Small Business Happenings in South Florida:

Here are some events coming up for small business owners in the greater-Miami area:

 

Miami Herald: Business Agenda

 

Latin Business Club of America: Networking Event-

Join Latin Business Club of America
for another fantastic
Networking Event
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

20 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami FL 33132
Where Flagler Meets Biscayne
www.MIABiscayne.com

FREE ADMISSION

COMPLIMENTARY DRINK & APPETIZERS

Over $1000*  in Cash Raffle and Prizes will be given away
Valet parking available: $10
Our last cash winner went home with almost $500

In 2009, we gave away over $15,000 in cash and prizes
*$1000 refers to the combined value of cash and prizes that will be given away

Expo Moda 2010 Colombia-

 

FIU Alumni Networking Event-

SAVE THE DATE!
MAY, 19 2010 I 6:30PM
VICEROY MIAMI
485 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
The FIU Alumni Association &
The FIU Frost Art Museum
invite you to a complimentary event
Diversity in Art and All Things Artistic
Special Guest:
Professor Juan Martinez
Author and FIU Chair of the Department of Art and Art History
Professional business networking, Cocktails,
Light hors d'oeuvres, Music,
Raffle and more....
For more information call 305-348-3334
RSVP (with your contact info.) to alumni@fiu.edu

 

Miami Finance Forum: Networking Event-

 

US Commercial Services: Europe Export Event Miami-

At a time when millions of Americans are out of work, boosting our exports is a short-term imperative. For this reason, 2010 marks the launch of the National Export Initiative—an ambitious effort to marshal the full resources of the United States government behind American businesses that sell goods and services abroad. The National Export Initiative is a single, comprehensive strategy to double American exports in the next five years and create two million new jobs.

Explore European Markets

Transatlantic trade between the United States and Europe is the single largest trading partnership in the world, with U.S. bilateral trade with Europe totaling nearly $600 billion. European markets offer significant opportunities for U.S. businesses, whether small or medium-sized, new-to-export, or new-to-market.

Export Now! European Business Opportunities Forum

The U.S. Commercial Service, the global trade promotion organization of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, is pleased to welcome you to this event with 28 of our Senior Commercial Officers from U.S. Embassies across Europe. Via a program of seminars and individual counseling sessions, the U.S. Commercial Service will educate you about tools and opportunities available to help you reach foreign buyers and export your products and services with an emphasis on the markets of Western, Central, and Eastern Europe.

All U.S. manufacturers and service providers participating in this World Trade Month kickoff event will benefit from sessions on:

• Export Basics—Keys to Success in Overseas Markets

• Export Financing and Logistics

• Overview of Market Opportunities in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe

• One-on-one counseling sessions with U.S. Senior Commercial Officers to help you identify market opportunities for your firm

Register Now! buyusa.gov/florida/exportnow.html

Venue: Hyatt Regency Miami 400 SE 2^{nd Avenue Miami, Florida 33131-2197 (305) 358-1234}

^{Date: May 6, 2010}

^{Cost: $129/person}

^{Registration includes:}

^{• All Export Now! conference sessions}

^{• Individual counseling sessions with Senior Commercial Officers (minimum three countries)*}

^{• Breakfast, lunch, and breaks}

^{• Conference program with 28 European country overviews}

^{* Choice of countries and additional individual appointments subject to availability}

^{Europe is waiting for your business!}

South Florida Small Business Events

Here are some of the upcoming international business events in the Miami and South Florida area:

 

Miami Herald: Business happenings around South Florida-

Here is the link to the Miami Herald’s list of weekly business events.

 

Latin Business Club of America: Networking Event-

Join Latin Business Club of America for another fantastic Networking Event Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 20 Biscayne Blvd. Miami FL 33132 Where Flagler Meets Biscayne www.MIABiscayne.com FREE ADMISSION COMPLIMENTARY DRINK & APPETIZERS Over $1000*  Cash Raffle and Prizes will be given away Valet parking available: $10 Our last cash winner went home with almost $500 In 2009, we gave away over $15,000 in cash and prizes *$1000 refers to the combined value of cash and prizes that will be given away

Latin Business Club of America Networking Event Joining us at our networking event will be: The Doral and Airport West Chamber of Commerce The Florida State Hispanic Chamber Latin Chamber of Commerce of USA (Camacol) Peruvian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida American Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce and Panamanian American Chamber of Commerce LET'S GET NETWORKING!!!

 

South Florida International Business Expo-

South Florida INTERNATIONAL

Business-to-Business Expo

Business-to-Business Trade Show – Free Seminars - Awesome Networking – Trading After-Hours

Organized & Supported by Members of the “Alliance to Promote International Trade”

INFO: Broward (954) 565-5750 Palm Beach County (561) 683-8414 Miami-Dade (305) 278-1811

or Publisher@SouthFloridaChamber.org or Register to Exhibit @ www.ChamberRSVP.com

or under Products & Services at www.SouthFloridaChamber.org

PRESENTED BY

Broward County Chamber of Commerce, South Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida Foreign Trade Association, World Trade Center Miami, Peruvian American Chamber of Commerce of South Florida, Bolivian Business Council, Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, Caribbean Trade Center, Chile U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, Costa Rican American Chamber of Commerce, Dominican American National Chamber of Commerce, Doral Business Council, Ecuadorian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Miami, El Salvador American Chamber of Commerce, Florida China Chamber of Commerce, Greater Miami Aviation Association, Hialeah Chamber of Comer & Industries, Nicaraguan American Chamber of Commerce, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce Miami, Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Broward County, U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Inter-American Chapter, Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce, Enterprise Florida

TEAM EVENT – Together Everyone Achieves More

@ The Miami Free Zone

2305 NW 107^th Avenue, Doral, FL 33172

Up To 300+ Exhibitors & 5,000+ Business Exec’s

International Trading After Hours

Business Expo: Wednesday, May 12^th, 2010

commemorating world trade week 2010

3:30pm – Seminars, Opening Ceremony & Business Expo, 8:30pm – Raffles, 9pm end of expo.

FREE ADMISSION with RSVP Below to Seminars & Expo Includes Hors d'oeuvres, Great Networking & much more!!!

Exhibitor Space Only

6Ft Table Exhibitor Package $175.00

Oversized VIP Exhibitor Space $350.00

Membership & Exhibitor Packages Include:

6 Ft. Table Expo Package, 1 Year South Florida/Broward County Chamber Membership, Free $295 Ad In the South Florida Business News Newspaper, A Tile Ad ($240 Value) for 90 days on www.SouthFloridaChamber.org, Full business listing in our 4 Color Referral Directory, Your Member Discount faxed and e-mailed to all members, Free Classified ad, Free Job Posting, Free Article Submission, Free Coupon ad, Free Professional Gallery Listing plus Much Much More……

ONLY $425.00* (Value $2,320) or OVERSIZED VIP Spot Only $625.00 (Value $2,995)

RSVP PLEASE __#Attending May 12^th __Exhibitor Registration May 12^th __Send Info RE: Below

Company Name __________________________________Contact Name___________________________________

Address__________________________________________________City______________________Zip__________

Phone___________________Fax______________________E-mail________________________________________

___6Ft Table Exhibitor Package $175.00 ___Oversized VIP Exhibitor Package $350.00

_Pkg #1-6’ Package & 1 YR Membership $460* _Pkg #2 – Oversized VIP Exhibitor Spot & 1YR Membership $660.* *= Includes One Time $35 admin fee

_Check ck.#_____ Tot Amt $______ Electricity – $25 Extra Log Onto www.ChamberRSVP.com to register and pay on-line

__ MC,VISA,AE,DISC #__________________________________________________Exp. ________Sig._____________________________

Any refunds requested on this show will be honored towards future shows or advertising. No cash or credit card refunds. BCCC/SFCC is a 501 c 6 non-profit org.

Fax With Payment To (954) 566 - 3398

Or Mail to SFCC BCCC 2425 East Commercial Blvd. Ste 103, Fort Laud. FL 33308

81 Consecutive Sold-Out Trade Shows, Over 16,075 Exhibitors, Over 329,000 Attendees, Millions of Dollars in Transacted Business, Partnerships, Alliances, Contracts, New Customers, New Relationships, New Products!!

INFO: Broward County (954) 565 -5750 Palm Beach County (561) 683 - 8414 Miami-Dade County (305) 278 - 1811

www.BrowardBiz.com www.ChamberRSVP.com www.SouthFloridaChamber.org

Join the Broward County & South Florida Chamber of Commerce on Facebook by clicking here http://www.facebook.com/broward.chamber

Follow the Broward County & South Florida Chamber of Commerce on Twitter - Click thru on this link www.twitter.com/BrowardChamber

For the next 30 days, all business owners in South Florida are entitled to one free job posting on the Broward County & South Florida Chamber of Commerce websites. Send the Job Offered Title and any description of this position and any contact information to Publisher@SouthFloridaChamber.org.

To see the 2009 Official Broward County Referral Directory on-line, log onto http://www.sficc.org/2009-referral-directory.html

To see the 2010-2011 Official South Florida Referral Directory on-line before it goes to the printer, log onto http://www.erhunit.com/erhu/dir/

To see the most current issue of the South Florida Business News Newspaper on-line, log onto http://www.southfloridabizdirectory.com/Newspaper.swf

 

University of Miami: Multi-Chamber Networking Event-

 

Green Day Hialeah-

 

14th Annual Lawyers Strike Against Child Abuse Bowling Tournament-

GRAB YOUR BALL We're Going Bowling!

Family Resource Center of South Florida Presents the 14th Annual Lawyers Strike Against Child Abuse    Bowling Tournament

Saturday, June 12, 2010      Registration 12:30pm Tournament 1:00 pm BIRD BOWL B o w l i n g  C e n t e r 9275 SW 40th St · MIAMI · 305.221.1221 Registration Fee                                        Limited Space! $350 team/lane                                                    Live DJ 4 bowlers per lane                                    Raffle & Auction includes shoes & lunch!                                                  DOWNLOAD THE RESERVATION FORM Questions, call (305) 960-5536 All proceeds to benefit:

This Week In Review: Small Business Blog

Here is what we were talking about this week:

Small Firms Need a Healthcare Checkup as Laws Evolve

Robert Rogers’ Miami Herald article on the impact of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses.

International and Small Business Events in South Florida: Week of April 19, 2010

A sampling of events and resources that are on the horizon for Miami small businesses.

5 Ways to Improve Your Small Business Operations

Some times for all small business owners, start-ups and seasoned, that will help improve operations.

International Articles and Resources for Global Small Businesses

Some great places to go in order to get information for international small business success.

South Florida Small Business Spotlight: SOLUTIONS Insurance Services

This week’s Small Business Spotlight.

 

Enjoy and share!

South Florida Small Business Spotlight: SOLUTIONS Insurance Services

This week’s spotlight is on a South Florida insurance company, SOLUTIONS Insurance Services.  Remember to share with your friends and associates and let them know about this local small business!  Also, if you know of a Miami or South Florida small business that should be spotlighted, feel free to let me know at: www.corallaw.com.

 

Small Business Spotlight: SOLUTIONS Insurance Services

 

What is your business name?

SOLUTIONS Insurance Services

How long have you been in business?

3 years, 4 months

What industries do you serve?

Not focused on any one industry – the partners in the business have significant experience in healthcare including private physician practice, hospital and insurance as well as wireless telecom and the non-profit sector.  Our commercial clients cover many industries including medial, video production, interior design, restaurant/bar and more.

What motivated you to start your own business?

To prove that excellent customer service could be provided in this field.

If there is one aspect of your business that sets you apart, what would it be?

We cover group and individual clients. For our business clients we have additional business support services including payroll processing, human resources and employee training and development.

What is your favorite part about owning a business?

The ability to adapt quickly to fit a customers need.

Who is your ideal client/customer?

Two – 1) Self employed individuals or individuals with families that need health coverage. 2) small businesses with 4 or more employees that would like to offer benefits as well as save money while doing so.

What is something that you have learned as a small business owner that could assist other small businesses?

Many small business owners do not realize the flexibility they have in offering employee benefits and the potential tax savings.  It’s possible to offer benefits to your employees with NO cost to you and potentially even with a tax savings.

Is there anything else that you would like to share about your business?  What is it?

Contact Information: 

954-839-6375 or 800-928-7449 ext 1670

ghardy@solutionsinsuranceservices.com

http://www.solutionsinsuranceservices.com

International Articles and Resources for Global Small Businesses

Here are some places to get articles about international small business:

The Global Small Business Blog

Small Business CEO

25 Small Business Experts

The Entrepreneurial Mind

Go Global Without Waiting to Grow Up- Small Business Trends

 

Operating in the international environment can be difficult.  Listed below are some resources for global small businesses to use.  For more visit: www.corallaw.com.

International Small Business Resources

CNN Money International Small Business Resource

IRS International Taxpayer Issues- Small Business

Guide for International Small Business- Import/Export

Business.gov International Small Business- Import/Export Guide

Wells Fargo International Small Business Banking Services

American Express International Small Business Resources

UPS Capital Program for International Small Business

Reuters International Small Business News

International Small Business Guide to International Dispute Resolution

Small Business Notes- International Trade Information

International Council for Small Business

International Small Business Finance Information

International Small Business Guide from My Own Business

International Small Business Resources from the European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship

SBA Export Finance Program for International Small Business

International and Small Business Events in South Florida: Week of April 19, 2010

Here are some upcoming events that small businesses can look out for in the coming weeks:

Week business events listed in the Miami Herald-

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/19/1581465/business-agenda.html

Palm Beach Post Business Events-

http://events.pbpulse.com/search?cat=3&st=event

Ft. Lauderdale Credit Repair Workshop-

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-credit-repair-workshop-0421,0,2021621.story

BizBash Expo Event-

http://premierguidemiami.com/bizbash-expo-debuts-in-florida/

5 Ways to Get New Clients/Customers

Every business owner knows how important it is to constantly feed the stream of clients or customers they are doing business with.  Here are five tips that, if diligently followed, will help your business increase in clients or customers.

1) Provide Good Service/Good Products

First and foremost, you really need to provide a product that people want.  Providing good service or a good product will do two things with current clients/customers: First, it will keep them interested and they will return for more services.  Second, they will share their positive experience with friends and neighbors in similar situations and refer your services.  Existing clients can be some of the best marketers for your business, so it is critical that you provide them with as many great experiences as possible.

2) Create a Buzz

There are many ways to get people to talk about what you do or produce.  More traditional forms of working with traditional media can be beneficial in many instances.  Uses services like HARO and research local news organizations or industry journals in order to find opportunities to contribute on topics of interest.  Respond to those areas and issues that fit your circumstances and comment in articles that match your expertise.  Also, there are many opportunities to use new media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to manage and increase the conversation about your products.  The most important elements of creating buzz are persistence and a little luck.  Stay the course and you find ways to generate interest in your product.

3) Talk to People

It is key to take advantage of every chance you get to tell people about your products or services.  Consistent communication with service providers or former clients will keep your business on their minds.  Talk about what you do at dinner parties, networking events and trade shows.  The more people you can speak with about your services, the more likely you are able to receive new clients or referrals.  Go to lunch with other people, seek out opportunities to meet new people and then talk with everyone that you can.  You never know who might be interested in what you do.

4) Get Exciting

For all of the above ideas to really work, you have to be excited and exciting.  If you are passionate about what you do or provide, people are going to be more likely to listen.  Otherwise, all of the above run the risk of coming off as annoying or pushy.  If you are enthusiastic about what you do and what you provide to others, that enthusiasm will rub off on them and they will be more interested in what you do.  They will want to learn more.  Some will turn into clients.  Others will spread that enthusiasm to others.  Get excited about what you do, be exciting to others and you will see increases in clients/customers.

5) Follow-up

Finally, it is necessary to follow up with people.  If you say that you will do something/contact them, then do it.  Some client or customer relationships make take several months/years to develop, but if you stay on top of the relationship, they often turn in to great client relationships.  The more ways you create opportunities to follow-up, the better able you are to track the effectiveness of all your efforts to get new clients.  Create benchmark/action items for each person that you speak with to track how you will follow-up.  Consistency in all of the above will create opportunities to gain more clients.

Miami and South Florida Business Events

Here are some upcoming event for South Florida and Miami-area businesses.  If you know of other events that should be listed, please let me know:

Miami Herald Event List-

The Miami Herald outlines upcoming events at the above linked page.

March of Dimes Happy Hour-

 

Colombian Chamber of Commerce Event:

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY!

The Colombian American Chamber of Commerce in Miami, cordially invite you to participate in EXPOCOLOMBIA that will be held in Miami April 23rd, 24th and 25th of  2010.

Pre-screened business-to-business meetings will take place Friday April 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. All meetings are free of charge for U.S. counterparts, but appointments are required. To schedule your one-to-one appointments with the visiting delegation, contact Juliana Figueroa at 305-4249128 or jfigueroa@colombiachamber.com.

 

The Organization of Women in International Trade Event:

The Organization of Women in International Trade
(OWIT- South Florida)
The National Association of Women Business Owners
The Professional Black Book Club
&
&
Nicole Shelley Models by The One On One Group
present
IBN
(International Business Networking)
April 28, 2010
6:00PM-9:30PM
Viceroy Miami
Club 50
485 Brickell Avenue,
Miami Florida 33131
Welcome Drink
Hors d'oeuvres
Business Networking
followed by
After Hours Beauty Bar
Light Entertainment
Informal Modeling
Door Prizes
Business Image Stylists
WIN A FREE TRIP TO BIMINI BAY!
Gift bags and more....
Music by
Saxophone Player, Andrea
Dress Code: Business Chic
RSVP
info@owit-southflorida.org
Cost 
$10 members
$20 non members
THE ONE ON ONE GROUP 

 

Miami Finance Forum Event:

 

Center for Hemispheric Policy Mexico Event:

Mexico: Opportunities for Change

Panelists

Gabriel Casillas

Chief Economist, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Mexico City

Luis Rubio

Chairman, Center of Research for Development (CIDAC), Mexico City;

Co-Chair, “Mexico Under Calderón” Task Force

Manuel Suárez-Mier

Economist in Residence, School of International Service, American University; Washington, D.C.;

Former Representative of Mexico’s Attorney General in the United States, Embassy of Mexico

This event is generously underwritten by the Tinker Foundation

Supporting Organizations:  Georgetown University Club of Miami, Miami Council for International Visitors, Oxford University Society and US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce

Media Partners:  AméricaEconomía, Hispanic Target Magazine, Latin Business Chronicle, LATIN TRADE, LatinFinance

and Mercado de Dinero

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Location:  JW Marriott Hotel                  1109 Brickell Avenue

Time: 8:00-8:15 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast            8:15-9:45 a.m.  Presentations and Discussion

Program Fee:  $30; Academics and students – free admission with valid ID

Registration: By email to chp-rsvp@miami.edu or by fax at (305) 284-9871.

Payment:  Please make check payable to Center for Hemispheric Policy. Mail check with registration form to: Center for Hemispheric Policy; P.O. Box 248297; Coral Gables, FL 33124-6535.

Cancellation policy: By email, fax or telephone, before 12:00 noon, Monday, April 19, 2010

For more information, please call Patricia Salinas at (305) 284-3707, or visit our website at www.miami.edu/chp .

 

Broward County Chamber of Commerce Expo:

Greetings! I wanted to let you know that I am one of the speakers tomorrow at this event!  *7:30 pm - 8:00 pm (Palm Theater): Law of Attraction Marketing & Client Manifestation Tactics with Coach Evie Grow Your Business Seminar Program at the South Florida Chamber of Commerce Expo April 13. When You RSVP the event is FREE!!!!!

Listen to 18 Speakers for FREE!!! "Grow Your Business Seminar at South Florida / Broward County Chamber of Commerce Expo THIS TUESDAY, April 13. WHEN:                April 13 (Tuesday), 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM WHERE:              Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca, 661 NW 53rd                             Boca Raton FL, 33487 HOW MUCH:       Free* (Only when you  RSVP with the link in this email, otherwise $10) RSVP with this link and save the $10 admission fee and attend at NO COST as our guest (but you must RSVP). http://southfloridachamber.eventbrite.com EXPO SEMINAR SCHEDULE - 2 Tracks to Choose From: 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Check-in 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm (Palm Theater): Take the Stress Out! The Fastest & Easist Technique to Reduce Stress in Your Business & Personal Life 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm (St Croix): Alternative Financing Options for Small Businesses in Today's Economy by Palm Beach Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm (Palm Theater): Keys to Successful Networking in this Economy 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm (St Croix): SBA Programs & Services presented by the Small Business Administration 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm (Palm Theater): Financial Solutions for Business Owners 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm (St Croix): Top 10 mistakes Businesses Make When Taking Credit Cards + 12 Requirements to be "PCI Compliant" 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm (Palm Theater): Simple Ways to Maintain Your Health, Work & Life Balance 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm (St Croix): "Mindstorming, Networking & Referral Session" for Women from the Chamber's NEW Women's Division(5-6pm) 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm (Palm Theater): How to Increase Your Staff Productivity and Get 40 Hours of Work for 40 Hours of Pay 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm (St Croix): continued..."Mindstorming, Networking & Referral Session" for Women from the Chamber's NEW Women's Division (5-6pm) 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm (Palm Theater): How to Win US Federal Government Contracts for Your Small Business 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm (St Croix): Globalization: The Future of Business (and how you can cash in) 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm (Palm Theater): How to Turn Ideas Into Businesses in 1 Day 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm (St Croix): 7 Benefits of Creating a Corporate Wellness Program for Your Business 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm (Palm Theater): Getting Started with Online Marketing and Social Media for Business 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm (St Croix): Healthy Life = Healthy Business. Tips on Business & Health Success from a Doctor in Business. PLUS Live Q & A with a Board Certified Doctor. $2,000 in Raffles. *7:30 pm - 8:00 pm (Palm Theater): Law of Attraction Marketing & Client Manifestation Tactics with Coach Evie 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm (St Croix): Running a Service Business in This Economy presented by the Palm Beach SBDC 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm (Palm Theater): "Game Theory" & Entrepreneurship Attend some or all, but be sure to check out the exhibitors at the EXPO  while you're there! The Seminars are packed with information and NOT sales pitches. All seminars will start ON-TIME and are 30 minutes in length. We, along with the South Florida / Broward County Chamber of Commerce are committed to helping you grow your business and enhance your professional skills. RSVP Now to get your ticket emailed to you so you can Attend Free: http://southfloridachamber.eventbrite.com

Reading About Business:

There is a lot of good content for business owners.  Here are some entries to check out.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to add a comment-

Best Biz Practices- The Entrepreneurial Journey

Learn about another entrepreneur journey and developing their business.

E-zine- International Marketing and Advertising Translation - The Top 20 Blunders, Mistakes and Failures

Learning from others mistakes and ensuring that we do not make them again is good medicine for any small business.  Check out this article on some classic international marketing blunders.

Entrepreneur Magazine- Daily Dose: Marketing, Board Members and Online Documents

Here is a list of resources for small business owners.  Help for your small business can come in many ways.  These are good places to start for marketing and leadership assistance.

Social Media for Hispanic Small Businesses

Everyone talks about the positives and negatives of social media for small business.  Here is a post that addresses social media in a cultural context.

My Venture Pad- Word of Mouth the Magic Miracle?

What type of word of mouth buzz are you creating for your small business?

The Small Business Advisor- Protect your Intellectual Property

Intellectual property can be a critical element to businesses of any size.  What is your small business doing to ensure that it is protected.

The Daily MBA- Five Reasons Why You Need the Media

A good PR campaign can go a long way to generate interest in your small business.  Make friends with the media.  If you can make their life easier, they will work wonders for your business.

BusinessWeek- Social Networking Tips from Kindergarten

Get tips on using basic principles to succeed in a social media campaign.

LinkedIn Conversations: What is Your Greatest Asset in International Business?

Each week I will start a different conversation in a LinkedIn group about a topic of use for small business owners.  I will post the responses to that conversation here in the blog with links to the contributors.  Often it is in the conversation that we get the solutions we need for our business.  Below is the first conversation:

What is your greatest asset in international business?

(From the International Business group on LinkedIn)

From Atacan Arica-

Robert:
I would like to use couple of bullet points for this question. I would assume that people commenting after me will change the priority of my list with their own experiences...
1) Language abilities well enough to understand the minute details of proper wording & correct translation in the context.
2) Great understanding of the culture/country/history of the colleagues that you are dealing with. Understanding of their "National Pride" factor.
3) Understanding of the business customs and how it is conducted (office table or dinner table) as well as time management expectations-a New York minute is different than New Delhi minute.
4) Understanding of how the management decisions are made and who makes them. How do they say "no" to you or to your business endeavor. Different management styles (American, European or Eastern) will yield different results.
5) Finally: Patience.
Hope this helps.
Ata

Response from Ursula Pfahl-

Ata:
Excellent list of attributes required for success in doing business internationally.
Ursula

Response from Lionel Frey-

Ata:
Well said. The cultural aspect cannot be understated. There are so many varying customs when it comes to things like even presenting a business card to friends in other countries that it really pays to make an effort in understanding those nuances even prior to beginning building relations in those markets. Recent experiences in both Brazil and India show marked differences in certain aspects, while some other aspects seem more universal.
A deeper understanding of those customs results in more trust built, which inevitably leads to stronger opportunities for business.
Lionel

Response from Jay Banerjee-

Ata:
All contributors correctly state the key factors. On how to ensure success and grow your business in the particular region depends (depending on the nature of the business), on having a trusted, dependable and well-respected local partner, or presence. Many failures and financial misadventures are attributable to either a lack of it or the determination to develop the local foothold over time, as a Global Company doing business locally. Would you agree?
Jay

Response from Eric Delarue-

To what Robert said, I would add
6/ Respect: Too often would-be exporters treat their overseas clients as second rate customer, i.e "we should do business the way we do it here in the U.S"
7/ Understanding that " I am interested " in China does NOT mean " I am interested" in Germany, i.e the ability to interpret the same business statement across various business cultures

Response from Atakan Arica-

Jay:
I would agree with you that it is crucial to have a local trusted partner and It should be cultivated over time as you stated.
Market entry strategies (as well as exit strategies) will be different based on your product/service and usually needs to be modified for the local tastes/needs. A competent partner is certainly valuable to work with customization as well as creating the backbone infrastructure for the local human talent management for expanded operations. A steady pipeline of qualified personnel with the right management team will create the necessary sustainable operations and hopefully the profits as well. Local operators can also mitigate the political risk as well as the unfortunate corruption in certain environments.
My last paragraph sounds very cliche but I have met many successful & and smart operators that did not subscribed this simple plan & in return, they lost their sizable investments in foreign countries.
Ata

Response from Arthur Michael Devine-

My best asset is understanding people. This helps overcome all barriers.

Response from Marty Gofberg-

My best assets is the ability to communicate and help parties and stakeholders in conflict come to a equitable solution that is durable and long lasting. The tricky part is the turning those assets into viable business revenue,
Hence the reason for this social networking site and the ability to connect with so many potential consumers of dispute resolution services worldwide.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of service.
Kindest regards to all !
Marty Gofberg

Response from Joe C. Burke-

I would add: a nonstop, proactive effort to understand the cultural and business practices of each country in which you would operate. Also, a concerted effort to learn how to pronounce and remember, names. It is a great insult to mispronounce someone's name in many cultures.

Response from B. Lee Jones-

Ata,
Understanding...the people, their culture and their language. Being multi-lingual has always opened many doors for me in business.

Response from Dirk Seggelmann-

Robert:
I believe to summarize, it comes down to exactly the two success factors that matter most in any business: Information and Communication
You need to not only be able to speak to people in their native language, but also be able to know what they truly understand when you say something. If you consider information not a product, but a human process of interpretation, I think you are on the right way to get inside the business and the people in the foreign country.
I know this might be a rather academic or philosophical rather than practical approach, I find it an important perspective nonetheless that should help you formulate the questions that you should be asking your future partners/customers in the foreign country.
Good luck,
DS

Response from John Papathanassiou-

Dirk,
I like Lee Jones' response. It is straight to the point and accurate. I would have also included patience, lots of patience, as well.
In working the international marketplace, do not be rushed. Learn the ground rule well and quickly, because each country/region/territory has its own idiosyncrasies.

Miami Area International Small Business Resources and Events

Here are some resources and events that may be of benefit to Miami-Area small businesses operating internationally and locally:

WorldCity: Resource and Events for Miami International Small Businesses

Beacon Council: Miami-Dade International Business and Small Business Advisory Council

Florida Chamber of Commerce: International Days Event for International Business

Trade USA Market Zone for International Small Businesses

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce: Equity in Latin American Event for International Small Businesses and Others

Lawyers.com: Taking Your Small Business International

Partners for Self Employment Small Business Seminar:

I will be teaching at the following event-

PARTNERS FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT INC

PRESENTS

A FREE WORKSHOP BY

ROBERT ROGERS, P.A.

“LEGAL ENTITIES”

LEARN THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE YOUR BUSINESS

IF YOU OWN OR WANT TO OWN A BUSINESS YOU CANNOT MISS THIS WORKSHOP!

Business Entity Workshop Outline:

I. Title

a. “Understanding Florida Business Entities”

II. Discussion items

a. What are my options for business structuring in Florida?

b. What are the general tax consequences of each business entity?

c. How will each business entity protect my personal assets?

d. Learn how to use company structure to create flexibility in ownership.

e. How can I structure my business to prepare for future success and growth?

f. How can I change my entity if a different one is a better fit for my company structure?

g. Review concerns specific to small and emerging businesses regarding entity setup.

III. Sidebar Items

a. Develop a general understanding of business entities in the state of Florida

b. Gain valuable information from an attorney about how to use the Florida business entities.

c. Due to limited seating please RSVP: cornell@partnersforselfemployment.com

d. When: April 7 2010

e. 7pm-8:45pm

f. Where: 3000 Biscayne Blvd. Ste. 215, Miami, FL 33137

g. FREE PARKING AVAILABLE

DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ON BISCAYNE BLVD

PLEASE ENTER 30^TH STREET FROM NE 2d AVENUE

International Trade Workshop Series

The Miami Free Trade Zone is hosting an international trade workshop series for small and medium sized businesses.  Here is some information:

The 2010 Import / Export Workshops
Session 1: Importing into the United States for International Trade Professionals
Thursday, March 25, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Session 2: Exporting Compliance for International Trade Professionals
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Session 3: Importing Food Products in Compliance with FDA and U.S. Customs Rules
Thursday June 3, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Cost to attend each event is $30. Light refreshments will be served.
If you wish to pay by check, please indicate which session(s) and date
you will be attending and make the check payable to
Trade Mission Center of the Americas, Inc. and mail to:
Jay Malina International Trade Consortium
111 NW 1st Street, Suite 2200 Miami, Florida 33128
Seating is limited, so please register now!

Another blog discussing the event:

http://exportamos.com/?p=1980

The Benefits of Advisory Boards to Small Businesses

I came across this blog post and it presents some ideas that I have been thinking about a lot recently.  Advisory boards are used frequently in major corporations but are often overlooked by small business professionals.  Advisory boards are great ideas for three reasons: 1) it allows business the chance to get feedback from industry professionals, 2) it creates and interesting and unique sounding board for small business owners, and 3) it can also act as a unique marketing arm for the business.  Take a look at some of the resources in this blog:

http://mazurkraemer.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/the-value-of-an-advisory-committee-for-your-business/

25 Ways to Jump-Start Your Business

Linked is an interesting article from Inc.com that discuss 25 things that you can do in order to jump-start your business.  Here are why three of them stand out to me:

#2 Engage Your Employees-

By engaging your employees more in decision making and planning within your business, you can an added “advisory board” with an unique and fresh perspective on the direction of your business.  It also allows employees to feel more committed and involved in the organization, thus further motivating them.

#6 Shed Your Problem Customers-

This is true in any industry, we should not be so caught up in making a sale, closing a deal or signing a new client that we lose sight of what they might cost us in the long run (e.g. unrealistic demands on time, inability to be satisfied, consistent complaints about work product).  You are better served focusing on a few good clients.  Don’t let the bad ones distract your time from that.

#18 Find Some Amazing Interns-

As the article says, interns help to fill gaps within your business.  Take advantage of local colleges and university.  Work with career services offices to create new and unique ways of motivating quality interns to join your team.

 

For more ideas, check out the article-

 

http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/02/25-ways-jumpstart-business.html

Access to Information:

One of the biggest drawbacks to the increased access to information that the internet gives us is the difficulty of sifting through everything to get to the information that you need.  This is especially true when looking through blogs and other user-generated content.  Here are some resources that help you sift through information to get to content that is useful:

http://alltop.com/

http://globalvoicesonline.org/

And here is some guidance about how to select blogs from the OPEN Forum:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/how-to-decide-what-blogs-to-read-4-steps-trent-hamm

Personal Identity and Business Identity

The difficulty that many business owners have is separating the personal identity from the business identity. This is increasingly difficult in the new world of social media and direct line communications. There are three considerations to keep in mind when working on identity and business branding.

1) Your Industry

Each industry presents its own unique challenges based on how business interact with one another and their clients.  When determining how to create your business identity and potentially separate that identity from any personal presence that you may have in the public arena, it is first important to evaluate what the industry standard are and how similarly situation business operate.  In some industries, it is necessary for a business owner to separate their personal information/identity from the brand they are created.  This can be due to professionalism concerns, confidentiality issues or similar situations.  In other industries, the individual and business identities can become more blended as a business owner my want to establish more personal relationship with clients/customers.

2) Your Market

Also, in issues of branding and identity, it is important that a business owner know what the expectations of their market are.  Some customers or clients expect certain relationships to exist between themselves and the business provider.  This is especially true when operating internationally.  Pay attention to the culture of the market that you are operating in as well as the people with whom you are interacting.

3) Your Privacy

The last consideration you will have when evaluating the overlap of professional and personal identities is personal privacy.  This is critical relative to home contact information as well as information about family members.  In many industries, it is better to keep as much of this information private so as to protect the interests of those around you.  What is important to  remember in this regard is that many times the information that is supplied over social media sources is not private unless you specifically make a effort to make is so.

Miami-Dade Mayor’s Microenterprise Workshop

The Mayor’s Micro-Enterprise Workshop
Thursday, March 25, 2010
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
University of Phoenix Learning Center
11410 Northwest 20th Street, Miami 33172
Meet and connect with governmental purchasing
professionals from Miami-Dade County departments,
other municipalities, and various economic
development agencies.
Learn more about:
• Alternative Financing
• Business and Financial Plan Preparation
• Community Based Programs & Other Technical Assistance
• Education in the Business World
• Financial Opportunities & Information
• How to Be Green & Be Profitable
• How to Do Business with Miami-Dade County
• How to Market Your Business
• Legal Requirements of Owning and Operating a Business
• Pre-Qualification/Technical Certification & Contracting Opportunities
• Small Business Certification & Contracting Opportunities
Registration is required & space is limited. RSVP before March 22, 2010
to Lawanda Wright-Robinson at wlawand@miamidade.gov.
For more information call (305) 375-3186

Examine Pricing

Here is a timely article about what companies should do to evaluate pricing.  This is important for the coming year as the market is still adjusting.  Enjoy the read:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/examine_pricing.html

2nd Annual Florida-China Business Summit