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151. | Business Expenses - What Should You Budget?
Business expenses are a fact of life. Before you start your business you need to take some time and create a budget that lists your main business expenses and what you estimate each will cost per year.
The best way to do ...
[Added: 22 Jul 2006 Hits: 64 Words: 553]
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152. | Overhead Costs - Keep Them To A Minimum
Overhead costs are those expenses that do not vary with your production level. A term that is synonymous with overhead cost is sunk cost. The cost of the item or service is sunk regardless of whether you generate any income or ...
[Added: 22 Jul 2006 Hits: 54 Words: 440]
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153. | Business Income - What Am I Gonna Make?
Business income is determined by business inputs. This having been said, so many beginning computer consultants want to know what they will make in the first year. They try to base their business decisions on what they think an average business income ...
[Added: 22 Jul 2006 Hits: 48 Words: 414]
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154. | Business Structure - What Should I Be?
Business structure planning entails analyzing the different business entity options and choosing the one that is right for you. There is no magic formula for business structures. Your set of reasons for choosing one business structure over another is as unique as your company.
There is, however, one ...
[Added: 22 Jul 2006 Hits: 57 Words: 375]
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155. | Marketing and Promotion - Plan and Track Your Expenses
Marketing and promotion expenses are one of the bigger outflows that you need to contend with. From the start you should be thinking about putting aside cash for marketing and promotion expenses on a regular basis. If ...
[Added: 21 Jul 2006 Hits: 68 Words: 405]
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156. | Terms of Sale - Mind Your Own Cashflow
Terms of sale are what will keep you in positive cashflow. As a new business you can't afford to finance other people. You need to keep cash flowing through your business so you have to set clear terms of sale from the start.
Terms ...
[Added: 21 Jul 2006 Hits: 77 Words: 382]
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157. | Market Penetration - Analyze Your Geographic Business Base
Market penetration is an important concept in business planning and development. When you think in terms of market penetration you are figuring out they type and number of client you need in order to meet your revenue ...
[Added: 20 Jul 2006 Hits: 76 Words: 429]
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158. | Sales Cycles - How Long Is Yours?
Sales cycles vary but it is important that you understand how much revenue your average small-business client is going to generate during a 12-month period. You need to know how long it takes to earn revenue from the point your prospect enters the sales cycle.
Your sales ...
[Added: 20 Jul 2006 Hits: 85 Words: 382]
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159. | Pro Forma Income Statements
Pro forma income statements look at revenue and expense projections for future periods. Pro forma income statements are generated by looking at financial performance the year before, comparing it to the current year figures and using the changes to make projections ...
[Added: 20 Jul 2006 Hits: 68 Words: 441]
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160. | Business Expenses - Track Your Admin Expenses
Business expenses need to be budgeted for when you are starting a business. These expenses are typically categorized according to type. One of the larger categories of business expense falls under the heading Administrative Expenses. These business expenses are those related to ...
[Added: 20 Jul 2006 Hits: 54 Words: 444]
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161. | Consulting Salary - What Can Your Business Afford?
Consulting salaries are an important factor in your ability to hire the type of talent you will need as your business expands. You will probably do much of the work yourself, but as your business scales up you will need to employ others to help you. The consulting ...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 46 Words: 365]
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162. | Market Penetration - Match Customer Type to Revenue Goals
Market penetration refers to the process of gaining market share by introducing your product to customers. When you are planning your business strategy it is important to consider market penetration issues in terms of your revenue goals. If you need to generate a certain level of revenue, then a market ...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 67 Words: 379]
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163. | Promotion Tools - What Will Work The Best?
Promotion tools come in all different shapes and sizes. They also have different prices and rates of effectiveness. Regardless, the promotion tools you use have one purpose: They must promote your business and get your name out there.
Some of these promotion tools will work ...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 63 Words: 350]
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164. | Competitors - Learn To Exploit Their Weaknesses
Competitors are one of your largest business threats. You have to know who your competitors are and how they operate. You will use this information to decide how to position yourself, where you price yourself, and how you're perceived by your marketplace.
Competitor Analysis
...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 48 Words: 326]
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165. | Start Up Business Plan - The Benefits
Start up business plans are developed because the process of writing them creates huge benefits. A lot of people resist writing a start up business plan. They are under the false notion that start up ...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 51 Words: 458]
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166. | Selling Products - Is It For You?
Selling products as part of your computer consulting business is an option you should consider. Products can offer an additional revenue stream but you must determine if the extra expense and overhead associated with selling ...
[Added: 18 Jul 2006 Hits: 49 Words: 335]
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167. | Contingency Plans - Can You Handle Curve Balls?
Contingency plans are absolutely critical for first year business success. A contingency plan is what will help you deal with the curve balls that get thrown at you. Despite your best research and planning, you will encounter ...
[Added: 16 Jul 2006 Hits: 38 Words: 327]
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168. | Business Plan Outlines - The 5 W's
Business plan outlines are all different. The one common thread is that all business plan outlines help the writer answer the five W questions: who, what, when, where, why.
If any of you ever worked in journalism or as reporters, what ...
[Added: 16 Jul 2006 Hits: 52 Words: 419]
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169. | Consulting Salary - Are Your Rates Salary Equivalent?
Consulting salaries are very closely related to the hourly billing rates that you charge and the salaried equivalents that you can afford to pay both yourself and others down the road. The consulting salary you expect must be affordable given your hourly billing rates. ...
[Added: 16 Jul 2006 Hits: 44 Words: 440]
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170. | Business Growth - Rate Control For Maximum Success
Business growth is something we all want. During startup, however, you have to balance your business growth rate with your ability to keep on top of the business launch. You don't want to get overextended because that will cause you to cut corners and your future success may suffer.
...
[Added: 16 Jul 2006 Hits: 45 Words: 419]
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171. | Business Networking Referrals When You're New To Town
Business networking referrals are the life-blood of any computer consulting business. It's a who you know type of marketplace. This makes tapping into a source of referrals absolutely critical.
The problem is, what happens when you don't ...
[Added: 14 Jul 2006 Hits: 61 Words: 414]
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172. | Hourly Rates - Don't Lowball To Get Clients
Hourly rates that you charge your clients are very closely related to the ultimate success or failure of your business. Your hourly rates must be high enough to sustain your income needs and not so high that you drive away your sweet spot, ...
[Added: 14 Jul 2006 Hits: 92 Words: 343]
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173. | Strategic Business Planning While You're Still Working
Strategic business planning is very important to your business success. The perfect time to do your strategic business planning is when you are transitioning from full time work to a consulting business. You won't feel pressured to get things done ...
[Added: 14 Jul 2006 Hits: 49 Words: 397]
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174. | Business Plan Outlines - The Very Basics
Business plan outlines vary in their complexity. Depending on your situation you may just want to follow a very basic business plan outline. Regardless, the process of sitting down, creating a business plan outline, and writing a business ...
[Added: 14 Jul 2006 Hits: 52 Words: 429]
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175. | Networking Events - Use Your Time Wisely
Networking events provide an effective way to meet and connect with potential clients. What you need to do when you attend these networking events, though, is quickly determine if the person you are talking to is a "sweet spot" client.
Is this person part of your ...
[Added: 13 Jul 2006 Hits: 45 Words: 489]
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176. | Small Business Startup - The 90/10 Rule
Small business startups require a lot of work. You might however, be surprised by what type of work should be taking up the majority of your time. Computer consultants, when they contemplate small business startups, tend ...
[Added: 12 Jul 2006 Hits: 96 Words: 314]
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177. | Business Journals - A Strong Business Planning Tool
Business journals, or diaries, are an excellent way to record your business growth and progress. Business journals are extremely valuable in providing you with some amazing insight. By recording what you have done you can reflect and see where your time is going, where your ...
[Added: 12 Jul 2006 Hits: 46 Words: 397]
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178. | Niche Market or Generalist?
Niche markets offer a great way to target specific clients and build a marketing strategy. The problem is that when we think about niche markets, we typically think about specializing in one particular product or ...
[Added: 12 Jul 2006 Hits: 47 Words: 367]
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179. | Business Dress Code - What to Wear While Prospecting
Business dress codes can be tricky to navigate as a consultant. You are going into other people's businesses so your personal business dress code has to appeal to a wide range of clients. This is also true when ...
[Added: 11 Jul 2006 Hits: 51 Words: 362]
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180. | Consulting Rates - Can I Charge Premium Rates?
Consulting rates vary from business to business. Some people start up their own computer consulting business right out of school. Others have worked in the industry for many years before deciding to head out on their own. The reality is, not all computer consulting businesses are alike ...
[Added: 11 Jul 2006 Hits: 47 Words: 362]
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181. | Work Life Balance - 6 Tips For Achieving It
Work life balance is a primary consideration when you are first starting a computer consulting business. Regardless if you are getting started part-time, full time, or moonlighting, this launch will be intense for you. At no other time will work life balance be so ...
[Added: 11 Jul 2006 Hits: 55 Words: 452]
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182. | Work Scheduling and Efficiency
Work scheduling is one of the most time consuming aspects of a consulting business. First you have the issue of work scheduling that goes into your evenings and weekends and then you have to juggle which clients to schedule when and for how long.
...
[Added: 01 Jul 2006 Hits: 47 Words: 436]
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183. | Credit Terms - Tips For Controlling Your Receivables
Credit terms and policies for extending credit to customers requires a tight balancing act. You need to watch out for your money and protect your cash flow. You also want your services to be attractive to clients. ...
[Added: 01 Jul 2006 Hits: 40 Words: 392]
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184. | New Computer Technology - When is enough, enough?
New computer technology comes out continuously. As a computer consultant you probably want to keep up with all the new computer technology that comes along. You're most likely in love with technology - always looking ...
[Added: 01 Jul 2006 Hits: 115 Words: 353]
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185. | Information Overload - Stop the Barrage
Information overload is a serious problem in computer consulting. As a computer consultant you likely have information about new technology coming at you from all directions. This barrage of information overload is enough to render you unable to figure out what is important and what ...
[Added: 01 Jul 2006 Hits: 98 Words: 398]
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186. | Sales Lead Management
Sales lead management is a business activity that tends to be cast aside when the going gets good. When the current revenue stream is flowing great, sales lead management is the farthest thing from people's mind. Unfortunately, when marketing activities ...
[Added: 01 Jul 2006 Hits: 86 Words: 428]
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187. | Potential Clients - Evaluation Criteria
Potential clients need to be evaluated for their ability to become steady clients. It's ok to pick up clients who you will see once or twice a year. When you are starting out, however, you need to build up a clientele of steady customers. These steady ...
[Added: 28 Jun 2006 Hits: 47 Words: 350]
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188. | Computer Consulting Services: Protecting Client Data
As a provider of computer consulting services, you should communicate to your clients that a dedicated server generally can enforce strong user passwords. This means your clients can:
• Force users to change passwords at predetermined intervals
• Prevent recycling of previously-chosen passwords
• Eliminate the use of blank passwords
...
[Added: 28 Jun 2006 Hits: 54 Words: 409]
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189. | The Computer Consulting Business: Overcoming Client Cost Concerns
The key to overcoming client cost concerns is to focus on value and return on investment (ROI), rather than expenses. While every one of your computer consulting business prospects and clients will have a different way of defining ...
[Added: 27 Jun 2006 Hits: 65 Words: 343]
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190. | The Computer Consulting Business: Communicating the Benefit of Using Your Services
In the computer consulting business, dead-end solutions can be very expensive mistakes for your prospects or clients. So, start by pointing out how scalable your proposed network will be.
Communicate the Options
Discuss server ...
[Added: 27 Jun 2006 Hits: 51 Words: 345]
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191. | Computer Consulting Services: Protecting and Auditing Sensitive Client Information
As a provider of computer consulting services, you will want to communicate to prospects and/or clients that anyone, even with the most rudimentary PC skills, who has physical access to a peer-to-peer server, usually has access to every file and ...
[Added: 27 Jun 2006 Hits: 79 Words: 359]
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192. | Small Business Networking: Overcoming Client Objections
When you begin talking about a small business networking upgrades, prospects and clients will often dwell on cost. They neglect to consider the soft costs of not properly investing in a network, such as lost ...
[Added: 26 Jun 2006 Hits: 108 Words: 349]
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193. | The Computer Consulting Business: Selling the Network as an Investment
Most small business owners equate expenses with overhead items and capital expenditures such as buying a PC, notebook, printer, modem or version upgrade to Microsoft Office XP. These kind of small business owners often desperately need ...
[Added: 26 Jun 2006 Hits: 60 Words: 470]
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194. | IT Consulting: The Final Three Steps
These are the final three of the 21 steps you need to take to make your transition from part-timer moonlighting into full-time IT consulting.
Step 19 Never Stop Meeting New People
Attend networking meetings ...
[Added: 25 Jun 2006 Hits: 41 Words: 476]
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195. | IT Consulting: More Steps to Success
Before starting your IT consulting business, make sure all your ducks are in a row. In this article, learn some more of the steps you should take before beginning your IT consulting practice.
Step Thirteen. Volunteer if You Can't Get Paying IT Consulting Customers
If ...
[Added: 24 Jun 2006 Hits: 51 Words: 464]
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196. | Starting an IT Consulting Business: The Importance of a Website
It is very important to have a website when starting an IT consulting business. It is easy to tell who is working full time at starting their IT consulting business and who's not just by looking ...
[Added: 24 Jun 2006 Hits: 50 Words: 364]
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197. | IT Consulting: 3 Steps to Success
Before starting your IT consulting business, take the steps that will lead to your success. In this article, learn about three steps you should take before beginning your IT consulting practice.
Step Seven: Arrange Your ...
[Added: 24 Jun 2006 Hits: 65 Words: 404]
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198. | IT Network: Faxing Capabilities
If you sense resistance during the IT network sales cycle, listen very carefully to the prospect's objections. Many times, they like what they hear, but small business owners need to hear three or four different opinions in order to bolster their confidence. Take time to understand exactly what's driving the ...
[Added: 22 Jun 2006 Hits: 52 Words: 370]
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199. | IT Consulting: Medium Sized Businesses and Government Contracts
As you grow, should you go after government, city, state, municipality contracts like school district contracts? Maybe. They are an entirely different business model. When you are talking about selling to medium sized businesses, again go back and assess your tech skills.
Assess ...
[Added: 22 Jun 2006 Hits: 53 Words: 318]
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200. | Handheld Devices: Tips on Purchase Recommendations
Use these simple, low-tech tips and best practices to minimize your handheld device support headaches and maximize the security of your clients' incredibly valuable data.
Pay Attention to Product Reviews
Don't take Plug-and-Play claims at face value. Over the years, Microsoft Windows hecklers have ...
[Added: 21 Jun 2006 Hits: 112 Words: 350]
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