This is an amazing time to launch a small business, but if entrepreneurs aren’t careful these nasty little gremlins will take them down from the inside…

Don’t let these fatal missteps derail your plans for small business success:

1. Micromanaging

If you are micromanaging, then you are your own worst enemy. Your staff will be miserable and bitter, held back from their best work, and you will continue to entertain yourself with meaningless busy work instead of focusing on the really important money making and strategic stuff. Pinch yourself every time you catch yourself in the act and change that bad habit.

2. Lack of Systems

Lacking systems is a recipe for failure. Entrepreneurs must realize that systems are the secret to better time management, increased ROI on staffing, and minimizing the odds of errors.

3. Not Tracking Trends

The purpose of 800 toll free numbers is to boost communications between the customer and the business; not just in having businesses pick up the tab, but also in protecting customers from phone companies. 1-800 numbers function under a large framework designed to protect both consumers and businesses, ensuring that phone communications remain reliable and affordable.

A generation or so ago when 800 numbers were first implemented, long distance rates for telephone calls were very high. The reason 800 toll free numbers became popular is because they are a way for businesses to help customers and to bring in more call volume and possibly more sales and conversions. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, the vanity number became a sign of trust. In fact, it became a staple in direct response marketing which is still successful in many marketing campaigns. 800 toll free numbers still function as an efficient, cost-effective and convenient medium today.

Summer is here, and whether or not your business depends on seasonal sales, Custom Toll Free’s got some seasonal savings for you. Throughout the month of July, get a toll free number with Custom Toll Free and you’ll get August completely free. Knowing how valuable 800 toll free numbers are for businesses, we’re giving our July customers this special as our way of giving them a “head start” on sales with a complete month at no charge.

Through the trends, times, and ages, toll free numbers remain one of the most reliable and accessible means of communication; not to mention a branding method you simply can’t afford to miss. Once you see an 800 number with a vanity spelling relating to a business’ name, industry or flagship product or service, you know that very instant the business is doing something. Why not give your business the same? And with this special deal, get a number in July, brand it, promote it, love it, and we’ll give you the next month entirely free so you can kick back and watch the returns come knocking.

As the nation’s 50^th Small Business Week comes to a close, we reflect on the changes that face small business. While it’s true that America is built upon the foundation of millions of small businesses in this country, what is not often recognized is the monumental effect these businesses have upon our economic stability as a nation. Small businesses make up our economic system as a whole and certainly support our local communities.

You might have come across various blogs and resources that share interesting facts to support the affiliate marketers. Well, those materials are scattered all over the Internet. But what would happen if all those resources were listed in one place? Not only will make you become more savvy, but you will be able to easily compete with notable leaders in affiliate marketing.

Check out this list that you will find handy almost every time.

AFFILIATE NETWORKS

There are so many affiliate networks, but I will share only those, which are profitable and can benefit my readers in the long run.

1.       Adsimilis – Sick of those old networks posturing to try the new Adsimilis? They will let the affiliate marketers get what they want.

2.       Commission Junction – One of the great affiliate networks popular among both small and large brands.

Did you know that this week marks the 50^th Anniversary of National Small Business week? Dating back to the first presidential proclamation of 1963 signed by Presidential John F. Kennedy, small business has played a pivotal role in the growth and sustainability of the American economy in the last fifty years.

Today, 28 million small businesses serve as the backbone to increasing the global competitiveness of the American spirit—employing half of the nation’s overall workforce.

What technology should you be getting your hands on to take on bigger competitors?

Monday sees the start of the SBA’s 50^th annual National Small Business Week in Seattle, WA. This year it seems small businesses have even more to celebrate as evolving technology equips them to take on even the biggest and best funded corporate giants.

While economic uncertainty may have held some back over the last year, entrepreneurs seem to have decided to create their own futures. They aren’t just dipping their toes in the water, they are dragging that bull by the horns, creating new jobs as they go, and forcing improvement in the economy.

A/B testing exists in almost every facet of everyday life. Maybe you wear a different hat, scarf or blouse to see if a blind date goes differently. Maybe Pepsi wants to see if they can sell more cans rocking their 1970’s-1990’s look. Maybe a certain baseball or basketball team wants to see if they can win more wearing their throwback uniforms from decades past.

There are many instances in which the digital age has opened the door for small business to compete with larger companies and even meet on some of the same playing fields. The following are a list of low priced methods to promote your startup or small business without breaking the budget while preserving your brand and level of professionalism.

Run a special contest or promotional give-a-way-tie in to monthly communication

This is something that is fairly simple and can be an inexpensive way each month to give you a reason to stay in touch with a customer base that you may have not had a reason otherwise to contact every month. Any solid reason for keeping the lines of communication open between you and your customer base is worth its weight in time and energy spent to bring a possibly large return.

Does your technology create barriers, separating you from audiences and businesses from whom you could greatly benefit? Many of today’s technological trends feature Smartphone apps capable of ordering pizzas, voting for the next American Idol, shopping for clothing or even groceries. We’ll admit, some of them are really cool but aren’t for everyone. If you’re a small business counting every commission and every customer as a means of survival, sometimes excluding those who don’t succumb to all the technological trends can prove detrimental to your operations.

Chances are that customers with language barriers or disabilities are always going to feel singled out. This could be due to age, a physical or mental disability, or living conditions that keep them from bringing their business to you. Unfortunately, many businesses stay on one side of the barrier, opting to turn them away. But if you can bridge those gaps, you can turn those shrugs into sales.