More and More Solutions

Tradeshift, a cloud-based company that allows businesses to exchange invoices for free, is on the lookout for ways that small businesses can cut costs by implementing cloud-based solutions like their own.

Tradeshift's CEO, Christian Lanng, sent me this list of online resources. Check a few of them out:

TalentWise – A cloud HR solution, TalentWise makes the hiring process more affordable and manageable by offering hundreds of custom employment screening packages including background checks, drug testing, credit checks, verifications, and more. Its flexibility makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

SkedgeMe – SkedgeMe is an online scheduling tool that makes business scheduling a breeze by making it possible for SMBs to accept appointments through their websites 24/7. Customers can see when the services are available and book them right online.

NewVoiceMedia – NewVoiceMedia delivers a cloud-based contact center solution. It provides access to contact center technology (call routing, queueing, CRM, etc.) in an easier and more affordable way without the need for a big investment in hardware, software or professional services.

Peer Software – Peer Software specializes in data protection and consistency, allowing businesses to better manage their digital assets. By protecting against data loss and facilitating software distribution, Peer Software helps sustain seamless business communications.

Dropbox – An online syncing service, Dropbox is the simplest way to store and share your files. It syncs directly over local networks without having to go through online servers first, and also has the best third-party support.

DIY Bookkeeping

Dun & Bradstreet statistics say that nine out of ten business failures in the United States are caused by a lack of general business management skills and planning.

Keeping track of a business’s financial health is a huge step toward having a successful business.

So begins the pitch for Lily E. Chambers new book, "How To Do Your Own Small Business Bookkeeping."

Lily is absolutely right. I wrote about the need for small business financial literacy recently in my Bloomberg BusinessWeek column.

But what if you can't afford to outsource your financials or hire an in-house financial person? That's where Lily's book comes in, teaching you how you can do your own bookkeeping in QuickBooks. It is available at Amazon.com or on Lily's website, Virtual Office Goddess.

Check it out, and let me know what you think!

Expensive Words

What are the most expensive keyword categories online? That's a question Larry Kim, the founder of WordStream, asked in order to determine where Google makes their ad revenues.

His findings are contained in this infographic. Probably about what I would have expected, although a couple of strange ones cropped up there: cord blood? really?

So, how do small businesses compete on Google AdWords if they are operating in one of the most expensive keyword categories?

Here are Larry's suggestions:

1) Be Picky: One of the neat things in Google AdWords is they let you be very specific in choosing what keywords to show your ads for. Think about your what makes your products or services unique – and figure out exactly what is your keyword niche is, then bid on those specific 3+ word keyword phrases that are more specific to your business.

2) Be Relevant: Once you’ve identified your keyword list, break it up into smaller, more targeted lists, so that you can run different, more specific ads that call out your key differentiators for the different types of keyword searches that you’ve picked.

3) Landing Pages: The average conversion rate (the ratio of clicks to your site vs. number of leads generated) for a typical small businesses is around 2%, yet I often see companies with 20-30% conversion rates. Experimenting with different offers is super-important, for example, free estimates, free consultations, $50 off, download a free resource guide (etc.).

Thesaurus Generator?

A source of mine, customer service guru Micah Solomon, alerted me to something funny last week.

A column in which I interviewed him popped up on an obscure website without any link backs or explanation as to where it came from.

That's not all too uncommon in this age of Internet ripoffs. What was notable about this web version of my column is that it read ike it went through a meatgrinder. Or, rather, a weird thesaurus.

So my words, "good friend" became "fine companion." Micah's book, "Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit," became "Incomparable Service, Incomparable Profit."

My tagline stayed in place, but instead of, "Karen E. Klein is a Los Angeles-based writer who covers entrepreneurship and small-business issues," it now read:


Karen E. Klein is a Los Angeles-based writer who covers business enterprising and little-business issues.

I kind of like it! I ran a WhoIs search on the offending site and found a Russian address. I sent a "Hey! Cut it out!" email to the address listed for the site admin, but I doubt it will do much.

Anybody else had this happen?

Home-Based Businesses

This Thursday, at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern, the U.S. Small Business Administration will hold a web chat on growing a home-based business.

Here's the pitch:

WASHINGTON – What do Apple Computer, Hershey's, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and the Ford Motor Company have in common? These well-known corporations all started out as home-based businesses. In fact, more than half of all U.S. businesses are based out of an owner's home. Starting a home-based business has many rewards as well as challenges. Join chat host Boyd Wright to learn what it takes to grow a successful home-based business.

Web chat participants can post questions online in advance and on July 28, join the live web chat by going online to SBA.gov, and click on the web chat event under What’s New.

An Exciting Opportunity

This Thursday, I'll be hosting a web chat with John Suh, CEO of LegalZoom.

You can see the broadcast at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern. It's part of the CredibilityLIVE series, hosted by Dun and Bradstreet Credibility Corp.

I'll be asking John, a serial entrepreneur, about recruiting talented people, where to look for the next big idea, and the keys to building a successful business.

Check it out!

Old Boys' Club

What do they have in common? Brooksley Born, Sheila Bair, Christina Romer, Elizabeth Warren.

Strong women economists, outside of the old boys' club, responsible first to the American people - including small business owners and those of us who are self-employed.

And all of them sidelined, shut up, insulted and discounted.

There's a disturbing and discouraging pattern here. We need to recognize it and call it out.

(h/t to Desiree, who recommended the excellent Born documentary)