Small Biz Flash

FEATURE

* What is the different between public relations and marketing?
* What are the three tactics for PR?
* How does a small business get publicity?  How does the owner, who is usually the primary salesperson, get publicity?
* How much of your knowledge and information is it OK to share?

Today’s guest is Claire Angelle, Founder of Angelle Consulting:
Claire’s email:  [email protected]
Claire’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-collobert-angelle-5267b4a/
Angelle Consulting web page:  https://www.angelleconsulting.com/

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - Small businesses are even less confident about economy now than earlier in the year.
https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/summary

2 - The National Labor Relations Board’s new joint-employer rule is continuing to face opposition from small business groups and from some lawmakers.
https://www.nsba.biz/post/news-house-panel-moves-resolution-to-block-nlrb-joint-employer-rule

3 - Younger and smaller companies are particularly hard hit in the ongoing credit squeeze facing small businesses.
https://www.pymnts.com/smbs/2023/young-smbs-cant-find-enough-business-financing/

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

You’re probably familiar with Small Business Administration loans.  SBA loans, as they are commonly called, are partially backed by the federal government.

But there are other resources the SBA offers, some of which aren’t well known, which can benefit your company.  We’re going to discuss just a few today.

THRIVE
https://www.sbathrive.com/

Assistance for small businesses with procuring federal contracts
https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting

America’s Seed Fund
https://beta.www.sbir.gov/

SBA Business Guide
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide

SBA Events
https://www.sba.gov/events

2023 Small Business Resource Guide
https://www.sba.gov/sites/sbagov/files/2023-06/2023%20Small%20Business%20Resource%20Guide_508c_Final.pdf

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - Small business owners are less optimistic about this year’s Christmas shopping season than they’ve been in the past.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbcsurveymonkey-small-business-index-q4-2023/

2 - The US House of Representatives voted last week to overturn a rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requiring banks to collect small business owners’ demographic information when they seek a loan.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/economy/house-votes-end-biden-small-business-loan-rule-veto

3 - According to the Federal Reserve’s most recent quarterly survey of senior loan officers, lending standards applied to small businesses have tightened significantly since last year.
https://apnews.com/article/small-business-loans-funding-banks-91c55c514347301f26d46f591f6c32ad

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

To get the right candidates, you need to alight the job description with the actual need for the position.

Also, avoid giving your candidates a poor experience in the overall process from interviewing to onboarding.

Finally, don’t hire reactively, i.e., for short-term needs.  Think about your long-term needs instead.

Today’s conversation is based on the blog post, “8 Things That Can Cause You To Hire The Wrong Person.”
https://humansdoing.net/8-things-that-can-cause-you-to-hire-the-wrong-person/

Today’s guest is Josh McAfee, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Humans Doing:
Josh’s email:  [email protected]
Josh’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmc/
Josh’s book, Measure Up:  https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Up-Mastering-Career-Search/dp/1631953036
Humans Doing web page:  https://humansdoing.net/

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - The ongoing credit crunch impacting small businesses has owners looking beyond traditional loans to finance their capital needs.
https://digitalasset.intuit.com/render/content/dam/intuit/sbseg/en_us/Blog/Downloadable-assset/Ebook/intuit-quickbooks-small-business-index-annual-report-2023.pdf?cid=dig_TOF_QBB_blog_US_EN_SMBIndex_AR_hub_PDF

2 - Three-quarters of small businesses are utilizing AI tools for an expansive range of business functions, according to findings of a Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council survey.
https://sbecouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SBE-Small-Business-AI-Survey-Oct-2023-FINAL.pdf

3 - Scammers are stealing the passwords of small businesses’ social media accounts, according to a new lawsuit filed by Google.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/4035436-google-sues-to-block-false-bard-ai-ads-targeting-small-businesses

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

Today, we continue our discussion of the book “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.  To create raving fans, the business must create a vision of the customer experience, but then, it must invite the customers themselves into the vision casting process.

Not everything the customers want will necessarily be a part of the final vision, but listening to customers is key.  Once customers’ vision has been integrated into the original vision of the business’ vision, then the implementation process begins.  Take it slow and start small.  Customers want consistency in their experience above all else.  Steady progress will yield great results over time.

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - The job market cooled last month, but small businesses still had trouble finding employees.
https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-tight-labor-market-continues-to-hinder-main-street/

2 - More than three-quarters of owners believe their own company is ready to handle any upcoming economic instability.
https://nypost.com/2023/11/02/tech/how-small-businesses-are-expanding-their-digital-footprints/

3 - Multiple small business groups are opposing a new rule by the National Labor Relations Board regarding joint-employer situations.
https://sbecouncil.org/2023/10/26/sbe-council-slams-nlrbs-joint-employer-expansion-urges-congress-to-overturn-new-rule/

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

To have a truly thriving business, one essential element is a customer base who are wildly enthusiastic about what your company offers, so much so, in fact, that they eagerly tell their family, friends, and neighbors.

In their book “Raving Fans,” Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles explain how having merely satisfied customers just doesn’t cut it.  Today, we’re going to unpack some of the book’s ideas and talk about how to apply them to your business.

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - Small business owners became increasingly dour in their outlook on the economy in September.

https://www.nfib.com/content/analysis/labor/report-shows-more-small-business-owners-are-pessimistic-about-future-conditions-2/

2 - The bar is now higher for businesses to participate in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program, designed to help disadvantaged companies contract with the federal government.

https://fedscoop.com/court-ruling-forces-small-businesses-to-detail-bias/

3 - Goldman Sachs is throwing its weight behind a campaign opposing tougher banking rules called Basel III Endgame (B3E) that it argues will hurt small business lending.

https://www.axios.com/2023/10/23/goldman-small-biz-basel-iii

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

Every small business has different insurance needs, but almost all will need General Liability coverage.  And many will also need coverage included in a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP).

Other types of insurance could include Workers' Compensation, Employers Liability, Cyber Liability, Commercial Auto, and Errors and Omissions (aka Professional Liability).

Today’s guest is Jack Smith, of Valor Insurance Brokers:

Jack’s email:  [email protected]
Jack’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/
Valor’s web page:  https://www.valorbrokers.com/

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - Small business bankruptcies are rising at the fastest pace since the pandemic, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.  Increased interest rates, tighter lending standards, and higher operating costs are the chief culprits.

https://www.wsj.com/business/entrepreneurship/small-busines-bankruptcy-surge-8989e665?mod=hp_lista_pos2

2 - Though Congress averted a government shutdown last month, the prospect of one towards the end of November hangs over the economy.  And small business owners want none of it.

https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/voices/news/september-25-2023-press-release.html

3 - Many small businesses are making mental health of employees a priority.

https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/quarterly-spotlight

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

Ranking high in search engines results, especially on Google, is a concern of most small businesses.  There are a few basic things you can do to help your site be found, like consistently creating good content (but you don’t have to write a blog post every day or even every week) and fully utilizing Google Business Profile.

ChatGPT can help you create content, but don’t depend on it to get you 100% of the way there.

We also discuss:
* How to account for the numerous updates to Google’s algorithm each year.
* How to think about search metrics.
* Why you should start using Google Search Console.

Google Search Console:  https://search.google.com/search-console/about

Today’s guest is Mickey Mellen, of GreenMellen:
Mickey’s email:  [email protected]
Mickey’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmel/
GreenMellen’s web page:  https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - Though most small business owners are generally positive about the current business environment, they have heartburn over the direction of the economy, according to the 3Q2023 Small Business Check Up Survey.

https://sbecouncil.org/2023/09/12/new-check-up-survey-for-q3-small-business-owners-foresee-deteriorating-economic-conditions/

2 - The IRS recently announced a moratorium through at least the end of the year on processing new claims for the Employee Retention Credit, a highly popular COVID-era relief program designed to help small businesses keep their employees on payroll.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/to-protect-taxpayers-from-scams-irs-orders-immediate-stop-to-new-employee-retention-credit-processing-amid-surge-of-questionable-claims-concerns-from-tax-pros

3 - Entrepreneurs who choose to re-enter the traditional workforce are 30% less likely to get job interviews than applicants with only traditional experience, according to research conducted by two professors of management.

https://fortune.com/2023/09/06/entrepreneurs-founders-get-fewer-job-interviews-research-survey-management/

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

The Department of Homeland Security issued a new Form I-9, also known as the Employment Eligibility Form, on August 1.  If you have employees, you need to be completing an I-9 on every new hire and should have already completed an I-9 for every existing employee.  Penalties for non-compliance are stiff.

Today’s guest is Karen Moss, of Innovative Outsourcing:

Karen’s email:  [email protected]
Karen’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenemoss/
Innovative Outsourcing web page:  https://www.innovative-outsourcing.com/

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1 - The Department of Labor has proposed a rule that could significantly increase the overtime costs for small businesses.

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/proposed-overtime-rule-2023.aspx

https://www.wsj.com/articles/julie-su-labor-department-overtime-pay-biden-administration-b314387c

2 - The Department of Treasury will begin requiring tens of millions of small companies to hand over details about their ownership via a new rule on beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act.

https://sbecouncil.org/2023/08/15/new-federal-reporting-requirement-for-small-businesses/

https://www.nfib.com/content/analysis/national/the-upcoming-regulation-change-every-small-business-owner-should-know/

3 - Excessive borrowing costs continue to frustrate small businesses seeking access to capital, according to a new survey.

https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/new-nfib-survey-increased-financing-costs-tops-the-list-of-credit-concerns-for-small-business-owners/

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

Many small businesses already have a CRM in place, but these platforms can be very robust, and you’re probably not taking full advantage of the functionality available to you.

If don’t already have a CRM, some of the most popular for small companies include HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Monday Sales CRM, Insightly, and Pipedrive, to name a few.

Other than storing contact information and running your email newsletters, three more ways to leverage your CRM to boost company performance are:

1. Track the lifetime value of your customers

2. Set up as many automatic communication points with customers as possible

3. Standardizing workflow for common processes

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1
In a sweeping set of policy changes, Small Business Administration has increased the pool of eligible lenders, relaxed some requirements for an SBA-backed loan, and simplified the application process.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-business-lending-is-about-to-change-with-simpler-requirements-8578a895

https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2023/06/29/new-2023-sba-loan-rules-make-getting-a-small-business-loan-easier/?sh=3c26bbf545eb

2
The Credit Card Competition Act would give some small business merchants a degree of choice over which credit card payment network is used when processing their transactions.

https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/homepage/nfib-releases-new-in-their-own-words-video-on-credit-card-competition-act/

https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/opeds/bipartisan-bill-to-address-credit-card-swipe-fees-would-help-small-businesses/

https://sbecouncil.org/2023/06/28/coalition-letter-to-congress-in-opposition-to-credit-card-competition-act/

3
The recently released CNBC-SurveyMonkey Small Business Confidence Index dropped back down to the survey’s all-time low score of 42 out of 100.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbc-small-business-q3-2023/

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].

🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.

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Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE

After you’ve completed the hard work of developing, deploying, and promoting your lead magnet, you’re still not done.  The leads have started to come in, but what’s next?  In most cases, you’ll need to start an email marketing campaign to continue the conversation with prospects where the lead magnet left off and to invite them into an offer to do business with you.

Be sure you don’t run afoul of anti-spam email laws in your jurisdiction.

Once your specially created content has run its course for the prospects that came from your lead magnet, put them into your regular email list, so they continue to get your regular emailer.

Email marketing software ratings and reviews:

https://www.trustradius.com/email-marketing

https://www.g2.com/categories/email-marketing

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NEWS ROUNDUP

1
Two polls have contradictory findings on how small businesses feel about the economy.
https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20230728-small-business-confidence-improves-for-second-month-wsj-survey/

https://sbiqpoll.jcnf.org/app/uploads/2023/08/JCN-SBIQ-JULY-PPT-07-31-23-MASTER.pdf

2
The Main Street Tax Certainty Act, a bill introduced in Congress this spring, would make permanent the 20% Small Business Deduction for qualified business income.
https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/homepage/nfib-launches-new-issue-campaign-urging-congress-to-pass-the-main-street-tax-certainty-act/

3
Some small business advocates are calling for the reauthorization of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/voices/news/jul-10-2023-press-release.html

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This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.

📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].

🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. 

----------

Email me at [email protected].

• Please give me feedback on the podcast.

Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com