During his second year of law school, Philip Amoa began the process of searching for internships. He found the research stressful — he had to locate law firms in specific geographic markets, personalize application documents, and meet important application deadlines, all while trying to prepare for classes the next day. A joking suggestion from a friend to hire a personal assistant planted the seed in his mind to create some way to make the process easier, and a short time later, Amoa launched LegalSummer.com.

Legal Summer combines the use of proprietary technology and an extensive database of law firms to provide the services of a personal assistant to law students who are looking to further their careers, but who have limited time to devote to the search. It helps law students identify possible job/internship opportunities based on location, and gives students the ability to email their customized cover letters and resumes with a single mouse click.

When opportunity knocks

Amoa considers himself a “situational entrepreneur,” and says, “When I started law school and began applying for internships, I realized the process was time-consuming and that was the point I started to think of ways to make the process easier. Time and chance happen to us all, and once the opportunity came knocking to start my own business, I had to seize the day by following my passion.”

He admits that starting a business while attending classes at the University of Illinois College of Law was not easy. But, he says “I was able to overcome the challenge with the help of Business Plan Pro. I had this ‘aha!’ moment and I wanted to bring my idea to reality. Business Plan Pro definitely helped me organize my thoughts into a well-written plan which continues to serve me to this day.”

The business got off the ground without a business plan in place, but it wasn’t long before he saw the need for one. “I decided to just plan as I went along but soon realized that a business plan was essential to the success of my business,” said Amoa. “I had a lot of ideas and was full of passion, and the plan actually helped me to keep a steady pace instead of the ‘trying to see what works’ approach.”

Fortunately he was no stranger to business plans. As an undergraduate Business Administration major, Philip had learned all about the plan-writing process. “But the main difference in using Business Plan Pro was that Business Plan Pro had some really helpful formats and tools. The software prompted me to consider things I hadn’t thought about. It was also easy to arrange my ideas in a coherent fashion.”

Extending its reach

LegalSummer.com is continuing to grow. Currently they have started expanding to law schools across the country, giving law students “a fast, effective means of researching and applying for internships/jobs. We have an application tool that saves them a lot of time and we will try to reach as many students as possible.”

For Amoa, who worked for a large corporation prior to starting law school and then becoming an entrepreneur, there is a great deal of satisfaction that comes with owning his own business. “The most exciting part about being an entrepreneur is taking an intangible idea or thought and nurturing it until it becomes a reality. I enjoy the art of putting together a team of skilled people and convincing them that they can bring this intangible idea to life.”

When he graduates from law school later this year, Amoa will have quite a choice of careers to pursue. And future lawyers will have him to thank for making their career stepping stones a little easier to navigate.

Tags: news, Small Business, startups, Success, testimonial
Posted on October 1st, 2009 | 3 Comments »

We’re extremely pleased to be a part of Network Solutions first ever Grow Smart Biz Conference in Washington DC next week (October 29th).

Jake Weatherly, our VP of Customer Experience will be speaking on a panel during the one-day educational workshop and  networking event at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington DC.

All small business owners, entrepreneurs and aspiring CEOs should attend to learn how to overcome challenges that all small businesses face. Attendees will leave the conference with:

• Insights into best practices of successful small businesses
• Strategies for growth despite the current economy
• Cost-effective ways to market and promote their businesses
• Tips for raising capital, and
• An opportunity to connect with small business owners, experts, and solution providers

Check out this link for more information about the other speakers and how to register before time runs out!

Tags: conference, Grow Smart Biz Conference, Jake Weatherly, Network Solutions, Palo Alto Software News, Small Business
Posted on September 24th, 2009 | No Comments »

How much thought do you give to where your dollars are going when you buy a new pair of shoes or go out for a meal? With small local businesses struggling to compete against big box stores and corporate chains, it’s more important than ever to try to keep your money in your community.

That’s why we’re keeping an eye on a new, interesting “buy local” movement springing out of Minneapolis. The 3/50 Project aims to save “the brick and mortars our nation is built on.”

How are they going to save it? By encouraging consumers to pick three local businesses they’d really miss if they were to close down, then having them commit to spending $50 (combined) each month at those stores.

The 3/50 Project isn’t an “all or nothing” campaign that insists consumers stop shopping in chains or franchises. Instead, our message is about balance—of the money you currently spend each month, we simply ask you to redirect an affordable $50 back to the locally owned independent businesses that have been forgotten of late.

According to the website, 68 percent of every dollar spent in a locally-owned business returns to the local economy –  in the form of taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. By comparison, when you buy at a national chain, only 43 percent of that money stays local. That’s a significant amount of money that can easily be funneled back into a community.

Enlisting business supporters, consumers, and organizations to get behind the movement, the 3/50 Project has gone national with supporters across the country holding events and community projects.

Palo Alto Software has teamed up with Rick L’Amie of Moxie Marketing in Austin, Texas, to support one such event. Moxie issued aB2B challenge to Austin business owners to help other businesses in the city. Each business that takes part in the challenge will be entered into a drawing to win one of three copies of Marketing Plan Pro we’ve donated to the cause. Winners will also receive a free 30-Day Moxie Quick Start Coaching program.

If you happen to be located in Austin, click here to enter the 3-Step Buy Local Challenge. All you have to do is name three local businesses, describe why you like them (stories will be shared on Rick’s blog), and pledge to support them.

If you don’t live in Austin, consider taking part in the 3/50 Project by making sure to spend some of your hard earned dollars in the stores and businesses owned by your neighbors. They’ll thank you, and you’ll be doing something simple to help your local economy.

Tags: 3/50 project, Duct Tape Marketing Coach, Marketing, news, Small Business
Posted on August 6th, 2009 | No Comments »

The private funding of CIT Group this week highlights once more how small- and medium-sized businesses, the backbone of the day-to-day American economy, are getting short shrift from the federal bailout and economic recovery programs.

CIT Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s prominent lenders, supporting more than 1 million small- and medium-size businesses, including some 2,000 vendors providing some 300,000 retail stores with merchandise. During the financial meltdown CIT continued to provide loans and financing to keep American small businesses running when the major banks hoarded their emergency bailout funds, and severely curtailed or ceased providing loans and financing to small businesses altogether. Now, faced with possible bankruptcy, CIT is about to secure a rescue loan from its existing bondholders.

Isn’t this how these things have been going all along?

• The big super-corporations get bail-out loans, but local community small businesses can’t get bank lines-of-credit or short-term bridge loans to stay in business.
• The big mortgage lenders get a helping hand as a reward for their bad decisions, but at the same time small businesses are closing, and their now-unemployed workers and owners lose their homes through mortgage foreclosure.
• The CEOs and financial wizards who precipitated the crisis are squabbling over salary and bonus packages larger than some communities’ entire annual budgets, yet unemployment is at its highest rate in a century.
• Some of the huge manufacturing industries, which employ less that 20% of American workers, get the big bailouts; meanwhile local, smaller companies, employing the vast majority of us, who provide us all with our daily product and service needs, have to resort to bootstrap financing to stay in business.

And now this. One of the few financial institutions that has continued to support American small- and medium-sized businesses is having to bootstrap-like finance itself, having been denied similar emergency financial assistance by the federal government. And there is no guarantee that the loan from current bondholders will be enough. As lack of financial support programs forces more local businesses to fail, the liquidity squeeze tightens on CIT. If CIT fails, then more local companies will be forced out of business. A bad downward spiral. In her What if CIT Group fails? WashingtonTimes.com post, Candice Choi looks at the implications. Other analysts fear a CIT failure will have a disastrous, major ripple effect throughout the entire retail economy.

If the economic recovery is going to happen anytime soon, the government, the top-level financial institutions, the investors and the holders of the wealth of this country are going to have to stop giving our small businesses short shrift.

Steve Lange
Senior Editor
Palo Alto Software

Tags: finance, medium business, Small Business
Posted on July 21st, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Today’s post is from John Wechsler, President of FormSpring. The company, which recently partnered with Email Center Pro, focuses on data collection and management through the use of Web-based forms. As a service, FormSpring ties together improved customer relationships with business success. Sounds very much like the Email Center Pro approach.

“What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”  This romantic view of the world espoused by Ralph Waldo Emerson can be adapted to business to help us stop looking at past and future customers and focus some love and attention on our existing customers.  It is, for most of us, much less costly to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one.

Increasingly, an enterprise’s long-term viability will hinge on the strength of its relationships with its customers. So where do we start when it comes to getting closer to our customers?  Tim Berry, president of Palo Alto Software, suggests that “unless you are a new business without a customer base at all, your market research should begin with learning as much as possible about your present customers.” Berry goes on to advise that businesses learn the following about their customers:

•    Who are they?
•    How did they find you?
•    What do they like about you?
•    What don’t they like?

Oftentimes a simple online survey is effective in letting customers know you care about them while also helping you learn a few things about your customers that will help you better serve them.

Traditionally one of the biggest challenges of getting so close to your customers has been purely logistical. This included: developing and designing a survey, printing and mailing it and compiling and analyzing the results. Any one of these tasks was difficult to manage “back in the day.”

Today the management barriers are largely removed. Online tools make it easier than ever to collect and manage data online.  There are no excuses for not understanding who your customers are, what they like and dislike, and what they think about your company.

When you’ve made the decision to start getting closer to your customers by using online surveys, it’s important to remember a few rules of the road.

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Super Simple)

When designing an online survey you want to keep it simple. Keep questions clear and answer choices easy to understand.  Spend time thinking about the flow of your survey. Do the questions progress in a logical and thoughtful manner? Once you think you’ve nailed it, take the survey yourself from the beginning.  You’ll probably see a few more things you can improve.

Make it easy for your customers to use

Make the exchange of information easy.  Keep required fields to a minimum so it’s easy for people to participate.  Be careful not to use unnecessary CAPTCHA (a challenge-response test used in computing to ensure that the response is not generated by a computer). The easier it is for someone to actually submit their information, the more you will learn and the better your customers will feel about interacting with you.

Make sure your forms are secure

Lock down information that you collect that is of a sensitive nature or could harm your customers if compromised. Use SSL for a secure browser connection (the URL will start with https://). Also, encrypt data stored in the database. Since your forms provider or IT department won’t be able to retrieve your data, don’t forget your password.  Finally, Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) is a way to encrypt emails to ensure that only the intended recipient(s) see emails that are meant to be secure. Make sure to use PGP for email privacy if you are receiving notification emails of the submitted data.  It does not help you or your customers to make a secure connection online and encrypt data if you then send emails without the protection of encryption. Alternatively, don’t send the actual data via email, instead just send notices that a submission has been received and use the security of an SSL connection to log in and view or download your data.

In Summary

Making your contact forms, surveys and other online forms simple for the user to complete, easy to access and use, and secure are three steps towards building strong relationships with your customers. It’s best to take the initiative now to ask your customers what they think than to wait for your competitors to do it!  With this knowledge, you will be on your way to creating an environment that helps you achieve the maximum lifetime value of your customers.

John Wechsler is president of Indianapolis-based FormSpring. With nearly 20 years of business experience including extensive startup experience, John is uniquely qualified to comment on many aspects of running startup, early-stage and high-growth organizations. John can be reached via email at john@formspring.com.

Tags: basics, email, fundamentals, Marketing, news, Small Business, survey
Posted on July 17th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

On May 11th, Ted.com gave people the opportunity to ask Seth Godin anything.

And they did. And Seth answered.

This one I particularly liked:

How can small business coffee shops survive a Starbucks next door? — Pascal Lacroix

By being not only different, but better in ways Starbucks cannot. You can’t win by imitating them. Consider having a membership fee, or a different social group. Serve a different item, in a different way, at a different price. Emphasize the ‘Cheers’ friendly element over the ‘get in and get out’ mindset. Exclude certain people or practices. Offer clothes or community performances … stuff they can’t do!

You can read the rest of the questions and answers by going to the TED website. Ask Seth Anything

‘Chelle Parmele
Palo Alto Software

Tags: secret sauce, Small Business
Posted on May 14th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Today we have a guest post from one of partners, The Company Corporation.

Incorporating or forming an LLC is a fast, affordable and easy process. It benefits the business owner by protecting personal and family assets from the risks and debts of the business. Here are eight easy things business owners can do to make incorporating a breeze.

1.    Select Your Company Name

Your company name can identify the type of products/services your business provides, or it can simply tout the name of the founder. The two main requirements for a company name are: no other entity in the same state may have the same or similar name; the name must include an ending like company, incorporated, corporation, association, foundation, institute, fund, society, union, syndicate, or limited. Words like “bank”, “trust” or “education” may not be used without approval from the appropriate state agency.

2.    Select Your Business Structure

A general corporation, also known as a “C” corporation, is the most common corporate structure. It may have an unlimited number of stockholders. A “close” corporation is appropriate only for the individual starting a company alone or with a small number of people. An LLC is not a corporation, but it offers many of the same advantages, combining the limited liability protection of a corporation with the “pass through”" taxation of a sole proprietorship or partnership.

3.    Select Your State

Many business owners incorporate or form an LLC in the state where they are planning to operate because it is often least complicated and most cost effective. However, Delaware still holds appeal for new companies because of its low incorporation fees, low annual franchise taxes, and lack of state income tax for corporations operating outside of Delaware. Likewise, Nevada has become increasingly business-friendly with its advantageous tax advantages.

4.    Select Your Management Team

Naming initial directors for your corporation is straightforward. Directors are typically the key players or owners in the business. In most states, only one director is required and you may simply name yourself. In an LLC, managers or members are selected.

5.    Select Your Number of Stock Shares and Par Value

Stock represents ownership in a corporation. Par value is the minimum selling price for each share of stock. Many states allow you to elect a $0 par value, to give you the most flexibility. LLCs do not issue stock, so LLC ownership is like a partnership.

6.    Choose a Corporate Kit

A Corporate Kit will help you organize and save your important company documents. They often include a corporate seal, stock certificates, stock transfer ledger, and sample forms for bylaws and minutes.

7.    Designate a Registered Agent

The Registered Agent serves a critical purpose and is an important part of protecting your corporate status. Select a highly reliable company to serve in this role. Look for a company that maintains a nationwide network of offices and serves as a full time Registered Agent in all 50 states plus District of Columbia, so that they can service your company’s needs as you grow.

8.    Worry Not!

Your decisions about company formation may be changed after your company is formed, simply by filing an amendment. Broad flexibility is available to you as your company grows and its needs change.

John Meyer from The Company Corporation will be our guest at this month’s Back to the Fundamentals webinar, April 14th.

Make sure you register for this event soon. Space is limited.

Tags: incorporation, information, Small Business, starting your business, the company corporation
Posted on April 9th, 2009 | 11 Comments »

In addition to all of the fantastic referrals being made on the www.makeareferralweek.com website (There’s over 800 listed!) there are some informative blog posts on the Duct Tape Marketing blog.

Susan Wilson Solovic, co-founder of SBTV.com
Pamela Slim of Escape from Cubicle Nation
Scott Allen, author of The Virtual Handshake
Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends

as well as podcasts and web conferences for you to listen to.

Find the whole list here on John Jantsch Duct Tape Marketing Blog

And don’t forget to go make your referral. Maybe it’s a local restaurant you suggested to a friend, maybe it’s that contractor you used to remodel your kitchen or even the accountant that took the extra time to really make sure the work was done right and well. Whoever or whatever business it is you think deserves a referral — make it today!

Make a difference in small business – Make a Referral Week

Tags: duct tape marketing, john jantsch, make a referral week, Marketing, Small Business
Posted on March 13th, 2009 | No Comments »

It’s no secret we’re big fans of John Jantsch around here. So it was exciting to read about a new webinar he’s involved in concerning something we get a lot of questions about.  Branding.

John writes:

Please join me and a very fun panel of small business branding pros on Wednesday, March 18th at 11am CDT for – The “Truth” About Small Business Branding – using your small business brand to outsmart the competition – a panel discussion featuring practical branding tips and tactics from leading small business branding experts.

Panelists:
» Karen Post – The Branding Diva & Author of Brain Tattoos
» John Moore – Creator of Brand Autopsy & Author of Tribal Knowledge
» Sam Horn – Author of Pop! – Stand out in any crowd
» Aaron Weiss – Chief Product Officer for MarketSplash

This won’t be your typical Branding 101 discussion, trust me, these guys get small business.

Register here for the Truth About Small Business Branding

Definitely a webinar to  make time for!

‘Chelle Parmele
Social Media Marketing Manager
Palo Alto Software

Tags: branding, experts, john jantsch, Marketing, Small Business, webinar
Posted on March 12th, 2009 | No Comments »

Make a Referral Week is an entrepreneurial approach to stimulating the small business economy one referred business at a time. The goal for the week is to generate 1,000 referred leads to 1,000 deserving small businesses in an effort to highlight the impact of a simple action that could blossom into millions of dollars in new business. Small business is the lifeblood and job-creating engine of the economy and merits the positive attention so often lavished on corporate bailout stories.

The week long virtual event will also feature daily education programs focused on teaching small business owners and other marketers how to tap the power of referral marketing. Featured guest experts include Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and author Masters of Networking, Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals and the Go-Giver, Bill Cates, author of Get More Referrals Now, Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing, Guy Kawasaki, author of Reality Check, Rich Sloan, author of StartUpNation, Anita Campbell, publisher of Small Business Trends, Scott Allen, author of the Virtual Handshake, John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing, Scott Ginsberg of Nametag TV, Michael Port, author of the Contrarian Effect and Book Yourself Solid, Susan Solovic Wilson, founder of SBTV.com and Pam Slim, author Escape from Cubicle Nation.

For more information and to participate or share your referral for the week, head over to http://www.makeareferralweek.com/

Make a difference!

Tags: Small Business
Posted on March 9th, 2009 | 2 Comments »