Table of Contents
- Market Directly to the Consumer
- Party Plan
- Direct Mail
- Telemarketing
- Multilevel Marketing
- Television Infomercials
- Pay-Per-Call
- Internet
- Market Through the Government
- Market Through Distribution Channels
- Market Through Foreign Trade
- Market Through Specialty Channels
- Market Through Email
- Retail Stores
- Sales Promotion
- Media Outlets
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Start-Up Costs
- Operating Costs
- 20 Financing Approaches
- Choosing a Bank
- 4 Cs of Credit
- Underwriting
- Loans
- Equity Financing
- Extending Credit
- Equipment Leasing
- Venture Capital
- Angel Investors
- Personal Guarantees
- Bookkeeping and Financial Statements
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Tax Basics
- Income Taxes
- When To Pay
- Minimizing Taxes
- Home Business
- Travel and Entertainment Expenses
- Automobile Expense and Mileage
- Retirement Plans
- Medical Expenses
- Sales and Use Taxes
- Property Taxes
- W-4 and I-9
- W-2, W-3 and Form 1096
- FICA, Social Security and Medicare
- Unemployment Taxes
- Form 1099
- Payroll
- Business Tax
- Excise Tax
- Tax Tips
- Audits
- Business Insurance Agents
- Workers’ Compensation
- Property Insurance
- General Liability
- General Medical
- COBRA
- Directors and Officers
- Employment Practices Liability
- Errors and Omissions
- Product Liability
- Operations
- Business Interruption
- Disability
- Life
- Claims
- IRS Section 125
- Home-Based Business
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Nondisclosure Agreement
- Sale of Goods Agreement
- Sale of Specialty Goods Agreement
- Terms and Conditions
- Promissory Note
- Guarantee
- Corporation Articles of Incorporation
- Corporation Bylaws
- Bank Resolution
- IRC Section 83 Election
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Employment Agreement
- Sexual Harassment Policy
Contributing Authors
|
Stephanie Chandler
Author of The Business Startup Checklist & Planning Guide |
|
ORDER NOW: The Business Startup Checklist & Planning Guide |
|
|
Tom Severance
Author of Business Start-Up Guide |
|
ORDER NOW: Business Start-Up Guide |
|
|
Joe Kennedy
Author of The Small Business Owner's Manual |
|
ORDER NOW: The Small Business Owner's Manual |
|
|
Steven D. Strauss
Author of The Small Business Bible |
|
ORDER NOW: The Small Business Bible |
|
PR Considerations
Here are some public relations ideas to consider using in your business:
Company Culture and Customer Contact:
- Honest, reliable business practices
- Generous return policy
- Friendly, courteous employees
- Pleasant telephone demeanor
- Efficient phone system
- Professionalism and neatness
- Professional decor and attire
- Professional and informational business cards and stationery
- Smiles and greetings
- Refreshments and pleasant music
- Customer testimonials
- Flexible financing options
- Regular contact with employees and their families
Business Brochure:
- Lend credibility, visibility and status to your business
- Be precise about your products and services
- Emphasize benefits and differences from competitors
- Highlight background and experience of owners, employees
- Use separate inserts for information that will change
- Use logos, slogans, graphics, testimonials
- Make it easy for the prospective customer to contact you
- Distribute the brochure appropriately
- Ask for and act on constructive feedback
Company Newsletter:
- Maintain customer contact
- Build rapport with customers
- Establish and improve image
- Allow customers to place orders
- Demonstrate your technical knowledge and give useful ideas
- Utilize human interest stories about customers, employees
- Inform customers of changes in hours, services, policies
- Suggest new and different ways to use your products and services
- Profile a customer or employee
- Print testimonial letters from customers
- Utilize a question and answer column
- Highlight special sales and close-outs
- Ask for customer feedback
- Utilize information response cards
- Keep customers informed of new laws and regulations
Special Events:
- Grand opening
- Expansions and new locations
- New products or services
- Open houses
- Office or facility tours
- Theme celebrations
- Holiday parties
- Anniversary parties
- Charity fund-raising events
- Contests and Giveaways
- Samples and Demonstrations
- Fairs and Trade Shows
- Invitation-only events
- Seminars, lectures, and workshops
Speaking Engagements:
- Television and radio news and talk shows
- Service clubs
- Civic and community organizations
- Professional and industry organizations
- Colleges and universities
Writing Engagements:
- Articles
- Columns
- Computer databases
- Research reports
- Political and governmental papers
Generating Publicity:
- News Releases
- Public Service Announcements
- Letters to the Editor
- Reprints of articles and publicity
- Tie-ins to a current news event
- Analyses and predictions
- Timely and newsworthy statistics
- Conducting and publicizing surveys
- Tie-ins to community projects
- Creating and presenting awards
- Localizing a national news item
- Announcing hires and promotions
- Locating and using a memorable spokesperson
- Doing something unusual or incredible
Memberships and Affiliations:
- Clubs and trade associations
- Chambers of Commerce
- Professional associations
- Political offices
- Committee involvement
- Religious, athletic, and social groups
Charitable Contributions:
- Employees volunteering time
- Employees contributing cash
- Company donations of money or property
- Company donations of time, space, name
- Sponsorship and support
Participation in Community Events:
- Sponsorship of company athletic teams
- Sponsorship of non-company athletic teams
- School project or club sponsorships
- Community fund-raisers
- Community projects
- Community political involvement
Excerpted from Business Start-Up Guide © 2002, Tycoon Publishing