The Internal Revenue Service offers a free CD available for the asking. The resource is designed to help small business owners comply with the tax laws and covers a broad range of topics from starting to closing a business. From the IRS website:
Brief Description
The Small Business Resource Guide, CD-ROM provides
critical tax information to small businesses including forms, instructions, and publications.
valuable business information from a variety of government agencies, non-profits, & educational institutions.
essential startup information needed by new small businesses in order to be successful.
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I put together a list of links to resources available to start your business listed by state / region. The link to your state’s small business office should serve as a One Stop Shop to learn the specific start-up requirements— legal and regulatory for starting a business in your state or region.
Do you know of a link to official small business startup information in your city or country? If you wish to share country-specific links to similar information that others looking for start-up help will find useful, please leave them in comments.
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Once your new business starts generating sales, the need to utilize some type of accounting system becomes very apparent. Many new business owners use pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets to accomplish this task. To make things a lot faster and more efficient, Microsoft has created Office Accounting Express 2008, an easy to use accounting software package.
Did I mention that it is FREE?
The software features include:
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A company brochure, done correctly, adds legitimacy to any small business. If you are a new entrepreneur who is just getting started, you may not have money available in the budget to pay a professional to produce company brochures.
However, with a word processing program, careful writing and attention to the tips below, you can produce professional looking brochures that will speak directly to prospects and win new business.
I. Make the brochure cover attractive
Your brochure cover must be attractive and so compelling that prospective clients want to open it and continue reading. Use appropriate graphics and evocative titles that clearly state what the brochure is about.
II. Your brochure copy should be logical
Be sure the information flows smoothly. Does it have a beginning, middle and an end?
III. Make your brochure easy to read
Eliminate technical jargon and over used buzz words such as “solutions”. Have someone unfamiliar with your line of business read your brochure copy. Ask whether the information was clear to them and consider incorporating any suggestions offered.
IV. Triple check for spelling and grammatical errors
Misspelled words and grammatical errors immediately signal “amateur”.
V. Hold your prospect’s attention by speaking directly to him or her
Clearly state how your product or service can benefit the reader. What makes yours the precise thing that will fill your prospect’s need or solve his or her problem?
You must let your prospective client know what they can do to get a hold of your product or service.What number can they call? Should he or she make an appointment, visit a physical address or your web site?
VII. Include pertinent contact and sale information
You were able to hold the reader’s attention, you explained the virtues of your offering, suggested that they contact you, nowhere’s the essential final piece. You should provide any of the following that is applicable to your business on your brochure:
- telephone numbers - both voice and fax
- business address and hours of operation
- web site URL and email addresses
- methods of payment accepted
- business logo, trademarks and copyright information
Following this checklist, you’ll produce a clear, well written brochure to help you get those sales.
Amanda M. Gladden
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Posted in bootstrapping, marketing materials, Free business resources No Comments »
August 14, 2007
