New All-Inclusive Online Web Portal, Tools and Options Available
We have some really new and impressive things going on with our Independent Consultant Opportunity! The program still has all the great benefits it had before for individuals or current consultants looking for an opportunity to start or expand their offerings with our small business & nonprofit services. We just topped it off with a few awesome items! Check out some of the highlights with a few excerpts from our press release today!
BizCentral USA unveils its newly restructured Independent Consultant Opportunity…
The main highlight of the restructured Independent Consultant Opportunity is the new all-inclusive online web portal. The online web portal provides Independent Consultants with sales materials for all of our small business and nonprofit services, training slidecasts, lead generation tools, order forms, reference manuals and more – all at the click of a mouse. The primary goal of the Independent Consultant online web portal is to streamline the training, sales and order process, making it easier to maximize the consultant’s ROI and future earning potential.
View our Independent Consultant Intro Packet!
“Through our new web portal section, independent consultants are guaranteed to have the most updated information, available for download at any time and in any quantity,” said Matthew Mitchell, Independent Consultant Coordinator for BizCentral USA.
Additional benefits to the restructured Independent Consultant Program include: more available nonprofit and small business product and service options, added Independent Consultant website features, 5 new sector-specific lead generation tools, and the inclusion of a volume rebate program.
For those interested in learning more about the Independent Consultant Opportunity, BizCentral USA is offering a live online information session, where participants can receive more details and ask questions regarding the program. Details of the upcoming Independent Consultant information session is below:
Who: BizCentral USA What: Independent Consultant Information Session Where: Online at any computer with an internet connection When: Friday, July 30th, 1pm EST How to Register: Visit the following link- https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/939199082
Several times a day I am approached by people who are interested in starting a business, but they don’t want to hassle with the headaches and cost of customer service, production, quality control and shipping. The best advice I can give them is to look into the BizCentral Independent Consultant Opportunity. What is this program? Well, first of all, let me ask you a few questions.
Are you currently working in the B2B arena? Do you have lots of small business, nonprofit or church contacts? Are you looking to start or expand your business with additional products and services for startups, small businesses or nonprofits? If you answered “yes” to any of the above, we have the perfect solution for you!
Why not join the BizCentral Independent Consultant group. The benefits of our program allows us to operate as your “back office,” allowing you to focus on “making money”, building relationships and enjoy residual income without having to do constant cold calls.
So what are a few highlights of the program? Let me give a quick recap:
•Uncapped Income
•Ability to Integrate our Service into a Current Model
•Ongoing Sales and Marketing Support
•New Consultant Web Portal
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a pretty good opportunity to me! If you are interested in learning more, then be sure to join us for an online interactive info session on July 30th, 2010 from 1 pm – 2 pm EST!
There are many certifications that can greatly benefit small businesses, such as: WBE, DBE, MBE, HUBZone and more. Yet, one of the least understood and most often misunderstood certifications is the SBA 8a certification. The SBA’s 8a BD Program, named for a section of the Small Business Act, is a business development program created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and access the federal procurement market.
In order to qualify for the SBA 8a Certification the business must:
Be a small business
Be unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are of good character and citizens of the United States
Demonstrate potential for success
The SBA defines a small business concern as one that is independently owned and operated, is organized for profit, and is not dominant in its field. Depending on the industry, size standard eligibility is based on the average number of employees for the preceding twelve months or on sales volume averaged over a three-year period. Examples of SBA general size standards include the following:
Manufacturing: Maximum number of employees may range from 500 to 1500, depending on the type of product manufactured
Wholesaling: Maximum number of employees may range from 100 to 500 depending on the particular product being provided
Services: Annual receipts may not exceed $2.5 to $21.5 million, depending on the particular service being provided
Retailing: Annual receipts may not exceed $5.0 to $21.0 million, depending on the particular product being provided
General and Heavy Construction: General construction annual receipts may not exceed $13.5 to $17 million, depending on the type of construction
Special Trade Construction: Annual receipts may not exceed $7 million; and
Agriculture: Annual receipts may not exceed $0.5 to $9.0 million, depending on the agricultural product
The SBA defines socially disadvantaged individuals as those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as members of a group. Social disadvantage must stem from circumstances beyond their control. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, individuals who are members of the following designated groups are presumed to be socially disadvantaged:
Black Americans
Hispanic Americans
Native Americans (American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians)
Asian Pacific Americans (persons with origins from Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Samoa, Guam, U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands [Republic of Palau], Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Laos, Cambodia [Kampuchea], Taiwan; Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Macao, Hong Kong, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, or Nauru; Subcontinent Asian Americans (persons with origins from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands or Nepal), and ,members of other groups designated by the SBA.
The SBA defines economically disadvantaged as socially disadvantaged individuals whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities. An economically disadvantaged individual’s net worth, after excluding the individual’s equity in the firm and the equity in the primary residence, may not exceed $250,000. SBA will also consider the individual’s average two-year income, fair market value of all assets, access to credit and capital, and the financial condition of the applicant firm in evaluating economic disadvantage.
In order to be eligible for the 8a certification the SBA requires that at least 51% of the applicant firm is directly and unconditionally owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
The SBA considers the business’ potential for success requirement based on the following:
the technical and managerial experience of the applicant firm’s managers
the firm’s operating history
ability of the firm to access credit and capital
the firm’s financial capacity
the firm’s record of performance
whether the applicant firm or individuals employed by the firm hold the requisite licenses if the firm is engaged in an industry requiring professional licensing
Also the small business must have been operational for at least two full years as evidenced by business income tax returns for each of the two previous tax years which show operating revenues in the primary industry in which the applicant firm is seeking 8a certification.
By having a better understanding of the 8a certification, its benefits, and requirements you should be able to determine if your small business would qualify for this extremely beneficial certification. If you don not qualify, there are still many options available for small disadvantaged businesses. Some of these include getting a MBE certification, DBE certification or getting certified as a women owned business. Regardless of which certification/s your small business qualifies for, any and each certification will prove to be a valuable asset for years to come.
Join us for a FREE small business webinar, where we will take A look at City, State & Federal Filings and Deadlines!
There are many forms entrepreneurs will encounter when forming and operating a small business, including federal, state, and internal. Many of these forms vary from state to state so it is important to always check what forms are required for your business, but how do you know what to file and when to file it?
Unfortunately, the government will expect you to know what the forms are for and when they must be filed and neglecting to file or filing inaccurately could mean heavy fines and penalties for your small business!
We invite you to spend some quality time with BizCentral USA and learn how you can help keep your small business on track and avoid hefty fines by staying in compliance!
Topics of Interest:
• Key Terms to Help Understand Forms
• State Filing Forms
• Federal Filing Forms
• Critical Deadlines for Filing
Marketing is defined as the process by which companies determine what products or services may be of interest to customers and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It is an integrated process through which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.
Marketing incorporates or impacts heavily upon all of the following activities:
Business Development
Product Development
Market Development
Market Research
Competitor Analysis
Pricing Strategy
Public Relations
Customer Service
Promotions
Brand Development
Company/Corporate Identity
Marketing Mix: the four P’s of marketing…
Product is what you are selling. Not just the physical product or the actual service, but all the customer benefits and values that the product represents. It is usually not important to have the best possible product. Cutting edge and feature-packed products cost more. The key is to have the most valuable product in its price range. The term “product” refers to tangible, physical products as well as services. Here are some examples of the product decisions to be made:
Brand name
Functionality
Styling
Quality
Safety
Packaging
Repairs and Support
Warranty
Accessories and services
Price is the amount that the customer must pay. This is the acid test of whether the features you added to the product were really valuable, or whether you might have been better to cut a few low-value features out. Some examples of pricing decisions to be made include:
Pricing strategy (skim, penetration, etc.)
Suggested retail price
Volume discounts and wholesale pricing
Cash and early payment discounts
Seasonal pricing
Bundling
Price flexibility
Price discrimination
Place (distribution) is your physical location. Place is still important for online businesses because of shipping costs and for online customers that look for local and regional suppliers. Distribution is about getting the products to the customer. Some examples of distribution decisions include:
Distribution channels
Market coverage (inclusive, selective, or exclusive distribution)
Specific channel members
Inventory management
Warehousing
Distribution centers
Order processing
Transportation
Reverse logistics
Promotion is not only advertising and promotions, but also sponsorships, public relations, special offers, viral marketing, and so much more. In the context of the marketing mix, promotion represents the various aspects of marketing communication. That is, the communication of information about the product with the goal of generating a positive customer response. Marketing communication decisions include:
Promotional strategy (push, pull, etc.)
Advertising
Personal selling & sales force
Sales promotions
Public relations & publicity
Marketing communications budget
Hopefully this article provided you with a better understanding of what marketing is, the marketing mix and how you can utilize all of the aspects of marketing to help you grow your small business.
A FREE Small Business Webinar to Help Establish Your Action Plan for Growth!A marketing plan is a road map detailing the route you’ll take to get your business noticed by potential clients, media and future partners. By following a properly crafted plan, you’ll know what to do and why you are doing it, while avoiding some of the mistakes that can cost you money and future growth. The plan will strategically offer options to keep you motivated, organized, prepared and headed in the right direction to reach your identified goals.
We invite you to spend some invaluable time with BizCentral USA and learn how to create a strategic plan of action to market your small business!
Topics of Interest:
• Researching and Setting the Groundwork
• Developing the Plan
• Strategies and Implementation Methods
Join us for a free small business webinar on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm and learn how to commit to a plan of action that will take your business to the next level in strategic marketing!
Being 8(a) certified is a great resource for small businesses. Unfortunately many businesses have eligibility issues when their yearly review information makes them ineligible or they do not submit them at all.
In order to stay 8(a), certified small businesses must submit documents to be reviewed annually. The SBA is required to review each 8(a) firm’s program eligibility every year on the firm’s certification anniversary date. This office sends each participant a request for the required Annual Review documents and information shortly before the end of your program year which contains the date that your submission is due back to your Business Development Specialist (BDS). If it is not received by the due date, you will be sent a reminder and a second due date. If the information is not submitted by this second date, SBA’s rules & regulations require us to start program termination proceedings against your firm. The termination process may result in the loss of your 8(a) certification. Once it is lost you cannot be certified in the program again. Since annual reviews are done every year on your anniversary date, you should be prepared for it and comply on time.
Your year end financial statements must be signed, dated and their accuracy verified by an authorized officer, partner, or sole proprietor of the concern. 8(a) certified small businesses with annual receipts of less than $1 million may submit statements prepared in-house, in accordance with “generally accepted accounting procedures” or have a compilation statement prepared by a qualified CPA or independent public accountant. Those firms with sales of more than $1 million and less than $5 million must provide reviewed statements, prepared by a qualified CPA or independent public accountant. Statements are due within ninety (90) days after the close of the company fiscal year.
Those firms with total sales of $5 million and over are required to submit audited financial statements prepared by a CPA or independent public accountant. Those firms who will be submitting audited statements are allowed an additional 30 days due to the added complexity. The company’s sales figures on the Profit and Loss Statement must show the break-down of 8(a) and non-8(a) sales, if applicable. The submission of proper, year end financial statements, (Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Statements) is mandatory as a condition of 8(a) certification program participation, as noted in your signed 8(a) Participation Agreement. Firms who are delinquent in submitting annual financial statements are ineligible to receive 8(a) contract awards. In addition program termination proceedings may be initiated if financial statements are not received in this office by the required due date. Most 8(a) small businesses have calendar fiscal year end date (December 31). While the financial statement due date might correspond with the time that your accountant is doing your business & personal tax returns, there is no provision for any extensions to the financial statement submission date. Make sure that your CPA is aware of this mandatory 8(a) compliance requirement.
Making sure that your small business submits your annual review each year and making sure that the information that you submit is accurate and in line with the SBA’s standards is extremely important to ensuring your small businesses ability to remain 8(a) certified.
A free small business webinar on how to set the foundation for your small business brand identity!
What exactly does “branding” mean? How does it affect a small business like yours? What do people think of when they hear your company’s name? Learn the answers to these questions and more!
Brands were originally developed as labels of ownership. Today, it is what they mean to people that matters much more. Powerful brands can drive success in competitive markets, increase product awareness, and indeed become the company’s most valuable assets.
We invite you to spend some valuable time with BizCentral USA, and learn how to effectively reach your audience by strategically branding your small business!
Topics of Interest:
• What is Branding & Why is it Important to Your Small Business
• 3 Simple Branding Concepts
• Branding Guidelines
• Implementing Your Brand Strategy
Join us on Tuesday July 13, 2010 from 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. for a free small business webinar!
Many people dream of being able to transition seamlessly from a hobby that they enjoy into a profitable business based on their hobby. If the business would be successful, it would be beneficial to start a business based on a hobby. Think about it -you already understand the dialect, the concepts, the community, and the psychographics and demographics of the market. This would give you a great competitive advantage! It would certainly be great to be paid for doing something that you already enjoy doing for free. But don’t run out and start your business until you have done all of the necessary research to determine if the business will be successful.
What sort of capital do I need to start the business?
When can I expect to make a profit?
How much income can I expect in year one, two, and three?
Evaluate Your Business Sense:
Do you have what it takes to run a business?
Can you have your business and the lifestyle you want?
Will you still love your hobby when it’s a business?
Have A Realistic Understanding Of How Running The Business Will Affect Your Life:
How will this business affect me?
How will this business affect my family?
How will this business affect important relationships in my life?
Decide If Part-Time Or Full-Time Business Ownership Is Right For You:
Would it make sense to leave my current employment to dedicate full time to the business?
Would it make more sense to start the business part-time until it takes off?
Find a Creative Business Angle:
Solve a problem
Teach others
Sell the raw materials
Expand into related services
Once you have conducted all of your research, you should have a better understanding of whether your hobby would make a successful business. Your business plan will tell you how much capital your business will need to start, how much you will need to charge for your products or services, how many units you will need to sell in order to break even, and your products or services profitability. Once you have an understanding of how operating your business will affect your life, you will be able to determine if you should start your business part-time or jump right in full-time. If you do decide to move forward starting your business, you will need to find creative ways to differentiate your products and services from all of the competitors in the market place.
On average 57 million adult Americans read blogs, which is good news for small businesses trying to generate awareness about their products and services. If you’re writing blogs to generate additional sales, you’re not alone. Approximately 53% of professional bloggers are interested in attracting new clients from blogging.
Persons trying to generate income from their blog write 37,240,000 blogs each year or 28% of all blogs. Of these 54% are Part-Timers, 32% are Self-Employed Persons, and 14% are Corporate Writers. Evaluating positive and negative cashflows, the mean profits for blogs with reported revenues is $57,369.20. That’s a lot of money for an activity most blog writers spend about 10 hours a week doing.
Technorati has indexed more than 133,000,000 blogs since 2002 and around 77% of Internet users read blogs according to Universal McCann. According to recent data 57% of blog readers are male, 48%, were under 30, and 82% were longtime Internet users or had more than six years’ experience online. Blog writers appear to mirror these trends, as two-thirds are male between the ages of 18 and 44. Over 75% have college degrees and 40% have graduate degrees.
Blogs are decidedly content driven but a growing emphasis is being placed on having more multimedia friendly blogs. Over 82% of respondents say that they post photos to their blog, making images the most popular form of multimedia. Of those who use media other than text, 73% say that that they create the photos, video, or audio they post themselves about half of the time. Only 13% of all respondents say that they never post any images/videos/audio to their blogs, preferring to just use text. With just-text blogs becoming the minority in today’s blogosphere, it’s important to use appropriate multimedia to make your corporate blog exciting.
Bloggers participate in an average of five activities to drive traffic to their blogs. Which is most successful? Well the jury is still out but Twitter is definitely in the top five. Blogs with greater than 100 page views a day received on average 83% of their page views from Twitter referrals. This referral percentage was constant as the audience size of the blog increased. In other words, the faster the growth of a blog, the more important Twitter became in promoting it.
It is important to keep up with your blogs statistics to see how people are finding your blog and how often they are reading it. There are many free blog statistic softwares available to blog writers but the five most commonly used are:
Blogging is not just about numbers, traffic, or hits to your website. It is a great tool for small business marketing. Be careful to avoid the trap of writing for search engines rather than human beings. Blogs that read too much like an advertisement will be less successful than blogs that give your readers information they need to know to make informed purchasing decisions. Build your credibility first and traffic later. Traffic is a direct reflection of writing good content and smart advertising of your blog. Contact BizCentral USA today about setting up a blog for your website so you can take advantage of these exciting statistics.
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