July 2008 Archives

Small business loans for new business ventures are not as easy to get as personal loans, because of the failure rate of new businesses.

Small business loans require a lot more paperwork. They require a business plan and will require collateral.

Sometimes it's easier to get a personal loan and use it for your business. From an accounting point of view, the business has borrowed money from you, therefore when the business makes a profit, you repay the loan, and to yourself, and the money is tax free.

When you can get a small business loan, then it's the way to go. If you find you have to go through a lot of red tape, then get a personal loan and use the money in your new business as you see fit.

That's The Way I See It!
Acey Gaspard
A Touch of Business.com

For More on This Topic See:
Small Business Loans and Where You Can Find Them

I believe good business ethics are easy to abide by if there the right ones for you.

Have you heard the term, "it's nothing personal, it's just business"?

I don't like that expression, because to me it means if it wasn't business I could help you out, or things would be different.

Here's my point of view on business ethics: You should run your business the way you run your life. The beliefs should be the same.

When you have business ethics that are different from your personal ethics then you always have to choose and be conscious of what to do.

If you abide by one set of ethics for your personal decisions and your business decisions, it's easier to stay on track. Not to mention, less stress on you.

So you don't need to abide by a personal set of ethics and a business set of ethics.

This whole idea doesn't mean that you shouldn't be making a profit or making business transactions that are at a loss.

It does mean if just because you are in business, it doesn't give you an excuse to harm others and tell them it's only business.

Business can be profitable while sticking to good business ethics.

That's the way I see it!

Acey Gaspard

 

See Also
Business Ethics - 10 To Keep in Mind
www.atouchofbusiness.com/tips/biz/WorkplaceBusinessEthics-0015.html

This week's issue of our business tools newsletter focuses on The SEO Labs System, which helps website owner's achieve better exposure for their websites.

Search Engine Optimization, (SEO) is a huge complicated topic that is constantly changing.

SEO efforts are an excellent way to get long term traffic to your site. And as you already know, traffic is a key component to any website's success.

SEO Labs is a usable system that is updated monthly with a trail offer anyone can take advantage of.

You can read this weeks issue at:
http://www.atouchofbusiness.com/newsletter/0001-SearchMarketingLab.html

Business thank you notes are a good way for your business to gain points in the customer appreciation area.

Business thank you notes have the following benefits: 

• Business thank you notes show you care for the person you're doing business with.

 

• Business thank you notes helps with branding, because the person is more likely to remember you and your business.

 

• Business thank you notes are a good way to get referrals, because you took the time to show your appreciation. After doing business, your customer just might send you some referrals.

 

Business thank you notes are a nice gesture just to say thank you, although they don't need to be something special. It's a good idea to include a memorable message.

Here's an example of how I would create a business thank you note:

Thanks Acey, for purchasing your 2008 mustang from us! I wish you all the best and please do let me know if I can assist you with a maintenance plan or anything you may need for your new mustang. I have your vehicle on file and will keep you updated if necessary. 

P.S. If you have any problems while servicing your mustang at our dealership, please let me know so I can take care of it for you.

Yours Truly,
James Wooding

Can you see how the above example can bring return customers and referrals? Even though I didn't ask for a referral, I'm sure if a customer receiving this type of treatment will recommend friends and family when the opportunity arrives.

So use business thank you notes and make them memorable.

That's The Way I See It!

Acey Gaspard

www.atouchofbusiness.com