Thursday, May 7, 2009

Back Up Your Data

There are many ways to back up your files. It is important to do so because, whether we like it or not, things do happen and you could loose all your computer data. It is far better to be safe than sorry.

There are several different ways to backup your data. Essentially, you are moving all of your files from one place to a completely different place. This keeps it safe in case your computer crashed.

Different ways to backup:

  • CD – You can burn all of your files (or at least your important files) to a CD. This may not be the best solution because CDs can not have information added or deleted. Once the CD is burned, it is done.
  • Memory disk – This is one of the quick and easy ways of backing up. Memory disks are fairly inexpensive and can be rewritten over. They offer different sizes of file storage, so choosing one is up to you and your needs.
  • External hard drive – External hard drives usually start at $60 and go up from there. They are a great solution to backing up your data. For me, I just plug my external hard drive in, turn it on, and my computer automatically backs up everything in my computer. I try to do this daily to be safe. This is generally the best solution for backing up data.
  • Online hard drive – Some web sites offer an online external hard drive. You usually pay a monthly fee to be able to log on and safely store your files. The major risk of an online hard drive is if the company ever went out of business. You would then need to find a new hard drive host.

Obviously, figure out which method suits your need. If you aren’t going to back up regularly or don’t have many files, perhaps a memory disk will suit you best. If you have a lot of files and back up regularly, like myself, consider an external hard drive or an online hard drive. It is well worth the money spent if something ever does cause your computer to loose all of its data.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Standing Out

Standing out from your coworkers can seem like a daunting task. It is, however, very simple if you put your mind to working hard.

Hard work never goes unrewarded. When you make an effort, others will notice. And when others notice, that will make you stand out.

Here are some tips on standing out of the crowd:

  • Be that person you wish everyone else was – It may sound strange, but consider this: If you spend time wishing someone else would do some task, you yourself would not be doing that task. If you take the initiative to do what you wish others would do, you will be putting yourself in the position of making a good impression in your employer’s eyes.
  • Do the work no one else wants to do – This will make you stand out tremendously.
  • Do your work cheerfully – When you take on the extra tasks, don’t complain. You took on the work; do it cheerfully. This will make you an even more valuable employee.
  • Don't get overwhelmed with bad news – I love it when workers are not overwhelmed with small problems. Those that answer, "That's not a problem - we can work around this" are most likely going to make a good, if not great, impression.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Top 10 Effective PowerPoint Tips

PowerPoint can be an effective business tool. It can also give everybody in the conference room a headache. How you affect the people viewing your slideshow is up to you.

Here are our top 10 tips on building an effective, memorable PowerPoint presentation:

  1. Make an emergency PDF version – This is just in case the presentation computer does not have the same version as the computer you were working on. Nothing is more embarrassing than getting up in front of a hundred people and not getting your PowerPoint to work. Expect for the worse, and you will be prepared. Call ahead to learn what version the host computer has installed. If you can, test your PowerPoint presentation beforehand.
  2. Have all your files in one folder – This is to prevent breaking movie links.
  3. Stay with a simple theme – Don’t go overboard on an extravagant layout. Remember, less is more.
  4. Give a sense of place for the viewer – Make sure that titles – both the Presentation’s title and the page’s title – are easily read. A person coming in in the middle of the meeting should be able to immediately know what the presentation is about.
  5. No more than 8 lines of text per slide – PowerPoint is a visual tool. If it has too much text, your viewers are more likely to not read any of it.
  6. Don’t use too much animation – As cool as the sound effects and slide-changing animations may be, try to restrict the overuse of them. Having too much animation in your presentation distracts from content. On top of that, it borders on becoming unprofessional.
  7. Be consistent with graphs – All of your graphs should have a similar look and feel. Keep the titles clear and the content simple.
  8. Use consistent fonts and font sizes – Make sure fonts are big enough and easy to read. If you are using a unique font, make sure your host computer also has that font. If it doesn’t, the spacing could change, ruining the slide.
  9. Use simple, professional colors – Stay with neutral tones, like browns, tans, grays, and faded blues, to maintain a professional look. You can also try using your company’s colors.
  10. Use photos and clip art wisely – Again, PowerPoint is a visual tool. People like pictures. Photos and clip art can add a lot to your presentation. Just be sure not to take away from the overall message or to make it too distracting.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Be Willing to Serve

Service is a quality that applies to more than the hospitality industry. Good service makes every customer happy. Good service makes sales and keeps you in business longer.

Train your employees how to properly take care of a customer. Here are some tips that might assist you:

  • Don't have $$ in your eyes – Customers know when they are feeling used. When you treat them like they are nothing more than a sale, they will notice.
  • Try to help customer with their needs – If it seems simple, that’s because it is. Customers are coming to your business with questions. Don’t throw your marketing jargon at them. Help them with their problems. Sometimes it won’t immediately end in a sale, but good word-of-mouth can lead to a sale.
  • Go out of the way to assist your customer – Show that you care about them by taking time to go out of the way to find solutions for their questions. When I went to PetSmart, one of their greeters literally tracked me down to see if I needed help with anything. Although I did not need help, it stuck in my mind. I will most certainly recommend PetSmart more now because of it.

Although assisting your customer may take more of your time, it is a great benefit to you, your company, and your profits.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Construction in California

California has had some tight times. But the news is good for the construction industry. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has given about hundreds of millions to construction projects in California alone. This will create about 11,000 construction jobs.

CalTrans reported that they will spend the first wave of funds, $625 million, on 57 highway projects. Merced County will spend $46.7 million to replace bridges, which will create over 800 jobs.

For more information on what industries, including the construction industry, will receive, visit www.EconomicStimulusInfo.com/about.html.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Having a Positive Attitude in a Negative Environment

It is amazing at how an attitude can change everything. Being in a negative environment can really make people be angry, short-tempered, or sad. The bad vibe rubs off on everyone that comes in contact with it. It can make the even cheery person upset.

Consider the results if there was a positive environment. Those in a bad mood would be affected by the positive surroundings. It would build a good workplace for those working or visiting.

Now consider how one person can affect the environment they are in. Being the positive person in the negative workplace can really help change the mood. Your joyfulness can spread to others. You can change the environment for unhappy to happy if you don’t let the negative feelings affect you.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Can You Receive Work for the Stimulus Package?

Since the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, there have been great opportunities to expand your business. The government infusing the market will affect many types of businesses – from construction firms to green equipment manufacturers to software companies. Whatever touches the sectors targeted by the ARRA, namely, hospitals, software companies, manufacturers, construction companies, green energy, education centers, local/state governments, and more, will have a new unique way to grow.

Re-evaluate your business to see how you can key in on some of the promoted industries. Can you play a part in green technologies? Can you help to install electronic medical record software?

For more information on the topic, visit www.EconomicStimulusInfo.com. In the About section, there is even more information about what industries will be affected by the new economic stimulus package.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Clean Forms

Forms can put a damper on the day – especially when they are poorly organized and confusing. Yet businesses daily, even hourly, have to fill out some sort of a form. It may be a purchase order form, an invoice, or an application for a lease. Although filling out forms can be tedious, your forms don’t have to be.

Make sure that the forms you make for your business are organized and straightforward. This will always help the user to complete the form without headaches. Some ways to keep your form organized are:

  1. Have your logo, address, phone number, e-mail, and/or website in a clear and readable place. Usually the top is the best.
  2. Make it very clear as to what they are filling out. Make sure all titles are not to lengthy in words. Also make them stand out from the rest of the text by making it larger, bolder, or underlined.
  3. Have all your fields line up in one place. If you are making it have more than one column, then make sure that the form field is clear and does not get lost.
  4. Give the user a sense of where they are – especially with an online form. If the form is more than one page, you can have “You are here” cues. They usually consist of steps in the form process. This is most used when signing up on a web site or completing a purchase on an e-commerce site.

Doing these few tips can really help your forms, business, and your customers.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

How Leasing can be Beneficial in a Weak Economy

Just when your business was beginning to take shape in a prosperous nation, a recession hits. Unstable times cause uncertainty. But that does not have to be true when leasing equipment. Leasing your equipment may be the solution your company needs to pull out strong in the economy.

Leasing equipment helps conserve your working capital. This means that you will preserve your capital for other day-to-day expenses like inventory and marketing. Working capital is vital to businesses and conversing it while expanding may be a great solution for you.

Leasing also builds company value. Because a lease is not considered a long-term debt or liability, it does not appear in your debt in your financial statements.

Leasing equipment allows you to keep up with new equipment. Leasing is fast and flexible, allowing you to keep up with industry standards.

First Star Capital is always eager to help with any questions you may have about leasing. Feel free to contact us whenever you need guidance.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

PR: New Website Helps Small Business Utilize the Economic Stimulus Package

On February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 was signed into law which should lead to stabilization and economic improvement. There are numerous pronounced benefits for businesses – specifically geared toward the small to medium sized companies- that have the ability to jumpstart the economy both locally as well as nationally. First Star Capital, a commercial equipment lender, has responded by launching a new website www.economicstimulusinfo.com in an effort to keep these businesses updated on how the stimulus package can benefit them.

This comprehensive site contains details of the Section 179 tax deduction as well as news and links to other informational web sites. While the ARRA has a particular focus on creating jobs in the green energy, highway, and school building sectors, there are several other industries that stand to benefit significantly from the economic stimulus act. Industries such as electronic medical records, utilities and all types of professional services such as engineers, attorneys, accountants, consultants, regulators and administrators will experience heightened demand and be positioned for job growth and greater economic prosperity.

Although nearly two-thirds of the $787 billion economic recovery plan is geared toward government based initiatives to create jobs and spark activity in stalled sectors of the economy, about one-third provides tax relief and investment incentives for small to medium sized businesses. Small and medium sized businesses have always been catalysts of economic growth and employment.

“We wanted to develop a site where our customers can obtain current and accurate information on how they can use the stimulus package to help their own business. You don’t have to be a huge corporation like GM or AIG to reap some of the benefits. Our goal is to do our part in generating confidence and turning the economy around for the better”, says First Star Capital president Brad Harmon. “The answer lies in helping small businesses move forward, retain their employees, and stay competitive. Small and medium sized businesses (those with less than 500 employees) make up roughly 99% of US companies. These are the folks that are most likely to be drivers of economic improvement”.

For more information on First Star Capital, please visit www.firststarcapital.com

About First Star Capital:
First Star Capital is an established national firm that has financed thousands of different businesses across the country and has funded hundreds of millions of dollars worth of capital equipment. They are an independent commercial lender with a specialty focus in equipment financing and leasing. First Star Capital is a direct lender with the ability to quickly and efficiently fund new financing requests between ten-thousand and ten-million dollars. Since they are a direct lender with their own funding and servicing capabilities they are able to deliver tangible value added financing solutions with the utmost flexibility.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Surviving the Economy

In this current economy, sales become more difficult to close. With the news of so many companies going out of business, going to work each day can be stressful and even scary. Here are our tips on staying strong in a tight economy:

  • Run an honest business – Consider how this recession is a cleansing time for unstable and poorly managed businesses. The businesses that make wise, sound decisions will more likely survive. Just remember, what goes around comes around.
  • Keep a cool head – In addition to making wise decisions, stay calm about those decisions you make and the news you hear. Don’t overreact to everything you hear. Keeping your mind clear will help you make your stronger and wiser decisions.
  • Keep a positive attitude – With so much negative thoughts swirling around, it will help you and your business to keep a positive attitude. It will also increase your employees’ and your customers’ confidence.
  • Show confidence in yourself and your company – Like the previous tip, confidence will assert itself into others’ confidence. If you firmly believe and stand for you company, show it. If your company is doing well, share that to others. In shaky times people want to put their trust in something. Prove to them that your company is still confident about the future.
  • Spend time researching your clients - Instead of 100 random cold calls, research your potential customers and see if your business can fulfill their needs. When you call them, you will also have a background of their company. The time spent in researching you potential clients can be a great benefit to your company.
  • Don’t be afraid to take action – When you make the effort to stay cool and collected, do not just sit around and do nothing. Regardless of whether the economy is good or bad, there are opportunities to succeed.
Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Motivate Your Employees to Help You Succeed

Your employees are the blood that keep your small business alive. Without them, your operations could come to a screeching halt. Having happy, motivated employees can really help your company prosper.

Here is a list of ways that can help your employees become and stay motivated to work for your business:

  • Provide a positive work environment. When there are conflicts within our employees, work hard to resolve them. The fact that you are making an effort reflects positively.
  • Encourage teamwork. When your company secures a large contract or makes a big sale, reward your employees. Lunch, dinner, or prizes can really encourage your workers to be team players and strive toward common goals.
  • Reward hard work. If a certain employee has put in extra hours to help meet a deadline or if a hard working father has a long commute, consider alternative rewards. Allow the father to work from home one day a week. Let the employee have a day off of work. When you see that someone who works hard for you has a need, try to find a way to meet it. This will really encourage your employees to work hard.
Providing a positive work environment and rewarding good work will really help your employees to enjoy their job, work harder, and be loyal to the company.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Use E-coupons to Increase Your Sales

Coupons are a great way to reward your customers, invite new customers, and increase your sales. Consider how implementing coupons in your business can help your company grow.

E-coupons are easy to use in e-commerce sites. You will need a shopping cart system that allows you to implement a coupon code.

Even if you don’t have an e-commerce site, you can offer coupons that your customers redeem in your store. Make sure that the same person is not coming in again and again.

There are several different kinds of coupons you can use:

  • First-Time Customers: Entice new customers with coupons. You can offer a certain percentage off of their first purchase or offer free shipping for new accounts. The sky is the limit on possibilities you could do for your coupon.
  • Returning customers: Reward your returning customers with an e-coupon for their next purchase. You can give them their coupon after they finished a purchase or through e-mail.
  • Loyal customers: Reward the customers who loyally buy from you again and again. If you keep good accounts on purchases, send out an e-coupon to those that have made a certain amount of purchases from you.
  • General incentives: If your sales are going a little slow, offer coupons to everyone to comes to the store. You can do this with a mass e-mail or offer a coupon code on the home page. This is a great way to boost your sales and satisfy your customers.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Get Your News Out

When your company has news, don't you want every one to know? The quickest, easiest, cheapest, and perhaps most effective way is to submit your press release to a free press release site. This free method of advertising can attract many visitors as well as increase your site's links.

Note: Just because these sites offer free services, that does not mean that they accept everything. Make sure that your press release is legitimate and not just advertising.

Here is a list of some free press release web sites that can help boost your business:


Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Training Your Mind

The mind is a powerful thing. As complex as it is, you can train your mind to think certain ways. Consider this: If all that you think is pessimistic thoughts, which will be your first reaction to a bad piece of news? Will you look to find a good outcome, or will you dwell on the bad?

Train your mind to be positive. Although sometimes it may be hard, teaching your mind can be your greatest asset.

Having positive thoughts will help in business. When you have negative thoughts and are presented with a problem, you may give up and tell yourself that it is hopeless. When your mind is trained to be positive, you may look for a solution and tell yourself that everything will be all right. Consider the impact this will have on your customers, profits, and yourself.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

New First Star Capital Home Page

We at First Star Capital have worked long and hard to provide our customers, both new and returning, a solid, informative, and attractive home page. We hope that you will enjoy it.

www.FirstStarCapital.com

We love to hear how we can make our site even more useful to you. Please feel free to contact us whenever you would like.

Many thanks and best wishes,

The First Star Capital Team

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

How to Avoid Computer Viruses

Everyone shudders at the thought of getting a computer virus. Losing all your files is not what computers hope for at the end of the day. Although there are virus checkers, you still have to be very careful. Computer viruses are triggered when the user is not paying attention or when the user is not being on guard. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are on your computer:
  • Do not download files from people you don’t know. Try to scan the file before you download it.
  • Be careful when downloading attachments from your e-mail. If it has a .pif or .scr extension, it is most likely a virus. Viruses can also be embedded in a file that does not have that extension. So be sure to scan the file for viruses before you download the attachment.
  • Make sure your virus-scanning program is up-to-date.
  • Be sure to get an anti-spyware program.
It is better to be safe than sorry. Consider investing time in how viruses work and how you can best protect your computer.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Monday, January 19, 2009

News: Two Prominent Bay Area Commercial Leasing Firms Join Forces

Allegiant Partners Incorporated and First Star Capital, two privately-held equipment finance firms in the Bay Area, have merged making Walnut Creek-based First Star Capital a wholly owned subsidiary of San Rafael-based Allegiant Partners. The acquisition officially commenced July 1, 2008 and both firms are very pleased with the results so far.

First Star Capital was formed nearly four years ago by founder Brad Harmon. The company quickly grew to an equipment finance company funding $10 million annually. The acquisition allows Allegiant Partners, an indirect funding source for commercial leasing brokers nationwide, to enter the direct finance business for the first time.

Allegiant Partners was founded in 1998 and is focused on the underserved niche of high margin asset based loan and lease financing. The company's primary target customer is a promising, capital intensive enterprise in need of equipment financing. By adding First Star Capital, Allegiant expects to almost double their current funding volume in 2009. The synergy created by the acquisition allows rapid growth opportunity for both firms. Allegiant expects to finance over $30 million of equipment in 2009.

Eight out of ten US businesses lease or finance some or all of their equipment. First Star Capital is a commercial equipment leasing firm that offers flexible financing and leasing options to businesses in a variety of industries throughout the country. They specialize in transaction sizes ranging from $10,000 to $2,000,000. Pairing up with Allegiant allows First Star greater flexibilityin credit decisions and the ability to place transactions onto their own balance sheet.

Brad Harmon, President of First Star, says “this marriage of two solid equipment finance companies is exciting for everyone. First Star is now able to offer more financing options to our clients during a time when those options seem to be drying up everywhere else. Allegiant now has a direct sales force. While many lenders and brokers have been forced out of the market due to the current credit crisis, First Star and Allegiant were able to steadily increase market share throughout the 2008 calendar year.”

For more information on Allegiant Partners please visit www.allegiant-partners.com or contact Doug Houlahan, Business Development at 415-451-4045.

For more information on First Star Capital please visit www.firststarcapital.com or contact Kim Shea at 925-256-7200.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

5 Ways Leasing Can Benefit Your Company

With traditional banks decreasing their loans, it can be tough getting credit for your company's needs. Leasing can be an excellent solution in light to the present economic environment. Leasing has many benefits, including:

  • Conserving working capital - Purchase the equipment and technology you need today while spreading your payments over the useful life of the asset. This allows you to preserve your capital for other day-to-day expenses such as inventory, personnel and marketing.
  • Flexibility - Leasing can be very flexible for your company. You are able to add or upgrade through a master lease or add-on addendums.
  • Speed - You can be approved with minimal documentation and have the equipment you need in operation.
  • Tax Advantages - The IRS does not consider an operating lease to be a purchase, but rather a tax-deductible overhead expense. Therefore, you are able to pay for the equipment with pre-tax dollars rather than after-tax profits.
  • Avoiding obsolescence - Leasing is an extremely attractive option for all your computer hardware and software purchases because technology becomes outdated very quickly. Upgrade provisions can be added to most leases, which are a simple way to hedge against obsolescence.
Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Having a Professional Image

It is important as a small business owner to present a professional image to your clients. There are several ways to prove your professionalism:

  • The telephone. If you answer the phone in a casual, unprofessional way, people will think your business is exactly that. Answer the phone in a clear tone. Never use slang terms or words you would use casually, like "sort of," "I dunno," or "kinda." Answer questions with straightforward responses.
  • Your voice mail. Make sure your voice mail message is professional. Do not make it sound like a message on a personal phone. In the message, make sure to say the business's name. You can also include your work hours.
  • Your identity. This includes your logo, printed materials, and web site. Hiring a graphic designer can be costly. But having a logo made in Microsoft Paint can be even more costly. In this day and time, people judge heavily on the material you give them. If the logo is unprofessional, printed materials are sloppy, and web site unorganized, that will definitely say something to your customers. Hire a graphic design student to do your work. They will usually offer cheaper rates or even work for free so they can build their portfolio.
  • Your forms. Again, a lot can be said about the company when they hand out their forms, invoices, and receipts. Make sure your forms are organized, simple, and straightforward.

Thinking through and implementing these small details will really help your business's professional image.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Strengthen Your Website with Videos

Improving your website should always be priority. Visitors (and search engines) love new content. Visitors especially enjoy interactive material. These elements not only allow the viewer to look but to interact and become part of it.

Videos are no new thing to the Internet. However, you can always put videos on your website. It will increase your traffic and sales as the visitor interacts with the content.

Adding a video to your homepage will increase click-throughs. A human's mind can process information extremely quickly. Having only static images and text can turn away a visitor in less than a second. Motion will cause the visitor to stay longer to see everything. It will intrigue the viewer to either stay on the page longer or to move on to another page in your site. Although it will not make all visitors stay, it can most certainly increase your overall traffic.

Uploading videos is as simple as uploading a photo. In your website program, simply add a video in the place you need. Or, find a video website, like YouTube, that can host the video. You can then take the code and plug it into your website.

Watch the improvement in your sales and traffic when you add videos on your website. It could be just what you need to keep up with or beat your competitors.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Promoting Your Business with Directories

When marketing your business, always be sure to submit your business profile to online directories. Many customers base their choices off of reliable listings The following directories are free and are some of the top directories on the web.
  • DMOZ.org - DMOZ.org is the king of directories. It take a long time to be listed, but it is well worth the wait.
  • Local.com - Local.com helps customers find businesses close to them. They allow visitors to rate companies and write reviews.
  • Yellowpages.com - Much like local.com, YellowPages.com is a very strong website that allows you to put your company info online.
  • Whitepages.com - Very similar to Yellow Pages.
  • Superpages.com - Also very similar to Yellow Pages.
  • Brownbook.com - Like they say in their slogan, BrownBook.com is a free directory that anyone can edit. With a high PageRank, BrownBook is a great directory to be added to.
  • Merchantcircle.com - MerchantCircle is an online directory but also a business-related community. When you set up your company profile, you can send and receive messages, receive stats of the profile viewed, and make connections to other businesses. It is a unique website that is worth checking out.

There are thousands of other directories on the web. Just be sure to check their PageRank before linking to them.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Attack the New Year with an Advertising Plan

With each new year comes new opportunities. How your company will grow depends upon how you want your company to grow. Sit down and spend some time brainstorming on new marketing approaches and goals for the year.

Ask yourself some of these questions:

  • What are your long-term goals?
  • What are your short-term goals?
  • What is your elevator pitch? Has it changed from the last year?
  • What message do you want to get across to your clients? How can you better portray that message?
  • How will you introduce potential clients to your company? Will you increase e-mail newsletters, postcards, trade show exhibits, etc? Set a goal for all of your marketing material.
  • What products/services will you offer that are different from the older products/services? How will you promote them better than the year before?
Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Friday, January 2, 2009

A Healthier New Year

It's a new year and with that usually comes new resolutions. Often the ones we probably make the most and hear the most about have to do with health- losing that ten pounds or just getting in better shape. But how does being healthy affect the workplace? Many experts are saying studies show that health equals wealth. Essentially the healthier you are, the richer you will be. This is because not only can you effectively handle daily stresses and germs, but you're also more productive.

This information should not only encourage business owners to take better care of themselves, but also to help their employees maintain good health. Chronic ailments like neck pain, eye strain, difficulty sleeping due to job worries, and headaches all contribute to less productivity and more sick days called in. In the past, most companies have concentrated on keeping their health care costs down by defining "health" as an expense. Today, however, savvy companies are putting emphasis on doing more to keep employees healthy. These companies are finding that healthy employees cost the company less and boost productivity simultaneously.

This year, make your business more productive and more successful by creating a healthier work environment. Adjust office lighting- putting a small lamp next to your computer monitor is enough to prevent eye strain and headaches. Increase ventilation and make sure filters are clean. Encourage workers to go on walks during their breaks, or if it's feasible, provide gym memberships. Also, increasing health care coverage can reduce stress and make it less likely that employees come to work despite being sick and possibly contagious. Investing in health is investing in the future and success of your company.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.