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What Is Small Business Administration In A Nutshell?

Small Business Administration is an organization funded by the American government which provides loans to entrepreneurs and businessmen to set up their small businesses. In addition to that the organization also provides some grants and training for the efficient running of business. Another important feature is that they provide legal and administrative help in establishing a business to entrepreneurs who are likely to get entangled in the web of laws and taxes if they do not have proper guidance along the way.

They conduct various training for different sets of audiences like entrepreneurs, women business ownership and international trade.

The most used and availed service however is one of obtaining loans and grants for doing business. Apart from giving loans out themselves, Small Business Administration will also stand as surety for people and help them get loans from elsewhere. In the case of natural disasters the organization also provides members with grants so that they can ‘get going’ again and are able to face troubled times.

Small Business Administration also helps businesses in contracting and it ranges from Business Development, HUB Zone and Government contracting to name a few.

The organization also helps businesses to deal with Advocacy and law related matters.

How do I get in touch with the Small Business Administration?

You can get in touch with them by visiting their website and calling up their number and speaking with an associate their. Apart from this the site has also got a local office locater which you can use to track down the office that is closest to you and then call them up, make an appointment and meet them in person.

I need helping in understanding business better?

While Small Business Administration takes care of loans and helps out people who have been turned down at other places for money, they also deal with a whole host of educational material and training programs. These training programs are aimed at people who want to learn more about the different functions of business.

What can I learn using SBA:

You will find resources that will help you to learn about the basics in starting up your business, such as understanding what are the various forms of ownership, checklists, understanding how franchise works and also knowledge about product basics.

Planning is an important aspect and you will be guided on things like writing a business plan, understanding what business you are in and the ways in which you are going to use this plan.

Financing is probably the most important part for without it the business will not take off. You will need to know where to look for capital, how to estimate costs and understand financial statements.

Small Business Administration also deals with education about marketing and the various forms of keeping your customers happy, conducting research and doing competitive analysis.

Employees will make or break your company and any help on finding the right people, what to pay them and what is needed to retain them is welcome.

Legal aspects like licenses and permits and business laws need the understanding of an expert and you would definitely seek some guidance in this area.

Taxes like State Tax, local tax , Sales and Use tax not only form a big part of your cost structure. If not handled carefully, it could get you on the wrong side of the law as well. It is therefore imperative to seek the utmost clarity here.

As is seen above when you are going to do your own business there is a host of things that you need to take care of and Small Business Administration can help you there, over and above getting the money for you to start off. What is important to keep in mind is that most entrepreneurs and business men are most of the times busy just scampering for funds that they lose track of most of the other things that happen and because of that, one thing or the other will go wrong and they will unfortunately have to repent later.

If you are managing a small business chances are that it’s a one man show and apart from planning and strategizing you have to do the running around after suppliers and authorities to get the necessary approvals etc. In such cases it is best to leverage on the experience of an organization like the Small Business Administration.

Starting a Small Business in 2013

The world of business is changing and the most significant cause of that change has come from the internet. Before the internet, if you were starting a small business, you would have to find physical premises, find staff, buy stock and invest in inventory to make your business work. You would also stay open as long as you possibly could for as many days as you possibly could in the effort to service your customers. But sooner or later you would have to go home, to see your family, have something to eat and sleep.But starting a small business on the internet has changed all this. You do not need a building to work from, as log as you have a computer and access to the internet you can start straight away. You do not have to buy stock or worry about how to supply it to your customers. Also, your online business can work for you whilst you are sleeping!This is possible with online affiliate marketing, where you sell products on behalf of a vendor and they pay you a commission when you sell the product or service to somebody. The vendor takes care of all of the product fulfilment and customer service and you can create automated systems that do all the selling work for you.So, you can look at starting a small business from home with affiliate marketing. The next step is to find a product or service that interests you. There are thousands of products available to sell online, the difficulty is often trying to decide which ones to pick!Staring a small business on the internet is very rewarding but basic business principals still apply:What is Your Reason For Starting a Small Business?Do not start a business because you don’t know what else to do. If you really want to do your own thing and you’re ready to go for it, then small business ownership can be the most frustrating and the most liberating business decision you’ll ever make. But make sure your reason for starting a small business is genuine or else when the going gets tough, you’ll will lose interest and give up.What Is Your Small Business Going To Do?If you are starting a small business, the internet has thousands of products that you can sell. The most important thing is to decide what type of product your business is going to sell. If your product range is too varied then it will be very difficult to get potential customers to trust your advice if, for example,one week you are selling lawn mowers and the next week it is foreign exchange advice.Create a Simple Business PlanThis does not have to be a huge thousand page document. It just needs to cover the simple facts that detail what you offer, who you’re targeting, how much you’ll charge and how you will make it happen.Who Is Your Customer?The more you can know your targeted client, the more focused your marketing efforts will be to reach them. You cannot please all the people all the time. Decide who is your ideal customer and then go and find them.How Much Will You Charge?The best way to work this is to ‘reverse engineer’ what you need to earn to make a reasonable living when starting a small business. How do these numbers break down monthly and weekly? How many products must you sell or how many clients will you need to bring in to meet those numbers?Get CustomersIf you don’t have customers you don’t have a business. The majority of your time and effort must focus on sales. Having a smart marketing plan to attract potential customers is your number one priority when starting a small business.Get EducatedWhether you are doing business online or offline, it is important to be continually educated on what is working now and what is not. For example, what are customers are looking for and how can you provide it to them? How can you get more customers and how can you get your existing customers to buy more from you? Providing yourself with the correct business training will speed up your success when starting a small business.

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Five Tips for Selling at Live Auctions

Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.

People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!

Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.

Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.

Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.

After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.

Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.

Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.

Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.

Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.

Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.

It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.

Tip 4: Present your items neatly.

No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.

There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.

While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.

Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.

The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.

Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.

If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.

Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!

The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.

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