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Tax Time Tidbits
- Direct deposit is the fastest, safest way to receive your tax refund. When a taxpayer combines e-file and direct deposit, the IRS will likely issue your refund in as few as 10 days.
- Our QuickBooks Seminars are on hold for tax season, but we've posted some helpful tips on our website.
- Visit our website for a helpful Tax Calendar from the IRS filled with usefull information to address your small business concerns.
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Marketing Tip from Rebecca Plankey
 Expert power is the ability to influence someone regarding a course of action because of specific knowledge, experience, or expertise. Those who are known as experts often have a competitive advantage in their marketplace. In order to become a recognized expert you have to take consistent action to build your reputation. You also need time and patience. Start a blog and give your audience a reason to believe you know what you are talking about. Create content that communicates your enthusiasm for your product or service. Make sure to write a strategy for you as an expert and combine this into the marketing plan for your business. As your personal brand grows, consider ways to turn your expertise into products people will purchase, such as workshops and books. Finally, don't hesitate to progress your expert status to consulting and speaking engagements. Have a favorite expert? Learn about how they got their start and begin devising your own plan.
Reference:http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220394 |
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Technology Tip from Sharon Bragg
"Starting from Scratch"
Although the internet has had a tremendous impact on culture and commerce since the mid-1990s there are still some who have yet to invest in a website to attract customers and close sales. No matter what industry or profession, having a website should be a core component of the technology you use to communicate with your customers. Getting started is easy if you use a pre-made website template with an off-the-shelf content management system. This is the most cost effective way to begin a site. For more sophisticated sites I recommend working with a marketing company that can help design and build the site to mirror the company's brand and image. Once the site is built then begin using analytics to gauge what your customers are interested in. Analytics can tell you how many visitors came to your website, what pages interested them the most, and where they were referred from. Some of the best information can come from getting feedback from website testers. This article recommends some, but you could also ask some of your best existing customers for their opinion about content and navigating the site.  Chances are if you don't have a website you may not have engaged social media yet. This should be your next step. Facebook and Twitter make it very easy to insert their buttons onto your website. These sites are free and can connect you with current and prospective clients. Having a website and using social media are some of the easiest and most affordable technology tools for your business - don't let them go to waste! |
