How to Kill Your Business in 6 Easy Steps

As a cautionary tale, allow me to present the main causes of the vast majority of all business failures. Unfortunately, these causes are alarmingly common and are arranged in descending order of occurrence.

• Insufficient Money to Start- This means a business has started out under capitalized and since it generally takes a while to get to the breakeven point, you run out of cash. When you are out of cash, you are out of business!

• Uncontrolled or Unexpected Growth- A mentor told me a number of years ago that there are two sure ways of killing a business. One is to do something stupid and the other is growing too fast. Unplanned growth can quickly outstrip the cash you have available to operate your business. When you are out of cash, you are out of business!

• Poor Credit Arrangements - When you get terms of 'net 30' from your suppliers, they aren't really looking for the money until the 30th day. After the 30th day they will get rather cranky, but they are not expecting your money until then. If you pay your invoices as soon as it arrives, you could run out of cash. This is especially so if your customers are late in paying you the money they owe to you. Additionally, giving credit to your customers is always a challenge. Your customer could go to a competitor if you don't give terms. However, will they pay you in a timely manner or at all? When you are out of cash, you are out of business!

• Poor Inventory Management- Sometimes inexperienced or overly enthusiastic business owners will buy an overabundance of inventory that is way beyond the short term needs of the business. Thus eating up the cash needed to run the day-to-day operations of the business. When you are out of cash, you are out of business!

• Over investment in Fixed Assets- An example of this is a construction company that buys a backhoe which may cost $50,000-$80,000 and only uses it a few weeks out of the year. However, they will have to make payments for a $80,000 piece of equipment to just let it sit and rust the rest of the time. When you run out of cash, you are out of business!

• Low or Unprofitable Sales- This is obvious. No sales, no cash, big problem. When you are out of cash, you are out of business!

You should be seeing a common theme by now. Good and timely cash flow planning is the main solution to the above business killing problems.

For assistance in determining your businesses cash requirements and developing the necessary strategy to manage your cash flow, contact your University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center. For an appointment please contact: Rand Riedrich at rriedrich@georgiasbdc.org.

Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business?

With the economy in an uproar, customer service should be one of the top priorities a business has today. Sadly, a lot of businesses ignore good customer service at their peril. Your customer has almost unlimited options for the products or services that you sell. If they have a bad experience with your company, in any way, they will go away forever. There is no excuse for bad service.

Studies have indicated that it is ten times harder to get new customers than to retain old ones. Therefore, once your customer has a relationship with you, it is imperative that you treat them like the buds of spring because they are the ones that are actually paying your bills. What will turn your business around could be as easy as just acknowledgment of your customer and their needs. A simple 'hello, how are you' and really meaning it goes a long way in this day and age.

In my readings, I came across a story about how a young man with Down Syndrome working as a grocery bagger turned around a local supermarket's business. This is not rocket science, it doesn't require an expensive advertising campaign, all it takes is the genuine concern for the customer. See the 'Johnny the Bagger' story on the following link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOZPlt3Ha0Y

If you are running a business, you are going to need to do the following three things, and do them well if you want your customers to keep coming back. First, the business needs to obsess about customer's needs and not just product features. Always think of it from the customer's point of view. It is not about the fancy bells and whistles your product has, but what problems they solve for the customer.

Second, you need to reinforce the brand of your business with every interaction with your customer, not just in advertising and communications. A single good or bad experience could influence a customer a lot more than a lifetime of traditional advertising and marketing.

Third, treat your customer's experience with you company as a core competence, as well as a passion and not just a function of your business. Give them more than they anticipate.

For more tips on customer service, please review the following links:

www.keithmonaghan.com/2009/07/31/marketing-in-tough-times-improving-customer-service/

http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/23/rightnow-customer-service-technology-cio-network-olson.html

http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/12/customer-experience-loyalty-cmo-network-bruce-temkin.html

Surviving The Great Recession

Some people call it the 'Great Recession', while others call it a 'Mini-Depression'. Either way, running a business right now isn't as fun as it used to be. If you are going to stay open until better economic times arrive, you must 'Recession Proof' your business.

If you are going to survive, you are going to have to go back to basics. The biggest basic pointers are: Keeping track of every penny and spending them very wisely; becoming a crazy person about excellent customer service; don't stop marketing; now is a great time to find and employ superior employees.

Please see the links below for a number of ways that you can keep your business afloat by using strategies that you may have not thought about.

http://www.morebusiness.com/8-ways-recession-proof-business

http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Tips-To-Recession-Proof-Your-Business&id=4967758

What the Banks are Looking for Today

In this economic downturn, one of the biggest problems that we face is lack of liquidity or the availability of cash to deal with survival, growth and other operating expense issues of running a business. Deserved or not, lately banks have gotten a bad reputation. Some banks, because of their poor lending habits in the past, are simply not able to lend. However, there are many banks that are still lending.

In this new environment, banks that are able to lend have increased the loan requirements to such an extent that many businesses are unable to borrow money like they have in the past. This is generally due to the banking regulators requiring more stringent lending requirements. This manifests itself in higher credit score requirements, different collateralization requirements and higher down payments in order to get a loan, resulting in fewer loans.

The banks, these days, are cash flow lenders. This means that one of the biggest criteria in their decision is if they think the business can pay back the loan with ongoing cash generated by the business. Additionally, they are going to check the business owner's and business' credit history, they are going to want collateralization in case payments cannot be made. They are also going to want an equity injection (down payment). Any problems with the above and the bank cannot and will not loan a business money.

Banks are not investors. Banks are in the business to buy and sell money profitably. They have a responsibility to preserve the capital of the depositors and do not want to take excessive risks with potentially bad loans. It is in their interest to say no to loans that have a chance of going bad.

What does a business owner do if these increased lending requirements have made it difficult to find money? There are other alternatives. These alternatives require a change in attitude and thinking. In this changing economy if you are to survive, you have to 'think outside of the box'.

For a free, confidential analysis of your situation and a discussion of your alternatives, contact Rand Riedrich at the University of Georgia's Northwest Area Small Business Development Center at rriedrich@georgiasbdc.org or (706-272-2700)

Things to Avoid When Selling Your Business

You have run your business for a number of years and it is now time to sell. There are a lot of potholes you need to avoid when selling your business.


Asking Too Much Money with No Reasonable Rationale for the Price

Typically, the business has been the seller's life for years and the seller thinks it is a diamond in the rough. However, the price boils down to the the business valued as an investment. The business is simply a machine that makes money. The more money that it makes now, (not into the future, that is the buyer's responsibility), the more it is worth to another party.

The price of your business business is not what you owe, what you think the possible profitability will be in the distant future, or how much money you need for a comfortable retirement. The price is what the open market says it is worth today.

Not Seeing the Business Through the Eyes of the Buyer

Although it is tempting to look at one's own business in only the most favorable light, it is very important to recognize the deficiencies of the business, and address them, in order to alleviate any buyer concerns.

Insisting on an All Cash Deal

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that banks have been very reluctant to lend to small businesses lately. In the current environment, if the business is to sell at all, the seller will probably have to finance a portion of the deal.

Giving Up Running the Business After the Business is Put Up For Sale

During the sales process, you need to run your business as if you were never going to sell it. It may take months to sell and in the meantime if you fall asleep at the wheel, your business could end up in the ditch. This inattention could result in a lower price or keep your business from selling at all.

Waiting Too Long to Sell

Too may owners wait until the last minute to decide to sell their business. Owners wait until the business is down, or they are completely burned out, or their partnership has soured completely. The time to sell is BEFORE emergencies happen - when the business is still good. The old adage is: a business owner should think about and plan the eventual sale immediately after the business is started or purchased.

Seller Not Pre-qualifying a Potential Buyer

Dealing with 'tire kickers' who have no ability to purchase your business is a complete waste of your time. It is a good idea to know the general financial position of the potential buyer before you show them your books and enter into negotiations.

Failure to Sign a Confidentiality Agreement with the Potential Buyer

You will be opening up your books to a buyer and you don't want to have them spreading confidential information about your business all over town. This breach of confidential information could cause some of the following: your customers finding out and go somewhere else; problems with your suppliers; and key employees getting nervous and taking a job with your competitor. All of these factors could lower the price you receive for your business or keep it from selling at all.

How to Hire a Web Designer

All right, admit it. You are not 17 years old. You may have a working knowledge of the web and have a gut feel of what your web site should look like. However, you have no clue about how to get it to the way you envision it. Does this sound like you?

If you are of a certain age, it may be down right daunting. Who do you choose to design your site: your 17 year old nephew that can do it for a couple hundred bucks; a friend that does it as a way making extra money on the side, when he can get around to it; or a team of true professionals? The correct answer is, It depends! Like any of your marketing endeavors, it boils down to who you target market is and how much you have to spend.

Like using a CPA or an attorney, this activity may be one of those things you may have to leave to the professionals. There are software packages available that allow you to do it yourself. However, the end results are generally pretty amateurish.

Your website is going to be your salesman to the world. What image do you want to send to your current and potential customers? If you want to present a professional images showing competence and implying that you are worth every dime you are going to charge, it needs to be done professionally.

Hopefully, the following links will give you some insight as to what to ask when choosing a web designer.

http://css.dzone.com/news/9-signs-you-shouldnt-hire-web-

http://www.greenbirdmedia.com/how-hire-web-designer

http://www.hooverwebdesign.com/articles/how-to-hire-a-web-designer.html

http://www.cpmmug.com/general/should-you-hire-a-web-designer-or-a-web-developer-for-your-website/

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Want to Know What Your Customers Think? Use Your Ears!

If you are like me, you are constantly bombarded by surveys of various sorts, particularly the electronic kind. At first, when this type of technology became available, they were quite handy.


However, a lot of these surveys have been overdone. They are losing their power because people are ignoring them out of 'survey fatigue.'


Some of the best marketing information you will ever get is procured by simply asking your customers "what do you like about this?' or "what don't you like about that?" Pay attention to what your customers say. These people and their preferences are keeping you in business.


For more information on how surveys should be taken and how to go through the clutter of this survey epidemic, please see the following link from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/08/customers-data-software-technology-business-intelligence-survey.html?feed=rss_home

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Cash Is King

When you are out of cash, you are out of business. It doesn't matter if your profits are great if you cannot convert those profits into cash. We regularly see businesses making a very good profit on paper go bankrupt because they do not have the cash to pay their bills.

If you can't pay your power bill or payroll today, it doesn't matter how profitable your business is or will be in the future. Unless you have the cash, you are out of business!

You must be proactive. It is your money, after all. Know how much is owed to you and don't be afraid to go after it.

The following are a couple of articles on cash flow management that you may find interesting:

http://www.inc.com/resources/finance/articles/20050601/cashcrisis.html

http://www.inc.com/resources/finance/articles/20040901/10rules.html
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What Can the Small Business Development Center Do for You and Your Business? Part 2

We have had another client put something up on YouTube and thought you would like to see it. If we can be of any assistance to you or your business, please feel free to call.


The following YouTube video is from Terry Harris, owner and founder of Rubber Wholesalers. We have been working with him and his business for years. We hope we have contributed, in a small way, to his continuing success. Thanks Terry for the nice things you said!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7rNpDwah-U

Federal Debt and Deficit

The national debt and annual budget deficit are both exploding. Its effect on the economy on Main Street is starting to be felt by everyone of us.

I was sent this link a few weeks ago that calculates the debt and deficit figures (in real time) and thought you would like to see it.

Along with the debt and deficit, it calculates, based on Federal Reserve Data, the value of all assets owned by the citizens of the United States (Small Business, Corporate and Personal Assets). About $234,000 per citizen. It compares it to the total US governmental unfunded liabilities (Social Security, Prescription Drug and Medicare Liabilities) which comes out to about $305,000 per citizen.

If this was a client and not our Federal Government, I would advise the client to find a very good bankruptcy attorney, quickly!

It is more than a little scary!

http://usdebtclock.org/

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What Can the Small Business Development Center Do for You and Your Business?

We at the University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center spend our time assisting businesses in Northwest Georgia and not blowing our own horn. As it turns out, we don't have to.

I ran across this from one of our clients, Scott Lavelle with Niche Graphic Flooring in Rocky Face, GA, who was kind enough to post this video on YouTube. It gives you a very good idea about what we can do for your business. Thanks Scott !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OGguF2x9DU
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More Information about the New Healthcare Law

As a business owner, you are undoubtedly confused about how the new Healthcare Law is going to effect your business. I have found an article on how the new law will impact you.

Additionally, I have found an article on the single payer system in Canada that should open your eyes.

They are as follows:

http://asbdc-us.org/Resources/SmallBusDigArticle-HealthCareBill.html

http://www.examiner.com/x-6265-Burlington-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m4d3-Healthcare-is-not-a-human-right
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The New Healthcare Bill and Your Business

I will not discuss the politics of the recent Health Care Bill just signed into law. However, you need to be aware of how it will effect your business.

Depending on the size of your business, you will be compelled to provide health insurance to your employees or pay a fine to the federal government. The fine can be as high as $2,000 per employee per year, enforced by the Internal Revenue Service.

The government will form pools where small businesses can join together to negotiate favorable rates with insurance company as a group. The Federal government will offer tax credits to help small businesses pay for the compulsive insurance coverages.

If it survives constitutional challenges, most of the provisions will not kick in for a number of years. As a business owner, you need to start preparations now.

For more information on the new law, please go to an article at CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin
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Succession Planning

Let’s face it, you aren’t going to live forever. Are you going to retire or are you going to drop dead working in your business? You are the driving force and inspiration behind your business, so what will happen to it when you aren't there anymore?

Most business owners want the business they've worked hard to establish to continue, to thrive when they leave, whether it's in the hands of a family member or a new owner. A succession plan will secure the future of your business.

What is a Succession Plan?

A succession plan is a strategy which determines the best way for you to exit your business while ensuring the business continues. The plan determines who will take leadership and/or ownership of the business when you leave. There are two main options to consider when developing a succession plan:

* Retention Planning – keep it in the family! Many owners choose to keep the business in the family when they leave. If you plan to transfer your business to a family member you need to consider the legal obligations as well as the impact on family relationships.

* Buy-Sell Planning - (Selling the Business to External Parties, Like Employees or Businesses). Buy-sell agreements are legally binding contracts which control when owners can sell their interests, who can buy an owner's interest, and at what price. They are mostly used to ensure the smooth continuation of a business after a potentially disruptive event, such as an owner's retirement, incapacity, or death.


Do I Need a Succession Plan?

A succession plan is essential to securing the future of your business. Without a plan, the future of your business will be left to chance once you've gone.

With so much at stake a succession plan is vital and will help you to:

* Maximize the value of your business if you decide to sell;
* Unlock that value by enhancing the marketability of your business;
* Exit your business with maximum profitability and ready for its continued success.


How Do I Develop a Succession Plan?

There are no rules about what your plan should cover or the level of detail it should contain. Among other things your plan will depend on your objectives, family situation, financial position, health and age.

To be successful a plan should be realistic, workable and developed with input from groups and individuals who have an interest or share in the business. You should also talk to your business advisors such as your accountant, lawyer, the Small Business Development Center and others.

Here are a few questions to consider when developing your succession plan: Who will be your successor? How much is your business worth? What sort of management strategy should you adopt for existing staff to ensure a smooth transition? How will your departure affect key business relationship such as suppliers and major customers? Do you need to establish an estate? Do you need provisions for active and non-active family members? How much income do you need to retire/leave the business?

It's important to ensure that your plan is realistic and achievable. Once you've designed the plan, it's a good idea to set a timetable for completion and to schedule key milestones along the way to help keep you and your successors on track towards a smooth transition.

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Are you a victim of "Friendly Fraud?"

"Rock Boxes," "Closeting," chargebacks and other forms of consumer misconduct are on the rise. With the explosive growth of on-line commerce, a business owners should be aware. What do these terms mean? Retailers, online or brick and mortar, are seeing suspicious customer claims increasing.

Two articles listed below will provide more information and just might save you from becoming a victim.

Businesses Get Tough on 'Friendly' Fraud
by Pui-Wing Tam, FiLife.com, May 26, 2009

Frendly fraud, a term used to describe consumers trying to "get over" on merchants in little ways, is on the rise and retailers are fighting back. Merchants are fighting a surge in so-called friendly fraud, as more consumers try to get out of paying for their Internet purchases in the recession.

Online jeweler Ice.com Inc. and travel site Expedia Inc. are among companies seeing at least 50% spikes from October in friendly fraud, a term used to describe when a consumer disputes an online charge but doesn't return the item or has already used the product...


Read more about friendly fraud on FiLife.com, here:
http://www.filife.com/stories/businesses-get-tough-on-friendly-fraud
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Telltale Signs of E-Commerce Fraud
By Ori Eisen, E-Commerce Times, 02/25/09

In a time of economic crisis, there tends to be an increase in the number of people that turn to criminal activity. Although petty crime is usually one area that shows a significant upswing, an additional form of criminal activity on the rise is fraud.

As long as people can get away with it, there will be fraud. However, there are signs you can watch out for that might raise a red flag on potentially fraudulent transactions. Look for questionable street and email addresses as well as multiple orders from the same device...
Read more about preventing all types of ecommerce fraud here: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/66278.html?wlc=1243444911

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10 Rules for Entrepreneurs

Long time entrepreneur and regular contributor to Inc. magazine, Norm Brodsky has spent nearly 30 years in multiple ventures. In the October issue of Inc., Brodsky shares what his experiences have defined for him as the 10 rules for being a successful entrepreneur. The article is titled Secrets of a $110 Million Dollar Man.

1. Numbers run a business. If you don’t know how to read them, you are flying blind. You don’t have to be the accountant, but you need to understand which numbers are important and why, and then develop the habit of monitoring them closely.

2. A sale isn’t a sale until you collect. The sale does the business no good until the cash it generated is in hand.

3. When your short-term liabilities exceed your short-term assets, you are bankrupt. A certain level of liquidity is necessary to keep the business running in the short-term (12 months or less). A bill collector this year couldn’t care less about the 5-year sales forecast.

4. Forget about shortcuts. Plan and work with forever as the goal.

5. Cash is hard to get and easy to spend. Get it before you spend it.

6. You have no friends in business, only associates. There must be some distinction between your personal life and your business life or both will be soured.

7. Don’t focus on the top line. Gross margin is the most important number on the income statement.

8. Identify your true competitors, and treat them with respect. Competitors can have a strong influence on your reputation.

9. Culture drives a company. In the long run, the boss’s most important job is to define and enforce it.

10. The life plan has to come before the business plan.

To read more on these ten rules, see the entire article available here. For more entrepreneurial advice, check out Norm Brodsky’s column Street Smarts. Brodsky’s most recent book mentioned in this article, The Knack, is now available. This book contains other insights from his entrepreneurial experiences. It was co-authored with Bo Burlingham.

Four Tips for New Media and One for Old

"I've decided to use Twitter, but how do I tweet?" Tim Berry, author of the BPlan Pro software application, has been tweeting about Twitter etiquette.

18-Point Twitter Etiquette Primer by Tim Berry on May 28, 2009 "I’m beginning to develop a sense of what to do and what not to do with Twitter. Not that I’m an expert, but I’ve been watching and thinking about it. And I’ve come up with a list of dos and don’ts..."
Read more about Twitter Etiquette here***

Meanwhile, Aliza from Web Worker Daily has some great insights into dealing with on line complainers: The Growing Feedback Fiasco May 13th, 2009, Aliza Sherman "What is the obligation that companies have to their customers to listen to — and act on — the feedback they receive from customers?"
Read more about dealing with customer feedback online***

Looking for free stuff for your web site, blog or facebook pages? 30 Places To Find Creative Commons Mediaby Sean P Aune "In this day and age, it seems everything online has a price associated with it. Whether you’re subscribing to a pay site for full articles or clicking on ads in a blog, everything online seems to have money associated with it. Luckily there is still a large, and very healthy, movement online for media files listed under the Creative Commons licenses"
Read more about free content here***

"Viral messaging" is the holy grail of web marketing, but how do you create a message likely to "go virial?" Three Secrets to Make a Message Go Viral by Dan Heath & Chip Heath, May 1, 2009 "Viral doesn't have to be a crazy YouTube video -- Here's our CEO on nitrous! Start thinking about emotion, public service, and triggers. We didn't say it'd be easy; in fact, it might require you to rethink the way you do business. But if it works for scissors and veggie-oil-fueled buses, it'll work for you."
Duct Tape marketing ideas for viral success***

What about "old media?" Here is a 1991 article with some still-good-ideas tips for working with print media (for as long as it might still be around)...Mastering the Advetorialby Don Lancaster "The first few attempts of most any small scale startup into using high circulation publication advertising are virtually certain to turn out extremely disappointing at best. And an outright disaster at worst."
Read more about getting free publicity from old media here***