An employee handbook lays the groundwork for how a business runs from day to day. If your handbook isn’t used or updated consistently, your business may not be running as efficiently as possible and be at high risk for costly employee relations issues.

Almost everyone who dreams of starting their own business, knows they need to create a business plan. However, that’s often where many people stop. When you created your business plan, what did you do with it? You actually have the basis for the next step, which is creating your marketing plan. Without the plan of how you are going to market your business, the business plan is just an empty jumble of words speaking of dreams and desires. The marketing plan takes those dreams and creates a strategy for how to make them come true.

We’ve all heard about the “blurb.” It’s that short phrase you use to describe what you do for a living. Often it’s the first and, maybe if handled incorrectly, the last, contact you’ll have when meeting a potential client. It’s more important than your name when introducing yourself. When it comes to creating a blurb to describe what you do, think benefits. Most people are interested in what’s in it for them. Also, try to use a blurb that offers an open-ended question. Those are the kind where a simple “yes” or “no” isn’t going to cut it. It should beg for more info.