SCORE business counselors have particular expertise in business planning and help numerous business start-ups through the detailed and time-consuming task of preparing a business plan, complete with financial projections. Often, start-up companies need to seek out sources of capital. SCORE business counselors will assist the aspiring entrepreneur with the preparation of the loan application package, which includes a business plan. Many clients request team counseling, in which several counselors with varied business experience will meet with a business owner to review strategies and plan for future business growth.
All SCORE counseling is offered as a free and confidential community service. There are 389 SCORE chapters around the country assisting entrepreneurs. While counseling is always free-of-charge, local SCORE chapters also offer small business workshops and seminars for modest fees.
In southern Utah, SCORE is a member of the Dixie Business Alliance, 1071 E 100 S, First Floor, Bldg. C, St. George, UT 84770. Phone (435) 652-7741, or sign up for E-mail counseling at www.score.org.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Ask SCORE for Sound Small Business Advice
If you have dreams of someday owning your own business, or if you’re already an entrepreneur and want to sharpen your management skills, keep an eye on this space. Here, you’ll find concise answers to common small business questions, tips on finding new customers and keeping old ones happy, plus insights into business-related issues you may never have thought of, but should.
In addition to the advice found on this blog, visit our website at In addition to the advice found on this blog, visit our website at http://www.southernutahscore.com/ .
In addition to the advice found on this blog, visit our website at In addition to the advice found on this blog, visit our website at http://www.southernutahscore.com/ .
Monday, October 5, 2009
Purpose of AskScore
Our Chapter wishes that by sharing with Blog visitors some of the advice we have provided, we can help others.
At the same time, we hope to encourage more inquiries.
Visit our website.
At the same time, we hope to encourage more inquiries.
Visit our website.
First Impressions ARE important
As a former small businessman, and frequent recipient of email, I am quite disappointed of the content of so much written and even printed material. The grammar is bad, but most noticeable is the lack of spelling abilities and non-use of spell checkers. Lately, in on-line help requests forwarded to me by SCORE, it seems only to have declined further.
Everyone, but especially entrepreneurs and people in business, please spell check everything you prepare.
First impressions ARE quite important.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
Everyone, but especially entrepreneurs and people in business, please spell check everything you prepare.
First impressions ARE quite important.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
Young Business falls on Hard Times, due to Failed Promises
SITUATION: A retail specialty shop, offering a singular line of foreign products in an area where many people have visited these foreign areas.
Associates not following through on promises, including sharing client lists; illness in family; business slow to pick up; quickly running out of funds and may need to get another job.
Internet site still under construction at present.
NEEDs to do something fast.
RESPONSE: There is no doubt you’re in a difficult situation. Whoever might solve most of your issues, could become quite rich! But, I do have two suggestions:
First, contact the SCORE Chapter in your area and ask to meet for a free consultation. As many times as you might meet with one of their volunteers, it is no cost to you. Its website is: http://www.saltlakescore.com/
Next, this is one marketing effort that could bring some quick results with a minimum of effort and no cost.
I suggest you set up a Blog for each of your product lines. What will this do?
For each product type, present several paragraphs describing the history and variety of this product line. Discuss the uniqueness of each, the artisans, where appropriate, and the background or history.
For example: if you were selling imported, exotic lumber from Brazil, you might begin with a history of the demand for that export, describe the quality, grain, color, and use for each type. Once your website is functional, you will embed a link to your website somewhere within the text.
The idea is to get the attention of people interested in this subject and then give them something interesting to read. Then, ideally they will click on your link, or for the present, come into your store.
However, your website is not yet functional. That is priority one for this scenario to be most effective. I hope you’ve found a way to get a low-cost site implemented fast. At the start of a local business like yours, even though you might get some distant business, there is no need to spend thousands of dollars for the perfect website.
In the meantime, a boilerplate paragraph at the bottom of each Blog entry would invite folks to visit your store or call, to learn more and to see examples of this product.
(“Boilerplate paragraph” is a paragraph giving a short description of your organization, along with the name, address, email address, and website address. I.e., “XYZ is a retail specialty shop located in My City that offers an assortment of Commonwealth wares. Included are Artworks, Glass, …It is located at …Mention this Blog and receive our everlasting gratitude!)
This will be doing something very positive for your future, and you may benefit from the feeling that you’re preparing some good foundation material.
Setting up a blog is simple. Go to: https://www.blogger.com/start
When setting up each blog, use the same user ID and Password for each. Each will be a stand-alone page, but by using your same name and ID, the name of all of your Blogs will appear on each Blog.
I wish that I could help more, but I know you’ll be able to get some good mentoring from your local SCORE office.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
Associates not following through on promises, including sharing client lists; illness in family; business slow to pick up; quickly running out of funds and may need to get another job.
Internet site still under construction at present.
NEEDs to do something fast.
RESPONSE: There is no doubt you’re in a difficult situation. Whoever might solve most of your issues, could become quite rich! But, I do have two suggestions:
First, contact the SCORE Chapter in your area and ask to meet for a free consultation. As many times as you might meet with one of their volunteers, it is no cost to you. Its website is: http://www.saltlakescore.com/
Next, this is one marketing effort that could bring some quick results with a minimum of effort and no cost.
I suggest you set up a Blog for each of your product lines. What will this do?
For each product type, present several paragraphs describing the history and variety of this product line. Discuss the uniqueness of each, the artisans, where appropriate, and the background or history.
For example: if you were selling imported, exotic lumber from Brazil, you might begin with a history of the demand for that export, describe the quality, grain, color, and use for each type. Once your website is functional, you will embed a link to your website somewhere within the text.
The idea is to get the attention of people interested in this subject and then give them something interesting to read. Then, ideally they will click on your link, or for the present, come into your store.
However, your website is not yet functional. That is priority one for this scenario to be most effective. I hope you’ve found a way to get a low-cost site implemented fast. At the start of a local business like yours, even though you might get some distant business, there is no need to spend thousands of dollars for the perfect website.
In the meantime, a boilerplate paragraph at the bottom of each Blog entry would invite folks to visit your store or call, to learn more and to see examples of this product.
(“Boilerplate paragraph” is a paragraph giving a short description of your organization, along with the name, address, email address, and website address. I.e., “XYZ is a retail specialty shop located in My City that offers an assortment of Commonwealth wares. Included are Artworks, Glass, …It is located at …Mention this Blog and receive our everlasting gratitude!)
This will be doing something very positive for your future, and you may benefit from the feeling that you’re preparing some good foundation material.
Setting up a blog is simple. Go to: https://www.blogger.com/start
When setting up each blog, use the same user ID and Password for each. Each will be a stand-alone page, but by using your same name and ID, the name of all of your Blogs will appear on each Blog.
I wish that I could help more, but I know you’ll be able to get some good mentoring from your local SCORE office.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Taking a Web Business to a New Level
REQUEST: Taking a web business to the next step.
Client request first; counselor reply italicized.
I have a few small businesses on the go (in Australia), however I am at a standstill with one of them. I have a few websites but one in particular is very popular and makes good money, but has more potential. I cannot seem to get it to the next step. If you visit it, you will see that it has been built using frontpage and it kind of an outdated design and layout. Not to mention the html is a mess. There are a few things that I would like some advice on.
• Should I repair this mess or is it ok to go along as it is?
• How can I make it easier for people to find what they want?
• How can I optimize this site to make more money from adsense?
• What is wrong with my landing page for my book?
• Should I take the whole site and put it into a wordpress template?
There are so many questions but I am sure you do not have time for all of them.
The aim of the website is to help people and make money at the same time. Creating an investment. Passive income would be nice, but it will not function without me posting articles to it..
I hope that I may be able to answer a few of your questions, but overall it looks like you need some ideas or obtaining broader publicity, perhaps a public relations effort. Do you have a PR program in place?
First, a few comments. You mention using FrontPage. That is OLD technology with which I built my websites. Today, my web hosting sites no longer support the FrontPage Extensions, and many features that use those extensions no longer work. At some point, you may want to look into a replacement for FrontPage.
Next, you feel XXX has more potential. That is why I brought up the subject of public relations. One of the basic purposes of PR is to address the following question:
“What do my audiences feel about my product (company), and how can I change, correct, or improve that picture.”
The audience you want to address is potential customers, but don’t forget current users of your book. And, there are others who can influence the purchase of your book, into which fall current owners. We call this audience The Influencers, and I’ll get into that more later.
I see you already use Twitter. Do you also have a blog? Did you choose Twitter over a blog, and if so, why?
Now, let’s address your questions, in reverse order.
WORDPRESS – This looks like a very capable, free package, and I might try it. It states it is for Blogs, but I assume it is for websites as well. It will also address your question about ‘repairing the mess,” to which I say Yes.
LANDING PAGE – By this, I imagine you mean Home Page. It’s used the proper fuel ‘til now, but now you need higher octane. Yes, a redesign will help – a little.
ADSENSE – I’m not the one to ask about having ads on a site. I’ve never done this. I see you do have links to friendly sites, too. Does this mean you have resellers for the book?
EASIER SEARCH – Your search capability looks good. I would suggest highlighting “Type in Here” as soon persons click in the box, to preclude the need for deleting that text.
PR IDEAS
I mentioned The Influencers earlier. Audiences that can influence further purchasers of your product(s) include current customers, people who deal with senior citizens, even children whose parents know nothing about computers, and editors of printed and online publications addressing any audience that may contain quantities of computer illiterate readers. Independent computer resellers and service companies in smaller towns would be good partners or resellers of your book.
Do you have Senior Citizen Centers in your area? If so, offer to speak about computer phobia, and so forth. I’ve taught beginning computer users at two such senior groups. The publicly financed Centers can always use new ways to make money to support their services and might be willing resellers, if they have computer labs.
I’m probably beginning to get off on tangents, so should close for now. Please feel free to continue this conversation if you have follow-up questions.
(Counselor did not suggest in-person meetings with SCORE counselors, since request came from outside America.)
Second Session:
Dear Richard
An existing client, has sent you a response:
And I see you confirmed that Frontpage is old news. I really want to change the site into something more organized but I am also worried about losing PR and traffic if I change the urls of the pages. It would be a huge job to keep them all the same because they are such a mess…This is why I have avoided it. I really don’t know where to start.
There is no reason to change urls. Build your new site without uploading it. Then just upload/change one page at a time, as you are satisfied with its appearance. You can still do the basic changes with FrontPage. Can you also work offline with Wordpress?
When you mentioned the Senior Citizen Centers I couldn’t believe it. I have actually been sending my mother to these centers. She is 75 and she wants to help me so I suggested that. She hasn’t done much though..but every bit helps. This has just been to promote the website, not sell the book.
I’d contact as many Senior Citizen Centers a possible, and determine which offer computer training or have computer labs. Offer to donate one copy of your book to those that do. Perhaps even offer a discount to those who purchase after seeing the book at a Center.
Do you think the navigation on the site is ok. YES. What do you think when you get there. Are you confused at first glance or is it easy? What did you think when you went to a page. Did you get the information you were after.
Yes to all, however, as you already feel, the look is a bit tired. Change the graphics and perhaps the layout to your satisfaction, then address these issues. They are not serious.
Going off on another subject now….
Also I was wondering if you would like to review my book. It is only in pdf form as I haven’t bothered with a publisher as that will mean even more work for me. My aim is to sell this book online as a passive income now. I am also going to write a networking book and a bigger word 2007 book. Do you think I am on the right track with the books? The subjects that people want?
The WORD 2007 book may be a good bet, if what I’ve seen with people upgrading to VISTA. Microsoft changed everything, getting away from the old style menus, toolbars, and etc. Why do vendors have to make such drastic changes at one time? Why don’t they explain that the Classic View is still available (if it is)? Everyone is confused, especially those who do not need to use the computer more than a few times a day. And more especially the older people I deal with, who also have memory issues.
I also have the book lined up to be used in a college computer course next year.
That is a great PR/income program. Try the local technical colleges, too.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
Client request first; counselor reply italicized.
I have a few small businesses on the go (in Australia), however I am at a standstill with one of them. I have a few websites but one in particular is very popular and makes good money, but has more potential. I cannot seem to get it to the next step. If you visit it, you will see that it has been built using frontpage and it kind of an outdated design and layout. Not to mention the html is a mess. There are a few things that I would like some advice on.
• Should I repair this mess or is it ok to go along as it is?
• How can I make it easier for people to find what they want?
• How can I optimize this site to make more money from adsense?
• What is wrong with my landing page for my book?
• Should I take the whole site and put it into a wordpress template?
There are so many questions but I am sure you do not have time for all of them.
The aim of the website is to help people and make money at the same time. Creating an investment. Passive income would be nice, but it will not function without me posting articles to it..
I hope that I may be able to answer a few of your questions, but overall it looks like you need some ideas or obtaining broader publicity, perhaps a public relations effort. Do you have a PR program in place?
First, a few comments. You mention using FrontPage. That is OLD technology with which I built my websites. Today, my web hosting sites no longer support the FrontPage Extensions, and many features that use those extensions no longer work. At some point, you may want to look into a replacement for FrontPage.
Next, you feel XXX has more potential. That is why I brought up the subject of public relations. One of the basic purposes of PR is to address the following question:
“What do my audiences feel about my product (company), and how can I change, correct, or improve that picture.”
The audience you want to address is potential customers, but don’t forget current users of your book. And, there are others who can influence the purchase of your book, into which fall current owners. We call this audience The Influencers, and I’ll get into that more later.
I see you already use Twitter. Do you also have a blog? Did you choose Twitter over a blog, and if so, why?
Now, let’s address your questions, in reverse order.
WORDPRESS – This looks like a very capable, free package, and I might try it. It states it is for Blogs, but I assume it is for websites as well. It will also address your question about ‘repairing the mess,” to which I say Yes.
LANDING PAGE – By this, I imagine you mean Home Page. It’s used the proper fuel ‘til now, but now you need higher octane. Yes, a redesign will help – a little.
ADSENSE – I’m not the one to ask about having ads on a site. I’ve never done this. I see you do have links to friendly sites, too. Does this mean you have resellers for the book?
EASIER SEARCH – Your search capability looks good. I would suggest highlighting “Type in Here” as soon persons click in the box, to preclude the need for deleting that text.
PR IDEAS
I mentioned The Influencers earlier. Audiences that can influence further purchasers of your product(s) include current customers, people who deal with senior citizens, even children whose parents know nothing about computers, and editors of printed and online publications addressing any audience that may contain quantities of computer illiterate readers. Independent computer resellers and service companies in smaller towns would be good partners or resellers of your book.
Do you have Senior Citizen Centers in your area? If so, offer to speak about computer phobia, and so forth. I’ve taught beginning computer users at two such senior groups. The publicly financed Centers can always use new ways to make money to support their services and might be willing resellers, if they have computer labs.
I’m probably beginning to get off on tangents, so should close for now. Please feel free to continue this conversation if you have follow-up questions.
(Counselor did not suggest in-person meetings with SCORE counselors, since request came from outside America.)
Second Session:
Dear Richard
An existing client, has sent you a response:
And I see you confirmed that Frontpage is old news. I really want to change the site into something more organized but I am also worried about losing PR and traffic if I change the urls of the pages. It would be a huge job to keep them all the same because they are such a mess…This is why I have avoided it. I really don’t know where to start.
There is no reason to change urls. Build your new site without uploading it. Then just upload/change one page at a time, as you are satisfied with its appearance. You can still do the basic changes with FrontPage. Can you also work offline with Wordpress?
When you mentioned the Senior Citizen Centers I couldn’t believe it. I have actually been sending my mother to these centers. She is 75 and she wants to help me so I suggested that. She hasn’t done much though..but every bit helps. This has just been to promote the website, not sell the book.
I’d contact as many Senior Citizen Centers a possible, and determine which offer computer training or have computer labs. Offer to donate one copy of your book to those that do. Perhaps even offer a discount to those who purchase after seeing the book at a Center.
Do you think the navigation on the site is ok. YES. What do you think when you get there. Are you confused at first glance or is it easy? What did you think when you went to a page. Did you get the information you were after.
Yes to all, however, as you already feel, the look is a bit tired. Change the graphics and perhaps the layout to your satisfaction, then address these issues. They are not serious.
Going off on another subject now….
Also I was wondering if you would like to review my book. It is only in pdf form as I haven’t bothered with a publisher as that will mean even more work for me. My aim is to sell this book online as a passive income now. I am also going to write a networking book and a bigger word 2007 book. Do you think I am on the right track with the books? The subjects that people want?
The WORD 2007 book may be a good bet, if what I’ve seen with people upgrading to VISTA. Microsoft changed everything, getting away from the old style menus, toolbars, and etc. Why do vendors have to make such drastic changes at one time? Why don’t they explain that the Classic View is still available (if it is)? Everyone is confused, especially those who do not need to use the computer more than a few times a day. And more especially the older people I deal with, who also have memory issues.
I also have the book lined up to be used in a college computer course next year.
That is a great PR/income program. Try the local technical colleges, too.
Visit our website: http://www.southernutahscore.com/
How to take a successful retail online/wholesale small business to the next level
Request: How to take a successful retail online/wholesale small business to the next level
Requestor’s comments precede; counselor’s advice italacized.
Last summer I started a small business making and selling XXXX. I sell retail online, as well as wholesale to several high end XXXs in the US and Canada. have a contract worker making my XXX, and I fulfill all the custom orders. I am adding another contract worker this fall to keep up with orders.
First, I agree that Contract workers are the way to go at this time, as long as they work out of their own premises. You’re already aware of the 1099 requirements, I assume.
I want to take it to the next level, but I don't know where to begin. I have an art and journalism background, but never took a business class at all while in college.
The art and journalism backgrounds should be useful. News Releases to all of the Retailer, Wholesaler, and manufacturing publications in the appropriate areas can help get your name known among the prospective customers you seek. Pictures should accompany the news releases, the latter of which should present news, not disguised ads.
A Direct Marketing program aimed at the manufacturers and large retailers purchasing departments, might also be useful, though be careful not to pass along useful competitive information. Teasers indicating product compatibility with their products might be the message. Plus, statistics showing how your sales have grown, plus projections and naming your customer sections. It would be impressive if you pulled the Summary from your business plan, as it would discuss some of these points.
If you don't have a current business plan, do nothing until you update or create one. Samples can be downloaded from the SCORE website.
If you’re not aware how to find these publications, the libraries in larger cities should have the Standard Rate and Data Sources (SRDS) books which list thousands of US publications, by categories.
I know you’re busy, but night classes in business, if only one per semester, will help. They say the busy person is the better person!
Are there Manufacturer’s Reps in your industry? If so, they could help present your products to prospective clients.
One point I’ve learned is that larger businesses like Sears will not add a line until that product has proven highly successful.
What I'd love to happen is to make a deal with a larger XXX manufacturer so that I get a percentage of sales and get to design future products in my line, but that they would provide their name, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution.
What you’re looking for are royalties.
How would I get something like that? I know that my product really isn't a business... it's just one product. How would I go about setting up a meeting with a larger toy manufacturer, and how would I find out about companies that may be interested in my product?
An established company would set up a meeting, take along its lawyer, and have iron-clad non-disclosure or non-compete contract(s). Manufacturers dealing with a company your size will never sign such a contract, as they might already have such a product in the pipeline.
What would be ideal for you for your product to attract inquiries from larger companies. They then would be in the right frame of mind to sign the non-disclosure/non-compete contracts.
Thanks so much for your help!
I’m afraid I haven’t been too much help relating points you may already know.
(Counselor might also have suggested in-person meetings with SCORE counselors.)
Requestor’s comments precede; counselor’s advice italacized.
Last summer I started a small business making and selling XXXX. I sell retail online, as well as wholesale to several high end XXXs in the US and Canada. have a contract worker making my XXX, and I fulfill all the custom orders. I am adding another contract worker this fall to keep up with orders.
First, I agree that Contract workers are the way to go at this time, as long as they work out of their own premises. You’re already aware of the 1099 requirements, I assume.
I want to take it to the next level, but I don't know where to begin. I have an art and journalism background, but never took a business class at all while in college.
The art and journalism backgrounds should be useful. News Releases to all of the Retailer, Wholesaler, and manufacturing publications in the appropriate areas can help get your name known among the prospective customers you seek. Pictures should accompany the news releases, the latter of which should present news, not disguised ads.
A Direct Marketing program aimed at the manufacturers and large retailers purchasing departments, might also be useful, though be careful not to pass along useful competitive information. Teasers indicating product compatibility with their products might be the message. Plus, statistics showing how your sales have grown, plus projections and naming your customer sections. It would be impressive if you pulled the Summary from your business plan, as it would discuss some of these points.
If you don't have a current business plan, do nothing until you update or create one. Samples can be downloaded from the SCORE website.
If you’re not aware how to find these publications, the libraries in larger cities should have the Standard Rate and Data Sources (SRDS) books which list thousands of US publications, by categories.
I know you’re busy, but night classes in business, if only one per semester, will help. They say the busy person is the better person!
Are there Manufacturer’s Reps in your industry? If so, they could help present your products to prospective clients.
One point I’ve learned is that larger businesses like Sears will not add a line until that product has proven highly successful.
What I'd love to happen is to make a deal with a larger XXX manufacturer so that I get a percentage of sales and get to design future products in my line, but that they would provide their name, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution.
What you’re looking for are royalties.
How would I get something like that? I know that my product really isn't a business... it's just one product. How would I go about setting up a meeting with a larger toy manufacturer, and how would I find out about companies that may be interested in my product?
An established company would set up a meeting, take along its lawyer, and have iron-clad non-disclosure or non-compete contract(s). Manufacturers dealing with a company your size will never sign such a contract, as they might already have such a product in the pipeline.
What would be ideal for you for your product to attract inquiries from larger companies. They then would be in the right frame of mind to sign the non-disclosure/non-compete contracts.
Thanks so much for your help!
I’m afraid I haven’t been too much help relating points you may already know.
(Counselor might also have suggested in-person meetings with SCORE counselors.)
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