Making Time to Learn New Software

Maybe you’ve hired a new employee who needs training on a software program, or maybe the company has the need to use a new program. In the midst of running a business, how do you take the time to learn new software yourself or teach it to others? While it needs to be done, you don’t want to take time away from the business at hand.

If you are teaching someone the software, review all its fundamentals to see how clear the instructions will be a new user. For example, some programs have tags that tell the user what will happen if they click on a certain element. A lot of programs provide prompting instructions as the user is using features of the software. If you can, use this and other methods to cut down on face-to-face training because that can take a lot of time and get interrupted. If you are creating separate training materials, you could put them into a PowerPoint presentation or use screenshots in your notes to match the visuals to what they will see when using the software. Remember that no matter how much is covered in training; there will be questions that will come up later, so keep that in mind. Creating short quizzes after different stages of the training will gage how much the person has learned and help them remember key points.

Rather than simply enabling someone to learn the nuts and bolts of a software program, emphasize how the software is a tool that helps the business reach their goals. Defining processes, procedures, and policies along with software training shows employees how their efforts contribute to the larger effort of the business. Start with the basics and add more in-depth training when they begin to feel confident. Also, the training doesn’t have to be completely separate from the job they will be doing—have them use the software for real, on the job tasks even if they need someone there to coach them.  They will be able to do the job you hired them to sooner, rather than being sidelined until their training is complete.

Think about who should do the training—if you choose a veteran employee who must train someone in addition to their workload, one of the two may suffer if you aren’t careful, so make sure their schedule can work with this extra job. Also remember that different people learn in different ways, through seeing, hearing, doing or a combination of those. Some people need to know how things work and why they are done that way in order to learn something. Formal training in isolated situations is enough to make the new employee bored, unenthusiastic, and annoyed, so be careful to integrate training into other tasks where they can talk to coworkers and take breaks. While you can’t hold their hand too much, do not just place a new employee in front of a computer with the software and tell them to just start using it. This will not work--even online training tools need to be accompanied by answers from real people. Use a blend of training methods to get the best results.

Make it happen!

© 2012 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Choosing the Location for Your Business

                You’ve probably heard the expression sometime in your life-location, location, location. When is that more true than when choosing where to place your business? The choice of location for your business can make the difference between high sales and no sales. Taking the time to carefully choose the physical place for your business can make a huge difference.

Think about the people that live around the place your business will be. Are there a lot of young couples, retired people or middle-aged people with kids? Does your type of business depend on one of those groups more than the others or are you looking for a combination of all of them? Is the area heavily populated or more spread out? What are the income levels like in the neighborhood? If the products and services you offer are more of a luxury, you may want to think about placing yourself either downtown or in high income suburb. Sometimes, it’s favorable to match the location to the theme. For example, if you have a restaurant with fresh seafood, locating near a body of water or marina makes sense. It’s also a good idea to look at the crime rates in the neighborhood because you want your business to be safe from burglary and vandalism.

You need to know what kind of traffic the location will generate, if you will be easily accessible by car and on foot. It is better to be visible from major roads and highways.. Will your building have a parking lot or street parking? Is it on a bus route? Research has shown that the most successful businesses place themselves in the center of their customer base. If you are as close to your biggest competitor as possible, it will give you the chance to prove to customers that you are a step ahead.

The building itself, of course, has quite a few factors to consider. Is the lease negotiable? Will the size and layout of the building accommodate what you need to do? Are there any repairs to be made? Are the lighting, heating, and cooling systems up to the standards you need? Will there be a bathroom available for your customers? Finally, is the setup for communications such as the phone and internet workable for what you’ll be doing?

Some people may consider the best location for their business to be their home. If you have a mail based business, this could be a good option. If you do choose to stay in your home, be sure you can focus in your casual environment and be flexible around your family. This may mean starting early, taking a long break, and picking up again to work later in the night. Don’t hide the fact that your business is based from home because chances are if it’s working for you, it’s working for your customers. Whether you are choosing a location for your new business or moving your existing business to another location, take your time. Make it happen!

© 2012 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Business Meeting Etiquette

            No matter the type of office environment you work in—formal dress or casual, customer or data orientated, there are certain unwritten rules for etiquette and behavior on a daily basis. When you’re in a business meeting however, those standards are raised slightly, more so if it is a meeting with people outside of your workplace than if it’s a meeting among staff members. Here are some things people tend to overlook.

For a meeting with a client, you may want to consider dressing up a little more than you usually do. If your workplace dress code is casual, think about wearing khakis and a polo shirt or for women, a satin blouse. Wear loafers or black sneakers or dressy flats. You never know how dressed up the other company’s people will be—they could be in business suits--so making that extra effort shows your professionalism and respect for their business. You are recognizing the significance of the time they took to meet with you. If your company’s dress code is already very professional, take extra care to be sure your hairstyle is polished, your makeup and accessories are not too over the top, and that your shoes are free of scuff marks. Guys, make sure your collar is neat, your tie is straight, and your fingernails are clean. Little details can go a long way, especially with a person you are meeting for the first time.

Show up on time. If the meeting is in your building, stop what you are working on and get situated in the conference room at least five minutes before the scheduled start time. If you have to leave the office, make sure you have clear directions and account for traffic and parking time. Bring a pen and notebook (or laptop) with you in case you need to take notes. If you are in charge of presenting, test your equipment and open your files ahead of time to ensure everything will work correctly.

Don’t chew gum or eat food or candy during the meeting—it can wait. Drinks are ok as long as you’re careful and quiet with them. (However, if food is served at the meeting, then by all means, feel free to partake). Use the restroom before hand and silence your cell phone. Introduce yourself when the opportunity comes and make eye contact with the person in charge of the meeting. Smile and be cheerful and interested (even if you’re really not). Ask questions and address concerns without interrupting anyone. Be sure to tell them it was nice to meet them before you leave. Keeping all these things in mind may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a huge difference. Make it happen!

© 2012 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Promoting From Within Vs Hiring From Outside

         You may find yourself in a position of growth and change within your business. You want to increase the size of your staff or someone has just announced their resignation and you have an important position to fill. Hiring is always an extensive process, and one of the first decisions you are faced with as the head of a small business is to promote an employee you already have or to hire from the outside. The approach you take on this decision can be different depending on what position you need to fill and how your company is doing. What are some factors to consider that will help you decide?

If you promote someone from within the company, that person has already proven they are valuable or they wouldn’t be there. This can save you the time of countless interviews and the money you would have spent on advertising the position. Promoting an internal candidate can result in a more efficient workflow. Some argue that anyone can “buy” talent, but it takes a truly skilled leader to develop it. Promotions mean that people feel like they are being rewarded for their hard work and in some cases, it may motivate all other employees to work harder so they may be promoted in the future.

 However, hiring an external candidate can bring in a new set of skills that no one in your current staff has. You can avoid the resentment the rest of the employees may have felt towards the person who got the promotion. If they previously worked for a competitor, they could give you good advice on how they got ahead of you or what mistakes the management at the competing company made. You may decide a fresh perspective will give your business the changes that it needs, which can “save” the company. But you will need to take the time to train them on company policies, products, software, and the general way of doing things—internal candidates already know all these things. You can also expect to spend more money (giving them a higher salary) than you would for an internal candidate—the average is 18% more. Even though outside hires get paid more and sometimes have more education and experience, their review scores are often lower than those who get promoted. They are also 61% more likely to get fired from the position than someone who has already been with the company. Also, there will be an adjustment period for the new person and everyone else because they won’t know how to act around this person initially, especially if they are their new boss. Finally, if the company is involved deeply in the community, it may be best to consider someone with connections and knowledge of that community.

The bottom line is no one way is better than the other. There should be a balance between the two and the decision should be made on a case-by-case basis. You can also open up both options for the same position to see what will work out best. Keep making informed decisions. Make it happen!

© 2012 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Ways to Save Money on Your Business Trip

Business trips are a great way to network with other businesses and if you have the privilege of traveling for your company, congratulations—you have made it. While these trips can be stressful and enjoyable at the same time, budgeting for travel and finding ways to spend less will make things easier for you in the long run.

Be sure to create a customized budget for each trip according to the destination. It’s going to be significantly more expensive to go to Los Angeles than Detroit. Don’t just come up with an arbitrary number; research the place you are going and plan accordingly. You may want to temporarily hire a travel expert to set up a lot of the accommodations for you. There are also business travel plans out there that are packaged in a way that is more affordable than booking everything separately. Use discount travel companies; often you can do everything online.

 Try to book air travel for the middle of the week when the rates are the lowest. Avoid luggage fees by only using a carry on (if possible) or flying with airlines that don’t charge a luggage fee. Save any unused tickets and apply them to future travel.

Consider using alternative transportation while you’re there such as subways and bus systems. If you do need a rental car, ask for one with a full tank of gas and fill it up before you return it—that way you are only paying for the gas you use. Waive the insurance if your personal auto insurance or credit card can cover it as these policies tend to be very expensive and the need to actually use the insurance policy is rare.

You can decide to have lunch with your clients instead of dinner. Lunch menus are generally less expensive than dinner menus and a restaurant that is outside your price range for dinner may be affordable for lunch.  Focus on and plan the leisure part of the trip. You don’t want to be bored to tears when your meetings are over and if you plan activities in advance, you will spend less money. Stay in a hotel with a kitchen and buy ingredients for some of your meals at the grocery store to make them yourself. You can also take advantage of free breakfasts at the hotel. Finally, you should plan business trips as part of your yearly budget so you don’t overlook these costs and wind up in debt. All these tips will make business trips easier to manage and more relaxing. Make it happen!

© 2012 eMarketing 4 Business LLC