Tag Archives: Business Tips

Did You Know You Are An Expert?

Posted on by May 24, 2010
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Guest post by Barbara Rozgonyi, publisher of Wired PR Works

People have questions. You have answers. That makes you, to them, an expert. What do you want to be known for? Here’s some help on figuring out how to be the “know it all” go-to resource in your area of expertise.

Today it doesn’t take a website or a blog to connect with a community online, but it does take some strategic planning and effort. Before you begin answering questions on a site, take some time to think about who you want to be known by and for what do you want to be known.

1. Who Do You Want to Reach?
Answering questions on a site like LinkedIn puts you in front of millions –if they’re searching for your topic. But, maybe smaller is better, especially if having local connections will help you meet your business goals. If you don’t need international influence, then look for smaller centers of influence in forums and LinkedIn groups. Keep in mind that you’ll need a broad reach on a wide platform if writing a book is one of your goals.

2. Professional Industry or Client-Centered Comments?
Joining in with a professional industry group will keep you up-to-date and allow you to get feedback. Because you are all providing the same professional service, joining a group where your customers are will bring you more business. Look for groups where you can easily rank as one of the five top experts or better yet, own the category. Watch out for forums where you’ll be saying the same thing as dozens of other people. Even in these situations, adding a personal touch such as a reference to website of the person who asked the question or a story from your experience will set you apart.

3. How Should You Keep Track of Your Answers?
Compose your answers in Word and save a copy to use in your newsletter, blog or file. Drop in the URL or topic so you can go back and track the follow-up conversation. Be on the lookout for partnerships and connect with people you’d like to know better.

4. How Much Time Should You Spend?
Budget a specific amount of time and don’t go over. It’s easy to get carried away with comments. Resist the urge to become an annoying know-it-all. Even though you may know the answer to every question, give others a turn. Start out by setting aside an hour at the beginning or end of the day to answer comments. Scanning questions takes less time. On some days, you may not have any questions to answer at all.

5. Question Resources: Places to Find Questions to Answer
HARO – Help A Reporter Out
AllExperts
LinkedIn Answers
LinkedIn Groups
Twitter
Yahoo Groups

So, what are you an expert at?

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Barbara Rozgonyi is the founder of CoryWest Media, LLC, a virtual public relations and marketing consultancy that gets new media to work for you. As publisher of wiredPRworks.com, Barbara reports on ways to use marketing, social media and public relations to grow business, build brands, raise visibility and connect communities. To stay updated on how to use social media and PR, visit http://savvysocialmedia.com. Originally posted at http://wiredprworks.com.

Is Your Annual Meeting Next Month?

Posted on by April 26, 2010
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Just A Minute LLC does company minutesMany of you are scheduled to have your annual meeting in May. This is a great opportunity to plan a trip and use it for a tax deduction. (see previous video post.)

Your Annual Meeting is the most important meeting of the year for your company.

At your annual meeting, you approve all the actions you made last year, you may vote on new officers and directors, and you may plan for future activities or projects.
Your annual meeting minutes lists your “team”  – your lawyer, accountant, bookkeeper, etc. – in your company summary as well as listing all the major decisions you have made on behalf of your company for the past year.

But most importantly, it protects you.

How does an annual meeting protect you? Well, if it is done right, and if you have an accurate record of everything you have done over the past year, and if you have the minutes of the meeting in writing with the correct legal form, and it is signed and placed in your minute book, then you are conducting business like a business.
What happens if you don’t have your annual meeting documented properly and in your company record book?

The results could be disastrous.

If you are sued your corporate veil could be pierced (even if you have an LLC!). In other words, you could lose the asset protection of your business entity and your personal assets could be in jeopardy.

If you are audited by the IRS your business deductions could be disallowed. Meaning you will pay more in taxes.

When should your annual meeting take place?

Look in your company operating agreement or by-laws. It will tell you when your annual meeting should be held.

Just A Minute, LLC takes all the worry from you.

They prepare your monthly resolutions for you. They remind you when you should have your annual meeting. They prepare your annual meeting record including who was present, where the meeting was held, past actions that were approved and other significant details.
All you have to do to get the proper paperwork that will protect you and your business is to login to the system once a month and answer a few questions about your business activities for the month. And then answer a few questions about where and what date you held your annual meeting and you are set.
No need to search for the proper legal form, or try to figure out the proper legal language to put in your document.
No need to hire an expensive attorney to get your minutes done right.
Call Just A Minute, LLC at 888-552-6552 or visit www.JustAMinuteLLC.com to protect your business now!

No operating agreement or by-laws? We can rescue your business with our company rescue service.. Call now. 888-552-6552

Win an iPad

Posted on by April 21, 2010
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Win a New iPad in May 2010

Want a new iPad? Well, a brand spankin’ new iPad from Apple could be yours!

Refer a friend who purchases a yearly subscription for minutes and you will be entered to win! (No limit to the number of friends you may refer — one entry per purchasing friend).

Here’s why (and how you can win):

Just A Minute, LLC has been working hard on it’s new…  (Read more and win)

Free up Your Time: Create Systems in Your Business

Posted on by February 17, 2010
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This business tip is from Patricia Drain . I learned this bit of wisdom from her years ago, and it’s true!

Here’s what Patricia says:

CREATING SYSTEMS IN YOUR BUSINESS WILL FREE UP YOUR TIME

Once you learn how creating systems in your business will make your business flow more easily, then you will have the key to success. Create just ONE system in your business today.

I started systemizing everything — from how the phone was answered, to how meetings would unfold, to how invoices looked when they were mailed out.

Guess what that did for my business?

I didn’t have to “show up” to help the business grow.

I created more value in my business.

In fact, when I sold that business, the buyer said “What made me buy your business over the 20 others I looked at, were the ‘systems’ you created.”

Just A Minute LLC Can Help Protect Your Business

Posted on by February 15, 2010
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The IRS recently hired 3,000 new field agents. Their purpose? To audit small businesses.

You see, they think they can find deductions that businesses reported on their tax return and disallow them….and then collect the money — plus penalty and interest.

What does that mean for you as a small business owner? It means you should be sure your company paperwork is current. That means your minutes and resolutions should be in your company minute book.

So, if you decide to purchase any equipment that costs over $500, you should create a company resolution that you are going to purchase that piece of equipment, sign it and put it in your company minute book.

If you decide to take out a loan, it should also be documented. There are hundreds of other minutes and resolutions that should be documented so you can protect your company.

How are you supposed to know everything you should document? How do you word the document so it is legal? What form should you use?

That’s how Just A Minute, LLC can help. They prepare your minutes and resolutions for you. Simply go online and answer a few questions that will jog your memory about what to include in your minutes.

They do the rest. They select the proper form and use the correct legal language. Then they prepare the monthly resolutions for you. They also prepare your annual minutes.

All you need to do is sign them and put them in your company minute book.

Simple.

You don’t have to worry about those 3,000 new IRS agents. And your business will be safe and protected.

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You can contact Just A Minute, LLC at 1-888-552-6552 or at http://www.JustAMinuteLLC.com

Business Tip: No Dead Links!

Posted on by February 12, 2010
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Websites and blogs can get messy. After a while you have so many links to this and that and the other.

What if one of your links is not working? How would you ever know?

Dead-Links to the rescue! http://www.dead-links.com

I have been using this handy dandy little tools for years.

All you have to do is type your URL into the box and it spiders through your site (not the protected areas, tho) and it finds all the dead links.

Then you can go and fix those pesky links. Thank you, dead-links.com.

Videos Help Your Business

Posted on by February 11, 2010
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I know I like to watch videos (especially short ones). I know they sell. But how to make them?….Watch Andy Jenkins.

I hope all of you are watching the Andy Jenkins videos on how to make a great video. He does a great job of teaching us some techniques …. and without selling something!….that is unusual.

I am also enjoying Lon Naylor’s comments about Andy’s videos. Be sure to read Lon’s blog post.

Don’t forget to download the videos to your hard drive so you can watch them at a later date. Did you notice that little download link right below the videos?

I’ve watched them 3 times so far and plan on watching them several more times. It’s amazing how I learn something new that I didn’t catch the last time I viewed it.

One of my favorite things I learned is that Andy uses a Mac!! Several months ago I switched from my 27 years of using a PC to a Mac. I have to say I love it! Just got my PC ingrained daughter a Mac (she didn’t think she would like it)….but she is in total love, too.

So….I guess I’ll go learn all the nuances of Keynote. Thanks, Andy.

Will You Be Judged by Your Words – or Lack of Them?

Posted on by February 10, 2010
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by Steven W. Allen, J.D.
[This is an excerpt of his article “Words” — to read the entire article click here]

Perhaps you remember that commercial which began: “People do judge you
by the words you use!” As an author and an attorney, I love words, I work
with words, I help others with words. Words are my tools.
. . .
Companies have distinct tax benefits, asset protection characteristics, and
valuation procedures. To keep such benefits, companies are required to keep
written records of their business decisions known as “minutes.” Such
records set these companies apart as separate and distinct entities for a
business purpose. Companies must meet at least annually, and more often for
unique or major business decisions.

If your company doesn’t keep accurate minutes of the annual or major
decisions, this company can be considered not to exist as a separate and
distinct entity for business purposes. That means the company loses its tax
benefits and its asset protection benefits.

“Asset, (as’est) noun, a useful thing or quality, a single item of
ownership having exchange value.” The things your company uses or that you
use personally.

“Protect, (pro tekt’) verb, to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss
or annoyance, insult, etc.”

Companies are judged by the words they use. And they may be judged (by a
court of law) by the words they don’t use, or minutes they don’t have. Keep
up the minutes. Defend your company and your things from attack, invasion,
loss or annoyance, insult, etc. You will be judged by the words you use.