In fact, being a cheapskate is being buzzed about everywhere. I'm not talking about the kind of person who rations shampoo, reuses tissues, or goes out to dinner with friends and hopes someone else will pick up the tab. Instead I'm referring to people who are conscious about how they spend their money, especially when it comes to their business.

Are you really in a cash crunch? There are some simple things you can do that will reduce your business budget and allow you to reallocate that money into marketing so you can grow your business. Here are a few money saving tips as well as ways to examine how you're spending your money.

Website maintenance and hosting

I see so many people get ripped off when it comes to their websites because they just don't know better. Make sure your website is designed in a Content Management System like Wordpress or Joomla so you can make simple changes like wording or adding photos or videos yourself and you won't have to pay someone to do it, since the going rate is around $60 an hour. These systems are very user friendly and will save you a bundle.

When it comes to web hosting you should be paying under $10 a month for a simple website hosting account. You're better off not hosting through your web designer but with a well-known dedicated web hosting company. Web designers often charge more and don't always give you access. If you switch web designers or they are unavailable you may have trouble getting access to your business website. _______________________________

Telephone service

Consider switching your business phones to VOIP, the Internet based phone service. It could save you hundreds of dollars a year. I know solo home based business that even use Magic Jack at under $20 a year! _______________________________

Technology

If the computer, cell phone and software you use still work just fine, you don't need to replace them with the latest version. Only switch when you absolutely need to do so. Do you need web access on your cell phone if you work at home all day? Do you need a new operating system just because it's available? Advertisers would have you believe you do and so would your kids, but don't fall for it.

On the other hand, do invest in automation software if it will make your business more efficient, save you precious time or expense on outsourced help. Examples would be using an e-mail marketing program, affiliate management software, database program, scheduling program, or customer service software. ___________________________________

Office supplies

One of the most annoying expenses is replacing printer cartridges. You end up paying much more for the cartridges than you paid for the printer. Try using refillable cartridges. Plus did you know that certain fonts actually use more ink? Really, I'm not kidding!

Don't buy office supplies you might need. Only buy what you actually need. Before buying pens, post-its or paper, check different stores for the best prices so you can save money consistently. Save paper by printing on both sides when possible. Also send documents electronically when possible rather than printing and faxing or mailing. It's incredible how much this can save you. _________________________________

Marketing expense

Don't be a cheapskate when it comes to the marketing materials your prospects see, like your website, business card, blog. Get a skilled professional graphic designer or web designer to create your branding and you'll come across as an experienced professional.

But with the vast opportunities available to market at practically no cost on the Internet and using social media, you'd be crazy not to take advantage. For a very small investment you can hire a trained virtual assistant to help you drive lots of highly targeted traffic right to your online door. I've seen small business owners spend hundreds of dollars a year on local networking groups that yielded no business rather than taking that money and spending it on something that will give them a measurable return on investment. __________________________________

Spend 30 minutes going through your expenses and see where making some minor changes can save you money. And from now on, go ahead and be a cheapskate! Just don't skimp where it counts.

Written by Janis Pettit on July 21, 2010 http://smallbusiness-bigresults.com/blog/money-saving-tips-for-small-business-owners-should-you-be-a-cheapskate/

That's why it's so important to follow a thorough hiring process. In an article on BusinessKnowHow.com, by John Reese of HireRight (www.hireright.com), he discusses the "Top Five Lies Told by Job Candidates."

1. Exaggerating dates of past employment. As many as 34 percent of all resumes include discrepancies related to previous employment. Candidates often stretch the truth to cover gaps in their work history they may not want to explain. Sometimes discrepancies are honest mistakes, but employers should always verify employment dates.

2. Falsifying the degree or credential earned. There is roughly a 20 percent discrepancy rate in education qualifications provided by candidates. Often a resume will tout a degree when a candidate only took some classes, or exaggerate a major so the candidate appears more qualified for the job.

3. Inflating salary or title. It's hardly surprising that a candidate might exaggerate these important facts to get a better job or a higher salary. Salary verification can be more difficult since many companies will not reveal this information. In such cases, asking the candidate for previous W-2 forms as proof is a wise step.

4. Concealing a criminal record. The most serious reason companies must perform background checks is to maintain a safe workplace. Roughly 11 percent of all background checks return a criminal record. Criminal applicants often try to avoid detection through nondisclosure or by changing details such as the spelling of their names or dates of birth.

5. Hiding a drug habit. Since 42 percent of Americans admit to using an illegal drug in their lifetime, screening candidates for drug use is a wise idea for small businesses. Drug users go to great lengths to beat these tests -- such as adulterating urine samples -- but today's drug tests are increasingly sophisticated and can identify true positives and negatives despite the attempts of those trying to cover up drug use.

I've shortened the article some, but you can read it in its entirety here:

http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/jobcandidatelies.htm

However, this chore can be made much easier and simpler by using a planning template that isn't intimidating. Ivana Taylor, writing on the Small Business Trends site, gives 2 great examples of one-page marketing plans, and makes available the blank templates.

I've shortened her article here, but it can be read in its entirety by clicking on the link further below. You'll also have to click on the link to retrieve the plan templates.

(1) One-page marketing plan 1 -- The first marketing plan template is one that I've loosely adapted from learnings from the original marketing guru, Philip Kotler. (Even he doesn't believe in hundred-page plans). It's a simple single sheet of paper that outlines the basic marketing components or categories like your Mission/Objectives, Target Market, Offering, Pricing, Distribution, Communication -- you know, those 4 Ps we love so much in marketing. But the good news is that that's really all there is to it.

You can find something roughly along these lines in an old "Marketing Management" book that Kotler wrote over 20 years ago, but I think the principles are still valid.

You can use this format as a place to put your big thoughts so that you can focus on what the strategies are.

I am making the template available as a Word document -- both a blank template and a mocked-up sample plan, which you can use as a guide for how to fill out the template.

Download blank template 1 and the mocked-up sample plan 1 by going to the link below.

(2) One-page marketing plan 2 -- The second one-page plan format I use is a combination of the Kotler plan and the Guerrilla Marketing process as advocated by Michael McLaughlin. This one's not much different from the Kotler plan, but it's less academic and more focused on emotional triggers that will get your ideal customer to choose you.

I am also making this template available as Microsoft Word documents for you to download use to guide your marketing planning.

Download the blank template 2 and a mocked-up sample plan 2 by clicking on the link below.

Click here to read this article by Ivana Taylor in its entirety, and to download the templates:

http://smallbiztrends.com/2008/06/one-page-marketing-plan.html

An article recently came across Goodle Alert's Small Business alert that caught my eye. Lynn Vos, the area director of the University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center, writes about business signage, on the site Savannahnow.com.

Her article discusses several tips for making business signage more effective:

1) Begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself what you are trying to do with this sign. Are you trying to sell something, give the potential customer information or give them direction?

2) Place the sign where it's noticeable. If people can't see the sign, they sure as heck can't read it.

3) Keep it simple. Keep in mind that you are dealing with limited space, so your message must be clear and simple. Don't try to cram too much in a small space.

4) Make it legible. Test your signage - drive past it and see whether you can read it while driving. Also, how does it look at night versus during the day?

5) Be consistent in your branding efforts. Make sure your sign reflects the same brand as all your other marketing efforts.

6) Don't forget "in-store" signage. These little signs can have big impact on your customers. Sometimes referred to as "shelf talkers," small signs sticking on the shelves can generate interest and create a call to action for your customers.

7) Seek a professional's guidance. Get some ideas and feedback from several sign specialists. If you see a sign you like, stop and ask the business owner who did it.

8) Invest well. Remember, signage is an investment that you may be looking at for years to come. Depending on the type of sign, you can spend anywhere from a few dollars to thousands of dollars for signage.

9) Keep in mind how long you need the sign to last, if it needs to be changed on a regular basis, if it needs to be lighted, the materials that will maximize its life, and the environment it has to exist in.

To read more about each tip, you can read the article by Vos in its entirety by clicking on this link:

http://savannahnow.com/column/2010-07-05/small-business-9-tips-make-your-signage-effective

The traits were determined from a study by The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, and is based on analysis of a survey of 1,100 small businesses with between 2 and 99 employees.

1) The ability to collaborate. Those who can delegate, build strong relationships with their management teams, employees, and others are more likely to click with customers.

2) Being self-fulfilled. Good small business owners put a high price on the fulfillment their companies provide them, relish being their own boss, and enjoy being in control of their personal income.

3) Future-focused. Small business owners who thrive are good at both short-term and long-term planning. They're likely to have a well thought-out plan for the day-to-day running of the business as a road map for how to run the business for years.

4) Curious. Good entrepreneurs are always reading and asking questions. They want to learn everything from why a particular business failed to how to find, motivate, and keep good employees.

5) Tech-savvy. Perhaps not surprisingly, the best small business owners invest time and money on their company's website and are likely to "rely a great deal on technology to help make our business more effective and efficient."

6) Action oriented. Successful founders are proactive and always "differentiating ourselves from our competitors," survey respondents said. They were less worried than other small business owners about the state of the economy, and more likely to look at adversity as "a kick in the rear to help you move forward."