As a small business owner you know that you cant afford to not be ahead or at least on par with the competition right? Well if you’re a small business owner don’t have a small business websites yet, stick around.
So lets take an example, lets say you are a Plumber in the city of Long Beach, CA and someone has a slab leak, that someone is most likely gonna go onto his computer and type in Slab Leak Plumber near Long Beach, CA, right? Well if you don’t have a website then you will not come up and you are invisible to potential clients searching the internet. On the other hand your competition that do have small business websites will come up and you just lost yourself some new business!
Now we both know that you didn’t start up your business to let the competition trample you down now did you!?
You may think that creating a small business website is a complicated, expensive deal? If that is what you think then you are making a big mistake. Today, getting a website up and running is simple, quick and CHEAP!
If it isn’t obvious enough why you need a website for your small business then let me elaborate on a few other good reasons. Besides gaining new business from the internet, people searching for your company online would like to see a nice, professional looking website to make them feel better about purchasing your product or services. When you go to buy a new car would you rather the showroom be old, smelly and not well kept or a nice, new, modern styled and professional showroom? Your website is your image to customers on the internet and you want your small business to have a good image right?
Another great thing about that people don’t think about is that once you have it up and running you can list the website on your promotional materials such as business cards, flyers and even banners! Most people that see a banner will most likely just go on your website to see the list of products or services that you offer before they actually come in to ask about it. This way you are converting more potential clients into money… If you are driving down then road and see a banner for a plumber and a phone number, are you really going to call to see what he offers? No. But if there is a website that is easy to remember you will most likely go online and see what services that plumber offers.
In conclusion I think it is obvious as to why your company needs a small business website. But even if it isn’t, do your research, look up your competition online and see if it makes sense for you!
Hey Gang my name is Dana aka Small Business Resource Queen. For five years now I have been gathering up resources for small business owners and posting them online. I take pride in my work and my main goal is to help small business maximize their potential in this rough economy.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions and/or feedback!
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It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for starting a for-profit business.
One possible exception is for companies developing or exporting agricultural goods, including food and forest product. Another exception could be the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbir/index.html , which fund the research and development of technological innovation that meets specific government needs.
Your best bet actually will be from the states if they offer grant programs for women (or any other special interest groups — minorities, women, disabled, veterans, etc). Or check with non profit organizations, particularly women organizations if they offer grants. Examples include
Iowa Women's Foundation http://www.iawf.org/
New Mexico Women's Foundation http://www.nmwf.org/guidelines.html
Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CON_FAQ2.html
"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."
Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.
Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business — THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show
Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs
Hi Kris
This is a pretty BIG question. It would help to know what you are already doing but it sounds like you are already in business and dont know it.
If you are looking for some info have a look at the site below which should prove helpfull with business plans corporate structure finance etc
100% scam.
"to cover I believe they said, my taxes"<<–bingo. In a day or two, you will get a letter with instructions about how to "pay" those taxes. The correct way to pay US taxes is to write a check to the UNITED STATES TREASURY and mail it to an IRS address with a 1040ES form. They will tell you that you need to pay it to a named agent who just happens to use Western Union as their only payment method.
"If I take this check to a check cashing business and cash it, even if it was a scam, what could happen?"
Fortunately for you, no check cashing business is going to take a $4000 check.
If you deposit this in your bank account, you would have wait weeks, if not months, to be sure that the check isn't counterfeit/stolen or forged. When it's found out to be fake, the bank will take the money back out of your account, hit you with NSF fees and then have to decide whether to believe your unlikely story. If they don't believe you, they cancel your account, report you to CHEX (preventing you from opening another account at a major bank for 5 years) and may report you to the police.