We’ve all heard the term SEO, which stands for search engine optimization, but what does it mean and how should we be using it? Many small businesses don’t use SEO to their advantage. SEO can determine whether you gain or lose a sale when customers search for your business online before buying. The right online … Continue reading SEO Crash Course for Small Businesses
According to the FBI, business fraud consists of dishonest and illegal activities perpetrated by individuals or companies in order to provide an advantageous financial outcome to those persons or establishments.1 Also known as corporate fraud, these schemes often appear under the guise of legitimate business practices. While fraud can harm any type of business, it … Continue reading Fraud Protection for Small Businesses
No matter the size or type of your business, you’re probably finding that at least some customers want to pay by credit card. Even if you’ve operated mainly on cash or check payments in the past, you will lose customers if you’re not set up to accept credit cards — and even other forms of … Continue reading How to Find the Best Merchant Services Provider for Your Business
Employee spending can add up fast and also lead to fraudulent behavior if left unchecked. Managing employee expense reimbursements can be challenging, especially for a small business. As a business owner, you need to know what you’re reimbursing for, while also being fair to employees. Here are four tips to help keep expense costs down … Continue reading How to Effectively Manage Employee Expenses
Under a compromise plan finalized June 24, 2018, during the Louisiana Legislature’s third special legislative session, the state sales tax rate residents currently pay will be reduced. Beginning July 1, 2018, the overall rate went from 5 percent to 4.45 percent and will stay that way until June 30, 2025. This is actually a partial … Continue reading What You Need to Know About Louisiana’s State Sales Tax Change
It’s not too late to prepare Hurricane season officially begins June 1st each year and runs through Nov. 30, but that doesn’t mean that a named storm won’t pop up before then. In 2018 the first named storm, made landfall Memorial Day weekend. No matter each season’s predictions, it’s important to be prepared both at … Continue reading Your Business and Hurricane Season
An important investment for any small business is technology, because most businesses cannot operate without computers or software programs these days. When considering an annual budget, upgrades for technology and related services should be at least one line item. Office technology can make your job and your employees’ jobs easier and more efficient, thus justifying … Continue reading Does Your Office Technology Need a Refresh?
Project: Time Off — a national movement to transform American attitudes and change behavior — reports that 80 percent of workers said they would take more time off if they felt supported and encouraged by their bosses. Beginning in 2000, vacation usage in our country started to fall and has steadily declined since. Some employers … Continue reading Is Paid Time Off a Good Fit for Your Business?
Small businesses don’t always have all the cash they need to get started. While starting a business solely on credit probably isn’t a great idea, supplementing some expenses with credit can be. Many banks offer credit cards created just for small business owners. These types of cards often offer cash back, provide credit under your … Continue reading Three Reasons to Use Your Bank’s Credit Card
When you hire an employee, there’s salary or hourly wages to consider, but that’s just the starting point for the true cost of a new hire. How do health insurance, payroll taxes, workers compensation insurance and more factor into the big picture, not to mention various hidden costs like work space and training? Using an … Continue reading How Much Does an Employee Really Cost?
