(Columns appear on CD-ROM
in both Word and Rich Text formats organized by identification number)
SBC-1. Playing to the Tough Audience
How to tell your family you want to be in business…A realistic look at communicating your vision to your family. How to address their concerns and gain their support.
SBC-2. Values are your Business
Owning your own business can mean being true to yourself. The values-driven entrepreneur – combining personal goals and a career. Is it for you? Key considerations to guide you as you begin your journey.
SBC-3. Creating a Real Business Plan for Your Business
A guide to creating a sound business plan. A description of the five areas that should be covered, along with helpful hints.
SBC-4. When is it Wise to Incorporate?
What is an “incorporated” company? The benefits and drawbacks of incorporating, as well as points to consider when making the decision.
SBC-5. Should Your Business be Home-Based?
A look at issues to consider when planning a home-based business. Is it right for you and your business?
SBC-6. Networking for Fun and Profit
Who can use networking. Building your networking function and designing your networking strategy.
SBC-7. A Word to the Wise about Partnerships
Is a partnership right for you? What to consider when creating a partnership and drafting a partnership agreement.
SBC-8. Inventors Can Protect Their Product Ideas
What is intellectual property? How to register ownership, file for patent or copyright, purchase the patent, and protect it.
SBC-9. Making Employees Owners: A Trend in the New Millennium
What a small business should know regarding the benefits and drawbacks when considering selling ownership to it’s employees.
SBC-10. Stress Busters for Entrepreneurs
The 10 steps the entrepreneur can take to alleviate business stress and get the magic back again.
SBC-11. Market Research the Key to Success
Market research is the key to success or failure. What every entrepreneur should know about the marketplace.
SBC-12. Seeking the Market Niche
What characteristics the would-be entrepreneur should be looking for when developing a client base for their product.
SBC-13. Vacation Tips for the Home-based Entrepreneur
How to recognize the symptoms of “Vacation-phobia.” Steps the family can take to cure their vacation-phobic.
SBC-14. Women Entrepreneurs Make the Grade
The success rate of women in small business compared to men – the strategies that make them successful.
SBC-15. Scoping Out the Competition
What are the signs of a highly competitive market? How the small business entrepreneur can choose a market niche they are able to handle.
SBC-16. The Secrets to Finding a Business Opportunity
Learn how to find a viable business opportunity by getting statistics and plotting the business cycle to find the stage of growth of that opportunity. Know when to jump in and when to walk away.
SBC-17. Successful Selling
Included are successful selling techniques as well as interesting selling links in the Internet.
SBC-18. Time-Management for Home-Based Businesses
Time-management is the most critical issue facing the home-based entrepreneur. Included are techniques to contribute to a successful home-based business.
SBC-19. When Bigger Isn’t Necessarily Better
What is the “big Business” philosophy? The micro-marketers recipe for success over the big business philosophy.
SBC-20. The Challenge of Marketing Services: Making it Real
(The First of a Three-Part Series)
The selling of services – the intangible product. Basic rules to follow to make it easier on yourself and the consumer.
SBC-21. The Challenge of Marketing Services: Timing is Everything
(The Second of a Three-Part Series)
The bane of the consumer is the line-up. Helpful hints on how to reduce line-ups and speed up the service.
SBC-22. The Challenge of Marketing Services: Impression Management
(The Last of a Three-Part Series)
The importance of the service provider making a good impression on the customer.
Keeping what the customer sees (front) separate from what the staff sees (back).
SBC-23. Planning For Succession
What to do with your business should you retire or pass away. How to select your successor.
SBC-24. The Saga of Banks: Seeking Financing for Small Business
Discusses what the banks are looking for when financing a small business. Suggestions on how to prepare yourself for meeting with a bank.
SBC-25. Creative Networking
What is networking? Lists the rules of etiquette for networking.
SBC-26. Seeking Advice From Others
Discusses the four key areas that require assessment should you have an invention to market.
SBC-27. Planning for Year Two
The five key areas that the entrepreneur should evaluate after the first year of business to help ensure long-term growth and success.
SBC-28. Building Relationships: The Evolution of Marketing
A brief history of marketing with the focus on database and one-to-one marketing in today’s business environment.
SBC-29. Evaluating the Performance of Staff
The importance of performance evaluations. How to use the job description as performance goals to enhance the company and the workforce.
SBC-30. Parenting and the Home-Based Business
Issues that should be carefully considered before entering into the obligation of a home-based business.
SBC-31. Young Entrepreneurs Make a Difference
A profile of young entrepreneurs – Generation X – college and high schools students.
SBC-32. Choosing the Right Product
Looks at the three different approaches to the market place and discusses which is the most effective.
SBC-33. The Toll-Free Advantage
Discusses the use of toll-free numbers and call centres for everything from customer service to sales.
SBC-34. Finding the Right Opportunity
How to select the right kind of business for you. Taking inventory of what you have to offer a business as well as what the business has to offer you.
SBC-35. Franchising is Here to Stay
A brief history of the franchise, as well as how it fits into today’s world and will it have continued future growth.
SBC-36. Broadcast Advertising for Small Business
Information you need to know when buying media advertising. Tips on how to stretch your dollar when advertising on television or radio.
SBC-37. Keeping the Spirit Alive in Small Business
The effects of isolation on self-employed individuals. How to get out of the office and fulfill your personal and business needs.
SBC-38. Be Sure to Inform, Not to Mislead
Pitfalls to avoid when planning promotional strategies. How to avoid creating ill will for your business.
SBC-39. Keeping the Joy in Your Business
What to do when the new becomes old and tired. Three causes of business angst and how to overcome them.
SBC-40. Equal but Different: Management Styles of Male and Female Business Owners
Understanding the two management styles – what works best now and what will work best in the future.
SBC-41. Seven Deadly Sins that can Kill Your Business
The seven most common reasons businesses fail and how to avoid them.
SBC-42. Are Venture Capitalists Right for Your Business?
What is a venture capitalist? What they are looking for and what you need to know before approaching a venture capitalist.
SBC-43. Finding the Right Bait
The importance of the benefits statement when attempting to sell your product.
SBC-44. Consumer Trends You Need to Know
A look at four major trends that are changing the way businesses market their products and services.
SBC-45. The New Generation Gap Leads to a Potpourri of Marketing Opportunities
A look at the different generations of today’s consumers. What they are buying and how they are buying it.
SBC-46. Increasing Revenue the Easy Way
The importance of the share-of-customer marketing strategy – cross-selling to existing customers.
SBC-47. Benchmarking the Path to Success
What is benchmarking? How to use benchmarking as part of your strategic process to give you the competitive edge.
SBC-48. It Takes Spirit
The entrepreneurial spirit – what does it mean?
SBC-49. Writing Direct Mail Letters that Work
Advice on what to do to have a highly effective direct mail campaign.
SBC-50. The Social Stigma of Being an Entrepreneur
The necessity of the entrepreneur having a social life away form the business environment.
SBC-51. Canadian Women Capitalize on Export Opportunities
Results of a Canadian study of export development by female-owned businesses.
SBC-52. Anyone Can be a Millionaire
Concentrating on the selling process to make your company grow.
SBC-53. Learning to Share: Building the Team
A diversified management team is a tremendous advantage. Issues to consider when building your team.
SBC-54. What is a Unique Selling Proposition?
How to use the USP to increase sales and help you manage your business more effectively.
SBC-55. Big or Small? What Does Your Future Hold?
The pros and cons of either launching a big company or starting a small business.
SBC-56. Ideas are the Easy Part
How to get the idea out of your head and into the marketplace. What you need to know before speaking with industry experts.
SBC-57. Keeping Stakeholders Happy
What investors are looking for in a new business. What you can do to make your business venture more attractive to investors.
SBC-58. Using the Telephone as a Business Tool
How the telephone can work effectively for your business in a number of ways.
SBC-59. Let Your Children Learn About Entrepreneurial Success
How to teach your children the fundamentals of being an entrepreneur and have fun while doing it.
SBC-60. Growing Your Business
How to “grow” the customers you already have to increase your company’s revenues.
SBC-61. The Realistic Entrepreneur
Advice to the entrepreneur about their personal financial needs while starting up a new business.
SBC-62. The Business of the Future: Networking
Networking – the growth industry of the future. Joining networking clubs and organizations.
SBC-63. Separating Fantasy From Reality
Be realistic when you decide to buy into a business. Advice regarding franchising, licensing, and multi-level marketing businesses.
SBC-64. Troubleshooting the Marketing Plan
Looking to the marketing plan when there is a drop in sales or profitability to diagnose the cause and reverse the trend.
SBC-65. Deciding to Export
Discusses the three key areas to being export-ready – capacity, attitude and risk.
SBC-66. Don’t Drive Your Customers Away
Tips on how to become a customer-oriented company as opposed to a product-oriented company.
SBC-67. Educating Entrepreneurs
The changing role of the education system – training students to become entrepreneurs.
SBC-68. The Expansion Question
The challenges faced when expanding your business to a second location.
SBC-69. Start-Up Information for the New Entrepreneur
The importance of conducting a feasibility study in order to design an accurate business plan.
SBC-70. Redefining the Small Business
Debunking myths about small businesses and their entrepreneurial owners.
SBC-71. The Millennium Shopper
Focuses on the typical customer and what they are looking for in the new millennium.
SBC-72. Creating a Customer Database for the Small Business
The database as a highly effective tool to maximize competitive superiority and increase profits.
SBC-73. Become Your Own Sales Manager
How to arrange meeting with potential clients, make the presentation and close the sale.
SBC-74. The Distribution Decision
How to get your product to the customer while meeting their expectations at a reasonable cost.
SBC-75. Selling Solutions
The Shifting trends in the sales process – from the one time sale to relationship building.
SBC-76. The Reluctant Entrepreneur
Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur, but not sure if it’s right for you? Tips on places to go and who to speak with.
SBC-77. Avoid Becoming Just Another “Shampoo”
How to keep your product from becoming a commodity. What to do if your product is a commodity.
SBC-78. Fighting the Price War
Can a price war work for your firm? Some words of caution before going into battle.
SBC-79. If You Don’t Care What the Kids Think, Maybe You Should Think Again
The importance of asking kids what kids want. Methods on how to reach them.
SBC-80. Tackling the Global Market
The world market looks good from the centre of the universe. Why the greatest growth opportunities lie beyond Canadian borders.
SBC-81. Keeping Priorities Straight
Keeping a balance in your life to allow time for family and friends as well as time for yourself.
SBC-82. Keeping the Faith
Some “tricks” to help you maintain a positive attitude in spite of what may be going on around you.
SBC-83. Predicting the Future
Predicting sales trends. How to gather information from reliable sources and update it for your present use.
SBC-84. The Need to Own a Business
Motivations for you to have your own business, based on the theories of Abraham Maslow.
SBC-85. When Less is More: Serving the Discount Market
The discount market – the underserved market. What the discount shopper is looking for.
SBC-86. Linking Quality of Life to Business Success
The secret to keeping employees happy and motivated while increasing customer service, productivity and profits.
SBC-87. Turning Stakeholders into Allies
How to keep the many parties who have an impact on your business on your side.
SBC-88. Making Meetings Count
The meeting plan – how to decrease the amount of time spent in meetings while increasing their productivity.
SBC-89. Don’t Let Guilt Undermine Your Business
Guilt creates dysfunctional stress in business. Solutions on how to control guilt- based stress.
SBC-90. Reducing your Customer’s Risk Increases Sales
Breathe new life into your company’s sales by offering a good risk-reducer to your customers.
SBC-91. Multilevel Marketers Make a Difference
A snapshot of how multilevel marketers has had an incredible impact on merchandising in Canada and around the world.
SBC-92. Millennium-Proofing Your Business Strategy
How to upgrade your business plan for the new millennium.
SBC-93. Canadianizing Your Business Search
Canadian franchise buyers should beware investing in franchises that work well south of the border.
SBC-94. Selling Over the Phone
The art of utilizing telemarketing effectively to reach small business customers.
SBC-95. The SOHO Revolution
The small-office-home-office market is impacting the business market with changing demographics and dynamic sales opportunities.
SBC-96. Redesigning Marketing for the Millennium
Using the 11 “C’s” to provide for the development of relationships with customers, resulting in added value.
SBC-97. The Changing Face of Marketing
How to compete with a larger firm in relationship selling.
SBC-98. Become a Dot-Com Entrepreneur
Building your website – how to make your business website attractive and lucrative.
SBC-99. Finding Your Way in the Chinese Market: Canada’s New Growth Market
The Chinese language is quickly outpacing French as Canada’s second-most spoken language – is your firm ready to meet this new opportunity?
SBC-100. Is Business in Moral Decay?
Ethics isn’t just a problem for big business – small business also needs to be concerned.
SBC-101. What it Really Means to be an Entrepreneur
What it is that motivates the entrepreneur to become an entrepreneur.
SBC-102. Expanding Your Business
Several ways to expand your business including pitfalls to watch out for.
SBC-103. To Franchise, or Not?
Business in a box – the pros and cons of buying a franchise. Is it right for you?
SBC-104. Spring Cleaning
A revitalization of yourself, your staff and your business.
SBC-105. The Business Kit
Developing a sound franchise package. What to include and making sure it works.
SBC-106. The “Y” Generation: New Opportunity for Small Business
Selling to the “Y” Generation – Who they are and what they are looking for.
SBC-107. Matchmaking Your Way to Business Success
Specialized consultants who work to find you qualified leads for your business. Should you use a matchmaker?
SBC-108. Try Focusing on Customer-Share, Not Market-Share
Increase your share of your customer by allowing them to have a direct role in “custom-ordering” the nature of the services they want.
SBC-109. What if Price Doesn’t Matter?
The problems faced when you make the price of your product your greatest asset.
SBC-110. A New Trend in Distribution: The “Un” Channel
The time has come for all companies to consider adding some direct marketing to their distribution system.
SBC-111. Spamming Your Way to Distress
Problems that can arise from spamming – the act of sending unsolicited advertising email to individuals with email accounts.
SBC-112. The Email Press Release: Harnessing Publicity for Your Firm
Rules of the email press release. The right way to get your press release published.
SBC-113. The Hi-Tech World of Instant Gratification
A brief look at some of the technological lingo in the retail system.
SBC-114. A New Way of Viewing Your Market Relationships
Relationship segmentation is an effective means of developing a loyal customer base and enhancing profitability.
SBC-115. Deciding on a Brand Name
What’s in a brand name? What a good brand name can do for your company.
SBC-116. Down But Not Out: Distribution for the Small Business
What you can do to overcome obstacles that tie up your distribution network.
SBC-117. Cutting Your Risk in the New Product Market
Examples of what can go wrong when introducing a new product. Five areas that impact the way new customers adopt new products.
SBC-118. Making Advertising Work for You
Failing to advertise can cost you valuable market opportunities.
SBC-119. Are We Doing a Good Job Serving the Golden Market?
A look at some special considerations to keep in mind when marketing to seniors.
SBC-120. Does Legislation Really Help?
Discusses legislation and how it affects both you and your customer.
SBC-121. Expanding Your Small Business
Looks at the choices of either starting a new company or restructuring your old company when considering a new marketing opportunity.
SBC-122. Tips for Running a Lean Business
Great ideas for keeping costs down from start-up through to profitability in your business.
SBC-123. Creating a Winning Export Strategy
The results of a government study showing five strategic approaches for exporters.
SBC-124. Starting a New Business From an Old Job
The ethical and legal concerns about using your job to launch your new business.
SBC-125: What Makes the Quebec Market So Special?
The French Canadian market in Quebec presents a unique market opportunity for a creative small business owner.
SBC-126. Accomplishing Business and Community Goals at the Same Time
Support of local non-profit groups can lead to both public and private benefits.
SBC-127. Using Direct Mail Marketing Effectively
A direct mail campaign can be a highly effective marketing tool for your small business.