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Beestings: Put yourself first

Are you so busy looking after your customers, your business and everything else that you forget about the most important person in your enterprise? This week's guaranteed-under-two-minute read has tips and tools to help keep you sane and savvy.
May 15th, 2012 by Bizbuzz Team

Look after your greatest asset - yourself!

Running a home business or small enterprise can be very rewarding. It can also be isolating and stressful, and it's all too easy to neglect your own professional development when the work is coming in. Make sure you don't fall into this trap!
May 14th, 2012 by Heather Douglas

Decisions, decisions – do you recruit for yourself or use a recruitment consultant?

There are pros and cons to using the services of a recruitment specialist when hiring staff. Tanya Gray weighs up the options.
May 11th, 2012 by Tanya Gray

Buff up your sales and marketing

Confession: I'm not a marketing guru. I'm not even a naturally gifted marketer. I'm simply an accountant - surely the least marketing-friendly group on the planet. But I have learned some things about marketing along the way, and want to share them with you.
May 10th, 2012 by Phil Astley

Get on the brand wagon!

Corporates spend tens of thousands of dollars (or more) on creating and maintaining their brand - but what about the home business? Does it need a brand? Can it bring one into being on a shoestring? (And much of this applies to non-home-based small businesses too).
May 8th, 2012 by Heather Douglas

Your shortcuts to customer surveys

Regularly surveying your customers means you can find out how happy your customers are with your products and services, and what you may (or may not) being doing that is hurting your bottom line. Plus, you’ll get insights into where you should be focusing your resources and making product developments. Turns out, often they are just waiting to be asked!
May 4th, 2012 by Nicola Anderson

Your quick, 10-step guide for building trust online

When prospects visit your website, they will decide within a few short seconds if they're going to continue looking around - or if they'll hit the "back" button to check out your competitors. Cornelia Luethi shares some simple tips on how to build trust online within this short space of time.
May 3rd, 2012 by Cornelia Luethi

Exiting your home or small business

When you are in the throes of running your business on a daily basis, it can be hard to take a long-term perspective - but it's important to have these plans in place and work towards them. Have you considered your exit strategy?
April 30th, 2012 by Heather Douglas

How well do you really know your products and services?

Your products and services are the core of your business - but have you really thought about them or were they just born on a whim and are you making the most of the opportunity to build a business around them? Phil Astley has some suggestions.
April 27th, 2012 by Phil Astley

Fair and unfair trading practices

The Commerce Commission has recently issued a number of warnings to companies engaged in activities in breach of the Fair Trading Act 1986. The Commission has also indicated there will be greater investigation into complaints about breaches of the Act and closer scrutiny of companies. Allister Doo, a business lawyer from Hornabrook Macdonald Lawyers, discusses the recent work of the Commission and your obligations under the Act.
April 26th, 2012 by Allister Doo