One question I was asked by my clients is how can I use apps to improve my small business. Well, here are two apps that I love to use for my business.

1. OneNote by Microsoft: It is like a several binders on your computer. If you are like me, I love my paper and binders. However, over the years, my 3 inch binders are getting to be a pain in the neck and back. You can email the pages, share notebooks with others, and sync with the web account, you can make several notebooks, and the searching feature helps manage all the notebooks. I started using OneNote to manage my affiliates to help my clients when I am on-site organizing. Now, I even use it for note taking on Solution Consultations for my organizing services.
2. Dragon Dictation by Nuance: If you hate typing emails or blog posts, this is the app for you. I love this one when my wrist hurt or I just don’t want to type. You record your sentences and can edit the information as well and email it to yourself. Great feature!  I use it for writing my blog posts sometimes while I am on the road.

When looking at apps, ask yourself, does this app help you streamline the process and save you money and time in the process? If it does, by all means us it! Have a Productive Day!

I read somewhere that you should be able to say what you can do for a client in 15 words or less.
So, I offer this to you as an example. “I help clients by doing admininstrative tasks that free them to go and make money.”

How about you? I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you do in 15 words or less.

Happy selling!

Keeping files for an office is different from your personal files especially if you deduct an office. Here are some examples of what you need to keep and how long.

1. Keep your stock records, copyrights, etc… forever.

2. Keep your mortgage agreements for 6 years beyond the expiration date.

3. Keep your staff files for 4 years beyond termination date.

4. Keep your profit-sharing paperwork forever.

5. Keep your insurance policies and claims for at least 4 years.

Before purging any business files, be sure to do your research and contact a professional to confirm you can get rid of it.

Filing your end of year payroll paperwork for your business is a process. First, you need file your December payments for payroll for the state and federal. Then, you need to file your 4th quarter reports. After that, you need to start working on your w-2 and 1099 reports. This order is best to make sure all are cleared in the proper order for tax purposes.

Prior to filing your 2011 Federal Unemployment Return 2011 check this out first.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=250782,00.html

Have a great year!

If you need to start a business, the federal government has a wonderful site that can help you.  This site will help answer any questions you may have to start your business.

IRS.gov

PA Open For Business

Check it out.

Every small business has supplies that they need over and over again. Printer cartridges, printer paper, copier paper, pens, staples, etc… are always used. To help make your office more efficient, way not try to create a list of often used supply items. Print up the frequently used supplies list and post it where everyone can see it and can contribute to it.

Put a check mark next to each item that you need and when you need to stock up on supplies, grab the list and bring it with you.

Reprint the list when you get back so people know that the supplies were bought.

For a paperless option, if you have a server that everyone can use, you can use a file and inform everyone to use the same file to add their needed items.

Have a great day!

A lot of people decorate their office this time of year.

From my experience, if you are the boss, you should make up the rules.

If you don’t feel that the office is the right place for decorations, then make it a rule that there are no decorations. Or if you are OK with a few small statues or a particular type of decoration that represents the holiday to each employee, make it known to everyone your request.

I like to have a box of decorations, like tasteful garland, silk flowers and poinsettia plants that represent this special time of the year. It helps with morale and people feel better overall.

What are your favorite traditions when it comes to decorating your office? What do you prefer in your office? What do you dislike? I would love to hear from you.

Happy decorating or not.

Give thanks to all those around you (family, friends, clients, and co-workers) who added to your quality of life, who offered help when they needed it, who gave you business when you didn’t have any. Today is a great day to express that thankfulness.

I am grateful to you all for giving me an outlet for my creativity to a new way to look at my business, my clients, and the small business person.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As you may know, Saturday, November 26th is Small Business Saturday!  This is the time to advertise those deals along with the deals from Black Friday!

Here is American’s Express site that talks about Small Business Saturday Check it out!

Good luck with your Small Business!