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Business Tools Blog

Questions Every Business Owner Should Ask

January 26, 2012 – 2:18 pm

If you’re a small business owner, or even a medium to large business owner, it can be difficult to generate new productivity out of the same divisions and strategies. No matter how many incentives you offer, employees see themselves as having a set job that is immune from evolution or change. Your San Diego tax consultant can scare up some old receipts from your file and find a way to increase your write-offs—why can’t everyone be so productive? The reality is, it’s not necessary to hire new employees to accomplish new goals that are still in line with your old goals. New tools and strategies are out there that can improve your business without the need for hires or fires. You just have to clearly define what you’re looking to attain. Ask yourself these questions:

Is my marketing team fully versed in social media and deploying new strategies for reaching clients, customers and investors?

If the answer is “yes,” you will have a robust online presence in which your company is creating an image for itself on Facebook and Twitter and using these tools and more to network and push your company into niche markets. If the answer is “no,” you’ve got a blackout on your hands in which a large percentage of the population has no way of seeing you. Familiarize yourself with the world of social media.

Is my IT department optimizing the latest Internet utilities and office tools such as cloud services?

The ability to store, backup and synchronize data over several departments will not only save you money on hardware and software costs, it will lend added security safeguards to your company files and make your office run more efficiently.

Is my web team using search engine optimization to bolster our online reputation and prestige?

If your web team hasn’t employed any SEO practices, you need to have a serious meeting with them because they are way behind the times and it could be permanently damaging your business. In-house SEO is crucial, as it optimizes your website for search engines and makes you rise to the top. You may also need outsourced SEO. There are many great online marketing companies that specialize in just this thing. You don’t to let anyone go, but they need to be on the same page.

Ask yourself these questions. If the answers are “no,” or you don’t know the answer, it’s time to dig a little deeper into your company and get more hands on with your employees and your business strategies.

Sandi Mays | PR, Social Networking | Comments (0)

Tips For Reducing Your Overhead Costs This Winter

January 13, 2012 – 4:18 pm

A new year has arrived and the economy looks no less stagnant than ever. True, unemployment levels have gone down, but the average small business owner has probably seen no signs of a waning recession. If you’re one of those business owners, there’s a good chance you’ve been looking to cut costs. And, if you’re looking to cut costs, there’s no better place to look than your company’s overhead. This is especially the case if business is good and sales remain strong, but you’re still struggling to pay your bills.

Reducing overhead entails making a commitment to economizing, maximizing efficiencies, and working to realize small cost-cutting measures on a large scale. The first place to look, of course, is at your physical plant – your office, store, or factory where business takes place. Here are a few options to consider:

Downsize Space

Perhaps your business has grown smaller and leaner over the years. Perhaps you’ve reduced desks and filing cabinets by going digital in the past decade. For whatever reason, many business owners find themselves with more office space than they truly need. This space translates into a good amount of overhead. This winter, then, you may want to think about your downsizing options. One great way to do this is by moving unneeded furniture, files, and equipment into storage units that usually cost far less than rent on a square foot level.

Go Green

Even if you don’t consider yourself an environmentalist, going green this winter can help you save substantially on your office’s utility bills. Energy efficient light bulbs reduce your electricity consumption, intelligent thermostats can regulate the temperature in a way that promotes cost efficiencies, and motion-controlled lighting systems can insure that the power is turned off whenever the office is empty. While all these products are more expensive upfront, they promise to deliver savings after just a short period of use.

Telecommute

Having employees telecommute can help achieve either of the above objectives. If the telecommuting occurs on a rotating basis, you can remove a desk from the office and make it easier to downgrade your space. If it instead takes place on occasional days and at an office-wide level, you can save yourself the utilities costs for those days. Telecommuting also reduces gas expenses and, studies show, can increase employee satisfaction.

These are just a few of the ways you can reduce overhead and save some money this winter. When money is tight it’s only natural for businesses to seek out any efficiencies or redundancies they can find. The office space itself is always a great place to start.

Sandi Mays | Financial Management, Go Green | Comments (0)

Ways To Keep From Going Crazy At Work

December 29, 2011 – 5:37 pm

You spend ten hours a day crunching numbers, making graphs with Excel and using widgets and software apps until it feels like you’ve turned electronic yourself. Business tools are a means to an ends, but you’re counteracting everything you work for if you don’t take care of the most valuable tool in your toolkit: your mind. Whether you’ve been tasked with a new website interface or you’ve got to provide custom packaging for a new fleet of smartphones, your boss, customers, and clients will all benefit from you being sane. Here are a few ways to keep from going postal on the job:

Talk to artificial intelligence. No, this is not a euphemism. If you have Siri on your smartphone, use it to organize your day so that when you get out of work you can optimize your free time. Plan tomorrow’s meetings, schedule business lunches, send texts and emails while you’re in the bathroom. Or, if you want a more entertaining to jaunt into the world of AI, have a little chat with Cleverbot. It’s not Watson, but it may be a bit more conversational.

Read an article that is the complete polar opposite of your work. If you work at a financial institution, read an article about solar flares. If you work at a marketing firm, read an article about native bark. Develop software algorithms? Read about word associations. The idea here is to stimulate your mind and creativity and give yourself a break from your normal focus. Sometimes it’s necessary. Ever hear the phrase “a watched pot never boils?” This applies to utilizing the mind too. If you sit at your desk waiting for the right idea, it may never come. Feeding your imagination helps to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

Take a stretch/meditation/yoga break. Clearing your mind and rejuvenating your body is an important part of getting through your workday. Stretching, meditating, striking a yoga pose, or even going for a quick jog are all great ways of clearing the cobwebs and finding a synergy between your mind and body.

Take a nap. You don’t have to go George Costanza-style and build a bed underneath your desk, but a midday power-nap can be the difference between a productive afternoon and a miserable descent into delirium. The human mind does not function well when sleep-deprived, so you should not entrust it to handle complex operations off five hours of sleep. Simply grabbing 15 minutes of shuteye can recharge your batteries and set you back on track.

Work isn’t necessarily supposed to be fun, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel like you’re going to lose it. No matter what industry or line of business you’re in, it’s critical that you practice mind-soothing techniques to maximize your productivity and streamline your work ethic.

Sandi Mays | Management | Comments (0)

Net Installs - graphed

December 23, 2011 – 12:52 am

Net Installs are tracked and forecasted on a weekly basis.  We use historical net installs as a rear view mirror and a forecast, to tell us where we are going.

We use a stacked bar to depict net installs.  The top of the bar = Net Installs.  Notice that when Net Installs >$0, the blue bar is split into 2.  The bottom blue bar = the disconnect bar, the other blue bar = the amount that Net Installs is >$0.

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Here’s how you build the chart:

1.  Start by setting up the data sheet:

  • In column B, create boxes and color them.  These will be the legend for your chart
  • You can use the EOMONTH command to create the dates in row 17

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2.  Create the graph data (in gray below).  The graph requires 4 bars.

  • Blank bar -  Formula =IF(D20<0,D20,”") If the Net Installs<0, then this bar = Net Installs. If Net Installs>0, then this bar has no value
  • Gross Install1 bar - Formula=IF(D23<0,”",D20) If Blank<0, then this bar has no value, if Blank>0, then this bar=Net Installs.
  • Gross Install2 bar - Formula=IF(D23<0,D18,D19) If Blank<0, then this bar = -Gross Installs, if BLANK>0, then this bar=Disconnects
  • Disconnects bar - Formula=+D19.  This bar=Disconnects

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3. Create the chart

  • INSERT >> CHART >> Column >> Stacked Column

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  • Select the gray area as the range for the chart

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  • Create the Title

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  • On the Legend tab, uncheck the Show Legend box
  • Click Finish

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Your Chart looks like this:
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4. Format Chart Area

  • Remove the chart outline
  • Double click on the line on the outside of the chart
  • Select Border=None and Area=None
  • Click OK

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5.  Format Plot area

  • Remove the gray shading in the plot area
  • Double click on outline of the plot area
  • Select Border=None and Area=None
  • Click OK

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6.  Format the Y axis, so that it displays currency

  • Double click on the Y axis
  • On the Number tab, click Currency
  • Decimal places=0
  • Symbol=$
  • Negative numbers=($1,234)

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7.  Format the X Axis

  • Double click on the X axis
  • On the patterns tab, Tick mark labels=Low

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8.  Color the bars

  • Double click on the Disconnect bar
  • Change the color to red
  • Click OK

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  • Double Click on the Gross Install1 and Gross Install2 Bars and make them blue (you will have to do this separately
  • Click OK

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  • Double click on the Blank bar
  • On the Patterns tab, select Border=None and Area=None

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Your chart now looks like this:

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Go to Businesstoolsblog Shared Files Google Group for a free template.

Sandi Mays | Excel | Comments (4)

Goals For Your Website in the Initial Stages of a Start-Up

December 3, 2011 – 9:14 pm

When starting a new business, the entrepreneur has a lot of considerations and issues on his table. He needs to meet with potential investors, figure out budgets, determine and hire a workforce, and seek out contract management solutions. The list goes on and on. For many such entrepreneurs, one of the first moves they make is to buy a domain and create a website.

In the initial stages of a start-up, the time, cost, and effort that goes into the creation of a website may seem like a waste. Unless your business will be operating solely online, the website is likely to be small, rarely visited, and nonessential for that first phase of growth. As a result, many experts advise against getting a site up and running in the early going. There is no reason not to buy a domain, they reason, and your time and effort is best spent elsewhere.

While this argument is can certainly be applicable to some start-ups, there are benefits that come from having a website from the get-go. These benefits, for the entrepreneur, should ultimately reflect the goals his wishes to achieve with his site in the early going. Here are a few of the main ones:

Credibility

Having a website, even a small one that is rarely viewed, makes your business more credible from day 1. The website URL should be listed on your business’ Facebook page, in any mailings that you send out, and as part of the signature on your email. Even if people don’t visit the site much, seeing that URL will give you a boost of legitimacy.

Information

Your site may not get many repeat visitors at first, but many people interested about your business will likely head there to get some information. This information should be clearly presented and readily available; after all, it will often comprise the first impression a potential consumer or investor gets of your company. Your website, then, should spell out a mission statement even if it initially contains little else.

Income

As most entrepreneurs know, money can be extremely tight in the early phases of a new business. Although you are probably keeping costs low and actively courting investors, a little extra cash can still go a long way. To this end, by selling space for a few discrete ads on the side of your website’s homepage, you may be able to make that extra money without having to put in a whole lot of extra work.

These are just some of the main reasons why a website can be valuable in the early going. Even if it doesn’t reflect the final product, and even if it does cost you a bit of your time, having an up-and-running site is ultimately more beneficial than simply owning a domain.

Sandi Mays | Blogging | Comments (0)

How to delete all email in Gmail

October 15, 2011 – 6:05 pm

Question from a reader:  My Gmail has gotten way out of hand.  Is there an easy way to delete all email in your Gmail inbox?  or do I have to delete 100 emails at a time?

Answer:  Yes, you can delete your entire inbox in one simple step … this super easy.  To delete all existing Gmail messages click “All Mail”then click the Delete button.  You may be prompted to choose the 100 emails displayed or all emails in your inbox.  Select all email, and your Gmail inbox will be empty.


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Reminder - Gmail holds onto deleted emails for 30 days, unless you empty your trash.

Sandi Mays | Financial Management | Comments (2)

5 Tips To Surviving Early Stages of Business Development

September 19, 2011 – 6:51 am

Each year, thousands of Americans launch a new business enterprise, and each year, thousands of Americans fail in the launch of a new business enterprise. That is the unfortunate reality of entrepreneurial ventures. However, there is a very interesting point to be made. The primary question that should come to mind is why do so many new businesses fail in the first 1-2 years? Now, there are definitely a small percent that fail due to reasons completely outside the control of the business owner, but the truth is that thousands of companies fail each year as a direct result of preventable reasons!

For example, if you have been in the business world for any time at all, you are most likely aware of the cliché that “the leading cause of business failure is a lack of capitalization.” Simply put—companies run out of money. If this is true, then using logic, we should arrive at the question—is it possible to plan ahead so that your company does not run out of money?? The answer is—yes!

In this article, we are going to discuss 5 tips to surviving the early stages of your business venture. Pay attention to these tips and your business will benefit. Ignore them at your own peril.

Keep Overhead Low

When you first get the idea to go into business, it’s exciting. The world seems full of hope and promise. In fact, the world is a little too full of hope and promise! In the early stages of business development, it is easy to see everything through rose-colored glasses. This can lead to thinking that money is going to flow in from every direction, and this line of thinking ultimately leads to spending way too much money way too early in the game. Keep your overhead low. Get a small business loan only if you it is essential to bringing your product or service to market. Keep all other expenses on the backburner and wait until you have a steady stream of revenue coming in every month.

Write It Out

Most new businesses surprisingly do not have a comprehensive, written business plan. This is a vital flaw in many companies. Do not make this mistake! Write out a complete, clear business plan that includes every detail of the company. This should include details concerning your business model, marketing and sales plan, financial projections, etc. You can purchase a basic business plan template for $20 at your local Office Depot, or you can go online and find one for free through a simple Google search. Do not skip this step!

Test Your Idea

Many entrepreneurs believe there idea is foolproof and never consider testing the very viability of their business model. Many of us tend to attach ego to our ideas and when someone disagrees with us, we get upset and/or angry. This behavior prevents most people from wanting to expose their new business idea to people that may disagree with it or not think highly of it. However, it is imperative that you take your idea and share it with people that you respect in the business world. If everyone you share the idea with thinks it is a horrible idea, you should seriously reconsider launching a company based on the current model. Instead, you may need to go back to the drawing board and make major revisions to the model itself.

Although business success is never guaranteed, these practical tips can greatly increase your chances of success. Get a small business loan only if you determine it is essential to launch. By proactively planning, you can work to eliminate many of the common causes of business failure.

Sandi Mays | Entrepreneur | Comments (2)

How to use an online fax service

August 21, 2011 – 9:10 am

ADPTotalsource flex spending plan still requires that you send your claims via fax.  If you don’t have an online or efax this can be a time consuming task.  After filling out claim forms and scanning receipts, you are required to spend 2-5 minutes watching the fax machine and keeping your fingers crossed that the person who ultimately receives the fax can read it.

A bit of nostalgia - In 1997, I heard firsthand how internet faxing was going to change the world and that UUNET (acquired by Worldcom in 1996) would be the first ISP to offer a serious alternative to using traditional voice telephone networks for business faxing.  In 1997 it seemed inevitable that everyone would be using online faxing in the next 10 years.  But that prediction would be wrong.  In 2011 … it seems many still haven’t made the transition.

How to use an online fax service?

1. To receive a fax:

  • When you sign u with an online fax service, you will be assigned a dedicated fax phone number that will convert incoming faxes to electric documents that are automatically sent to your computer or email
  • The document will be attached to the email and will generally be in a TIFF or PDF format
2. To send faxes
  • Most services require that you convert the document that you want to send to a pdf.  You can do this with a scanner or by  selecting “File,” and then choosing “Save as PDF”
  • Go to the start screen of your online fax provider and enter the fax number to send to, upload your document, and click send

Many services offer additional features like online storage and integration with Skype or camera phones.  If you don’t own a scanner, there are services that allow faxing by taking a photo of documents that you want to send on your camera phone.  Rather than list all of the features here, you can compare online fax services at Consumer-Rankings.com where they offer well organized efax reviews

Sandi Mays | Financial Management | Comments (2)

PowerPoint tries to open linked files when printing

August 1, 2011 – 9:56 am

A big thanks to Jason Tibbs for finding the answer to this question!

I was going crazy when trying to print a PowerPoint that had links to external files.  When I opened the file, I clicked Cancel when the MicroSoft PowerPoint Security Notice asked if I wanted to update links.

Then, after clicking print, I would have to go to excel and cancel updates on each link.

Jason found the settings in PowerPoint that were causing this problem. It’s an easy fix.

  1. File > Options > Advanced
  2. Uncheck all but the top Print selection
  3. Print
Problem solved!  You no longer need to update every link.

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Sandi Mays | Financial Management | Comments (0)

Why are Euros showing up in Excel 2010?

June 23, 2011 – 9:10 am

Amit is trying to figure out a fix …

Apparently it is a Microsoft glitch, after you put a pivot table into a file Microsoft will then default to Euros.  Microsoft needs to develop an update for us download!  In the meantime, hopefully Amit can help!

Update - Amit found this fix:

To fix the Euro problem in Excel 2010 you need to do the following:

1) Go to the “Home” tab on the Ribbon.
2) Under the “Styles” section right click on the box that says “Normal”
3) Select “Modify”
4) Click “Format…”
5) Select “General”
6) Click “OK”
7) Click “OK” again.

If any of the sheets are protected, you need to unprotect them first since this change affects all sheets in the workbook.

Sandi Mays | Financial Management | Comments (0)