Actual for You - Business

Freebie Seekers? Turn Them Into Clients and Referrers - or Turn them Far, Far Away
Many service business owners these days are "giving away" their business services – and then wonder why people aren't hiring them in droves. In the name of "marketing," business owners are providing way too much information for free. Some shifts in thinking are necessary if these business owners expect to be in business years from now. Even trained coaches, I believe, do too much pro-bono work. Why? They

5) If you have a PDA, there is a software program called QuickOffice, that I highly recommend. You can take any MS Excel or MS Word document with you on your palm (some PDA's come with a similar program).What about that pesky mileage report?

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs

Fun at the Workplace
Is the absenteeism rate in your workplace rising constantly? Are tediousness and boredom, the two words which define your office environment? Does every morning appear to be as dull as a Monday morning? Is their a lack of laughter in your office? Once a famous Danish born comedian, Victor Borge said that laughter is the shortest distance between two people. So, probably it is time to reduce the distance between

How many of you have a shoebox of receipts that you go through at the end of every year? Do you pay an accountant to go through those receipts for you? You already know how important it is to keep track of those receipts and take each and every deduction you can. Below are some tricks that I use so that when tax time comes, I don't spend hours getting ready to do my taxes or have to pay someone to organize FOR me. My hope is to make your "tax life" a little less stressful.

Organizing receipts throughout the year:

1) Get a plastic expanding file folder with 10-20 pockets and self-labeling tabs in it ($9.00-$15.00 @ Staples)

2) Make sure it is easy for YOU to open and close. Most have an elastic band that is easy to use.

3) Create tabs for each tax category that you will have receipts for (see list of possible categories below)

4) Put the file folder in a place where you'll see it and use it!!

5) Whenever you take receipts out of your pocket, wallet, purse etc... place it in the appropriate pocket in your file.

6) At the end of the year, you have two choices.

a) put all receipts in corresponding manilla folders and place into a tax box

b) bundle each pocket with a rubber band or paper clip. label them with sticky notes and put them in the last 2 or 3 empty pockets.

If you REALLY want to be organized:

1) Create a spreadsheet to track all of those receipts

2) Every time you get a receipt enter the amount, description and tax category into your spreadsheet.

3) Then file the receipt away

4) At the end of the year, you can print out your spreadsheet and put it with the bundled or filed receipts.

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs

5 Reasons You DON'T Need to Market Your Business
Are you convinced that marketing is a waste of your time and money? Perhaps you’re satisfied with the amount of business you currently have, and you’ve decided to skip the marketing and instead focus your attention on other areas of your business.Well, I always say that marketing your business is not an option; it’s a necessity. And marketing is much like obtaining a business loan or insurance -- the best

our "tax life" a little less stressful.

Organizing receipts throughout the year:

1) Get a plastic expanding file folder with 10-20 pockets and self-labeling tabs in it ($9.00-$15.00 @ Staples)

2) Make sure it is easy for YOU to open and close. Most have an elastic band that is easy to use.

3) Create tabs for each tax category that you will have receipts for (see list of possible categories below)

4) Put the file folder in a place where you'll see it and use it!!

5) Whenever you take receipts out of your pocket, wallet, purse etc... place it in the appropriate pocket in your file.

6) At the end of the year, you have two choices.

a) put all receipts in corresponding manilla folders and place into a tax box

b) bundle each pocket with a rubber band or paper clip. label them with sticky notes and put them in the last 2 or 3 empty pockets.

If you REALLY want to be organized:

1) Create a spreadsheet to track all of those receipts

2) Every time you get a receipt enter the amount, description and tax category into your spreadsheet.

3) Then file the receipt away

4) At the end of the year, you can print out your spreadsheet and put it with the bundled or filed receipts.

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs

Reinvigorating the Network
Even after reading Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty by Harvey Mackay; and Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus, nothing less than experience can prepare the professional for the necessity of good old fashion networking. This is especially true if security is a new career field, or you are continuing your career in a new company or location.A career in securit

ow)

4) Put the file folder in a place where you'll see it and use it!!

5) Whenever you take receipts out of your pocket, wallet, purse etc... place it in the appropriate pocket in your file.

6) At the end of the year, you have two choices.

a) put all receipts in corresponding manilla folders and place into a tax box

b) bundle each pocket with a rubber band or paper clip. label them with sticky notes and put them in the last 2 or 3 empty pockets.

If you REALLY want to be organized:

1) Create a spreadsheet to track all of those receipts

2) Every time you get a receipt enter the amount, description and tax category into your spreadsheet.

3) Then file the receipt away

4) At the end of the year, you can print out your spreadsheet and put it with the bundled or filed receipts.

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs

Best and Worst Commercials of 2006
We have reached the halfway point in the 2006 season of commercials. We kicked the season off with the studs and duds of the Superbowl commercials where we all loved the FedEx cavemen and the Budweiser Streaker. But this season also featured the duds: the Nationwide Fabio parody, the Diet Pepsi and Sierra Mist ads, the H3 Little Monster, the Sprint commercials, and the annoying Taco Bell guy.Moving into t

nd put them in the last 2 or 3 empty pockets.

If you REALLY want to be organized:

1) Create a spreadsheet to track all of those receipts

2) Every time you get a receipt enter the amount, description and tax category into your spreadsheet.

3) Then file the receipt away

4) At the end of the year, you can print out your spreadsheet and put it with the bundled or filed receipts.

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs

Your Number One Asset
Customers put you in business, keep you in business, and they can put you out of business. Therefore, your overriding feelings at all times should be: customer love, customer satisfaction, and customer convenience.Begin by making it as easy as possible for people to purchase what you are selling. That means, taking phone orders, accepting as many methods of payment as possible, having a toll-free number,

Do you have a PDA? There are many different software programs you can download. Go to http://www.handango.com and type in "Mileage" for your search. There are programs starting at $5.00.

If you are PDA-less, then there are several options.

1) store a pad of paper in your glove box with several pens

2) get one of those pads you can stick to your dashboard

3) log it in your day planner or calendar that you carry around with you.

Tax Categories to file under: (these are taken from the IRS Schedule C form, choose the ones you use)

Advertising
Commissions and Fees (you know all those Coaching Associations you belong to)
Contract Labor
Depletion
Depreciation (most electronics get depreciated)
Insurance
Interest
Legal and Professional Services
Office Expenses
Pension and Profit Sharing Plans
Property Rental or Leasing
Equipment Repairs and/or Maintenance
Supplies
Taxes and Licenses
Travel
Utilities
Other

For more information on these categories go here http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sc.pdf. Starting on page 3 you'll see the EXPENSES information. The actual form is at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sc.pdf

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So everyone's got a calendar. Here are a few low-cost tips for making your unique and ensuring that it effectively advertises your business all over town.

You WANT publicity. Why aren't you getting enough publicity? I'll tell you why, plain and simple why you aren't. You aren't aggressive enough with the media.

Normally in this column I dispense highly-intelligent small business advice in response to thought-provoking questions submitted by future and fellow entrepreneurs. This week, however, I have a couple of questions for myself, one of which makes me wonder how truly intelligent I really am.

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Actual for You - Rid Yourself of the Receipt Pile

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