Tips for Starting a Small Business
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Being a small business owner is not for everybody. It takes risk, hard work, good decision-making, and luck. On the other hand, being a small business owner very much is for other - people who enjoy making decisions and want the ultimate responsibility to be theirs.
Business Legal Structure
When beginning a business, you must decide what form of business entity to establish. Your form of business determines which income tax return form you have to file. The most common forms of business are the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and S corporation. A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a relatively new business structure allowed by state statute. Legal and tax considerations enter into selecting a business structure. The Company Corporation can help you decide which structure is right for you, as well as do the paperwork to set it up for you.
Many business owners want to incorporate their businesses...but don’t know where to turn for fast, reliable & affordable incorporation
and LLC services.
For a FREE “How To” Guide, Click Here
Professional Business Image
One of the many things you will need to do when starting your small business is take some steps to give yourself a professional image. Being small is okay, but looking unprofessional, in the minds of may consumers, is not okay. Fortunately, there are a host of business-to-business companies which have sprung up in the last few years which make giving your business a very professional image affordable. From business cards to 800 phone service to websites, it is easier than ever to have a big business image with a small business budget.
Business cards from VistaPrint are inexpensive, easy to customize, and look very professional. |
Design your own fantastic logo or have LogoYes do it for you for a small fee. |
800 phone service from RingCentral strarts at only $9.99 per month. Nothing says "established company" like an 800 phone number. |
Have a professional website created and marketed for you. You won't be disappointed with the results. |
Paypal - If you have a website you will need to be able to accept credit card payments over the internet. There's no simpler way than setting up a paypal account. Paypal allows people to pay you with major credit cards and bank withdrawals. The money is sent to your Paypal account and can then be withdrawn to your bank account. There's no need to establish a merchant account, gateway, or shopping cart software...Paypal handles all of this for you.
Adwords - Google's contextual advertising program is the standard means by which to get your business in front of customers searching for your product or service. It's easy to set up and manage.
Online Computer Backup - Tapes and disks are out. These days business owners back up their critical business files over the internet. Not only is it easier and more secure, but it has the added advantage of storing your files in a separate physical location from your primary business computer. This way, in case something happens to your computer or business itself, your files can easily be retrieved at any time on another computer. This service is quite affordable and brings great peace of mind.
800 Phone Service - 800 numbers dramatically increase the professional perception of your business - especially if your 800 number spells your business name or area of specialty (e.g. 800-GOT-MILK). These sompanies offer lots of features to make your small business sound more professional and streamline its communications by creating a virtual office that connects callers to employees wherever they are, on any type of phone – home, office, VoIP, or mobile - without any equipment to purchase or maintain. Have your toll free calls forwarded to any number or to multiple numbers, simultaneously or one at a time. Better manage voicemails and faxes with message delivery – listen to voicemails and view faxes right on your computer. Most providers have no contracts and offer vanity phone numbers for a one time setup fee of approximately $30.
Website - Build and host your website. It's much easier and more affordable. Or have the pros make a standout website for you.
