Speaking as a client, it's great to receive a gift from a business I've patronized. A gift (not a coupon, voucher or other promotional item) really does make a person feel appreciated and recognized. Replogle Cranbrook Globe Business gifts can also have a lovely ripple effect. Assuming t ... Read more

"If you could choose where to start a small business, which would you prefer, Quebec or Ontario? Why?", asks Erik in the Small Business Canada Forum . Why not pop in and add your advice - or ask a question of your own. Other questions and discussions in the Small Business Canada Forum ri ... ... Read more

Choosing a business name is one of the most important things you'll do during the process of starting a business. There's a huge difference between naming your business Joe's Eats and Joseph's on The River. So how do you pick a business name that will give your new enterprise the smell of suc ... Read more

Writing about starting a home-based business in Manitoba, Joel Schlesinger discusses do and don'ts of operating a home-based business that apply to everyone thinking of starting a home-based business ( Self-employed workers can make it work from home , Winnipeg Free Press ). Several of ... ... Read more

A digital voice recorder makes a great gift for someone - or for yourself. Olympus DS-61 digital voice recorder It's hard to beat their convenience for business people, students, and travelers. They're perfect for those situations where you don't have pen and paper (or a laptop) handy ... Read more

If w'ere going to sell online successfully, we have to pay special attention to the customer's experience with our website. Reading Jason Burby's piece How Are You Treating Your Online Customers? brought this issue of customer success into focus for me. It's not just a matter of making it eas ... Read more

As small business owners, we get to experience customer service from both sides, as customer service providers and as customers of other businesses. What was your worst customer service experience and how do you ensure that your customers and/or clients don't experience that kind of customer ser ... Read more

There's two great things about business plan contests; you have to do a business plan anyhow, so you don't lose anything by entering, and a fair number of these contests offer big money to the winners. The added bonus is the potential publicity of being a winner - worth even more money in the bank ... Read more

The quicker you invoice, the quicker your chances of getting paid. And shortening your cash flow conversion period is one of the quickest and easiest things a business can do to improve its cash flow. Traditionally businesses bill at the end of each month, sending all their invoices out ... Read more

Lisa Barone reports that a Citibank and Gfk Roper study found that 76 percent of small business owners don't find social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn helpful in generating leads and business ( Can SMB Owners Make Social Media Useful? , Small Business Trends). Lisa's ta ... Read more