TOP 10 THINGS A BUSINESS CAN DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL.Check out 10 quick tips for business success from America’s Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) New Jersey at Brookdale Community College. Training, pro-bono expert counseling, free events and more.

Interested in starting or growing your small business?

http://www.mosbdc.com

Define your niche market/community and dare to be different. Marketing guru Seth Godin speaks to this point best. As discussed in A Town Hall Meeting with Seth Godin event at Brookdale Community College and in one of Seth’s recent posts, Seth says the following – “The thing is, though, that the only prospects you care about, the only people you have a shot of reaching, the only people who are going to use your service or join your tribe are weird. And everyone is weird, at least sometimes.”

This means the real value is not in targeting “everyone” as your customer…it’s targeting the “weird”…those who are just like you in a very specific way. A targeted community will seek you out, the masses will not.

#1 CREATE A NICHE

“The thing is, though, that the only prospects you care about, the only people you have a shot of reaching, the only people who are going to use your service or

join your tribe are weird. And everyone is weird, at

least sometimes”SETH GODINMarketing Guru

# 2

KNOW, KNOW, KNOW CASHFLOW

FLO

W

It’s important to know that profitability and cash flow is not the same thing. According to Dunn & Bradstreet Small Business, 90% of small business failures are caused by poor cash flow. That’s significant. A company can be profitable, but without a clear understanding and plan for cash flow, that same business can run into difficult times.

For more information about cash flow, check out Martin Zwilling’s article in Young Entrepreneur for some starting points on the topic.

Cash Flow

# 3 GOOGLE FRIENDLY WEBSITE

Here are a few quick search engine optimization (SEO) tips straight from the mouth of a Google trainer:

•keywords should be incorporated into your navigation menu

•your phone number should be readable by the search engine (meaning that it should not be imbedded in a graphic)

•page titles should be unique with keywords •have good searchable content

•the H1 header should clearly tell the search engine about your business

•get keywords in your URL if possible

•meta keywords are a waste of time

•the meta description is important (limit this to 160 characters)

PROGRAMPROFITABILTYCurt Clinkinbeard, consultant and Founding Member of The Profit Think Tank, notes that small changes in several areas can have a big impact on profitability. Use a synergistic approach with modest changes in multiple areas can increase your profitability. For more information from Curt, visit ProfitThinkTank.com and for more information on profitability, visit Entrepreneur.com

“Small changes in several areas can have a big impact on profitability.”

4

An entrepreneur needs the heart of a lion. That doesn’t mean being fearless. That means recognizing your fears and pushing through it anyway. There is a myth that successful entrepreneurs are all fearless and don’t mind taking risks. Usually this is not the case. They keep plugging ahead and take calculated risks. That means the

entrepreneur has done the work, looked at the numbers, reached out for advice and support from their advisors and then took a calculated risk armed with solid information as opposed to jumping blindly.

Might sound obvious, right? This is an area though, that could be a killer for a small company. Bringing in the wrong people who haven’t bought into your vision or who doesn’t have the talent or temperament for the position can be very costly. Having the right people in the right positions can make your company soar. Outstanding organizations are staffed with outstanding people.

# 6 HIRE RIGHT

Tip: To receive small business training on how to hire, visit

MOSBDC and submit a counseling request

BECOME AN EXPERTBecome an expert in your specialized niche/community. Share information and advice…that’s what building a community is about. Create compelling content about your area of expertise and have it come from your unique voice.

Tip: “Everyone” is not your client/customer. Be the point person in your very specific

community.

CONSTANTLY EDUCATE YOURSELFBeing wide-eyed and excited might be lovely for a

Disney movie, but in business it just isn’t enough.Get familiar with business principles and accounting principles. Know what strategies have a direct impact on profitability.

If pursuing a loan, know your business model inside and out and ask for help if you need it BEFORE approaching a lending center (SBDC can help you). What banks and investors don’t want to hear? That you are “hopeful” without putting in the real preliminary work.

That you haven’t done you research. Passion for your business is essential…passion and “hopefulness” alone though won’t give you the tools you need to succeed. Never stop learning. Read relevant articles and books, watch videos, attend courses and ASK QUESTIONS.

8

PLANNING.A well thought out business plan can serve several valuable purposes. Not only is a business plan a necessary component of most small business loan applications, it provides the business owner the opportunity to think through and formalize objectivesand strategies.

America’s Small Business Development Center New Jersey at Brookdale

Community College is a resources for business plan workshops and review.

Visit mosbdc.com for more info.

REMEMBER YOUR MOBILE CUSTOMERSMake sure your website is smartphone and tablet enabled and tested on various devices.

WHO WE AREAmerica’s Small Business Development Center Network is the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States

Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can go to their local SBDCs for free, face-to-face business consulting and at-cost training on writing business plans, accessing capital, marketing and more.

Find out more about America’s Small Business Development Center New Jersey at Brookdale Community College at mosbdc.com