by Carole Jacoby, M.Ed., M.S. (originally written in late 2001) “Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.” Greg Anderson As a result of the events of September 11 as well as the current uncertainly of our world situation, many of my clients have been expressing their feelings of anxiety and loss of control. Several individuals have voiced their inability to stay focused on important work projects as well as feeling unmotivated and a … [Read more...]
Business Banking
by Kimberly Lebron The Commercial Banking Department at the Savings Bank of Danbury is contacted regularly from prospective customers looking for information. Some frequently asked questions include “What do I need to apply for a commercial loan?”, “How do I go about applying for a commercial loan?”, and “What are your rates for a commercial loan/mortgage?” If it is your first time applying for a business loan, you should contact a couple of commercial lenders from different banks. … [Read more...]
Success Magazine
This is my single best resource for personal development and achievement. The one thing I've learned over the last few years is that personal development is an ongoing process. I only regret not learning this years ago. Success Magazine is one resource that helps me expand my knowledge and develop new skills so I can succeed personally. The best part of the magazine is the audio CD that is included with every issue. I usually listen while traveling. It's been my best resource for learning … [Read more...]
Press Releases
An inexpensive way to promote your business. Just recently, I was featured on Fox 5 Good Morning NY early edition. The topic was "How A Small Business Owner Can Promote their Web Site". After 2 hours worth of tape I was surprise to see my 15 minutes of fame down to 2 minutes worth of TV time. But in those 2 hours of video tape, I discussed some inexpensive ways a small business owner could promote their web site. Some examples included; Making sure your web site address is on all … [Read more...]
Planning & Organizing a Web Site
When creating a web site, you can never over plan or over organize. Regardless if you are developing and creating the site yourself or you hire a professional, you will most likely be involved in planning, organizing and preparing material for the site. Step 1 - What’s the purpose? Decide what the purpose of your site will be. You need to first know what you plan to do. Is the site just for fun or do you have a specific goal? If for a specific goal, right down the purpose, then break down … [Read more...]
Marketing Your Company
Marketing your business is an important aspect of insuring your company’s longevity. Whether you set a side a monthly budget or have no budget, simple yet consistent marketing is necessary. Listed below are some suggestions: • Carry Business cards at all times (you never know when or where a client will come) • Ask clients why they hired your company and solicit suggestions for improvement • Develop a brochure of your services or products • Send hand written Thank You notes • … [Read more...]
Stationery
Q. For our stationery we want to use raised printing like thermography. Is this processes laser compatible? A. Although thermography is inexpensive, it is essentially a “plastic” ink that has been heated to give a raised effect. If your laser printer is hot enough, thermography will make a mess out of both stationery and printer. A better form of raised printing is Engravalith. You could also engrave your stationery, but this process is very expensive. Ask the Expert is a column which … [Read more...]
Microsoft Access
Q. We are looking to upgrade our Access database to include all departments and remote offices. However, this means Macs and PCs will now need to use the database. Can we continue to use Access? A. The short answer is no, not directly. I recommend researching the cost to move your database to FileMaker Pro. This database integrates well with Microsoft Office and is cross platform compatible. Ask the Expert is a column which helps provide solutions for the small business owner. Our Expert … [Read more...]
Top 10 Pitfalls
Statistics state that half of all small businesses will fail in the first 5 years, a challenge even for the well thought out plans. But most of these pitfalls, once you identify them, can be changed to work in your favor and increase your odds of staying in business. Avoid these top 10 pitfalls if you want to stay in business: Procrastination. The saying is true "Don't but off until tomorrow what you can do today". The piles don't get smaller with success and if not dealt with can … [Read more...]
File Management
Q. I have a hard time finding files and applications on my computer. How can I locate what I'm looking for? A. Let's take this from a different approach. A computer is no different than the filing cabinets, in boxes, desks, garbage cans, etc. that are in your office. Or for that matter, it's no different than your son's or daughter's room (now we all know that can be scary). Organization is the key. Put all your applications into the Program Files or the Applications directory, then make … [Read more...]