1. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
CHICAGO’S BEST FINANCIAL SERVICES
&
INVESTMENTS

2. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
Being a small business owner can be
challenging in these times. Is your
business budget is cash strapped?
Try 20 ways to save your business
in
2012.

3. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
Many people end up closing their doors when
their business can be saved. Being in business
is huge investment of time and money. How
do you know when it’s time to give up and
walk away? Your business starts with you and
your family needs. What do you need to stay
in business? This is what you need!

4. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Is your business bringing in money? If the answer is no, this is
what you can do to change it. Increase your activity in different
venues. Expand your services and your primary focus. If you are a
service business start teaching a class or consulting.
• Make a budget and start cutting cost. Get rid of things that are
not being used. If you need employees but you cannot afford to
pay anyone. Check with your local department of human services.
They have job programs that can help you staff your business at
no cost to you.
• Updated your systems. How does your business run? When is the
last time you updated or even automated your systems? You are
only as good as the systems you work on. If your systems are
outdated or not computerized you are a dinosaur.

5. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Government and city contracts: Did you know
that the government and city has contacts are in
every industry? Check your local government
and city websites.
• Update licenses: Are your licenses up to date
and in compliance? If your company licenses
are not up to date you are not in business. If you
are out of compliance with the state, federal and
local laws, no institution will lend you money or
do business with you.

6. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Expand your business reach. If your business
just operates in your city expand business by
creating a website. Introduce your business to
surrounding cities. Join the chamber of
commerce in other cities. Join networking
groups and trade associations in different
cities.

7. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Change the way you market your business. If you are heavy
in advertising switch to doing PR. People are saturated with
advertising these days. Most people fast forward during
commercials. Start driving people to your doors with publicity
over advertising. Start a PR campaign.
• Start a group, or become a sponsor. Sponsorship cost very
little money. To sponsor an event, partner with local business.
Start by sponsoring a church event or community event.
Churches love back to school events and fundraisers. For the
cost of donated school supplies you introduce your business
to the whole congregation.

8. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Start networking, public speaking for events and
groups. Write articles about your business.
Become active in your community. Go where you
customers are. Join social networks on the web.
• Evaluate the management including you. Review
all employees’ performance including yours. Start
doing performance reviews. Have someone that
you trust give their opinion in your business for
one week. Let them give you an overall view of
you and your staff. This can be hard to hear.

9. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Improve your customer service. Invite your
customers for a coffee chat. Go to that local café
and ask if you could invite your customers in for
an event. Ask for the space for free in exchange
for bringing in new business. Don’t be cheap buy
coffee and pastries for your clients from the café.
Don’t do a hard sell. Be social, make if fun and
have a door prize (donated by a local business) or
a gift certificate from the café. Give everyone a
survey about your customer service. Read it and
take it seriously and make changes

10. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Pay your bills and start making arrangements.
Don’t avoid your creditors. Deal with them
honestly. If you don’t have the money to pay
them now, see if you can start paying in small
amounts to show good faith. Everyone will not
agree, but this is a good start.
• Treat you employees with respect tell them
what is going on. All your employee may not stay
with you. This will give you an opportunity to
know who is loyal and what is going on in your
business.

11. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Put your money in the bank not in your pocket. Pay your
bills and employees from your bank account not your
pocket. You will better records. Don’t for get to pay
yourself. Even if it is a little money pay yourself.
• Change the look of your business. Cleaning and Painting is
the least expensive way to update the look of your
business. If your business is not clean of disorganized,
clean it up and get it organized. If you need new furniture
don’t go on a shopping spree. Buy it on craigslist or a
secondhand furniture store. Think like a client, if you
cannot keep your business clean and organized, you will
turn them off. If your place of business is dirty clients will
think this is how you handle business.

12. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Sell stock in your company. This is a great way
to raise capital. Seek the advice of a
professional to set up stock sales of your
company.
• Innovations: Many small businesses have
changed the way we do things. In the last ten
years many small business have changed our
lives from smart cell phones to the Face book.
It all starts with a new idea.

13. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Marketplace: Where will you do this
business? Many business start at home. If you
cannot work at home look into at virtual
office. There are many virtual office services
around the country. Virtual offices are a small
monthly fee. You can have a business address
to meet clients and receive mail. If this is not
an option become an internet based business.

14. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Work for a cause. Have your company work
for a cause such as The Walk For The Cure.
Take pledges for every mile someone in your
company walks. Your company will get
national exposure for the donations. Add the
event to your website and social networks.
Charity events are always a great networking
tool.

15. 20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012
• Stop being the boss and hire yourself. Become a working
owner, officer administrator, pr person, IT person, sales
manager, customer service, hr and sometimes the janitor.
You will have to work very hard and smart to make things
work. Employee’s respect owners that are in the trenches
with them. Take time and get systems in place that will
enable you to service your clients and run the business.
Remember Run Your Business,
Don’t Let Your Business Run You!!!

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20 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR BUSINESS
IN
2012