3 simple things that will save your business money to start the fiscal year
Many people think that owning your own business means you have hundred-dollar bills hanging out of your wallet. Small business owners know differently.
Business owners face a myriad of financial hurdles, more so since the pandemic. So when it comes to budgeting, finding ways to cut costs is a priority for every business owner.
We’ve come up with some essential tips to keep more money in your hands, so you can put it back where it belongs. Here are three simple things that will save your business money.
Audit your upcoming contract renewals
All companies need services to keep their employees and clients running smoothly. Whether you need Microsoft Office to create spreadsheets for inventory tracking or Slack for communication for your remote employees, software and services are a necessary evil.
This new Slack feature will save you time during your busy workday.
Most of these services come with contracts that lock you into a specific rate long-term. As you approach the end of a quarter, go through your contracts and add them to your calendar. See which ones will auto-renew and when, and make a note of how much they cost.
This gives you time to reach out to your vendors and renegotiate contracts. You might not be able to renegotiate all of them, but if you’ve been a valued customer for some time, you’d be surprised what they may offer.
Hit up your vendors
Speaking of vendors, it never hurts to hit them up at the end of the quarter and see what deals they may have kicking around. Perhaps there is a new discount they are offering to other customers and can extend to you as well.
Or maybe they have new partnerships or products that can offer you more savings. Worst case scenario, they say no, and you end up where you started. Best case, you put a little bit of money back into your pocket.
Change your mindset
Listen up! Starting a podcast? 4 tips that could make or break it
Whether you’re an aspiring show host or someone who has typed “What is a podcast?” into the search bar, you should check out our newest podcast. This episode of Kim Komando Today is your one-stop-shop on all things audio-related.
Don't make this big mistake e-commerce companies often make
It’s a great time to sell online. Last year, many people didn’t want to venture out of their homes to shop at physical stores. That’s why they used online stores to get their essentials.
Statista studies found over 2 billion people bought goods or services online in 2020. Not only that, but sellers made 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars in e-retail sales worldwide. Good news: The online shopping gold rush is nowhere near stopping.
These versions of QuickBooks are no longer supported - Time to upgrade
Each year, Intuit discontinues older versions of its QuickBooks line. As of May 31, these versions are no longer supported:
If you were using one of those editions, it’s seriously time to upgrade. We say it’s time to ditch the spreadsheets altogether. Don’t let QuickBooks and spreadsheets slow you down, making things harder than necessary. It’s time to upgrade to NetSuite.
Applying for jobs? Use this browser extension to skip the annoying application process
COVID-19 had a serious impact on the economy over the last year and a half. Now that millions of Americans are vaccinated, things are beginning to open up again. But that doesn’t mean we should drop our guard completely. The Delta variant is spreading quickly. Tap or click here to track this new, dangerous variant.
Small biz tip: 3 mistakes tanking your profits
When you’re an entrepreneur or a small business owner, you know that every penny counts. There are so many regular costs, plus you have to spend even more when life throws things like weather damage or a global pandemic at you.
2 clever ways to improve work productivity
A study from Microsoft suggests that 40% of the time when a worker is interrupted, they don’t return to work right away. Another statistic says that when a worker is interrupted from a task, it takes about 20 minutes to re-acclimate to what they were doing.
3 ways to make money selling your photos online
Dreamstime is the world’s largest community for stock photography. It’s also a great way to make some cash — even if you’re a new photographer. Content creators online are always hungry for new content; after all, engaging images can pull in traffic like a magnet.
3 small business mistakes you need to avoid
As a small business owner, you want the very best for your company. You want satisfied customers, you want to provide the best value and you want to grow — with as few issues and as much profit as possible.
Putting out fires and overcoming hurdles have been in your job description for as long as you can remember, but you may not realize how many issues you can avoid with just a few changes.
Small-biz essential: How to pick the best VPN
Blocking threats online feels like a neverending game of whack-a-mole. That’s why it’s important to take safety precautions before it’s too late and a criminal already has compromised your system. The best way to protect yourself is with a virtual private network.
Small biz advice: Get the expert tech help you need
As of December, more than half of Americans were employed by small businesses. There’s no question the impact the coronavirus has had on those businesses, and all their employees.
It’s an unprecedented time, and if you own or work for a small business, you’re navigating new territory. So how do you stay afloat when everything is changing? With the right resources.
YouTube has a free, easy-to-use ad tool perfect for small businesses
Everyone is feeling the financial crush from the COVID-19 pandemic these days — and businesses are not immune. The loan program recently launched to help small businesses retain employees and get through the tough times ran out of money in a matter of days, even as business owners waited in line for help.
3 critical ways to handle any business crisis
The coronavirus is proving that crises are an inevitable part of life, so naturally, they’re an inevitable part of a business. Small businesses tend to have more at stake during a crisis.
Sometimes an order will ship late, threatening a relationship with a client. One lost client or customer can be the difference between making it to the end of the year and needing to cut staff or overhead. One bad computer could end an entire company when things are on a smaller scale.
5 critical hardware solutions for your small business
Courage, instincts and hard work. This is what it takes to run a business; however, there is one more important ingredient that should be added to the mix.
If you wish to remain competitive and successful in today’s market, you’re going to need strong, reliable hardware. No, not like hammers and wrenches. We’re talking tech here.
How to prepare your business for the coronavirus
The coronavirus outbreak continues to make its way across the globe and health officials are urging Americans to be vigilant and prepare for the possibility of more cases. Currently, the numbers of infected in the U.S. are few, but the situation is fluid. Calm, proactive behavior is the key to staying healthy.
5 things that will help your business grow
Every business owner wants their business to thrive, but it seems each new day comes with a new challenge to overcome. In a world that runs on ever-changing technology, it’s important to recognize tech is a critical ingredient in the recipe for building and sustaining successful growth.
Finding software solutions for your business made easy
Are you just starting your own business or thinking of doing so? Or perhaps you’re running a business and you need software solutions for various projects. When we’re looking for ways to improve our processes and the things we produce, everyone here at Komando.com knows exactly where to turn.
Great tech deals to help upgrade your business
If you’re looking to replace your laptops, desktops, routers or other electronics — or maybe you’re just looking to get your team mobile with smart devices — we’ve got a list of products to consider.
Kim has partnered with Dell for many years. In fact, if you ever visit the studios here at WestStar, you’ll see Dell in our server rooms, studios and work areas.
Why hackers are targeting your business and how to stop them
One of the most commonly shared myths among small businesses and their owners is that hackers have no interest in attacking them, that they are simply too small to be worth hacking. These assumptions couldn’t be more wrong.
6 freebies that will help your business grow
Who doesn’t love freebies? We’ve got a list of six resources for free stuff to help you run your business. Design a free logo, order free shipping supplies and even take online courses and webinars with these free resources.