Policies..we don't want no stinkin' policies (1 in a series)

That's our policy, you hear it and you want to scream - I'm a person not a policy", but policies can be your best friend as a small business owner or executive. Think of policies as problem-solvers. In fact they are a "time-travel" solution to problems. You can solve a problem now that might not pop up for 5 years. Really. It's like having Spock or Scottie at your side as you go when no Man or Woman has gone. For those of you younger than the Star Trek generation - use your Firefly analogies. (Okay maybe LOTR or Harry Potter would be more generationally in tune)

With policies in place, you can resolve issues that you presumed, would NEVER happen, and then a few months later --- the never-gonna-happen-issue is square in your face. Well, probably a person is square in your face, or a client, or a customer, or even an employee - but you have thought this through and because you have a policy and a POLICY MANUAL, you're prepared.

If you are member of a peer group, or belong to an association, Widget Manufacturers of America, for example, that has expertise with your business you may be able to draw on their knowledge for a Policy Manual. You can read and adapt these for your own company.

At some point in your business dealings I can almost guarantee that your clearly defined policy manual will save you sleepless hours and (I can hear the sighs) save you money. Small business is rebooting during our "Great Recession", and that money that is better put toward promoting you and your product or service.

We will give examples of various policies that you might want to think about including in your "Time Travel" manual. And look forward to hearing from you about how policies helped you, your company or averted a potentially negative situation.

Is that your phone ringing?

Okay pretend you have a clearly defined budget and have advertised and promoted yourself and your business. Here's the BIG question !!

Why don't you answer your phone? Why do you let the "machine" take the call for you.

People like to talk to people, even when they don't get all the answers they want - at least they spoke to a human being.

Survey after survey, by large margins, tell us that when we call to respond to an ad, radio promotion or flyer our "want gland" has been activated. Maybe our "need" gland. Now that the Activation Sequence is going, the itching starts....and who do we talk to? Your answering machine. The one you hooked up to your home phone and tried to make sound like you are busy, busy, busy.

Its tough out here in small business-land. Every call is important - answer it. Since we don't have Coca-Cola's budget we can't afford to irritate even 1 or 2 potential clients. Plus, good call, bad call, indifferent - you'll get better at communication, gain experience, and know-how. You'll be a silver-tounged devil in no time.

Small business is BIG ...... seriously

Big...small....it's all a matter of perception and definition, right? Well how big does SEVENTY-EIGHT (78 %) sound to you? Can I have 78% of that cake? How much is a 78% reduction in my house payment? I'm going to get a 78% increase in my income. Sounds big to me.


Well, here's even more BIG news! Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the businesses in this country have 10 or less employees. Whoa! This doesn't count the "large employers" who have up to 20 employees. So even thought the county, state and federal government keep talking about helping small business, they mean business under 500 million. We are nano-sized and yet together we are 78% of the businesses in the USA.


What we want to do on this blog is promote, support and recognize the LOCAL businesses that really make up our cities. Those of us engaged in small business have special needs, we have local knowledge, and we produce genuine jobs in our communities.


SO WE BEGIN!