FinditLocal411 Blog
June 29th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
 Consumer identity theft is the primary focus of many government investigations. However, an ages old identity theft problem is still being perpetrated on small businesses. Once called the bust-out jobs perpetrated by the mob, small business identity thefts have now reached areas like Michiana and are performed through cyberspace by characters unknown.
The Traditional Bust-out
An identity thief that moves into the same building as yours performs the bust-out or the address is “borrowed” and the mail rerouted to a P.O. box. The thief opens credit accounts in your name, spending money on items that are then resold or credit cards that are spent until they max out. More sophisticated criminals are able to take out loans on your business credit.
After the cards are maxed out and the loans default, the criminal is usually long gone. Bill collectors usually find you, the true owner to pick up the pieces. Business owners usually find out about the scheme at the same time that their real business is being shunted to court for collections.
Modern Business Identity Theft
Modern methods work just like the infamous bust-out. The business identity is stolen, however, without needing to move to a suite adjacent to the business. Instead, the thieves get to the information needed to snatch your business credit by hacking your computers and networks. Just a few key pieces of information are needed to complete a credit application, so it is important to be vigilant and spot the crime before the collections companies come calling.
Three Ways to Stop A Business ID Theft
- Pay attention to your mail. Companies will send correspondence to the physical address of the business. If you see something strange, like a newsletter for certain credit card holders (and you aren’t one) or mail welcoming you as a customer, take note and then pick up the phone to confirm.
- Check your credit. Contact the same credit reporting agencies that monitor personal credit. Along with agencies like Dunn & Bradstreet, they can determine if your credit has been breached. Place alerts or flags on the credit if possible.
- Keep your private information close. Do not throw away un-shredded sensitive materials, use firewalls and smart internet usage techniques and carefully screen employees to prevent hiring thieves.
In the event of a security breach, don’t forget that you must, by law, report the theft to your customers. They have a right to know when and if their personal information has been compromised.
Prevention
Prevention is best way to make sure these thefts are avoided. For additional methods for keeping your identity to yourself, read the following advice pieces.
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 am
To get you through the rough patches, while waiting on unemployment or finding a new job, a cash job may be a good option. They are temporary jobs that do not result in a paycheck, but cash paid at the end of the day or week. There are plenty of cash jobs available in Michiana. However, taking a cash job does not exempt you from reporting the income to your employment security agency and to the IRS at the end of the year.
Tourism Jobs
Michiana is an area where many people go away for the winter and come back in the summer. This provides many opportunities for cash jobs. Here are a few to consider:
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Babysitter/Nanny
Gardener
Housekeeper
Dog walker
House Sitter
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Caretaker
Mover
Companion
Caddy at Elbel Golf Course in Michiana
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You can find ads in area newspapers like The Herald Palladium, a publication that serves the the beach communities of St. Joseph’s & Benton Harbor. Also consider posting your own ads or signs in the area on Craigslist or other classified sites.
Labor and Scrap
Other jobs may present themselves in areas where the real estate economy has been hit hard by the recession. In these areas, developers are coming in and tearing down older homes to build new ones. This provides opportunities for day labor. A person with a truck can also earn cash by picking up scrap from these sites and turning it in for cash at the local recycling centers.
Extra Hands = Extra Cash
 Contact the organizers of large events around Michiana on setup day or up to a week before the event. These places always need extra hands in pitching tents, setting up tables, cleanup the area and even for parking during the event and cleanup afterward. The Michigan City In-Water Boat Show, for example, is an annual event that hires a handful of people before the event. They are hired as independent contractors, as is normal for day labor and paid when the job is done.
Reporting the Cash
You must report the money you receive, be it as cash or in check form, if you receive unemployment or any other form of public assistance. For unemployment, report these amounts on your weekly claim form. Failure to do so can result in loss of your benefits or even criminal charges of fraud.
When working for cash, remember that the job is only temporary. Continue your job search and unemployment reporting, with the cash payment included. Look at your cash job as a way to earn extra cash, a possible resume entry and a little change of pace from your job search routine.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Welcome to National Small Business Week! Each year since 1963, the President recognizes our nation’s small business and their owners with a week of keynote speakers, honors & awards, receptions and other events in Washington D.C.
This year’s Small Business Week comes at a great time for Michiana and Chicagoland small business owners, as our local economy is starting to swing upward with new jobs and companies popping up in the last few months.
Why Small Business?
Small business has received a great deal of attention in the past few years. As the presidential election of 2008 prodded along, citizens kept hearing that the economic recovery of America would come on Main Street, not Wall Street. This proclamation played out like a broken record until the message was clear: We must make small business a higher priority.
The Fabric of Our Communities
We’re talked about the importance of “Buying Local” on this blog before, but it bears repeating. For each purchase you make with a locally owned and operated organization, 73% of the capital stays within your local economy. If you shop for a new table at Target or Wal-Mart for example, only 43% of that purchase stays in your community. That’s a significant gap that could cost your town jobs and tax revenue. As expressed on the Small Business Week website, 60-80% of new jobs in the community are created by small businesses.
Small Businesses Thrive on Creativity
As Small Business Week has progressed, the message has been clear: Legislation and tax breaks can only go so far, creativity will win the day in this economy. It’s a message that has played out for decades, but today’s small business owners have a bounty of tools at their fingertips to promote their business.
 SEO
Search engine optimization has been around since the early 1990’s, but it has developed as a full fledged industry in the past 10 years. An effective SEO campaign helps small businesses compete with the big names for search engine referrals and online visibility.
Digital Marketing
Much like SEO, digital marketing on sites like FindItLocal411 helps your company reach audiences far outside the traditional audience of those in your surrounding geographic area. Online web-malls like the one we provide here at FindItLocal411 help small businesses sell products online when a personal Ecommerce site isn’t in the plans.
Small Business Year!
Let’s embrace the lessons learned during Small Business Week 2010 and carry them out throughout the year. The official delegation in Washington D.C. is honoring 27.2 million businesses this week, but there are even more in your community that deserve some recognition. Make sure you are supporting them and enjoy the week!
May 4th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Tis the season for tourism in Michiana. The boating, fishing and family vacation seasons kickoff each spring and last through the fall. The area offers many things for families, couples and people just looking for a getaway—from festivals and amusement parks to tournaments and natural landscapes, Michiana offers several options for tourists and opportunities to business owners with strong marketing campaigns.
Reaching Tourists
In a slow or recession-like economy, it is difficult to take time away from the business for some marketing. However, marketing is necessary during such an economy because the field is narrowed, making it is easier to reach consumers. Fortunately, there is a way to market your business without being at the office 24/7. To do so requires partnerships, materials and a faith in your business service offering (which shouldn’t be to hard to imagine, right?).
Using your Partnerships
Your partnerships with the local Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) can offer you an opportunity market your business across the local area. While your materials are traveling around the city or displayed next to festival booths, you can tend to your business, cutting the payroll costs.
The local CVB takes brochures, postcards, and even banners from local businesses display in their booths. The organization makes appearances at fairs, festivals, and gatherings all over your county. Your materials help the CVB attract tourists to the area. Meanwhile, you are connecting with the tourist industry in your area. The Chamber in many areas works in much the same way.
Getting Promotional Materials
Something as a small as a coupon or rack card can do wonders in advertising in your absence. A rack card is the size of a brochure, but is a two-sided flyer printed on glossy, heavy paper similar to that of a postcard. It has enough space to list your services, products, and even a menu. Depending on the type of graphics, colors and printer used, you can create rack cards inexpensively. You will need about a thousand to hand out yourself and through your partners and place at hotels in their “Tourism” rack.
Coupons, like those for Michiana Golf shown to the right, can be printed and mailed, or placed in the local newspaper or on your website. They can also be distributed during parades and festivals near your business.
Logo Exposure
Combine efforts with other businesses to create ads using your logos. This way, you are advertising at a third of a cost. Place such ads in event programs, special advertising flyers and on promotional products that can be distributed during large events.
A Little Bit of Marketing Each Day
Focus on nurturing your business, but do not stop the marketing. Put your business’s message and even your logo to work without leaving your business unattended. Tourist season in Michiana provides excellent opportunities for many businesses to get ahead with a little absentee marketing.
April 29th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Small business owners and job seekers are both looking for an income source. Fortunately, some of the tips meant for businesses fueled by profits can be used for individuals seeking work. One of those tips is decluttering. Outside of household spring-cleaning, de-cluttering can also do wonders to ads, websites, and even resumes. There are ways to spot the things that you should cut in order to find success.
Resumes
Tailor the resume to the job you are trying to get at the time. Cut the clutter in the resume, which includes the information about unrelated jobs, accomplishments, and references. For example, when applying for a job at a bakery, your work history in retail may be relevant to your skills as a cashier and in customer service. However, the detailed information on your stint as data entry clerk can be left out.
- Purge your list of family and friends who cannot attest to your work experience or skill.
- Cut the needless inflation of your job experience.
- Provide only the skills and objectives that talk more about your ability to exaggerate than your asset on the job.
A rule of thumb for resumes is to keep them to one page for unskilled and general labor jobs.
Websites
A customer cannot and will not patronize a site that is too complex. Many businesses try so hard to get the information out to their customers that they end up creating a site that is too cluttered to navigate. Fortunately, it is not hard to simplify.
- Condense your navigation buttons and give them general titles. Too many buttons can turn the page into a maze. Condense the information into buttons that are titled to cover all of the information on them. Use titles like “Services,” “Rates,” or “Amenities.”
- Place information on .pdf files or temporary pages that can be accessed on these newly condensed pages. Entitle the links so that the view can choose the information they need.
- Create an area that is for special notices, news or updates. Customers know to look at this area for new information. This will cut down on the banners, flashing images and other things that business owners tend to use to draw attention to certain information.
- Update the site regularly, removing outdated information.
- Seek feedback from users on navigability and use it!
Ads
Some of the best and most effective ads out there are simple. De-clutter your ads without losing their effectiveness.
- Plan your message. Know what you want to say before creating the ad in order to use your graphics and words efficiently.
- Use images to help the words. Some ads get to be too wordy. Pick images that help convey your message.
- Leverage your brand. Sometimes, the logo and a trusted slogan are all it takes to alert customers to your business.
This spring and summer, strike out on the road to success without the clutter that can prevent employers and customers from seeing what you or your business is really about.
April 8th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
In a January 2009 article, Newsweek Magazine coined the phrase “gigonomics” to describe the ever increasing trend toward a freelance workforce. Made up of so-called “giggers” who work by the project or gig, with no strings attaching them to one company, this emerging workforce was absorbing many of the newly unemployed. Today, several million people make up the freelance or “gigger” workforce, but millions more are searching for jobs that just aren’t available. So, how does one find a gig or freelance project?
Freelance Job Auctions
There are a number of sites that allow you to submit a bid for a job. In your bid is your price, experience, samples and a description of how you would complete the work and the length of time it would take to complete it. The employer chooses the bid or bids that best suits the project. The follow sites offer many job opportunities for writers, designers, computer programmers, data entry workers, editors and others.
Stock Photography
There are sites for photographers to get involved. These portals are a place where graphic designers and photographers can post their work for sale to web designers, publishers and advertisers. Customers pay for the right to use the images. You, the creator/photographer, receive a royalty calculated on the types of use. Most are operated on a system of credits. Buyers purchase credits based on the size and type of file needed. You earn a set dollar amount or percentage of the credit. If you’re looking for ways to sell your pictures or designs, check out:
Freelance Classifieds
Find everything from walk-on movie roles to hair modeling gigs on Craigslist in the “Gigs” section. Look at sites like Online Writing Jobs, Sologig.com and iFreelance.com for writing, design, coding, data entry and more. These sites and others like them are classifieds for the gigger nation. Sometimes you can find a long-term project here after you build a working relationship with the company or individual, but the majority are one time or temporary gigs.
Take Care
Remember to watch out for scams, which abound in the freelance job industry. Some sites like Guru, elance and iFreelance charge a fee for full membership. However, a certain amount of bids or job posts is open to anyone for free. Do not pay for a service until you have deemed it cost effective and your getting the proper return on your investment. For example, a basic membership to Guru.com is $130 that you pay quarterly. It is cost effective to pay this fee if you have received enough work to profit after the fees. Otherwise, use the free account.
Welcome to the gigonomic workforce. Get out there and find that first project!
April 6th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Small business owners and freelancers alike must make their website a marketing asset. There are many websites that are underutilized. In a time when budgets are tight and businesses are fighting to survive, using a website as a marketing tool (as well as information provider) is even more important. Here are some inexpensive Do-It-Yourself tips for fully utilizing your website without shelling out the cash for a web-marketing guru.
Add a Page for Products or Services
Give people the opportunity to buy online. If needed, use the templates offered by your web hosting service. Upload good, clear photos of your products, against white backdrops. Write short descriptions that entice the shopper, but also tell what the product does. Keep these very short—one or two lines.
Add a price and a PayPal or credit card payment link. (Set up a Pay Pal account if your don’t already have one. It is a great financial service for both customers and businesses). Pay Pal and your web hosting service has the tools to make the checkout function operate without your input. Just wait for the email that announces a sale.
Send E-coupons with Discounts and a Web Link
Use your customer contact list or guest book entries as a mailing list. Send out emails that invite customers to visit your site. FindItLocal411 sends email blasts with coupons and new business postings regularly. Emails cost nothing to send and should be used as much as possible in an appropriate manner. Include a code that will allow them to take a discount or got through PayPal to discount the prices on certain items for specific time periods. You can even do you own Internet doorbuster sale by announcing a specific time period during which your products will be discounted. Send out emails and place large font banners on your site about the event.
Link Those Social Networking Accounts
Link your Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook accounts. Update the status with specials and info about your products or links to the site. Also, link these sites to your blog with plugins or regularly posted hyperlinks. This way, you will become a curator of news around your site and be able to control the message that you set in front of customers, clients, etc.
Blog About It
Use your blog to offer tips to customers, talk about current events in your industry or to just talk about the business. Use certain key words frequently and mark them as meta tags for the blog entry. First time bloggers should use a service like WordPress, as it is easy to learn on. Wordpress blogs also easily link to your website — study their wealth of plugins for any “link” related ideas you have. Their platform allows for easily customizable layouts and formats.
Update Frequently
Update the website and the blog frequently to keep the content fresh. Ad featured items to the home page that change daily or weekly. Change headings and experiment with fonts. Add pages of info or fun activities. There is no cost but the time you spend, so make the site your own. Also, note any changes in traffic and clickthroughs as you make these changes. These might reflect your readership’s tendencies and inclination to click through on your next post.
Your Personal Town Crier
The Internet is today’s version of the town crier. You can send out a message to hundreds of people with a click of a button. It will take you some time to perfect a message and to gather a strategy. However, in no time you will have access to the largest, most inexpensive marketing machine.
April 1st, 2010 at 11:41 am
The Unemployment debate is fit for a straight jacket. Each day brings more news of flip flopping benefits for the unemployed. With all of the crazy things that have been going on in the past month, and those that will be going on over the next few months, you are probably wondering where you can get the most accurate unemployment information possible.
Don’t believe the rumors that your neighbor may be telling you, or the hearsay you heard while you were in line at the grocery store. Most information that you hear in manners such as these are usually a product of the rumor mill and carries plenty of inaccurate information that can result in misguided decision making.
Go Where the Pros Go
The most accurate unemployment information can be found through your local unemployment office. You can either stop by and talk to them in person, or even call them on the phone. Don’t rule out the possibility of finding the information that you need or want to know through visiting their website or even the state unemployment program’s website.
Here are some Unemployment Websites in our area:
Yes, at this point in time there is a possibility the Federal government will no longer be providing unemployment benefits past a certain date in March to many unemployed citizens. And, if you are continuing to receive payments, they will soon be stopped as well. However, there are other legislative debates occurring that may extend these benefits. If we are going to see anything about whether the many United States citizens are going to be able to continue receiving unemployment extended benefits, it will be in the next few days or in the next couple of weeks.
In a current state of financial crisis that the American society is facing, unemployment benefits and other unemployment information is important to the future of many families.
Jobs are scarce. If you are are trying your darndest to find work, but can’t seem to find any employment, make sure you consult your local Unemployment Office.
March 30th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome one of our newest clients, MutualBank to the FindItLocal411 community. If you’d like a feature written on your local business, please email us at info@fil411.com.
The credit crunch has left many small businesses in the dust over the past year and a half. Many reports coming out show that funds have been hard to come by whether businesses are seeking startup financing, seed money, construction & development loans, etc. As more of the national banks have tightened their loan policies, it’s important for our local banks to step up. Michiana’s own MutualBank is a great example of a bank looking to help the small business community.
Business Perspective
When looking for your next business loan, it’s important to find a bank with experience and a history of full service offerings. Business lending is a very technical field wherein a history of working with businesses can help owners overcome financial and business obstacles. MutualBank offers a full line of business lending options to provide clients and companies with a complete business perspective.
Here are some services you should look for in your business-lending bank:
- Lines of Credit – Working capital to properly manage your cash.
- Equipment Financing – Flexible loan options working with your cash flow to finance equipment, machinery or other capital needs.
- Commercial Real Estate Loans – Flexibility in interest rate options or terms that provide your business with the necessary capital to expand current locations.
- Lease Options – Leasing allows business owners to keep pace with the ever-changing technology without straining their everyday cash flow. And depending on your tax adviser, these lease may be fully tax deductible.
- Construction and Development Loans – These options serve construction companies and those looking to build additions to their current structures.
- Online Banking – As any small business owner knows, the work never stops. There’s always something more to do, so make sure your business has online banking options.
Small Business Loans
Small businesses are intertwined with their communities unlike the national chains. Money spent at local small businesses stays within the community. It is for this reason that regional or citywide banks like MutualBank specialize in small business financing and loans.
MutualBank counsels clients on the best SBA loan for each individual business. They are also an approved Small Business Association (SBA) Express lender, allowing quick and timely loans. Community banks like MutualBank help local economies grow and develop by meeting the goals and needs of businesses.
Getting Started
If you are in the Michiana area and looking for more information regarding a small business loan, check out the MutualBank “Getting Started” page. If you are outside the Michigan/Indiana region, make sure to find a hometown bank in your area. Remember, your small business is the backbone of America’s recovery!
March 11th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
 Let’s face it, the business goes on despite the slowdown. Your office furniture and equipment remains functional as well. These business necessities don’t heed the slow economy. However, your equipment budget does. Many small business owners are finding themselves in need of new office furniture and equipment and without the funds to buy new. The ones who have the budget are hesitant to make the expenditures because no one knows what turn the economy may make next. Fortunately, there’s a solution.
Furnishing A Business the Unconventional Way
As past generations have learned, in an economic downturn, one must get creative. Here are five ways to find furniture and equipment for your business at a fraction of the original price.
1 – Government Surplus
The U.S. Government Surplus Agency or GSA will become your best-kept secret. This is the agency that takes all of the seized property (equipment, vehicles, real estate, etc.), overstock, and leftover items (from an upgrade or renovation of a government office) to sell to the public. The GSA holds auctions similar to eBay. You must register, but anyone can buy from the GSA auctions—from private citizens to corporations.
One thing to remember, however, is that you may have to pick up the larger items after the auction, so try to bid only on local items and read the fine print. The GSA sells everything from large lots of desk chairs to a gross of printers. The auction all start at fraction of the cost. See www.gsa.gov for more information.
2 – Craigslist
We all know that you get just about anything on Craigslist. Very few think to look to the site for business equipment. You must look at the items carefully, but one can find office furnishings here and eclectic pieces that would work well in an office setting.
3 – Wholesale Furniture Dealers
Wholesalers buy equipment and furniture straight from the manufacturer in order to sell to the public. Their prices are much lower on new items because the distributor and retailer are out of the purchase process. However, an inspection of the items is necessary before buying as wholesalers often buy “irregular” items to sell at a discount. Look for wholesalers who sell items leftover from hotel and restaurant renovations. They may call themselves liquidators.
4 – Bankruptcy Auctions
Another option is the bankruptcy auction. Businesses sell of their assets at auction in order to liquidate per court order. This is an opportunity for you to find a bargain. You’ll find most auctions in the legal section of your newspaper.
5 – eBay
 Yes, eBay!
It is the best place to find a bargain. Look for wholesale lots, furniture, and equipment that are pickup only. These often sell at lower price and have the least bidders because online buyers rarely want to pickup anything.
As you would any item purchased for the business, check for signs of extreme wear and test the item before you take it to your business. Only eBay offers safeguards against buying items that do not work according to the ad. The others usually have a no return policy.
Your search may take some time, but it will be well worth the savings when you get a replacement desk that cost your pennies on the retail dollar.
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