Business Information for Entrepreneurs by an Entrepreneur

How to Boost Morale by Arranging an Employee Picnic

Even if you are running a small business with very few employees, it is a good idea to arrange an employee picnic from time to time. It is a good way to release work-related stress and learn new things about your employees other than their work skills.

Here are some tips on how to arrange an employee picnic.

Find a Good Picnic Spot

You should locate a nice picnic spot not too far away from your offices. That way, your employees can enjoy more time having fun instead of spending more time traveling.

Arrange For Food and Drinks

You should arrange for food and drinks in advance after all, that’s what having a picnic is all about!

It is not a good idea to have liquor available during the picnic; you might see a side of your employees which you would not have imagined exists.

Coordinate Fun and Games

You should also bring along some fun games that your employees will enjoy. Including a game of softball or soccer is also a good idea.

This will lighten up the atmosphere and will ensure that all your employees participate.

Do Not Discuss Business

Keep your employee picnic free of any office talk. You can also invite the spouses and children of your employees, which will give the picnic a more casual feel.

Take a First Aid Kit

If the picnic spot is a bit out of the way, then you should take a first aid kit along. This will be very useful, especially if children will be in attendance.

Make It a Regular Affair to Encourage Bonding

Make your employee picnic a regular affair so that your employees will look forward to it. This will help strengthen the bond between your employees.

Use employee picnics as a way of appreciating your employees and just chilling out. Your relationships with your employees will improve tremendously - and will be reflected in your employees’ performances.

How to Use a Newsletter to Increase Your Business

A newsletter is a subtle way of ensuring that your small business’ name remains in the minds of your targeted audience.

Newsletters are a good way of providing valuable information to your target market, as well as promoting your business at the same time. Study some of the tips provided below to ensure that your newsletter hits its mark.

• Subject Matters. The information supplied in the newsletter should be relevant to your business, and also should be useful to your target audience.

  The content should be clearly written and should be easy to understand.

• Send It Regularly. You should send out regular newsletters so that you continually maintain your market presence.

  You should write new, informative articles; or you can outsource the writing to another company if you don’t have the time.

• Use Different Media. You can send out your newsletter through ordinary mail and also through email. This will enable you to reach out to a larger range of audiences.

  Services such as MailerMailer can help you send out newsletters through email - and in a fraction of the time that it would take you to send them out manually.

• Promote Your Business Subtly. You can place your advertisements in the center of your newsletter articles. This will ensure that your advertisements are read as customers read the article.

  Don’t be too aggressive in advertising; otherwise, the spirit of the newsletter will be lost and this will put off prospective clients.

• Study The Market. Before sending out your newsletter, make it a point to study the market so that you know what information your target audience wants and you fulfill that need.

Developing a good newsletter can work wonders for your small business. Take advantage of the tips above and watch your business grow.

5 Tips to Keep Your Small Business Safe from Fraud

When starting or running a small business, it is essential to keep an eye out for potential fraud, especially since you probably don’t have the resources to pay for the damage that could result.

Below are 5 tips that will help your small business stay safe.

1. Keep Your Check Books Locked. Do not empower any of your employees to sign checks. Keep your checkbooks and your bank statements under lock and key.

2. Do Not Hire Unknown Employees. Make it a point to hire new employees only after cross-checking their references. Get complete details of all your new employees including their photographs, addresses, and other personal information.

   Many small businesses go bust due to the inner cancer of dishonest employees. While watching your front end for dishonest clients, you also need to keep your back end covered.

3. Do A Thorough Check Before Offering Credit. Before setting credit terms with your clients, make sure their credit standing is acceptable otherwise, you can kiss your products (as well as your incoming payments!) goodbye.

4. Stay Away From Get-Rich Schemes. Many dishonest dealers target small businesses by offering them various unbelievable offers, since they know that entrepreneurs are often desperate to make it to the big leagues.

   Stay away from any offer that seems too good to be true because it probably is.

5. Communication And Alertness Is The Key. By keeping communication channels open, and by being alert with your employees, suppliers and clients, you will catch wind of potential fraud before it happens.