalesIf you are an SMB owner and find yourself struggling to see the big picture of internet marketing here is another piece of that picture to look at.

This piece of the marketing picture looks like an e-store; it acts like an e-store, so let’s go out on a limb and call it an e-store.

Today no matter the size of your website an e-store can help capture business you never knew existed. It can be the single most important way for your online clients to reach your goods or services.

Just today we received a Google News Alert that mentioned one of our SMB subscribes who announced they are adding their Computer Rental Products to an online e-store. From previous conversations with this SMB we know that their business is 90% internet driven and is very successful.

To continue reading about the SMB and the e-store follow the link below.

SMB e-store story continues.

Tagged: SMB E Store, SMB Online Sales

Plamsa TV Displays for the SMB

October 23, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Plasma TV Upgrades For SMBPlasma TV Displays have slowly worked their way into the office of the small and medium business over the last few years. You might notice them in a waiting room displaying an informational video about the services offered by their owner. You might notice them in the manager’s office watching a CCTV security system. You might notice them at a trade show set up with the company booth. You might even notice them just running as a TV in a break room with no, pardon the pun, commercial use at all. But without regard to their use if you keep your eyes open you will notice plasma TV displays in a great many of spots.

According to our sources a good number of the early adapter’s of this technology are seeing their early model plasma TV displays reach the end of their lifecycle. A common scenario appears to be an older 42” plasma being replaced with a new, brighter, faster, and larger 84” plasma TV display.

After some additional research we felt the need to comment that at current prices we are not ready to recommend that everyone run out and upgrade to an 84” plasma TV display, but we do think that in certain situations it could be looked at as a wise marketing investment.

For example an 84” plasma TV display in a high traffic area would be a solid eye catcher if you wanted your infomercial to be seen. And an 84” plasma TV would be stunning at a trade show or even the occasional SMB event such as an open house.

While prices of new 84” plasma TV units, which are still in the five thousand dollar range, might preclude the upgrade in certain situations we are also told that the an 84” plasma TV rental is becoming common for short term events.

Click on these links to read more about: Plasma TV Technology, Why a Plasma TV is Popular for Exhibits, or a Plasma TV Rental.

Tagged: Plasma TV Rentals, Plasma TV Upgrades, Plsama TV for SMB

CCTV Learning Center – SMB DIY

October 18, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

CCTV Security Camera Learning CenterCCTV Security Cameras Systems are no longer just for fortune 500 companies. SBM owners all over the country are purchasing and installing their own CCTV Security Systems on a daily basis.

These Security Camera Systems are being used to help with inventory shrinkage, accident claims, to provide management control, and general security.

As the SMB owner is historically a Do It Yourself (DIY) personality the CCTV Learning Center sponsored by Camera Security Now is the perfect place to start for research or installation tips.

Full of DIY CCTV videos and informational articles the CCTV Learning Center can give a potential CCTV buyer the knowledge to make the right purchase or that added bit of information to get his install done right.

The CCTV Learning Center even has a link to Ask a CCTV Expert any question you might have about your CCTV project.

Tagged: CCTV DIY, CCTV Learning Center

SMB Tips for Successful Sales Reps

September 17, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Born in 1908 Estee Lauder was the daughter of Hungarian immigrants who along with her husband Joseph went on to co-found Estee Lauder Companies.

Being the only woman listed in Time Magazines 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century there is no doubt Esttee Lauder understood how to sell.

Below are the first 10 of 16 successful sales tips attributed to Estee Lauder.

1. Stay in touch with current prospects and clients on a regular basis.

2. Be the ‘professional’ or ‘expert’ authority on your product or service.

3. Ask for a referral from every client.

4. Recontact past clients for up to 5 years.

5. Form strategic alliances with vendors, industry experts, competitors.

6. Speak or participate in industry, or area events or just meet with as many
strategic people as possible.

7. Make sure you have a ‘call to action’ on your website.

8. Develop compelling specials or sales offers

9. Schedule a planning session with clients, help plan the upcoming months or
years orders.

10. Send Thank You cards

To read more see tips for Successful Sales Reps see the entire Estee Lauder story on our SMB Magazine.

Tagged: SMB Sales Tips. Estee Lauder

Myrlte Beach CCTV Security Camera Systems

August 20, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Myrtle Beach CCTV Security CamerasIf you were in Myrtle Beach this summer there is a good chance that in a manner of speaking you are still there. Thanks in part to firms like Camera Security Now your image is most likely going to reside for weeks on a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) of the Hotel, Restaurant, or Gift Shop you visited while on vacation.

Digital Video Recorders with internet access are the new technology behind the age old standard CCTV security camera. This new technology uses computers, in the case of Camera Security Now Dell business class systems matched with GeoVision video capture cards, in place of the VHS tape based units of past. The DVR then records a Windows compatible AVI file right to the computers hard drive of all the motion it detects. These clips can be saved, played back remotely, and of course viewed across the internet in live time or well after the fact.

Small to medium business are finding a typical eight camera Myrtle Beach CCTV / DVR system can be installed locally by a Camera Security Now professional for under five thousand dollars.

For more information or to view live samples from a CCTV / DVR system visit Camera Security Now or call 877-422-1907.

Tagged: Hotel Security Cameras, Myrtle Beach CCTV, Myrtle Beach Secuirty Cameras

SMB Computer Rental News and Information

August 14, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

SMB Computer Rental NewsSMB’s every where need temporary technology at one time or another and there are no shortage of firms willing to rent any old piece of computer equipment just to make a dollar. Many rental firms place more importance on getting the order out the door than the do making sure that rental equipment is right for you or not.

That’s why the RentAComputer.com News and Information Blog on Computer Rentals is something the editors of SMB now can recommend to anyone in need of a short term technology rental. The Blog contains hundreds of articles going back over a year. These articles can help the SMB community stay up on current technology and show how others in your field are taking advantage of cost saving strategies by utilizing technology rentals.

With news and information on almost every aspect of the Computer Rental industry the RentAComputer.com Blog will allow customers to conduct detailed research and become more informed consumers.

Tagged: Computer Rental, Rental Blog

Chicago Computer and AV Rentals

August 6, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Chicago Computer & AV Rentals - Local DeliveryPlanning a business trip or even a working vacation to Chicago and looking for a solution to that age old problem of how to travel with your own computer or audio visual gear?

A Chicago Computer or Audio Visual Rental with Local Delivery from Rentacomputer.com can solve that problem and make your trip all the more enjoyable.

Rent state of the art Technology and relax while Rentacomputer.com delivers the temporary technology you need when and where you need it.

Tech Travel Agents book Laptop & Desktop Computer Rentals, Large Screen Display or Projector Rentals, and Even File Server Rentals every day in Chicago and across the surrounding metropolitan area.

For more information on Chicago Computer and AV Rentals Contact your Tech Travel Agent or see the links below for a quick quote.

Chicago Computer Rental Quote Request

Chicago Plasma/LCD/Projector Rental Quote Request

Tagged: Chicago, Chicago AV Rentals, Chicago Computer Retnals, Rentals

SMB Computers – 50 Ways to Rent And Save

July 30, 2007 by Andy Wendt Leave a Comment

Computer Rental - 50 Reasons to RentSMB’s like most of us can never have enough cash on hand. One way for an SMB to preserve some of that cash is by renting computers for short term projects. However according to Rentacomputer.com there are at least 50 ways and reasons to consider renting when it comes to your SMB’s technology needs. Not that I am an expert but I can already think of a few more reasons why I might rent a computer for my SMB. To see if any of these reasons can save your SMB some cash click here to view the complete Rentacomputer.com list of reasons to rent a computer.

Tagged: Computer Rental, SMB Capital Preservation, SMB Rental
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