You’ve seen toll free numbers on television advertisements, in the phone book, on billboards… but maybe you’re not exactly sure what they are for or how they work.  This should help you get a better understanding:
A toll free number allows people to make phone calls without paying any fees for the call.  So if you dial a toll free number, no matter where the location of the recipient is, you will not be charged for the call.
Charges for toll free calls are billed to the toll free subscriber- the owner of the toll free telephone number, and are often a business or a non-profit organization.  It is possible for an individual to have a toll free number as well; you … (more)

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Internet marketers and small businesses often have a need to get creative with their advertising methods.  One of the most effective methods of advertising involves a two or three stage process.  In other words, you aren’t trying to “sell” on your first contact with your potential customers.
In fact, people rarely buy on their first contact with a company, and this is almost guaranteed for online businesses.  Most people will not buy on their first visit to your website, which is why it is important to give them a reason to return to your site more than once!  Many people achieve this with an ongoing newsletter, and send out regular articles and information to their subscribers, which when done correctly, has … (more)

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If you’ve got the opportunity to travel out of the country, you don’t have to put your business on hold.  Of course, there are computers and internet access just about anywhere you’d be interested in going; so you’re never too far from email access.  This is a terrific way to keep in touch even if you’re out of the country for extended periods of time.
If you want to be able to accept phone calls, you are in luck!  As long as you have access to a telephone while traveling (whether it’s a cell phone or your hotel phone number, or your friends phone number, etc!) you can still receive business related phone calls- as well as personal calls- from a … (more)

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While big corporations typically spend a large chunk of their budgets on advertising, it’s not necessary to have that kind of cash flow to get your business in front of your prospective customers.  Here are several ideas you can use for marketing your small business, and most of them are around $10 bucks.  If they work for you- then obviously you want to continue them; and if they don’t, try making a slight modification or adjustment to what you’ve done and trying it again- this is the trick to measuring your results.  Make one small change at a time and then monitor the results of the change.
Give-a-ways
A time tested marketing technique is to give something away when a customer orders … (more)

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Not all businesses require a ton of disposable cash and a master’s degree to start.  In fact, there are hundreds of businesses you could actually start in a day or two, and as the business grows use the income to expand the business with some marketing.  Some businesses cost more to start than others, but if you have the courage and are willing to do just a little research and go for it- you could be in business for yourself as soon as tomorrow.
First, all businesses need a way to be contacted.  You can use your home telephone or your existing cell phone, but better would be to get a number that is specific to your new business.  A toll … (more)

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It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in business for a year or several years; or if you’re just coming up with the idea to have a business: all businesses should have a well written business plan.  You don’t necessarily need to have the traditional, 35 page business plan that follows a very specific format; but having an outline of your basic business goals and plans is necessary to the ongoing success of your company.  Why?
A business plan provides direction.  Whether it’s a solo-operated business or you have a few employees, having a business plan helps everyone work towards a single purpose and goal.  A business plan forces you to define your company’s goals and create your own competitive advantage- what … (more)

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Still trying to advertise your business on a shoe string budget?  Here is an effective and easy marketing campaign you can implement for little money- and it has the potential for very big results.
If you try this around the holidays, you may experience a higher rate of response but it may depend upon your specific business and the products or services that you offer.  What you want to do is find an inexpensive service that will let you create postcards.  I like Vistaprint.com because you have full control over the creation of your post cards, can use several fonts and add clip art and other graphics for reasonable prices.  If you want, you can upload your logo and fully customize … (more)

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Non profit organizations are almost always struggling to pay their expenses.   They’re intent is to spread the word about a charity, or help a group of people or another organization (like the environment, humane society, children, etc) and whatever money the non profit brings in is put back out to support their cause or pay their expenses for operating. 
Non profit organizations are operating often at minimum financial levels; making just enough to get by and very little else, as that is the nature of an organization that isn’t functioning to make a profit. What usually happens is the person in charge of sending out payments waits until the last possible second, hoping to get some more money in from donations … (more)

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Small business owners are busy, there is no doubt about it. Often, the owner of a small business is also the prime employee- carrying out the day to day operations and business functions. At the end of the day, the last thing you want to do is think about marketing or writing newsletters.
But that’s exactly what you should be thinking about. Even if you are enjoying a busy season now, if you don’t keep up with the marketing, you could wake up one day soon and realize you don’t have any work lined up.
Any study will tell you that it is far less expensive to keep an existing customer than to find a new one. You … (more)

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There are virtually countless ways to use a toll free number for personal or business purposes.  Here we will give you five ways to use a toll free number that you may not have thought about before now!
1.    Give your college students a way to call home for free.  When your teenagers grow up and go away to college, the last thing you want to worry about is whether they have enough money in their pocket or a calling card available if they need to call home!  Setting up a toll free number that forwards to your home phone or cell phone will give your away from home students a no-cost way to call home whenever they need to, and … (more)

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