La Soiree Reintroduces the “Independent Business” of Vaudeville |  |
- La Soiree Reintroduces the “Independent Business” of Vaudeville
- Federal Gas Tax Could Increase by 15 Cents, More Costs Possible
- 4 Tips to Turn Your Business Into a Talent Attractor
- Airbnb Reaches 10 Million Stays, Builds “Sharing” Economy
- How to Make Your Local Business Stand Out From the Crowd
| La Soiree Reintroduces the “Independent Business” of Vaudeville Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST
Not every small business owner might see juggling, acrobatics or scissor swallowing as your average product or service. But then not every small business owner is Amy Saunders, a.k.a.”Miss Behave” (pictured above). Saunders is one of the performers of La Soiree. It’s a new look at a traditional American and British art form called Vaudeville here and in the U.K. Musical Hall. It’s currently showing at the Union Square Theatre in New York City. But La Soiree is more than just a single theatrical event. As Miss Behave tells The Wall Street Journal, it is a gathering of performers. All of them work in their own small businesses and have for many years:
Vaudeville and Music Hall were a kind of short form entertainment that predated television and other more modern mediums. When first radio and then television began to displace them, Vaudeville performers did what all small businesses do in a changing market – they adapted. They would eventually perform their unique brands of entertainment on cruise ships, as street performers, at magic conventions and so on. Great businesses evolve over time. Markets may change, but the core value of the products and services they create remains. Don’t be afraid of change in your business, but instead, be open to new possibilities. Image: Still Misbehaving The post La Soiree Reintroduces the “Independent Business” of Vaudeville appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Federal Gas Tax Could Increase by 15 Cents, More Costs Possible Posted: 09 Jan 2014 01:30 PM PST
Increasing postal rates aren’t the only extra cost small businesses may have to worry about soon. A bill in the U.S. House would boost the federal gas tax by 15 cents over the next three years, if passed. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), who proposed the increase, claims the added cost is necessary to replenish the Highway Trust Fund to maintain the nation’s roads and bridges. To make matters worse, the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based think tank, has just released a report suggesting that current gas taxes and other fees are only sufficient to meet about half of current state and federal highway spending. Joseph Henchman, Tax Foundation vice president of state projects and the author of the report, writes:
Henchman believes funding for road maintenance at the federal and state level should come from a mix of user fees including tolls, gas taxes, and other vehicle related fees. While infrastructure is certainly important, more added costs come at the worst possible time for already squeezed small businesses dealing with a challenging economy. Added fees and taxes hit small businesses in two ways. First, they can increase shipping costs for B2B or B2C businesses by increasing the costs for the carriers they use (like UPS). These carriers in turn eventually increase costs to compensate. Second, they can increase travel costs including regular long commutes if necessary for your business. (As an example, daily travel on a state toll road like the PA Turnpike in Southeastern Pennsylvania can run thousands of dollars per year. And that’s even with cost saving options like E-Z Pass for regular commuters. So any increase will be costly.) Whether or not any of these cost increases become a reality this year or in the future, it’s a good idea to begin looking at how they affect your bottom line. And, of course, it’s time to look for any options to cut these costs by making changes in your business today. Though not every option will work for every business, here are some ideas to explore: First, if applicable in your business, consider introducing digital products like ebooks and other downloads as opposed to physical books, discs, etc. This might also be a good solution for your customers who may become less eager to buy as shipping costs increase. If you ship other kinds of products or merchandise that can’t be replaced with digital versions, examine your current shipping arrangements and start determining now whether there are any ways to cut costs. Second, introduce more telecommuting in your business. This could include looking at working more from a home office where applicable and even meeting with clients or customers via Skype or Google Hangouts. It might also include a more mobile set-up for your staff or team. Again, this won’t work for every business, so you’ll need to look at your specific situation. You should also consider contacting your U.S. Representative to let him or her know how increases in transportation costs would affect your business. Gas Tax Photo via Shutterstock The post Federal Gas Tax Could Increase by 15 Cents, More Costs Possible appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 4 Tips to Turn Your Business Into a Talent Attractor Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST
I’ve previously discussed keeping your employees happy with better benefits. So now that you've mastered loyalty through better benefits, you may be ready to kick it up a notch and attract new talent as well as keep your current talent. Only an elite group of businesses earn the title “talent attractor.” What is a talent attractor you may ask? A talent attractor is a company that is best in class when it comes to benefits packaging and delivery. The human resources departments at these companies are more likely to believe that overall employee health is important to workforce productivity. These folks know their workers' needs and are able to communicate and market those benefits options effectively. Four Common Traits of a Talent AttractorDevelop An Understanding of Health Care ReformWith 2014 just around the corner, employees will have selected which benefits they need for next year but may still be confused about their coverage. According to our recent research, approximately 40 percent of Talent Attractor companies say they understand health care reform legislation extremely or very well (compared to 27 percent of all U.S. companies). Make sure you're well-versed in the law's nuances so that you can answer your employees' questions. When it comes to reform Q&As, if you would be more comfortable directing your workers to outside sources for health care reform, be prepared to provide suggestions such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Kaiser on Health Care Reform. Link Benefits to ProfitabilityMore than 70 percent of talent attractors strongly or very strongly agree that offering a robust benefits package plays a role in their company's profitability, versus only 28 percent of all other companies. You can make decisions about how to improve benefits and what to offer based on quantitative data that you gather. For example, survey employees on what types of insurance they would like to receive. You can do informal interviews, or field paper or online surveys to gauge your workers wants and needs. However, don't forget to take the two steps that follow surveys:
You will only upset your workforces if you ask them what they'd like to see and don't make changes accordingly. Similarly, you need to track the success of your investments. Companies often compare workman's compensation claims, sick-days, absenteeism and attrition rates. Use this information to see how you compare to companies with best-in-class benefits programs and HR best practices. Provide Robust BenefitsBenefits obviously include insurance, but a robust offering extends them to also include more qualitative perks that pay off in spades, such as wellness programs, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and flextime. Communicate Early and OftenImproving benefits communications can have critical business results for smaller-sized companies. Talent Attractors are nearly 1.5 times more likely to communicate about benefits throughout the year compared to all U.S. companies. This communication happens between 3 and 10 times per year. Ten times per year might be a bit overwhelming if you're only communicating about benefits once per year right now, but don't be discouraged. Start with small steps. For example:
Leverage what you've got and don't sell yourself short. Attract Talent Photo via Shutterstock The post 4 Tips to Turn Your Business Into a Talent Attractor appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Airbnb Reaches 10 Million Stays, Builds “Sharing” Economy Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST
Airbnb, the company specializing in helping people rent out their apartments and spare rooms online, has reached 10 million stays. The news is big enough for those who rent out places in over 34,000 cities and 192 countries using the website. (Airbnb calls them “hosts.”) But the company’s mammoth success can also teach an important lesson to the smallest entrepreneur: Don’t just build a business, build an economy. What eBay once did for the reselling community, Airbnb has done for those who need to make a little extra money by renting their home, apartment or other space out by the night. But the company’s growth has not come without cost. Airbnb “Hosts” Face Hassles in NYCIn cities like New York, Airbnb “hosts” have faced legal hassles due to strict rental codes which bar anyone from renting in the city for less than 30 days (unless they are staying in the dwelling as well.) Surprisingly (or not) Bloomberg Businessweek, owned by former New York City Mayor and usually business friendly Michael Bloomberg, has even taken the company to task. The publication has dismissed Airbnb’s claims that it attracted 416,000 visitors to the city between August 2012 and July 2013. That’s only 1 percent of the total number of people who visited New York over the same period, Bloomberg BusinessWeek points out. The publication concedes that Airbnb guests may spend more time in the city than the average hotel guest and spend on average $1,300 in the local economy. But it also complains that Airbnb hosts who may rent their apartments to strangers as many as 48 days out of the year are creating a hardship for their neighbors. Airbnb has been successful in mobilizing its community of users for support. For example, in December the company posted a YouTube video. In it, local hosts invited incoming mayor Bill de Blasio and his relatives to stay with them when visiting the city for his inauguration. Building the Sharing EconomyIn a post on Airbnb’s official blog in October, Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky insisted most of the company’s critics simply didn’t understand. He explained:
Chesky describes this group and those like them as part of the “sharing” economy, one in which everyone can participate. Chesky and Airbnb Co-Founder Joe Gebbia don’t just foster this community. At one time, they were part of it, he says. The two came up with the idea for Airbnb while roommates in San Fransisco after they blew up some inflatable air mattresses and rented out space on their floor to make the rent. Hopefully your business won’t skirt the law or encourage others to do so. But Airbnb’s success is also an example of how to go beyond serving a customer base. Find an economy to serve or build one yourself. Image: Airbnb The post Airbnb Reaches 10 Million Stays, Builds “Sharing” Economy appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| How to Make Your Local Business Stand Out From the Crowd Posted: 09 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST
Do you own a business that relies on a local customer base, such as a brick-and-mortar retail store, nail or hair salon or restaurant? The busy holiday shopping (and eating) season no doubt kept you hopping, but now that the holidays are over (and people see their credit cards bills), business will undoubtedly slow down. To help keep your business thriving in 2014, making it stand out from the competition is critical. Local Business Marketing Strategy StepsAssess the CompetitionYou can't stand out from your local competitors if you don't know what they're doing. You may not be able to visit these establishments yourself without raising suspicion, but have trusted sources such as your friends or family members "mystery shop" to check them out in person. What stands out about the competition? Is it the cool atmosphere, the amazing service or the friendly owner? Meanwhile, behind the scenes, you should check out the competitors' advertising and marketing. How are they promoting their brands? What social media channels are they on and what kind of content do they post? How do customers engage with them on social media? What's the vibe of their websites – fun, informational, practical? How easy is it to use their sites, both on your desktop, laptop and mobile devices? Assess the MarketWhere does your target market overlap with your competition's, and where does it differ? Is there a subset or new niche in the market your competitor isn't serving, but you could be? Perhaps you have a baby products boutique but your competitor a few blocks away has cornered the local market for upscale moms, and you're struggling to get those customers. Instead, how about if you targeted young, hipster moms or same-sex parents? Use market research such as Census information to figure out if there are enough people in a niche to make it worth your while. Plan Your AttackOnce you've got your reconnaissance info and your market research, sit down with your team and figure out what your competitors' strong and weak points are. If you decide it's not worth trying to beat them in the areas where they're strong (either because they're too far ahead of you or too well established), how can you take advantage of their weaknesses? Team UpGetting involved in your local community's organizations is a great way to make your business stand out. For instance, by sponsoring a Little League team, a sporting goods store gets built-in business from the players' parents, who will not only shop there but also recommend it to their networks. On a slightly bigger level, being involved in a charitable organization can not only encourage others involved to shop with you, but also raise awareness of your business as being a participant in the community. You can form alliances with other small businesses in the community. There is strength in numbers. Alignable is a new company that helps you do just that. Think Big AND SmallStanding out from the competition may not require shifting your entire marketing strategy. Often, it's the little things that count. For instance, I live near a popular retail area with a lot of dog owners who like to walk their dogs in the downtown shopping area and even bring them into stores or restaurants. Some stores and restaurants put bowls of water and dog biscuits outside their doors for the dogs; others don't. Guess which ones are more popular? Local Business Marketing TipsTo get you started, below are a few local business marketing tips for simple ways to stand out from the crowd:
By now, you get the idea – be different, be creative. Strive to provide things that your competitors do not. So how do you plan to make your business stand out in the new year? Local Marketing Photo via Shutterstock The post How to Make Your Local Business Stand Out From the Crowd appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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