Succeeding on Etsy, a popular online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique goods, involves a mix of strategy, creativity, and dedication. Here are some key steps to help you succeed on Etsy:

1. Unique and High-Quality Products: Offer unique, high-quality items that stand out. Whether it's handmade crafts, vintage items, or digital designs, ensure your products are distinctive and well-crafted.
2. Photography: Invest time in taking high-quality, well-lit, and clear photos of your products. Good imagery is crucial as customers heavily rely on visuals when making purchase decisions.
3. SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords in your product titles, descriptions, and tags to improve search visibility. Research and understand the keywords your target audience might use when searching for products like yours.
4. Compelling Product Descriptions: Write informative, engaging, and accurate descriptions for your products. Highlight unique features, materials used, dimensions, and how the item can be used.
5. Competitive Pricing: Research similar products on Etsy to set competitive yet profitable prices. Consider factors like material costs, labor, shipping, and Etsy fees when pricing your items.
6. Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service. Respond promptly to inquiries, address customer concerns professionally, and aim for positive interactions to build a loyal customer base.
7. Shipping and Packaging: Offer reasonable shipping rates and ensure prompt order fulfillment. Use attractive and secure packaging that enhances the customer experience.
8. Promotion and Marketing: Utilize social media platforms, create a blog, or collaborate with influencers to promote your Etsy shop. Engage with your audience, run promotions, and offer discounts to attract more buyers.
9. Etsy Ads: Consider using Etsy's advertising tools to increase your shop's visibility. Monitor and analyze the performance of your ads to optimize your marketing efforts.
10. Consistency and Improvement: Continuously update your shop with new products, improve existing listings, and stay updated with Etsy's policies and guidelines. Analyze your shop's performance regularly and adapt strategies accordingly.

Remember, success on Etsy may take time and effort. Building a strong brand, providing excellent products, and fostering positive customer relationships are crucial for long-term success. Continuously evaluate and refine your strategies to adapt to changing market demands and customer preferences.

Spotting work-from-home scams is crucial to protect yourself from potential fraud. Here are some common signs to help you identify work-from-home scams:

1. Too Good to Be True: If a job offer promises high earnings for minimal effort, it's likely a scam. Be skeptical of offers that claim you can make a significant amount of money with little or no experience.
2. Upfront Fees: Legitimate employers don't require you to pay money upfront for job opportunities. Be wary of any job that asks for payment for training, background checks, or access to job listings.
3. Unsolicited Job Offers: If you receive unsolicited emails or messages offering you a job without applying or seeking one, it's often a scam. Legitimate employers typically won't contact you out of the blue.
4. Vague Job Descriptions: Scams often provide vague job descriptions, making it difficult to understand the responsibilities. Legitimate jobs will clearly outline the tasks and expectations.
5. Poorly Designed Websites and Communication: Scam websites and emails often have spelling and grammatical errors. Look for official email addresses and verify the website's legitimacy by researching the company.
6. Request for Personal or Financial Information: Be cautious about sharing personal information, like your Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card information, with a potential employer.
7. No Verifiable Contact Information: Scammers may hide their contact information or only provide an email address. Legitimate employers will have a physical address and a phone number.
8. Too Much Pressure to Act Quickly: Scammers may pressure you to make quick decisions or to pay upfront fees immediately. A legitimate employer will give you time to consider the offer.
9. Check for Reviews and Complaints: Search for reviews and complaints about the company online. Scammers often leave a trail of dissatisfied victims.
10. Request for Money Transfers or Handling Funds: Be cautious if a job involves handling funds or transferring money. This is a common element in many work-from-home scams.
11. Check the Better Business Bureau: Research the company on the Better Business Bureau's website to see if there are any complaints or warnings.
12. Use Common Sense: If something doesn't feel right or seems too good to be true, trust your instincts and proceed with caution.
13. Request for Personal Tasks: Be cautious if the job involves personal tasks like cashing checks, shipping packages, or reshipping items. These could be signs of a scam.
14. Too Much Secrecy: If the employer is excessively secretive about the nature of the work or the company, it could be a red flag.
15. Inconsistent Contact Information: Check if the contact information on the job posting matches the company's official website and contact details.
    ​
    

Remember that legitimate work-from-home opportunities do exist, but they can be competitive to find. Always research and thoroughly vet any potential employer or job opportunity before providing personal information or making financial commitments. When in doubt, consult with trusted friends, family, or a career counselor.

Looking to become self-employed, but you do not know where to start? Becoming self-employed involves starting and running your own business or working as an independent contractor or freelancer. Here are the steps to help you become self-employed:

1. Choose a Business Idea or Service: Identify a product or service you want to offer. This could be something you're passionate about or have expertise in.
2. Market Research: Research the demand for your chosen product or service. Understand your target audience and competition.
3. Business Plan: Create a detailed business plan outlining your business goals, strategies, budget, and financial projections.
4. Legal Structure: Decide on the legal structure for your business, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation. Each has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of liability, taxes, and regulations.
5. Register Your Business: Depending on your location and business structure, you may need to register your business with the appropriate government authorities and obtain any necessary permits or licenses.
6. Business Name and Branding: Choose a business name and create a strong brand identity, including a logo and marketing materials.
7. Finances: Open a separate business bank account to manage your business finances. You may need to secure startup capital through savings, loans, or investors.
8. Accounting and Taxes: Set up a system for tracking your income and expenses. Consider hiring an accountant or using accounting software to manage your finances. Understand your tax obligations as a self-employed individual.
9. Business Location: Determine whether you need a physical location for your business or if you can operate from home or online.
10. Build an Online Presence: Create a website and establish a presence on social media platforms to promote your business and connect with potential customers.
11. Marketing and Sales: Develop a marketing strategy to reach your target audience and attract customers. This may involve advertising, networking, or content marketing.
12. Offer Outstanding Customer Service: Building a good reputation is essential. Provide excellent customer service to build a loyal customer base and receive referrals.
13. Contracts and Agreements: If you're offering services, have clear contracts in place to protect your interests and outline the terms of your work.
14. Health Insurance and Benefits: As a self-employed person, you'll need to consider health insurance and other benefits typically provided by employers.
15. Networking: Join relevant industry associations, attend networking events, and connect with others in your field to build relationships and gain insights.
16. Continuous Learning: Stay updated on industry trends and continually improve your skills.
17. Manage Time and Finances: Self-employment often requires disciplined time management and financial discipline. Make sure to set goals and stick to a budget.
18. Legal and Compliance: Comply with all relevant laws and regulations in your industry and location.
    
    

Becoming self-employed can be rewarding, but it also comes with challenges and risks. It's important to do thorough research and seek advice from professionals, such as lawyers or accountants, as needed. Starting and maintaining a successful self-employed venture often takes time and dedication, so be prepared for hard work and persistence.

Credit scores are numerical representations of an individual's creditworthiness, and they are used by lenders and other financial institutions to assess the risk associated with lending money or extending credit to individuals. Here are some of the key purposes for which credit scores are used:

1. Lending Decisions: Lenders use credit scores to help determine whether to approve or deny loan or credit card applications. A higher credit score typically indicates a lower credit risk, making it more likely for an applicant to be approved and receive favorable terms such as lower interest rates.
2. Interest Rates: Credit scores often play a significant role in determining the interest rates borrowers are offered. Individuals with higher credit scores generally receive lower interest rates, which can result in lower monthly payments and overall borrowing costs.
3. Credit Limits: Credit scores may influence the credit limits extended on credit cards. Individuals with higher scores are more likely to receive higher credit limits, while those with lower scores may have lower limits.
4. Rental Applications: Landlords and property management companies may use credit scores to assess the financial responsibility of prospective tenants. A low credit score could make it more challenging to secure rental housing.
5. Insurance Premiums: Some insurance companies use credit scores to help determine the premiums for auto and home insurance policies. Lower credit scores may lead to higher insurance premiums.
6. Utility Deposits: Utility companies, such as those providing electricity, gas, or water, may consider credit scores when determining whether to require a security deposit from a new customer.
7. Employment Screening: In some cases, employers may request permission to access an applicant's credit report as part of the hiring process, especially for positions that involve financial responsibility.
8. Cell Phone Plans: Cell phone providers may check credit scores when customers apply for postpaid plans or when they want to finance the purchase of a smartphone.
9. Apartment Leases: Similar to rental applications, property management companies may use credit scores to assess the suitability of potential tenants for apartment leases.
10. Loan Modifications: When borrowers request loan modifications or refinancing, lenders may use credit scores to assess the borrower's ability to meet the new terms.
    
    

It's important to note that the specific scoring model used, and the weight assigned to credit scores can vary among lenders and institutions. Additionally, credit scores are typically based on information in an individual's credit report, which includes factors like payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, types of credit accounts, and recent credit inquiries. Therefore, responsible financial behavior, such as making payments on time and managing debt wisely, can lead to higher credit scores and more favorable financial opportunities.

Accounts receivable is an essential part of any business. With accounts receivable, you can track payments from customers/clients. Whether your business provides goods or services, using an accounts receivable aging wordbook template will help you gain piece of mind that you will have enough monetary funds to keep your business in operation.

Accounts receivable aging wordbook has a template that can be downloaded for free.

Information needed in an accounts receivable aging wordbook:

• Names of your customers and clients.
• Date of service/product delivery.
• The amount of the receivable.
• The terms of payment.

What an accounts receivable aging wordbook template may look like:

• Column A should contain the name of your customer/client.
• Column B should contain the date when services were provided.
• Column C should contain the amount that you expect to receive from services. If you provide services to other countries, you should separate the monitoring sheet for currencies used. This way you don't mix various currencies together.
• Column E should contain 0-30 day payment terms.
• Column F should contain 31-45 day payment terms.
• Column G should contain 46-60 day payment terms.
• Column H should contain 61-90 day payment terms.
• Column I should contain 91-120 day payment terms.

When it comes to columns G through I, make sure you check with your client's accounting department in order to ensure accuracy. Ask for any misplaced invoices, or if your client is having any issues with their services. If your client exceeds their column, it may be necessary to send a payment demand letter.

The last column on the accounts receivable aging wordbook template should contain the amount of money expected from your clients.

The accounts receivable aging wordbook template is an invaluable excel tool. It will give you peace of mind and ensure that your business is making the amount of money that you expect to be making. Let your accounts receivable aging wordbook drive your company on the road of success.

source: http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/business-finances/aging-of-accounts-receivable.html
[photo credit: www.spreadsheetshoppe.com]
#financing #business #smallbusiness #corporate #accountsreceivable #pay #clients #customers #howto #evergreencontent #blogging #money #blogs #templates ​

Have you ever audited your payroll process? If you have not, you may want to schedule an audit at the end of your current business quarter. Scheduling regular payroll audits can help your business operate smoothly. Also, keeping the information organized can help your payroll department keep track of important documents, such as tax information, employee rate of pay and more. Businesses that go over their budget have been known to cut employee hours, which leaves a lack of coverage during your day of operations. It is essential to stay on top of your payroll.
Not having regular payroll audits can stress out your payroll department. Paying attention to payroll is essential in maintaining a successful business. Payroll is also an area that is at a high risk for fraud. So many things can go wrong in payroll. There could be minute errors in paperwork, fictitious employees may be receiving checks, and there could be a huge discrepancy in hours employees have worked and hours budgeted.

 Keep the following tips in mind to help you run your first payroll audit:

1. Confirm employees that were active during the business quarter. Make sure that checks were not accidentally issued to inactive or terminated employees.
2. Confirm the rate of pay for each active employee.
3. Take a look at the rate of pay and hours worked by your employees. Make sure that everything matches up to your general ledger. Also compare hours and money budgeted for your employee's used sick time and used vacation time.
4. Verify employee tax information. Make sure all information provided on the tax documents are accurate and is recorded on your company's ledger. Compare all payroll totals, withheld taxes and your employee's net check amounts to the general ledger. If you have multiple payroll accounts (sales, manager and administrative), compare the categories to see if it reflects the amount budgeted for these groups.
5. Verify bank reconciliation for your payroll account. Make sure the checks clear for the issued amount. Ask your bank for a hard copy of payroll checks to keep for your company's records. This service may require a fee.

What do we do with the information once we have it?
With the dawn of the internet age, many businesses have relied on the internet to help them manage their business. There are many services that are offered that can help businesses keep track of audits. PerfectForms happens to be one of them! PerfectForms is an online form and workflow solution service that is tailored to meet the needs of a business. This amazing service can help a business manage crucial information, whether it be information from an invoice or purchase form.

PerfectForms can help your business stay organized by automating information from the following forms:

• Reimbursements
• Capital expenditure forms
• Loan applications
• Purchase orders
• Invoices
• Billing
• Reporting expenses​

In order for a business to function properly, it is important to process financial information quickly and correctly. Delays in gathering your payroll data at the end of each quarter can cause your payroll department unnecessary headaches and lost wages. Make sure you schedule a payroll audit at the end of this quarter.

With the information provided, you are armed with what you need to know about auditing your payroll process. You do not want your business to turn into a sinking ship. Organize your payroll process, schedule regular audits, and make sure you use PerfectForms to stay organized.
​
Sources:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/payroll-audit-procedures-3599.html
http://www.perfectforms.com/
http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/procedures-payroll-audit-10921.html

​Are the departments in your company working successfully together in order to continue to innovate and develop new products? Many companies set up temporary cross-departmental teams in order to promote cooperation during specific projects. It has been shown that these teams work quite well together while working on these specific projects.

There seem to be a few small secrets that are likely to make projects like this work successfully. Please bear mind that the team members working on these projects are likely to be strangers to each other. So the first thing that you will want to do is to build the team. Although everybody would like to see fast results, it is important to understand that it can take about half a year to document and present the project to others, providing information such as the project’s objectives, brainstorming of ideas, all the way to planning.

The following steps will assist companies with setting up these teams. Also, these steps will help these teams implement tools needed so the teams can work well together. You will learn how to get the entire organization involved in your projects.

• Create motivation for the selection of team members and the selected members themselves.​
  This is a fairly important step. However, it is general practice to provide information about the project to the managers of each department and make a specific request for personnel. Rather than simply asking for anybody available, you should put your request in writing including guidelines about your requirements. For the selected members, you should make sure they enjoy some form of special status in order to increase their motivation. For example, organize parties at luxurious restaurants at the kick-off meeting stage or at key points in the project, where the team members can engage in dialog and exchange opinions with their managers. These parties can help team members exchange their ideas in a more relaxed setting outside of the office.
• Set up multiple teams to create a spirit of competition.​
  You should provide training on techniques for generating new ideas, a skill that is necessary when developing new products, as well as opportunities for all team members to learn about innovation. These are key initiatives for each team. Of course, these opportunities alone will not provide them with enough time. You will then need to let each independent management group lead their own project, but it is also important to arrange interim progress meetings so all teams can inform each other of their progress. Each team will then be able to learn from the efforts made by the other teams. Rather than enforcing a particular format for presenting to others, it is also a good idea to leave this at each team's discretion. Do not forget that it also pays to make this exercise enjoyable for each team.
• Make your initiatives well known to your superiors and others, and gain the support of the rest of the organization.
  Provide timely interim reports about the project and the status of each team member to the managers who selected them for you. It is not enough for each member to make their own reports. Even with managers that are not particularly related to the project, if they are stake holders of the ideas being implemented, there is absolutely no harm in keeping them involved. Do not talk to people in the organization just as the product development ideas from the cross-departmental teams are about to be implemented in reality. If you hurriedly run around trying to seek the approval of the necessary people, then it would be far too late. In addition, if the organization lets the team members know that they have their full support for the project, it would make their work much easier and less stressful. Teams usually work better when they know they have the full support of their entire organization.

As the department running a cross-departmental project, you are probably hoping to see some fast results. However, do make sure to follow processes like the ones outlined above. Good processes are likely to generate good results. If the process is inappropriately rushed, some projects may lack the creativity a company needs in order to inspire clients. Many projects take some time to complete, but by keeping each of these teams motivated, the finished projects are likely to be full of useful information and unique creativity.

Remember: When you work together as a cohesive unit, that’s when ideas are truly born. Allow creativity to be your guide as you work together with your teammates.

The business world is known as being a “dog eat dog” world. Corporations are in constant competition with one another and will go to great lengths to ensure their competition fails. While it is okay for corporations to be strong competitors, there should be a code of ethics that every corporation should adhere to.

1. Be an honest employer.
   As children, we were taught that ‘honesty was the best policy.’ Now that we’re adults in the business world, we occasionally witness corporations cutting corners, and bending the truth, in order to come out as “top dog.” In the end, dishonesty and “playing dirty” will be the death of that particular corporation.
   Clients want to do business with trustworthy corporations. Implement a ‘zero tolerance for dishonesty’ policy into the workplace. Morale will increase, and clients will be satisfied that they picked the right company to do business with.
2. Implement an Ethics Program.
   Management must first figure out the company’s mission and core values. Once those are established, management can figure out what success means to them. By defining the mission and core values of the company, management can empower their employers to work passionately and righteously for their company.

By establishing a code of ethics in the workplace, management will witness an increase in morale, a decrease in misconduct in the workplace, and an overall increase in passion for the company. Clients will pick up on the harmony and cohesiveness of the company, and they will be grateful to be doing business with such an ethical and moral corporation.​

​Monday through Friday, millions of people venture off to work. They sit through grueling traffic jams and rush to make it to the office on time. As the workday progresses, one may overhear a few co-workers talking in the cubicle next door. They are discussing a co-worker’s recent promotion. They say the promotion was undeserved, claiming the co-worker received the promotion based on favoritism. The co-worker who received the promotion overhears the gossip. In the days that follow, the co-worker becomes increasingly uncomfortable, and it begins to show in his work.

Gossip can affect all areas in the workplace. It can affect office morale, and it can hurt the feelings of the employee being gossiped about. Not only that, if clients find out that the company has a gossip problem, the client may be less inclined to do business with the company.

Workplace gossip should not be ignored. Implementing rules and standards can help cut down on the amount of gossip around the office.

​Enforce the 'Open Door Policy.'
Employers, if an employee comes in with a complaint, allow them to discuss the issue. After the issue is discussed, work with them in order to find a solution to the problem.

​Praise employees for all their hard work.
By praising everyone for their hard work, the office will be more harmonious.

The Three Strike Rule
There is no way gossip can be completely cut out of the workplace. However, if an employee gossips consistently, give them 3 chances to redeem themselves:

1. First offense
   Verbal Warning. Tell the employee that a complaint against them has been made, and that gossip is not tolerated at this company.
2. Second offense
   Written Warning. If complaints against the same individual continue to come in, write the employee up, and place it in their personnel file.
3. Third Offense
   Termination.

By enforcing a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against workplace gossip, employers will be creating a more positive work environment. Morale will increase, and clients will be excited to do business with such a positive company. By treating employees as equals and praising them all for the hard work they’ve done, employees will continue to work as a cohesive team.​