Government and Economy
Taxing Financiers to Close `Unfair Loopholes'
President Obama is turning yet again to financiers as a source of tax revenue to plug holes in his budget and what he sees as gaps in the tax code itself. Bloomberg.com
Small Business and Middle Class Tax Relief Plan Unveiled
The Obama administration has unveiled its long-awaited proposal for approximately $736 billion in tax cuts for middle class families and almost $100 billion in tax cuts for small businesses, all over the next ten years. Forbes.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · May 12 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
White House Predicts Zero Job Growth This Year
Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, expects the GDP to begin growing in the fourth quarter of this year, but she also expects unemployment to rise after the economy turns, saying the GDP must grow at 2.5% before unemployment improves. NYTimes.com
Intense Bargaining Earns Banks Stress Test Concessions
After two weeks of intense negotiations, the Fed scaled back the size of the capital hole facing some of the nation's biggest banks shortly before concluding its stress tests, using a measurement of bank-capital levels that resulted in much smaller capital...
By Charles M Cooper · May 11 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from Friday, May 8, 2009
The Small Business tips today will be about tracking the results of your advertising, it’s absolutely fundamental to your success.
Coupons and offers with different codes for different runs or medias will help you find which ads and which route will do best for you.
In testing different offers, headlines, copy and design, save money: test ads on less expensive media; cheaper newspapers, smaller ads, etc.
Record how many calls from each ad come in. Use a phone extension even if you don't have one. It's a great way to track each ad.
You can also track by asking for your customer's zip code or phone number. This will tell you the demographic return.
Daily Overview: If you don't track your customer response rate, you will never know what is really working, and where you are just throwing your money away.
By Kim Fenolio · May 08 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, Advertising
Government and Economy
Obama's Budget: The Picture of Austerity?
President Obama defended the $17 billion in cuts he’s making in his record-breaking $3.55 trillion budget, deflecting criticism and trying to make the case that his budget in an exercise in restraint. Politico.com
Climate Czar Talks Cap-and-Trade With CEOs
White House climate “czar,” Carol Browner, is set to meet with executives from companies seeking more business-friendly rules to the President's proposed cap-and-trade legislation. Bloomberg.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · May 08 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Obama Doubles Tax Law Enforcement Budget
President Obama has proposed a near doubling of the funds to enforce U.S. tax laws next year, with an aim of more than quadrupling funding for tax compliance to $2.1 billion within five years. Reuters.com
Stress Test: Banks Need More Money, Taxpayers May Not Have to Pay
True, the stress tests show that the banks need more funds, but that does not necessarily mean they will get that money from the government as the Obama administration is suggesting that the rescue money that Congress has already approved will be enough to fill the gaps. NYTimes.com
By Charles M Cooper · May 07 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from Wednesday, May 5, 2009
The Small Business tips today will be about direct mail: an immediate response media – people either respond or trash immediately.
To succeed w/ direct mail advertising, you will have to be aggressive. Don’t forget you have to sell. List benefits, ask for the sale.
Be aggressive with descriptive writing. Be graphic. Be visual.
Biggest benefit you offer that makes you different from competition: unique selling position. Make it stand out so that YOU stand out.
The REAL key to success: testing. Test each part until you find the best possible combination that achieves the highest profit.
Daily Overview: The only thing that counts with direct mail advertising in the end is the response rate. Sell. Test. Test. Sell.
By Kim Fenolio · May 06 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, Advertising
Government and Economy
That State of Small Business in America
Last week, CEO of Network Solutions Roy Dunbar hosted a webinar with small business experts Kristina Bouweiri, Anita Campbell, Tom Heath, Kelly Muccio and Surfy Rahman. They discussed the state of small businesses in the US and what SMB owners could do right now to increase sales and here are the insights they shared. SmallBizTrends.com
Management and Financial Issues
Survey: Small Businesses Turning Away From Green Initiatives
According to a Wells Fargo/Gallup Survey, one-third of small business owners say that the recession has changed their plans to make their businesse...
By Charles M Cooper · May 06 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Velazquez: Give Small Business a Break on Cap and Trade
Small businesses need rebates to ease the higher energy costs that may result from capping carbon dioxide emissions, the chairwoman of House Small Business Committee wrote today to the Democratic sponsors of the cap and trade legislation. Bloomberg.com
Small Business Credit Continues to Tighten—Just Not by as Much
According to the Fed’s quarterly survey of senior bank loan officers, banks are still—for the tenth quarter in a row—tightening credit standards for small businesses, but not to the d...
By Charles M Cooper · May 05 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
