Articles You Want » Cathy Shaver

Reviewing Free and Low Priced Bookkeeping and Budgeting Software for Small Businesses

Cathy Shaver — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:57:05 +0000

If you are looking for software to help you manage the technical aspects of your small business, you have likely discovered how many different products are out there. Today we will take a look at three of the most popular affordable products out there and will examine the pros and cons of each. While these are not the only options available to you, they should give you an idea of the level of features you can expect for little to no budget.

Intuit Simple Start Free- This is certainly one of the bigger names that is available for free. Unlike many programs, this is not a free trial, but is fully functional software. While it has no time limit, there are some limitations to the software. Contact lists are limited to 20 people, and you will find that you can only import data from Excel. Exporting can only be done into Quickbooks, and you will find that you cannot track sales in other currencies. With that noted, however, this software allows you to track sales and taxes, print checks, create invoices, manage taxes, and much more. Simple Start Free also allows you to create one click business reports.

Big E-Z Business Edition- This program is designed to work with MS Excel. It is well crafted for those with little to no Excel experience and offers a number of pretty beneficial features. It allows you to itemize and maintain expenses and can reconcile your checkbook. The program contains a spreadsheet file for each month and will automatically generate quarterly and annual reports. It can help you determine how well you stay within budget as well as the percentage of sales gained through credit cards or cash. In all, it is pretty feature rich, but at 49.95 it offers little that cannot be found in Simple Start. It also requires MS Excel which can be costly for those who do not already have the program.

Outright- This is a completely free budgeting and bookkeeping program. It allows you to estimate taxes, maintain your budget, and track your income and expenses. This program is simply packed with features. The biggest drawback, however, it that it is entirely online. This means that to input data requires Internet access, which can make it hard to check on your stats or update your info when on the road or at a show.

In all, there are many choices available, each with different perks. For most business owners, the free solutions offer more than enough features to prevent the need to purchase software. Each of these companies offers free tours of the software, and checking each one out can be the best way to make the right decision for your business.

FairsandFestivals.net is your premier online resource for information on craft shows, fairs, festivals, and more. You will find all of the latest events as well as articles and information on how to market your craft and fair business. To learn how you can increase your craft show profits, visit FairsandFestivals.net today.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

How to Network and Build Your Business

Cathy Shaver — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:55:58 +0000

In a world where almost any general business has hundreds or even thousands of competitors, you need to do something to ensure that you have an edge. Where word of mouth in your neighborhood or circle was once all it took to remain successful, the age of technology and Internet marketing has made this increasingly difficult. These days success in business is largely related to your ability to successful network. For many business owners, this means stepping away from simple word of mouth and business cards and making an active effort to get your name out there.

When you own a craft business that primarily works at local shows, using the Internet to help build a customer base might seem strange. If you don’t sell products online, you may think that you do not need Internet networking at all. The truth, however, is that Internet marketing is a crucial business strategy. Consider this; you meet a customer at a show in Michigan who is enamored by your products. With no website, your best hope for making this transaction more productive is to hope that the customer brings in a friend before the show ends.

When you set up networking profiles through such sites as Facebook or MySpace or add an account to an online business listing, that same customer can add you as a friend and post your information to their page. This exposes your business to everyone who is friends with that person, opening up potential customer bases at shows around the country. Creating a networking base through these sites or through a business networking site such as LinkedIn can also help you create business connections with other vendors as well as fair owners and venue owners.

The home based business market is truly a world apart from what it was even a decade ago. Networking through the internet and through different crafting circles is a great way to build a global customer base. For people working on a local level, offering to teach a free class or creating a mutual referral program with a local supplier can be a great way to expand your business. No matter how successful your venture may be, networking can take your business to a new level. Whether you are seeking more customers, a higher revenue, or access to more events and fairs, networking is a crucial step towards realizing your business goals.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

What Vendors Want Most from Show Promoters

Cathy Shaver — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:55:12 +0000

If this is your first foray into promoting a craft show or you are looking for ways to make your shows more successful, you have come to the right place. Understanding what vendors expect of you can be quite tricky. While promoting a show can seem like a piece of cake, the truth is that vendors are going to look to you if there are few customers or if the show does not go as planned. With so many expectations, it can be easy to forget how much fun a show can be. What follows is a bit of a guide to what your vendors are really looking for.

The most important thing for you to do as a promoter is, well, promote. Advertise the show in any way you can think of, and when you believe you are done, advertise some more. Word of mouth and newspaper ads are excellent, but they are only a small part of your job. Create postings on online message boards, advertise with local TV or radio stations, and even put up signs and flyers. Get your name out there and make sure that you are bringing in customers.

When creating advertising, you need to realize that your job is twofold. Bringing in customers is crucial for your vendors, but your job is also to bring in as many vendors as possible. Use craft fair sites, art school message boards, and any other means available to help you get the word out. The more vendors that attend your fair, the higher the turnout will be. Customers are not going to pull over for a single booth with one or two vendors.

Another job will be to create variety. Don’t just bring in fifteen painters, mix it up. Offer woodworkers, food vendors, and any other type of craft vendors you can find. No matter what type of show you have, the most success will be found when your event offers a wide selection of wares.

Last, you want to create an attractive and comfortable fair. This means offering well placed tables and adequate lighting. Outdoor fairs are great, but setting up tarps or tents to protect against wind and rain can help to draw in larger crowds and will keep your vendors happy. Take the time to make sure that your fair is well designed for vendors and customers alike.

Once you manage these basics, you will find that your shows are much more successful. Vendors do not expect every show to be the biggest and best they have ever seen, but they do expect it to be well advertised. Take the time to make your show as visible and varied as possible, and you will find that your vendors are willing to work with you again in the future.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Building Your Business by Publishing Helpful Articles on Your Subject Matter

Cathy Shaver — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:15:53 +0000

When you think of advertising your business, a few basic concepts likely come to mind. Whether you think of print ads, online ads, message board posts, or social networking, you have touched on a major part of ensuring business success. What you may not be aware of, however, is that there is yet another marketing strategy that can be quite successful. Writing articles to be published online or in local newsletters and papers can be a great way to get your name out there while establishing you as one of the best in your field.

The key to marketing through articles is actually to steer clear of advertising. While posting information about your business or craft at the bottom of an article is advised, the article shouldn’t read like a sales page. Your goal is to offer information that readers want and need. If you are a painter, for example, you can write an article about creating works using multiple mediums or mastering perspective when drawing people. Take what you know and offer people valuable insight into it. Readers will understand that you know your subject will and you will generate interest in your work.

When you decide to write articles, you will find that there are many options for publishing them. Online, you can find numerous article directories that allow you to post articles with your information in them. These articles can not only be read online, but can be added to newsletters and websites, provided that your information remains at the bottom. This is an excellent way to gain free advertising for your business. Your articles can also be posted on blogs or can be published offline in newsletters, brochures, newspapers, and other forms of print. If your articles are well written, you will be able to find plenty of places to use them.

Today’s business market is more competitive than ever, and you simply need to find ways to stay ahead of the competition. Don’t sit by hoping that your networking page and business cards will offer you all of the business contacts and connections that you need. Take the time to write articles in order to build a bigger customer base. Not only will you create new contacts, but you will find that you are able to help many budding artists or crafters to hone their own hobbies while encouraging them to take a closer look at you.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Best Free Small Business Resource Websites

Cathy Shaver — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:15:19 +0000

As a small business owner, you are part of a growing sector of the economy. While the success rate of small business depends largely on who you ask as well as how well your business is designed, the simple fact is that we can all use a bit of help now and again. What follows is a listing of some of the more helpful free resources available for small business owners. From software to mentoring and advice, there are a number of resources available at no cost. If you are seeking help with your business, these websites may be able to help.

Score.org- This website offers free small business mentoring service. The site also offers podcasts, tips, toolkits, and many other tools to help your small business thrive. From startup advice to disaster preparation and tools for designing a solid business plan, this website offers a vast amount of free and beneficial information for small business owners.

SBA.gov- Set up and owned by the federal government, this site is dedicated to helping small business owners find success. From information on training to planning and marketing your business, this site offers a number of free articles, classes, and videos. There is also a great section of information that details the latest law changes and tax information for small businesses.

OpenOffice.org- Created as an alternative to expensive spreadsheet and document programs, OpenOffice is actually quite valuable for small business owners. You can use this program to create checklists, order forms, inventory management documents, and much more. You can also set up multimedia presentations, write business letters, and manage your tax information with the same features and quality that you would find in more expensive programs.

Quickbooks – Quickbooks now offers a free version of their highly beneficial small business bookkeeping software. Quickbooks offers user-friendly software that allows you to track sales and expenses, create detailed invoices, manage customer and vendor databases, print business reports, and much more. The free software offers remarkable functionality and contains all of the features that are most important for small business owners.

There are really a wide array of free resources out there for small business owners, and the catch it to find those that stand above the rest and don’t have any hidden catches. These resources listed here offer excellent benefit for small business owners. Whether you are in need of information, classes, or powerful software, these links can help you find just what you are looking for.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Craft Show Planners Checklist

Cathy Shaver — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:14:38 +0000

If you are preparing for a craft show, the biggest piece of advice I can offer you is to create a checklist. It happens to the best of us at some point in our careers- you arrive early, set everything up just as intended, and somewhere in the middle of the show, you realize that you missed a crucial step. Whether it was forgetting to bring a certain inventory item, neglecting to bring change for your customers, or leaving the lights you need for your table at home, a single missed step can turn away customers and cost you multiple sales. A simple checklist is all that it takes to help prevent such events from occurring.

While your checklist may vary from mine, this is a great example of what my checklist looks like before a show.

* Find out what is included in the cost of a booth. Tables, lighting, etc. This is crucial information and should always be understood well in advance in order for you to secure any items you need.

* Make sure that you have more inventory than you need. Figure out what you plan to sell and bring about ten to twenty percent more than that.

* Make certain that you have enough bags and boxes. If your items are fragile, bring plenty of tissue paper or newspaper to wrap them. Consider bags that are not transparent, as many customers buy items as gifts.

* Bring a price list. Even if you know the price of your items by heart, your hope is to have enough customers that you will not always be able to answer immediate questions. Some customers will not ask the price of an item if they cannot see it displayed. Keep your prices visible, it can greatly improve sales.

* Bring networking and marketing items. If you have business cards, you will certainly want to bring them, but consider creating a form for a mailing list as well. Collecting email addresses from customers who choose to share them will help you advertise for future shows and is free.

* Bring a receipt book and a ledger. Many customers want receipts for their items, and you need to keep track of sales. Keeping an organized ledger that tracks sales by specific item can help you keep track of what is selling and can help you monitor for shoplifting and other concerns as well.

* Bring a well stocked cash box. Pick up more change than you anticipate yourself needing. Those extra rolls of quarters can be converted to cash if you don’t use them, but running out of change is one of the quickest ways to lose a sale.

* Bring entertainment. No matter how successful a show is, there are likely to be periods where business is slow. A radio, a book of crossword puzzles, or a magazine can provide great entertainment without distracting you from customers.

While these are not the only things that you will likely want to remember, this is a list of the steps that are most crucial for my shows. Always keep a checklist handy before each show. By taking care of the basics, you can make your craft show more successful.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Taxes for Fair and Festival Vendors

Cathy Shaver — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:19:49 +0000

Let’s face it. No one likes to deal with taxes. The whole idea of the government taking part of your hard-earned money is annoying, even if you know that it’s necessary. As a self-employed arts and crafts or food vendor, your tax debacle each year is even more interesting and twisted. There are a few ways that you can keep your taxes straight, though, which will help you out at the end of the year.

First off, record everything. Yes, every single little thing that you spend money on or make money from needs to be written down. And we’re not just talking receipts stuffed into a drawer somewhere. This will be much, much easier for you if you keep an updated spreadsheet of all your expenses and income.

The easiest thing to do is to split your business expenses into categories such as insurance, supplies, transportation, etc. You’ll be able to write off a portion of some expenses and not of others, so having them already itemized will be very helpful. Don’t forget to track even the smallest expenses, like the two dollar a month charge the bank puts on your business credit card to keep the account open. No matter how insignificant something may seem, it will still help you to have it written down.

Don’t forget to record your income, as well. This includes not only income from people who buy your work directly but also income from grants or fellowships for which you’ve applied, artists’ stipends, commissions, etc. Plus, you’ll have to keep track of the sales tax you collect for all of your items.

Obviously calculating sales tax is another one of those annoying necessaries. Before you sell anything in any state, be sure that you know what that state’s sales tax is, as it will differ from state to state. To figure out how to calculate sales tax, get on your state’s business department website or call that department.

Finally, when it comes time to do your taxes, make sure that you or your tax preparer don’t miss any deductions. As long as you are making money from your craft or food sales, you will pretty much be considered a business. As long as you’re a business, necessary business expenses such as travel, vehicle repairs, fees from your accountant, business rent, supplies, etc. will be tax write-offs, and you can’t afford to miss out on a single one of them! So, track all of your expenses and income, and take every write-off that you can.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Reading and Resources for Artists

Cathy Shaver — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:19:04 +0000

As an artist, it’s very important that you stay on top of your chosen field of work. You’ll want to do this by reading news about art, but if you’re trying to sell your works, you’ll also want to read about ways to increase your business. There are plenty of websites, books, and resources out there for artists just like you who want to make a living off of doing what they love.

First off, you’ll probably want to start with the boring but essential reading. Check out websites like your state’s department of businesses website, which will be able to tell you all about getting your tax system set up, taking income tax, and becoming properly insured. Then, you’ll want to look at the information on several insurance websites, where you’ll be able to find out exactly what kind of insurance you need.

After that’s out of the way, you can move on to more interesting topics. There are literally thousands of books out there for people who are building small businesses, whether they be artists or contractors. You can look up these books at your local library and skim through to find the business aspects that are applicable to you, and you can probably even find lots of books for people who are doing exactly what you are.

If you’re interested in learning how to set goals for yourself, check out Geoffrey Gorman’s article on the subject at www.nyfa.org. This website, the official site of the New York Foundation for the Arts, also has articles on writing artists’ statements and succeeding as an artist by connecting with other artists.

You can also get tips for an artist in business from books like Constance Smith and Sue Viders’s Art Office and Lee Silber’s Time Management for the Creative Person. And don’t forget about publicity! You need to get your name out there, and one excellent way to do that is to check out articles on the subject on websites like www.nyfa.org and www.artbusiness.com.

If your business is just starting out, you can get money to pay for supplies, a booth, and other necessities through grants and other funding opportunities. There are so many opportunities out there that you shouldn’t miss any of them. Check out books like The Practical Handbook for the Emerging Artist by Margaret Lazzari and articles like “Proposal Writing for Funding Projects” by Yedda Morrison on www.nyfa.org for more information on subjects like these.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Resources for Turning Your Hobby into a Business

Cathy Shaver — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:18:20 +0000

If you’re a long-time crafter who really enjoys making soap, jewelry, shirts, or whatever else, chances are likely that you can turn your passion into big bucks. There are so many festivals and fairs around the nation where people just like you sell their wares, and you can be one of those people. All you need is a little gumption and some great resources to help you navigate the process of starting and running your own business.

To start, check out general business planning guidelines, and figure out how to make your business budget. You’ll definitely want to look into your state’s government website to figure out what will be expected of you as a business owner as far as taxes and insurance go. You may also want to look at the websites of many of the festivals and fairs in your area, as they’ll all have their own regulations that you’ll be expected to meet.

Besides this, there are several websites where you can find information about starting your own craft business, including craftmarketer.com, where you can find articles about processing credit cards, pricing your crafts, and selling your items wholesale. The site also has articles about selling on ebay, which could be a good supplement to the money you make selling crafts at local fairs and festivals.

There are also literally hundreds of books about running a craft business, so you should never be lacking for resources on how to keep your business going. Check out books like Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco, Handmade for Profit!: Hundreds of Secrets to Success in Selling Arts and Crafts by Barbara Brabec, and Making a Living in Crafts: Everything You Need to Know to Build Your Business by Donald Clark.

Another great resource that you can use is other crafters. You’ll meet hundreds of people who do what you do at different fairs and festivals across the country, and you can draw on the knowledge and experience of anyone who is willing to share information. Even if crafters have been in business for only a few months, they’ll still have unique advice and experience to share, so don’t be afraid to get out and talk to other people who may be able to help you on your journey to creating a well-run, efficient crafting business that focuses on fairs and festivals.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Readings and Resources for Festival Food Vendors

Cathy Shaver — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:17:35 +0000

If you’re a food vendor interested in building your business even more, or if you’re new to the trade and are simply considering starting your food vending business, there is a lot to learn. Not only do you have to know how to prepare your chosen food, how to attract customers, how to deal with money, and how to sign up for fairs and festivals, but you also have to know how to balance your books, do your taxes, and prepare all the other endless little things that will keep your business running.

There are plenty of resources out there, some of which you’ll absolutely have to read and others of which you may choose to read if you think they suit your needs. First off, though, you need to start out on websites like the Federal government’s department of health, where you’ll be able to find links to all the health regulations you ever needed to know. You’ll also be able to find resources on your state’s website about tracking and paying taxes.

From there, you can move on to the websites or resource sheets from the specific festivals where you intend to set up camp. You may be able to find extra rules and regulations that different festivals impose on their vendors, or you may even be able to find information about how and where to publicize for the event, as you may be able to publicize alongside the event’s own publications.

You can also check out other, more specific resources such as Douglas R. Brown’s The Food Service Professional’s Guide To: Controlling Restaurant and Food Service Food Costs, which will help you, even as a small operation, control your expenses so that you can make a better profit. Other practical books include J. Anres Vasconcellos’s Quality Assurance for the Food Industry: A Practical Approach.

Besides this, there are plenty of websites for food vendors by food vendors where you can learn about dealing with employees, taking inventory, and other necessities of your job. Plus, it can just be fun to get the perspective of someone outside your own particular area or in a whole other part of the country.

Other resources you might want to check out include general business resources, such as Bill Collier’s How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner . . . and Still Have a Life or Denise O’Barry’s Small Business Cash Flow: Strategies for Making Your Business a Financial Success. These will help you navigate setting up and running any type of small business, including a food sales business.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites