Ever wished you could find a small business resource portal with articles, information, book-reviews, advice, free tools and software and a great community?
It's a fact that as the world gets smaller and business gets more competitive you're not alone in seeking a easy-to-use, one-stop site that can offer just about everything you might need for the financial success of your small business.
Research on some of the 'most-asked questions by small businesses' more often than not returns the following 6 questions in one guise or another:
1. How do I go about starting a business?
2. I need some help figuring out how to manage my business finances. Where do I start?
3. Why do I keep struggling with cash flow issues?
4. How can I successfully grow my business?
5. How do I make sure I hire the right person for the job?
6. What books are out there for entrepreneurs and SMB owners that can really make a difference?
Each and every one of these questions is answered via this small business information resource centre, and much of the advice can be appropriated and applied across borders with ease.
Googling releated research-based terms in your own geographic area to see what additional information you can find is a great way to consolidate your goals. There is no shortage of data out there, the key is to find the resources you can trust, that work, and that continue to bring you more and more useful data, tools and software trials as you grow your business.
It's also becoming more and more evident that social networks like Twitter and Facebook are influencing brand perceptions across borders, so buzz and reputation management are vital. Many assume that the social space is the next big thing for generating leads and making money; it's not - not yet anyway.
The social networks are a place to engage, not sell; a place to answer detractors and support evangelists, not evangelise; a place to monitor your reputation and take advantage of the fact that you can simultaneously monitor what people are saying about your competition. There is a host of tools available - it's not a new industry but the practice of reputation management and free competitive intel gathering are new to many small businesses, especially start-ups.
Regardless of how you monitor your reputation, manage your brand and market your business on-or-offline, every small business needs to be cognizant of the fact that the world is getting smaller, best practices are becoming more general, and knowledge is ever more vital to your success.
Laura Callow is a Marketing Manager for the Global Small Business Division of Intuit Canada ULC.
SMBs are the backbone of the Canadian economy - and Intuit has been helping them Start, Run & Grow for nearly 25 years. Intuit Canada is a one-stop-shop for small business software, tools & advice.
