Every week I conduct interviews with experts on #SmallBizChat. In honor of my 200th episode of my Twitter talk show, the tables have been turned and my co-host Amanda Miller Littlejohn, decided that my fans might want to hear from me. #Smallbizchat takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my interview on branding and social media marketing. Don’t forget to grab a copy of my latest ebook How to Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online and join my #Smallbizchat group on LinkedIn to get even more information on building a strong business brand online.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What is the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when it comes to branding their business?

Melinda Emerson: The biggest problem small business owners have is they market their brand too broadly.  If everyone can use your product or service, no one will. Don’t be generic with your small business; be specific in your branding. Your message must speak to your target customer. Your brand should say what you and your business are all about. I’m @SmallBizLady and my mission is to end small business failure.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: Can a business be marketed effectively without a strong brand?

Melinda Emerson: I do not think a small business stands a chance without a strong brand. Keep in mind your brand is everything you do. How you dress, who answers your phone, are you always late. Your brand is also your website, which is your welcome mat into your small business. You must make sure it’s tight and helpful.  Check out a recent article I wrote for the New York Times on having a strong website.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What steps should entrepreneurs take to identify and define their brand?

Melinda Emerson:  First, they need to define their target customer. Then, they need to carve out a specific niche and secret sauce to stand out. The niche can be geographical, product specific, or it can be based on a segment of your target customer. If your target is audience is women, drill it down because that is not specific enough. It can be tween girls, young adults, single moms, professional women, soccer moms or baby-boomers. Just pick one and become the czar or czarina of that niche.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: I’ve heard you talk before about how important business cards are to a brand, Can you elaborate on your philosophy?

Melinda Emerson: Social media is great, but business cards are still important. Small business owners should invest in a real logo. Word art or clip art or those dreadful free business cards you can get from a template will not cut it.  Your brand should also be at least two colors and use quality paper to print them on.  A cheap looking business card will kill your credibility.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: Can a small business be effective in social media without a strong brand?

Melinda Emerson: It’s even harder to distinguish yourself in social media with a weak brand because there is so much noise online.  No one will pay any attention to a “me too” brand. You must distinguish yourself online and offline. How you conduct yourself in social media makes a brand statement. Is it clear who your customers are from your tweets? Well, it should be very clear.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How should your brand influence your content strategy for social media marketing?

Melinda Emerson:  Once you have a defined target customer you need to focus in on that customer’s pain. People are moved to buy when they have pain. As you think about the content you want to develop, you should start with a list of your customer pain points.  If your brand speaks to your solution for solving the pain, you will have customers for life – if you can deliver service based on your brand promise.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the signs of a well-defined brand?

Melinda Emerson:  When you become top of mind to anyone who needs what you do, your brand is well defined.  When you get prospect calls and they already have decided they want to hire you, and all you are discussing is their budget and your availability, your brand is well defined. When you stop needing to explain what you do or what your logo “really” stands for, your brand is well defined.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How does branding relate to the broader marketing strategy of a business?

Melinda Emerson:  Marketing starts with a well-defined brand. You must know who you want to speak to first, then you develop your sales goals.  Now you know I tell my readers to only focus on 30 day sales goals, which will help you focus on weekly sales goals.  Once you have your weekly sales goal, you design your marketing tactics to meet your weekly goal.  How many calls, emails, tweets, handwritten notes, and networking events do you need to attend each week to reach your sales goals.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How important is it that a marketing strategy be tied to measurable results?

Melinda Emerson:  If a marketing tactic is not measurable, it’s useless. But keep in mind that you must have a realistic goal for what you want to achieve. When you start using social media, it’s not going to start raining money in your business immediately. It took me 18 months of daily tweets to get noticed and respected.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the marketing tools that should be in every entrepreneur’s tool kit?

Melinda Emerson: 1) Create a helpful website. 2) Develop a fantastic free giveaway to build an email marketing list. Some affordable email marketing services are @mailchimp, @constantcontact, and @aweber. 3) Update your LinkedIn profile to speak to your target customer, you are not looking for a job. Especially – secure recommendations from customers like the ones you are trying to pursue. 4) Focus on only one social media site! Too many small business owners are killing themselves trying to do too many social media sites. Claim your profile on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube but spend your time where your best target customers hang out online.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How can social media add to the effectiveness of a small business sales strategy?

Melinda Emerson: The #1 thing social media marketing can do for a small business owner is drive traffic to your small business website. That said, social media doesn’t deliver results overnight. You must use the HELP Mantra consistently for 18 to 24 months to start seeing results. HELP stands for Help others, Engage people, Listen first, and Promote yourself with care. That last one is really tricky because it’s the one people really do not understand. Do not start selling too quickly before you have a relationship. Just be helpful and position yourself as a resource and your best target customer will beat a path to your door.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the top 3 priorities for entreprenuers who want to build a social media brand?

Melinda Emerson: 1) Develop some specific goals for your social media marketing campaign. 2) Know your best 5 keywords that people use in search engines to get information about your product or service 3) Conduct a listening campaign to figure out where your best target customer hangs out online and then join the conversation.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in : http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts  Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

Guest Article

I’ve got news for you — when you’re building your social media profile (and not your email list), you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here’s why: Your goal with social media should be to drive traffic back to your own website.  Once your target lands there, you’d best have at least three ways to get them to give you their email address.  Without a way to follow-up with more helpful information, your chances of converting a visitor into a customer are quite slim.  Here are more reasons why you should focus your marketing efforts on building your email list first — before social media.

#1 When you build your social media profile, you’re at the mercy of a third party company that you don’t control. One day Facebook might change their EdgeRank, and you’ll have to start paying to talk to your own fans (oh wait, that already happened). Another day, your account might get banned for no reason. Another day, another travesty. Do you really want someone else to control YOUR business? Put your best effort into a platform you control, your website.

#2 When you build your social media profile, you’ll be plagued with mediocre results forever. Here are some numbers: If I share a link with my 16,000 Facebook fans, I might get 200-300 hits… MAX. If I share a link with 16,000 email subscribers, I’m going to send AT LEAST 2,000 hits. Now, I know you can’t spend hits, but those hits are people. And the more people you can send to your website, the more money you can make. Period.

#3 Despite email not being sexy, it’s still the BEST way to keep in touch with YOUR ideal customers. Think about it. When people use social media, your business competes with close friends, party invites, and photographs. When you use email, your business competes with other businesses–and possibly coworkers who want your subscriber to do something they don’t want to do. I don’t know about you, but I would rather buy a new John Varvatos jacket from Gilt than another set of business cards.

How to Start Building An Email List

Now that you want an email list, the question is, how do you start BUILDING the email list?

#1 Three High-Converting Places to Add Email Signup Forms to Your Website

When you want to build your list, you’ve got to place email signup forms in the right places. Why? A form at the top of your site converts almost 5 times higher than a form on the bottom. Small changes–just like that—mean big results.

Where can you place them?

Try The Halpern Header

When you go to SocialTriggers.com, you’ll see a big box at the top of the page. A box that spans across the top of my content and sidebar. I call this the “Halpern Header.”

This box at the top converts amazingly well. Whether you’re running a blog or not, giving prime real-estate is a surefire way to start turning more of your visitors into leads (and customers).

You might think, “Well, won’t people get sick of seeing it?” And the answer is no. Why? Because once people get on your email list, they’ll rarely visit your homepage anymore. Instead they’ll follow your emails directly to content.

(Note: Even if you don’t run a blog, creating a Halpern Header works because it’s asking for an email in the most highly viewed part of your page)

The Top of your Sidebar

Most websites have sidebars, and yours is likely no different. Most people put an email signup form at the bottom of their sidebar, but they shouldn’t. An email signup form at the top converts almost twice as much as an email signup form at the bottom.

One note: You should put your email signup form ABOVE your social media profiles. As we talked about earlier, email crushes social media.

Try the bottom of your content pages

When a website visitor reads your content, and reads the entire thing, and they love your work (or at least like it enough to actually read it) Why not ask them to sign up right after the post ends?

It converts well, and it grabs a reader right when they’re feeling great about your work.

#2 How to Start Getting Traffic To Build Your Email List

Now that you’re ready to convert visitors into subscribers, the next thing you need is traffic. Traffic that converts.  And that’s where what I call “The Drafting Technique,” comes into play. Here’s the deal:

When you’re racing at high speeds, like with cars, there’s wind resistance that slows you down.

But you can eliminate that resistance by drafting, which is fancy for “get behind the guy in front of you.”

How? You see, the person in front breaks the wind resistance, and the people behind him can maintain their speed while expending less energy because they take advantage of the “slipstream.”

Now, like with racing, top bloggers also have a slipstream, or better yet, a “link slipstream.” What’s a “link slipstream?”

Bloggers (or journalists) have a history of linking to businesses, websites, or topics. It’s your job to find people who write about the same thing you’d like to be featured for. You do this by looking for people who wrote about competing products, competing companies, or even someone just like you.

As an example, back when I started Social Triggers, I looked at someone like Lewis Howes (a friend). I discovered he was landing interviews all over the place, and decided to try and get interviewed by the same people.

This works because the people already had a history–a link slipstream–of covering people like me so I knew I could land the same interviews.

See how that works? This is the exact strategy YOU can use to start doing this as well!

And that’s it!

You can start building your list TODAY.

Now that you know why you should build a list… and how to convert traffic into email subscribers… and how to get traffic… you’re all set.

How do you plan on using these strategies to grow your business? Leave a comment and share!

About the author: Derek Halpern is the founder of Social Triggers, a top marketing blog with 102,532 subscribers and a top marketing podcast on iTunes.

At Sign Aeroplane Shows Web Mailing Communication courtesy of Stuart Miles / www.freedigitalphotos.net

It’s National Small Business Month and here are some quick ideas to jumpstart your small business for the second half of this year.

Have you updated your elevator pitch? When is the last time you sharpened your marketing plan? Do you have monthly sales goals? Are your business finances updated by the 15^th of the month? Do you do at least one thing a day to generate sales? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, it’s not too late to start moving in the right direction.

Here are 6 things you could do today to generate a sale in your small business:

1)      Send a thank you note. Personal hand-written notes are so powerful. Send one to a friend, customer or a prospect just to check in and let them know they crossed your mind.  If you can, include an article of interest to them, too.

2)      Ask for a LinkedIn or Yelp recommendation. You need to ask for recommendations religiously. Turn your happy customers into an unpaid sales force for your small business. Be sure to send the link to make it easy for them. The easiest way to get a recommendation is to give one.

3)      Follow-up with a recent contact. I meet people everywhere and I’m sure you do, too. Reach out to a contact that you met at a recent networking event to schedule a face-to-face meeting or appointment. Pick out a place that is mutually convenient and have a quick coffee or lunch meeting.

4)      Change your timeline graphic on your Facebook fan page. People respond to visuals.  Make sure to update people on what’s new with your small business.

5)      Write a new blog post for your business blog. Make sure that your article is helpful to your target audience and is at least 500 words.

6)      Track down your outstanding receivables. On a weekly basis, evaluate your accounts receivable. If any client is behind 30 days in issuing payment, give them a call to find out payment status. While you’re on the phone, inquire about any additional opportunities to do more business.

May is the busiest time of the year for me, and here’s where you can catch me live this week.

Monday May 13^th: I’m headed to Austin, TX for the RISE Conference Austin sponsored by Dell. I’m be speaking at the Opening Keynote session Monday evening at 6pm https://www.riseglobal.org/about

Tuesday May 14^th: Don’t miss my brand new TV Show, Crowd Rules on CNBC 9pm ET Do you have what it takes to win $50,000? In the all new competition series, Crowd Rules, three small businesses compete for the grand prize each week. To win–they must convince the crowd! Check out an exclusive sneak peek. You can see my episode June 18^th.

Wednesday May 15^th: Come celebrate #SmallBizChat’s 200^th episode! Join me on Twitter Wed 8-9pm ET where we’ll have some surprises and giveaways — so do not miss this.  We’ll be talking about how to build a powerful social media brand. Here’s how to participate in #Smallbizchat http://bit.ly/S797e

Thursday May 16^th: Join me in Columbus, OH for the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference #BEEC. I’ll be leading a boot camp on how to develop and launch a brand for a new small business. It’s not too late to join me, register today.

Friday May 17^th: Don’t miss Part II of my three part series in the New York Times You’re the Boss Blog on how to have a great website.  Here’s part one: The Problem Social Media Cannot Solve

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @Restaurant_Lady, Misty Young.  Known for her relentless approach to systems development in restaurant marketing, leadership, financials, operations and service, From Rags to Restaurants author, Misty Young is a tried and tested professional. Her own multimillion dollar restaurant chain, the Squeeze In, now has 4 locations. Misty and her husband purchased the nearly 30 year old Truckee, California restaurant in 2004, worked it daily for two years IN the business, while Misty studied, developed and implemented systems and worked ON the business “nights, weekends and holidays.”  For more info:  visit http://fromragstorestaurants.com

SmallBizLady:  What are The Five Irrefutable Laws of Small Business Success?

Misty Young:  #1 The Law of Leadership – the ability to influence. Our job as business leaders is to model personal growth and expect successful behavior while we develop and hold ourselves and our associates accountable.

#2 The Law of Operations – every aspect of the business is systematized to efficiently and effectively meet stated goals through planning, policies, procedures and measured performance.

#3 The Law of Financials – with integrity and diligence, financials and products are tracked, monitored and adjusted to assure financial health, fitness and profitability.

#4 The Law of Products / Services – our products must be reliable and we must diligently serve our customers and associates with courtesy, appreciation, respect and kindness.

#5 The Law of Marketing – the business must use multi-media tools to communicate timely with customers and associates in relevant, meaningful ways.

Every small business requires leadership for success. Part of the definition of leadership in my mind, is accountability. The leader, by influencing their followers, whether associates, suppliers, clients or customers, sets an example of personal growth and development while holding themselves and others accountable. All other aspects of small business success flow from diligent leadership. When the leader is focused on successful results and holds others accountable, the operations, financials, products / services and marketing are more likely to be successful as well. It’s a closed loop system; the same exact laws fit all businesses, from A-Z, auto repair shops to zoos.

SmallBizLady:  What are three accountability strategies you recommend?

Misty Young:  1. Written Job Descriptions, 2. Comprehensive Training Processes, 3. Standardized Performance Evaluation System

Assuming the small business has associates (employees) – systematizing the business is the critical first step. Making the business turn-key by creating written job descriptions, training protocols and developing a standardized performance evaluation system are basics. Business systematization should leave no question unanswered, no mystery to be solved, don’t expect your associates to be mind readers – they’ll do their best – of course, but it might not be YOUR best! Leave nothing to chance!

Even without associates, solopreneurs need systems, accountability, standards and protocol for how they approach every aspect of their business. The systems and planning provide the road map.

It’s not enough to say you’ll do these things; you actually have to do them. That’s the accountability part – what’s on your daily agenda matters! Making lists isn’t the same as completing tasks. I suggest all my clients put on their “STAR” glasses when setting about to develop accountability: Approach the task with Strategy (plan); Tactics (activities); Action (doing it!); and Results (what happened). Feed back the results into the strategy and refine in order to move forward.

SmallBizLady:  Why is there no law directly about the customer?

Misty Young:  The customer is the center, the true focus. The Five Irrefutable Laws of Small Business Success are all centered around the customer. Businesses succeed when they find a need and fill it, discover a problem and solve it. The small business then builds a firm foundation of success to attract customers with their solution, bringing them inside the business. Everyone wants to be associated with a winner or with a winning format. Unprepared or unprofessional small businesses risk making customers angry and repelling them if the solution isn’t ready for market. The universe requires order before motion. Being organized first helps build traction.

SmallBizLady:  If you anger or repel a customer, what do you do?

Misty Young:  As a restaurant owner, I created the LATTE approach to resolving customer problems. I believe mistakes are opportunities to learn – they are inevitable but don’t have to be fatal. In our restaurants, we strive to reduce the number of mistakes made in day-to-day operations. We learn from mistakes and evolve.

LATTE stands for:

• Listen
• Apologize
• Take Action
• Thank
• Evolve

Our goal is always to resolve the situation satisfactorily for the guest and evolve from the situation. The worst thing we can do is to send an unhappy guest out our door and the best thing we can do is learn from our mistakes. I believe excellent associate training is the ultimate fulfillment of a small business’ marketing promise – do it right! That circles right back to systems and accountability!

SmallBizLady:  Do you have a guarantee in your restaurant?

Misty Young:  Of course! Most small business people will guarantee whatever they’re doing, they may as well tell their customer! If you’re going to guarantee your products / services no matter what, always doing the right thing to take care of your guest or client or customer, you should let them know! We surely do, our outrageous guarantee is: “You’ll love our food or it’s free!” Our guarantee is on our menu, website, mobile app, even on our business cards. We don’t like to give away free food, so we work hard at consistency and excellence and circle back to training when we mess up (we’re humans, we mess up!). If you have a guarantee, tell the world. If you don’t have a guarantee, develop one now!

SmallBizLady:  You’re a restaurateur; do you really think these Five Laws fit all businesses?

Misty Young:  I know they do, I have other business interests besides restaurants. The Five Irrefutable Laws of Small Business Success are a great model for every business from A-Z, auto repair to zoos, there is nothing missing. Whether a business is building boats, selling fishing nets or serving smoked salmon, success requires Leadership development; Product / Services reliability; Marketing mastery; Operations proficiency and Financial literacy. All successful businesses stand firmly on the Five Laws.

SmallBizLady:  How can Small Businesses apply your “STAR” concept?

Misty Young:  When you think of STAR as an envelope, the context, it’s a simple concept. We approach whatever we do with a plan (strategy), activities to carry out the plan (tactics), do what we need to do (action) and measure the outcome (results) and feed back into the closed loop.  We see the synergistic beauty of the STAR approach. Many businesses are operating right now without a strategy, a plan. They might say, “We’re already successful without a plan, why have one?”  Here’s the easy answer: businesses with a strategic plan tend to be more successful, more profitable. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

SmallBizLady:  What do you see as the weakest link for Small Businesses in the Five Irrefutable Laws?

Misty Young:  Most small business failure can be traced back to a lack of financial accountability. It’s not for a lack of love or proficiency in the Products / Services, that’s the place of our expertise, our love, right? But financials? Many small business people don’t know how to decipher financial basics, balance sheets, profit and loss statements or cash flow statements. As small businesses, we don’t have to become CPAs, but we have to be able to talk to CPAs and understand what they’re saying. Anything less is a disservice to ourselves, our customers, associates, communities. Small businesses are the economic engine of the world, and strong financials are the firm basis on which the successful ones stand.

SmallBizLady:  What’s your approach to Law #5, The Law of Marketing?

Misty Young:  One of my favorite marketing gurus is Dan Kennedy.  His book “The Ultimate Marketing Plan” is one of the most dog eared in my massive collection. Kennedy says, “Little hinges swing big doors.” That statement made a huge impact on me. I do whatever it takes to be successful in business. Sometimes that’s a ton of little things, or one big thing. I market, measure, repeat, carefully evaluating what works. I keep what works and toss the jerks. I’m a bit of a nerd about analytics, metrics and measuring marketing success through ROI review. I don’t like wasting marketing dollars. Strategically investing money in marketing is an important business concept.

Finally, I manage my agenda carefully, and learning is on it every single day. I never stop learning and specifically seek more information and knowledge about marketing (it is a first love of mine, after all). That means I’m always finding great content and ideas about marketing, whether from sources like you, SmallBizLady, or Hubspot, MarketingProfs or through my MasterMind group, I make learning a priority.

SmallBizLady:  What’s an important lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?

Misty Young:  Fast isn’t always best, although the Universe loves speed. Be quick but don’t hurry, move forward once you have enough information. You don’t have to know everything to make a decision; you just have to have firm confidence, and continue to ask questions. I really believe a strong question set is important – and not just any questions, but very specific questions. Instead of asking “How can I make money selling tires?” ask, “How will the tires I want to sell save lives?” Take enough time, be specific, trust your gut, and then make your move. God gave you feelings for a reason, trust them.

SmallBizLady:  You’ve grown your company 400% in the last five years during a bad economy, how did you do it?

Misty Young:  I’m a people, systems and efficiency junkie. I have been relentless at systematizing and documenting everything in my businesses, literally living and building The Five Irrefutable Laws from the ground up. It started, quite literally, with checklists, which became operations manuals and developed into a full-fledged, values-based Code of Business Conduct. I created comprehensive multi-media training systems and performance indicators to hold myself and others accountable to results. I stayed true to marketing, financial literacy and operational excellence while taking great care of our customers and associates. It hasn’t been easy, but through developing my own leadership, and developing leaders within the organization it has been worth the intense effort.

SmallBizLady:  What one thing would you say is crucial for small business success? What’s the “one thing?”

Misty Young:  What you do every day matters for the long haul. If you don’t decide what you want for your life or business, you leave it open for others to decide for you. In other words, you can live your life by design or default. Set your own agenda, and live to your expectation. Take control of your time and make your desire come true.

Napoleon Hill, in the all time classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” said, “Thoughts are things, and powerful things at that, when they are mixed with the definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for their translation into riches, or other material objects.”

Be definite in your purpose and persistent in your action to translate your burning desire into business success.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in : http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts  Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

Can they see me?

Guest Article

Tracking where and how your employees spend their time is critical, especially for service-oriented companies that bill per hour. It’s also important to understand what the overall productivity level is of your employees, especially those who work from home. It’s not that you don’t trust your employees, but when you measure something, people tend to be a lot more serious about it. Here are some ways to make the process of employee time tracking easier…

Keep an eye on employees even when you can’t see them.

There’s nothing like seeing employees hard at work only to realize they’re really just updating Facebook or Twitter. Keeping track of what employees are really doing while in the office or working remotely can be done with certain software tools.

Time tracking software is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that employees are actually working. The programs are often times fairly inexpensive, highly accurate, and worth every cent. Plus, employers get the added benefit of having all of the busy work of adding up hours and wages already completed for them thanks to the software. The biggest things to look for when thinking about purchasing a time clock software program is to make sure that it allows for unlimited employees, is easy to use, and has quality customer support.

I always feel like somebody’s watching me.

As with online time tracking software, monitoring software tracks everything employees do while using company computers. These programs can track every keystroke, block certain websites, prevent the downloading of certain files, and do just about anything employers need it to do. Reports are then generated so that employers can look at what employees have been doing.

This software improves productivity, prevents employees from either intentionally or unintentionally exposing confidential information, and keeps everyone in line. However, make sure employees know they are being monitored. Nobody wants to deal with an employee accusing the company of spying.

Keep tabs on telecommuters.

Many companies hire contract workers that either telecommute or report to the office rarely. This makes it difficult to know for sure if the hours they record were truly spent working. One way to circumvent the problem of hourly-billing is to make contract work a flat fee.

But service-oriented companies tend to have employees that work away from the office and bill by the hour. Trust is essential with these employees, but it’s not the only way to make sure they’re working.

Scheduling face-time using software programs such as Google Hangout, Google Chat or Skype, arranging for call-ins, or checking in with instant messaging helps provide the link between the home office and the traditional office.

If telecommuting employees use company-provided computers, then monitoring software should be installed to track their work as it would be if they were in the office.

Monitoring software prevents on-the-job cat naps.

What about employees who don’t use a computer for work?

Short of installing a microchip into the arm of employees that work remotely without a computer, it is almost impossible to tell how their time is spent. However, accountability goes a long way for these employees. Setting up goals and timelines for employees to reach ensures that they are working toward something.

Let them know you’ll be watching.

Using tracking software to monitor the work done by employees is the easiest way to keep track of their time spent working. Knowing that their activities are being monitored means employees are far less likely to devote time to non-work related activities… and Facebook will still be there once the work day is over.

About the author:  Dana Rasmussen is a freelance author who writes about a variety of topics, including time tracking, vacation destinations, corporate jet travel, social media and trends in the work place.  

Photo attribution: www.flickr.com/photos/evilerin/3093851614
Photo attribution: www.flickr.com/photos/pangpang/3505022325

Sponsored post

Running a small business is hard work, especially for a “mompreneur.” In many cases, you are doing the three full-time of jobs of wife, mother and business owner all at the same time. Every day you are doing more with less and trying to figure out how to get it all done smarter, cheaper and faster.  But remember, on the airplane the flight attendant always says you must put the oxygen mask on yourself first before helping anyone else. This idea is true in your business and personal life as well. Here are 7 ways to manage your life and business as a mompreneur.

Start each day with meditation or prayer:  I run like the wind with my demanding profession as a small business expert on top of my mom duties.  It’s hard to feel like you are not in a race every day. To keep my one-woman circus under control, I pray each morning.  Yoga is another great way to practice meditation techniques.

Stop the never ending to do lists: To do lists leave me feeling overwhelmed.  Who needs that? Focus on getting five things done before 11 a.m. each day. Start each day with a plan and anything you accomplish after your top five is a gift.

Be present: Your family wants to feel like they matter more than your work. Limit your work hours. Don’t be afraid to hit ignore and turn the cell phone off at a certain time each day. When you pick-up the kids, talk to them – don’t be that parent in the carpool line on the phone.  Don’t be tempted to multitask at work. Focus on phone calls and face-to-face meetings.  People can tell when you’re mentally checked out.

Use one calendar: You have one life so you need one calendar for your family and your business. I suggest using Google Calendar as it syncs to your phone. Put all your family and work appointments in one place and you’ll be far more likely to make everything happen.

Take regular breaks: I use the app Coffeebreak to make sure I walk away from my computer every 90 minutes. Then every three months, I take at least a 48-hour break from everything to be good to myself. Think about the things you used to do when you had more time: fishing, gardening, hiking, golfing, jewelry making, etc. You need rest to focus.  Have you scheduled a summer vacation yet?

Workout at least 3 times a week: You might feel like you don’t have time, but think about working out in a different way. Use working out as a way to spend quality time with yourself. If you need to think about an important decision in your business, walk or run and think.

Get more rest:  I recently read a study that said the body repairs itself between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when we are asleep. Do not get swallowed up in your work. You can’t get a lot done with a cluttered mind. Focus on getting more rest! You’ll be a lot more productive if you do.

Do you have any tactics to add to the list?

Join me Thursday May 9^th at 8pm ET for a live QA sponsored by @FedExOffice on Twitter on Ways to Manage Your Life and Business as a Mompreneur. Use the hashtag #SMBMoms and sign into www.tweetchat.com to join in the conversation.

Disclosure:  FedEx Office compensated me to write this post and participate as a small business expert during their Tweet Chat program.  The ideas in this blog post are mine and not ideas or advice from FedEx Office.

Mother And Daughter courtesy of Ambro / www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office, an operating company of FedEx Corp., has more than 1,800 stores and locations primarily in the U.S. and Canada, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company’s network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, Hold at FedEx Location, and packing services backed by the FedEx^® Packing Pledge. InformationWeek 500 recognized FedEx Office^® Print Online and FedEx Office^® Print & Go solutions with the 2011 Most Innovative Products award. Products, services and hours vary by location. For more information, please visit www.fedex.com/office.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. Her latest ebook, How To Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online was released in 2012.

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Steve Greenberg.  Steve is a product scout, the author of Gadget Nation and the co-host of Food Network’s Invention Hunters. You can follow Steve on twitter @stevetv,  www.facebook.com/stevetv and on his website www.stevegreenberg.tv

SmallBizLady: What’s the first step to get my product into the marketplace?

Steve Greenberg: OK, you’ve come up with an idea–what’s next?  I suggest you do a serious search on the web.  Try to find your idea somewhere– anywhere.  After you have Googled it – next, search Google Patents to see if you can find it there.

SmallBizLady: How do I know if anyone will buy my product?

Steve Greenberg: Talk to some family and friends and see if they truly like the idea. Would they buy it?  How much would they pay?  How can the idea be improved?

SmallBizLady: What are some resources for inventors?

Steve Greenberg: Join Your Local Inventors Association.  There are inventor groups all across the country.  You can get a list by going to the United Inventors Association (UIA) website http://www.uiausa.org.  These local associations are a great resource.  You’ll meet other inventors from your area and you’ll get first-hand information on the pitfalls of inventing.  These are people who are ahead of you on the journey and can spare you a great deal of time and save you money on your journey.

SmallBizLady:  Filing a patent is time consuming and costly.  Is there an alternative? 

Steve Greenberg: Before you spend the big bucks on a patent–go for the less expensive Provisional Patent.  It costs under $200 and offers “some” protection.  It’s NOT a patent, your product is NOT patent pending–but at least a Provisional Patent draws a line in the sand–and gives you some protection for one year.

SmallBizLady: Even with a provisional patent, how likely is it I’ll actually get my product sold?

Steve Greenberg: Now you have a year to do your homework.  Do you really want to invest thousands of dollars into this idea?  Bringing a product to store shelves is gambling–plain and simple.  The pay-offs can be huge–but so can the losses.
This is the stage where you do market research to see if consumers really want this product.  Price out doing a prototype, manufacturing costs–really evaluate what you’re getting into.

SmallBizLady: How can I protect my idea and my product?

Steve Greenberg: Beware of Scams.  It’s about here in the process that you’ll start to notice late night TV ads for inventors and you’ll start looking for a company to take this project off your hands.  It’s here that I tell all inventors to beware.  There’s a cottage industry of companies that make their living by ripping off first time inventors. They are experts in saying what you want to hear — be careful.  Talk to people in your local inventors group to find out who you can trust.

SmallBizLady: Should I license my product?

Steve Greenberg: To License or Not To License. It’s about here that you might start to think about licensing your idea to a large company.  Keep in mind IF you get a licensing deal (and that’s a BIG IF) you will only get about 3-5% of the product sales.  BUT the upside is that you won’t have the hassle and costs associated with manufacturing, shipping, distribution etc.  You can shop your idea around yourself–or use the services of a product scout –like me :-)

SmallBizLady: Do I need an attorney to file for a patent?

Steve Greenberg:  If you’ve come this far–it sounds like you are very serious about going all the way–so it’s time to approach a patent agent or a patent attorney.  Do your homework.  Ask other inventors who they recommend.  You don’t want to over-pay, but you also don’t want a crappy patent.  Keep in mind, your patent is only as good as the person who wrote it.  So really put some serious thought in this decision

SmallBizLady:  Why should I create a prototype?

Steve Greenberg: I’m a big fan of prototyping.  Sure it costs money, but it’s really the only way to see if your product truly works.  In fact it’s a good idea to do the prototyping before the final patent paperwork is filed so that you can tweak the design based on what you learn from the final prototype.

SmallBizLady:  Where should I have my product manufactured?

Steve Greenberg:  Assuming you want to manufacture the product yourself—you’ll need to decide where you want that to happen.  America is one option–and very patriotic BUT also very costly. If you decide on China or somewhere else in the world, the costs will be lower but you’ll probably need to hire an expert to help you though the jungle of importing, factory selection, shipping, etc.  Luckily there are many professionals who can walk you through this tough process.

SmallBizLady:  Do you have any packaging advice?

Steve Greenberg:  Maybe in the 1950′s and 60′s packaging was just the box that held the product.  Not today. In today’s world there are no sales people.  When you walk into a store, the product’s packaging must sell the product.  I know of so many examples of products that had almost no sales UNTIL they changed the packaging–then the products flew off the shelf.  Here again, there are lots of pros who can help you design powerful packaging.

SmallBizLady:  Any final tips to get my product idea onto store shelves?

Steve Greenberg:  Inventing may seem like a solitary endeavor–and maybe the very early stages are all about you alone.  But to be a successful inventor you need help.  There’s no way you have all of the answers.  That’s the bad news–the good news is that there are lots of talented trustworthy professionals out there who can help you through this bumpy journey.  My advice–use them.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com. 

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

Guest Article

We all know the importance of working out and keeping our bodies in tip-top shape. The recommended amount of exercise per week is 30 minutes, three times per week. Easy, right? Wrong. As a small business owner, we wear so many hats, have way too many demands and time is money. Those 90 minutes could be spent following up with potential clients, creating a new marketing campaign, balancing the books…the list goes on and on with tasks that we do to grow our business.

But, let’s take a second to chill out and think about this. How much more productive would you be if you took some time for yourself and ran 3 miles? Or did the elliptical for 30 minutes? Or took a yoga class? We all know that rush after a good workout – sweat dripping down our face, our heart pounding and our minds clearer and ready to tackle the rest of the day’s activities.

Studies indicate that only 51% of Americans take the time to workout three times/week for 30 minutes. And 25% of us don’t workout AT ALL. I’m willing to bet that the numbers are even higher for small business owners.

If lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease and osteoporosis isn’t enough motivation for you, let’s take a look at how it can benefit your business and the bottom line.

1)  Increase serotonin levels- yes, the “happy” chemical. Exercise lifts your mood and we all know that when we “feel” good, we are more productive in our business pursuits.

2) Networking activity- Have you ever thought about joining a soccer or volleyball league? Not only are you getting exercise and having fun. But, you’re also meeting and mingling with potential clients and developing a deeper connection. People like to work with those that have similar interests and joining a workout club is a great way to make those connections!

3) Increase strength and flexibility- Are you having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and attacking your to-do list? Coffee has its benefits, but maintaining limber and strong muscles is a natural way to get you off to a good start in the morning.

4)  Stress reliever- it’s good to step away from our work every so often, especially during those frustrating times.  Turn off the tablet and put away your files for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Go for a walk, take a yoga class, or jog around the lake. The problem that’s been nagging you will still be there, but I bet you will feel better about solving it after you take some time for yourself.

5)  Increase creativity- I get my best ideas while I’m running, lifting weights or taking a dance class. Exercise allows me to tap into another part of my brain that isn’t as accessible when I’m staring at my computer screen and reading reports. Just sayin’.

So, in addition to looking and feeling good, regular exercise can prevent damaged blood vessels and Alzheimer’s disease.  Exercise is a great way to give your business that jump start it needs to remain successful.

It’s not too late to start working on that beach body. What are you going to do to add more exercise into your weekly routine?

About the author:  Danetha Doe is a former NFL Cheerleader and the owner of EmeryCloud, an accounting and strategy consulting firm for creative freelancers and small business owners. If you’re looking for a challenge or just don’t know where to start, sign up for Danetha Doe’s Memorial Day BikiniChallenge. One winner will receive a one-on-one virtual health coach package with a certified fitness and nutrition specialist. For details and to sign up, visit www.missdanetha.com.

“Fit Woman Doing Biceps Exercise With Pink Dumbbells” courtesy of stockimages /www.freedigitalphotos.net

One of the things you must do as a small business owner is constantly stay current. You need to know about industry trends, the latest technology and be aware of marketing innovations. One of the best ways to update your knowledge is to read blogs and articles about how to run and grow a successful small business. There are professional writers who have made their careers teaching us all how to be better in business. Here is a list of the Top 25 small business experts to follow on Twitter. I read and share their work often. Enjoy.

@JeffBullas When it comes to the latest trends in social media marketing, no one does it better than my Australian friend Jeff Bullas. www.jeffBullas.com

@Smallbiztrends Anita Campbell is the Editor and mastermind behind the website www.Smallbiztrends.com, a top site for small business information.

@BarryMoltz Barry is one of the smartest small business experts I know. I love his books, and his blog posts on www.OpenForum.com are always insightful. www.barrymoltz.com

@AlfredEdmondJr is SVP/Editor-at-large at @BlackEnterprise magazine. His OffMyChest posts are witty, smart, and always packed with terrific tips.

@LisaBarone is VP of Strategy at @Overit. She is one of the smartest business writers around. I always learn great stuff from her writing. http://overit.com/blog/

@Bizauthor Stephanie Chandler is a prolific writer and publisher who writes often about how to own your niche, self publishing and positioning yourself as a thought leader. http://businessinfoguide.com/

@StartupStella Stella Fayman is a thoughtful writer for Forbes that is always worth a read. http://matchist.com/blog/

@GeneMarks Gene is a successful writer whose work shows up weekly in the NY Times, Forbes, Inc. and many others. http://www.genemarks.com/

@SteveStrauss is USA Today’s Senior Small Business Columnist. He has a heart for solopreneurs. I always glean great ideas from Steve’s work. www.theselfemployed.com

@TJMcCue TJ is a business technology expert who writes for several publications including Forbes, smallbiztrends and his own blog www.techbiztalk.com

@RamonRay is my go-to guy for information on small business tech tools. He’s the editor of www.Smallbiztechnology.com

@Holly_Hanna If you want to know how to be a successful woman business owner, you must read Holly’s work.  Check out her blog www.theworkathomewoman.com/

@Ducttape John Jantsch is a small business marketing expert. His twitter feed and blog are always packed with marketing and technology advice. www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/

@BarbaraWeltman Barbara provides tax advice and legal tips that will get your small business on the right track. www.barbaraWeltman.com

@JillKonrath If you want to learn about how to sell, but more importantly how to close, Jill is a THE best resource. www.jillkonrath.com

@AskJamieTurner If you want to know about mobile web marketing, Jamie Turner is the best source I know. Www.60secondmarketer.com

@awesomeroar Kevin Daum is a columnist for Inc. whose work is always clever and thoughtful. www.kevindaum.com

@KimBeasley is social media marketing expert and a pioneer in how to leverage Google+ to grow small business. www.growvisibilitywithme.com/blog/

@Restaurant_Lady Misty Young is the #1 lady giving advice to independent restaurants owners. www.fromragstorestaurants.com

@TaiGoodwin gives helpful advice for making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. www.launchwhileworking.com

@DeniseOberry has a great video blog resource for information on how to grow a small business. www.deniseoberry.com

@DIYMarketers Ivana Taylor is one of the smartest writers I know on small business marketing. She writes in a way that helps you really understand new marketing tactics and ideas. www.DIYMarketers.com

@JayBaer If you want to understand more about web analytics and social media marketing metrics, Jay is a terrific resource. www.jaybaer.com

@DeborahShane is a marketing expert who has great insight on how to stay authentic in your marketing efforts. www.deborahshane.com

@AmandaMogul Amanda Miller Littlejohn Before I met her I loved her blog. Her practical PR and social media marketing tips are always loaded with fresh ideas. www.amandamillerlittlejohn.com

Do you have any suggestions for people I should be reading? Let me know.

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @AlfredEdmondJr.   Alfred Edmond, Jr. is SVP/Editor-at-large of BLACK ENTERPRISE. He is a content leader, brand representative and expert resource for all media platforms under the BLACK ENTERPRISE brand, including the magazine, television shows, web site, social media and live networking events. He also hosts The Urban Business Roundtable on WVON-AM in Chicago and Money Matters, a syndicated radio feature of American Urban Radio Networks.  Read more from him at his blog. 

SmallBizLady:  What are the top three things a business must do to be positioned for growth?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  First, assess the operational and financial resources of the current business.  Can you draw from those resources without hurting existing operations? Do you have the human capital/skill sets to support expansion?  If not, can you finance the additional resources necessary for expansion? How?

Second, assess your financial resources. What is current cash flow? How much cash do you have in reserve? Third, assess outside resources. Will your banker support expansion efforts? Your investors? Can you draw from your credit line? Finally, what is your end game? What does a “win” look like? Do flow charts of the operational structure of the expanded business. Who will report to whom? How will labor be divided? How will processes change? What key factors will you track to stay on course, adjust goals or abandon expansion efforts?

SmallBizLady:  When should an entrepreneur consider hiring advisors or coaches? 

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  Business expansion may justify hiring an advisor, coach or consultant, with expertise and experience specific to expansion target. That expertise should be industry specific, and could include knowledge of new territory or product segment, such as high-end luxury. Other expertise areas: new manufacturing processes/sourcing for product expansion, such as cuff links for a neckwear company. Before hiring an advisor or coach, be clear on timetable, objectives and how performance will be measured. Also be clear on compensation structure. Payments based on previous agreed upon milestones? Flat fee? Hourly rate?

SmallBizLady:  How important is a strong brand in positioning a business to take it to the next level?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  If you do not have a strong brand in the eyes of consumers, next-level business growth is next to impossible.  You are building from a base of current customers who you will be counting on to communicate your brand promise to others. Current customers can’t communicate your brand promise if they are not sure of it themselves; sign of a weak brand.

SmallBizLady:  How often should you evaluate your pricing?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  On a monthly basis, and sometimes even weekly, you should evaluate your pricing. At minimum, evaluate your pricing against that of the competition, and against your costs per unit of goods/services.  What is the perception of value of your offerings in the eyes of your customer? Can your brand promise command a higher price? Also, explore establishing a premium line of goods/services at a higher price than you charge for your basic offerings. Consider a no-frills line at a lower price than your basic offerings.

SmallBizLady:  What should a business owner do if they want to target an entirely new market for business?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  Consider who is already serving that market. What can you offer that is better or different? Consider the costs of entering that market. For example, what will real expenses be to open a new location in a different neighborhood?  Consider the potential of the new market. How much additional revenue will expansion generate? How will expansion impact existing business?  Is this new revenue sustainable? Does it justify the costs of expansion? What is the exit strategy, timetable, if potential is not realized?  Before you go into a new market, have specific goals and a deadline to abort effort if they aren’t met. Have a plan for getting out as well as getting in.

SmallBizLady:  Sometimes people expand prematurely and crash instead. How do you know if your business is ready to grow?  

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  Is growth being dictated by personal desire or market demand? If the potential growth is being driven by market demand, it may be an opportunity for your business. You may be ready to grow if you are having difficulty handling customer demand with existing resources and personnel. You may be ready to grow if your profits are consistent, but your revenue has remained flat. Growth may be necessary to keep up with expanded offerings/service offered by your competition.

SmallBizLady:  You can’t grow as a solopreneur, how many employees should you have in place to start scaling a business?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  The number of employees you bring on should be measured against the additional business likely to be brought in on a monthly basis. To avoid overextending yourself in pursuit of growth, explore flexible alternatives to permanently increasing your overhead.  Hire freelancers, independent consultants, temporary help, subcontracting to others on an as-needed basis, before adding to permanent staff. Also consider: What positions do you need to fill in order to capture new business? Is it sales? Customer service? Marketing? Start hiring there.

SmallBizLady:  How to do you hire good employees?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  First, be clear on the skill sets you need and what level compensation they command, depending on experience of the candidate.  If you can’t compete on salary alone, consider other benefits, including health care, flexible hours, sales commissions and other incentives. Screen for aptitude, but hire for attitude. Consider the impact of every potential hire on the culture of your company. Chemistry matters. The most skilled person can’t help your business if they are difficult to work with, are unprofessional or lack personal integrity. Look for people with proven ability for the positions you need to fill, but also willingness to wear multiple hats to get business done.  Look for people with the skill to do the current job, but the potential/skills set to grow with your company.

SmallBizLady:  What adjustments does the owner of the company have to make in the face of expansion, especially as a solopreneur?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  CEOs have to give themselves a gut check in the face of expansion. They’ll need to be able to relinquish absolute control to grow the business.

Once you hire the right people, can you trust them to get the job done their way? No one wants to be micromanaged. The more the company grows, the more the CEO must delegate technical, day-to-day operational duties and focus on providing strategic direction. Art of staying engaged enough to keep things on course, but distant enough to stay out of the way of team hired to get things done.

SmallBizLady:  What else must a business owner consider when taking the company to the next stage?

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  At every stage of the business, the owner must have an exit strategy. This will constantly change as the business evolves.  Is the goal to sell the business at some point? Pass it on to a family member? Go public? How does business growth impact those options?

SmallBizLady:  What is the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when taking their business to the next level.

Alfred Edmond, Jr.:  Biggest mistake made by entrepreneurs is expanding just for the sake of doing it. Before getting bigger, get better. Ways to get better: 1) Investing in technology to boost productivity, 2) Find new markets, uses for existing products, 3) Investing in more training for existing staff. Also, train each person to do multiple jobs.  Maximize the productivity and efficiency of your current operation before expanding, or you’ll end up with an even bigger, more inefficient business.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.