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Monday 12 May 2008

Australia’s online magazine for entrepreneurs & SMEs

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Coming Up

Federal budget 2008
2008 Australian federal budget

How is the federal budget going to affect entrepreneurs, business owners and managers?


 

2008 SmartCompany Awards
SmartCompany Awards 2008
The hottest small and medium business awards in Australia.


 

Editor's choice

SEO mistakes
10 biggest SEO mistakes
Get better search rankings with an SEO strategy, but watch out for the traps.

10 ways to lose your business
10 ways to lose your business
Watch out for these 10 ways you could lose your business.


30 Sales and Marketing Mistakes
30 sales and marketing mistakes

We warn against 30 common sales and marketing blunders.


Online defamation
Defamation law and the internet
What are your legal options?


10 Legal blunders
10 legal blunders – and how to avoid them
Every entrepreneur knows that to stay in business they must stay on the right side of the law...


 

SmartCompany Library

Business advice
Sales & marketing advice
Starting a business
Your online marketing plan
 

Smart Blogs

An Opes anomoly

Banker of Last Retort: The other three banks may be at least temporarily happy that the regulators are being kept busy... but that may change. MR BANKER

Maximising your conversions

Online Sales: AB split testing of your websites page head, images and call-to-action methods can help you improve your conversions. CHRIS THOMAS

A big hairy audacious goal

Get Out of My Way: If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me – to paint the picture. So here’s my mission statement. NAOMI SIMSON

The art of handwriting

Gen-Y Millionaire: There is still a place for the handwritten card in today’s communications regime. KIRSTY DUNPHEY


The SmartCompany commmunity - your ideas, problems & reactions. Come on, we’re waiting…

Feedback

Sandy Naidu writes to Online Sales blog: One of my websites has the call to action in red.. .I am gonna change to green and test. Thanks for the tip (posted 9 May)... more.

Ray Borradale writes regarding Franchisors hit back at SA inquiry report: Your readers should understand that both the SA and the WA reports are balanced and have introduced something into this disaster that has been missing; honesty. The people that delivered these reports are not self-interested as are most who typically get quoted (posted 9 May)... more.

Dan Cavelli writes on performance reviews: The advice in your tips is for a business owner who will be out of business in less than a year if they listen to these (posted 8 May)... more.

James writes on red tape: Red tape is a raw nerve for me, as I’ve just been told by my accountant that I now have to account for monthly, instead of quarterly when I do my BAS (posted 7 May)... more.

C.B. writes to Aunty B: As I suspected – the old hypocrisy exposed. It’s not so much dealing with hypocrisy that’s a problem, it’s knowing who’s got hypocrisy and who hasn’t (posted 7 May)... more.

Jenni Munro writes to Aunty B: How long since you did the green thing and caught a train? That would surely open your eyes to the manners of the contemporary male (posted 7 May)... more.

Deanne de Leeuw writes on on South Australian franchise inquiry: The final recommendations were very positive, particularly that the term “unconscionable conduct” needs to be better clarified (posted 7 May)... more.

Terry Huckle writes on Business Tech Talk blog: Why buy Vista when after eight years XP is still the worst piece of software around (posted 7 May)... more.

Kris Kern writes on Business Tech Talk blog: Someone I spoke to yesterday is selling their brand new laptop with Vista and has ordered another with XP. They'd rather cut their losses than put up with the nonsense (posted 7 May)... more.

Cher Borradale writes on South Australian franchise inquiry: Not good enough. It does not bring franchising law in line with all laws where people who deliberately cause others to suffer... should incur serious penalties (posted 7 May)... more.


Big Issues

Hot Innovator

David Mills Chef's Toolbox

The Chefs Toolbox holds the ingredients for success

Founder David Mills followed master investor Warren Buffett into a party plan business with a focus on cooking. He shares his winning recipe with MIKE PRESTON


Top Story

The power of Google

The power of Google

Whatever you do, don’t mess with the $200 billion giant. As LUCINDA SCHMIDT reports, using dirty SEO tricks to try to improve your ranking on Google always ends in disaster.


Skills Check

SmartCompany Skills Check

Skills check – emotional stamina

Do you have the emotional stamina to take your business to the next level? Take the Skills Check, score your responses, and see if your capabilities add up.


Tax & Legal Update

Car dealer GST refunds

Car dealers set for GST refund bonanza

A Federal Court decision confirming a car dealer’s right to claim refunds for GST paid mistakenly could open the way for a broad range of businesses to recover GST paid on transactions where no goods or services were actually supplied. By JAMES THOMSON


Entrepreneur Online

Websalad Jason West

Websalad’s recipe for conversion

Traffic, number of clicks, and search rankings are not enough anymore. Jason West’s company Websalad specialises in two hot areas in online marketing – conversion and reputation management. He tells AMANDA GOME his secrets.


Industry Trends

Plant hire and leasing trends

Plant hiring still firing

The recent construction boom and strong activity in the infrastructure and mining sectors have helped the plant hire and leasing sector, but it is still a tough game. By ROBERT BRYANT of IBISWorld


Business for Sale

How many potential buyers do you need?

How many potential buyers do you need?

Having multiple parties vying for your business is not always a given. It can pay to lay the groundwork before the For Sale sign is put out. By TOM McKASKILL


Filthy Rich

Aged car: John Gandell, Bill Lewski, Knowles family, Moran family

Entrepreneurs cash-in on aged-care action

The trend of an ageing population has lined the pockets of those entrepreneurs who moved into the aged-care sector early. But now many of these first movers are selling out. By JAMES THOMSON


Wealth/Super

How not to lose money on property

How to avoid losing money on property

As the sharemarket falls, the temptation is to invest in the residential property market. Not a good idea – the outlook for the residential market is poor. MICHAEL LAURENCE has five tips to avoid losing a pile.


Industry Growth Focus

SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List

Transport and logistics firms take the fast road to growth

The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the transport and logistics sector reveals a fast-growing sector that is expanding through specialisation and acquisition. By MIKE PRESTON


Buy a business

Trim non-core assets

Stripping out assets for growth

Just because you buy it as part of a bigger deal doesn’t mean you are lumbered with an asset that has no place in your business plan. Taking the knife to non-core assets can be a boost. By TOM McKASKILL