Slow Down, Sell Faster: A Review

There must be something in the air that has created a flurry of books about how to sell by understanding how customers buy.  In  Selling to the C-Suitewe learned that to sell to the C-level executive, you have to do your homework, gathering information and understanding what it is that executives need so that they can choose you.

The next book I received for review with the same focus on how customers buy wasSlow Down, Sell Faster: Understand Your Customers’ Buying Process and Maximize Your Sales.  The author,Kevin Davis(@toplineleaderon Twitter)  has over 30 years’ experience in sales and wroteGetting Into Your Customer’s Headback in 1996, so you know that he’s been drinking this lemonade for a long time.

What’s Inside the Book

Davis combines academic research and practical experience to generate a sales system you can use to not just improve your top line, but your bottom line as well.

Part I of the book is devoted to the actual sales system. One thing I really like about this book is that it is actually written for an industrial or complex buying process.  Davis references established experts Webster and Wind, who have studied how bigger organizations make decisions to select a supplier.  And he uses decades of research and melds itwith practical, real-life ways that business-to-business purchases are made.

Part II expands on the selling system by introducing what Davis calls the eight roles that you have to play in the customer’s buying process:

1. Student:Use Knowledge to Gain the Edge
2. Doctor:Diagnose Small Problems, Define Big Needs
3. Architect:Design Customer-Focused Solutions
4. Coach:Make a Plan to Defeat the Competition
5. Therapist:Understand and Resolve a Buyer’s Fears
6. Negotiator:Reach a Mutual Commitment
7. The Teacher:Teach Customers to Achieve Maximum Value
8. The Farmer:Cultivate Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

Part II contains one chapter on coaching to the eight roles.  It’s written for sales managers and the people who work for them.  It provides a series of cheat sheets and troubleshooting tables to help sales managers and sales reps debrief sales calls.

If you’ve had any professional sales training, you will recognize many of the principles and techniques represented in this book.  For example, I’ve had Sandler Sales Training, and I easily recognized what I call the 10-point scale technique.  Simply ask your customer to rate the solution you’ve come up with like this: “On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is‘not at all what I want’ and 10 is‘this is the perfect solution,’ how would you rate the solution we’ve discussed?” If they answer anything less than an 8, ask, “What would you need to see to bring that to a 10?”

The book is full of strategies, tips and hints at every level and at every point of the selling process.  Davis uses a layered approach where he introduces the selling system, then overlays the roles of the salesperson through the buying process and guides the reader to success.

Here are just a few examples of some of my favorite pieces of information:

The Decision-Making Hierarchy:This is perhapsthe simplest and bestdescription of what’s important to each level of the organization and how you should structure your message:

• CEOs– They are at the top of the pyramid, andprofitabilityis what you should focus on when talking to them.
• Mid-Level Managers– The middle or core of the pyramid.  These people are most concerned about solvingoperational problems.  The departments typically represented here include marketing, operations and customer service.
• Support– This is the base of the pyramid and includes accounting, purchasing, training and legal departments.

While most books tell you to aim straight for the top of the pyramid,Slow Down, Sell Fasterreveals the truth that most salespeople don’t have anything of substance to say to C-level execs until they’ve gotten their feet wet a little further down the pyramid.

Slow Down Sell FasterIs a Serious Sales Book Focused on Sales Training and Improvement

This is a fantastic book for any business-to-business, technical or industrial CEO with full-time, direct salespeople who sell high-priced, high-involvement products and services to companies where more than one person is involved in the decision.

Don’t expect to readSlow Down, Sell Fasterin one sitting and then see immediate results.  This is a comprehensive, detailed and perceptive book about complicated sales situations.  You’ll want to read this book section by section and then take the time to implement and practice specific strategies.  I’d recommend that you visit theSlow Down, Sell Fastersection of Kevin Davis’ website where you can download Chapter 1,“Why Slower is Faster,” and experience the book for yourself.

Overall, this is an extremely powerful book that will challenge your thinking and your sales process.  And like a good workout and diet, I think you’ll find the results well worth the effort.

Source

More Small Business Planning Tips

How important is the small business planning process? What form should it take? These are just a few of the questions likely to arise with the inexperienced entrepreneur excited to start a business and make their mark. But, hey, planning is usually part of the process in one way or another. Here’s a glimpse at how small businesses handle planning in many different parts of their operation, but first:

Basics

Do you even need a business plan? It might be a good question to ask before you start the planning process. But, truth be told, a better question might be, what form should your planning taking? For example, have you done solid market research first to better understand what form your business should take? Don’t stay in your apartment generating ideas and business plans. Get out there and test your plan.The New Business Idea

Why bloggers need a business plan. You’ll need a plan in business no matter what the size of your venture. A business blog is just another kind of business, not an exception to the rule. Getting started and just hoping everything will turn out alright is not a reliable strategy. Instead a strong, well-researched plan will yield success over time.blogworld

How To

A plan to go green. Sometimes planning in business is also needed when implementing a major change…like going green with your small business. The decision is not only a responsible one and good for the environment. It can save your small business some serious money as well. But as you can see from the post above, it’s also an involved switch that requires planning to implement properly.Get Busy Media

Building a solid defense strategy. You can count on the competition or someone else out there with an ax to grind eventually deciding to take a shot at your company or reputation. But what will you do when someone attacks your brand and do you have a plan in place to handle that eventuality? It may be impossible to anticipate all threats to your business, but having a plan to at least address the issue is a step in the right direction.Inc.com

Resources

Resources improve the planning process. Information is a key component of any good business plan and having those resources simply, quickly and inexpensively available is important too. Our sister site, BizSugar.com, introduces a new resource center you may want to consider. We hope you find it helpful.BizSugar

What’s your social media business plan? Social media is no longer exotic, this post from Bryan Cochand would have us understand. Business owners who understand its uses are making money and seeing great expansion. But if you’re one of many business owners still waiting to dip your toe in the social media waters, you’ll need a plan to get a small business online marketing campaign up and running.New Biz Blogger

Strategy

No matter what your projections, they’re probably wrong. The one place where small business plans fail, particularly in the beginning before a company is even making money, is in the world of projections. And most projections seem to be over optimistic, according to a recent study. This shouldn’t discourage small business owners in any way from making the best forecasts they can as part of the planning process. But being skeptical about even your own financial projections is also a good habit.BNet

When business plans change. Sometimes the business you begin with is not the one you end up pursuing. The trick is to know when (or if?) to change direction, change your plans and change your outlook. Sometimes it isn’t a very easy choice, but it’s one small business owners and entrepreneurs must face every day. So how do you know when to change plans and when to stay the course? Read on for some insights.Inc.com

Finance

What investors expect from your business plan? This does not apply to all small business owners, of course, but the classic application of the business plan remains as a means of attracting investment capital. And if this happens to be your purpose too, then it would be best to know what investors want. Here are ten essentials.Startup Professionals Musings

The building blocks of better projections. Though we all know (see above) that financial projections can be among the trickiest things to conjure, they may be necessary depending upon your plans for your business. Certainly when planning to sell or attract investment, projections will be expected. But how can you forecast more accurately and credibly to avoid obvious problems? Here are five steps to get you started.Open Forum

Source

Now That I’ve Incorporated: What’s Next? The Most Frequently Asked Questions After Incorporation

Over the course of my career, I’ve helped over hundreds of thousands of small business owners incorporate a business or form and LLC. And certainly there are many questions leading up to the process, such as, What type of business should I form? What’s the difference between an S Corp and a C Corp? But I’ve also found therecan be just as many questionsafterincorporating a business or forming an LLC.

I’ve put together some of the more commonly asked questions to help you navigate life after the incorporation or LLC formation process:

I used to be a sole proprietor and I had a Federal Tax ID number. Do I need to get a new Federal Tax ID number now that I’ve incorporated/formed an LLC?

The answer here isyes. An LLC or corporation is its own separate entity (remember, an LLC or corporation can sue, be sued, get a loan…) and as such, it needs its own Federal Tax ID number, also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Think of business formation like the birth of a child. Once a child is born, it needs its own Social Security number. The same holds true for your business.

As a sole proprietor, you’re able to identify your business with either your Social Security number or an EIN. However, if you’re operating your business as an S Corporation, LLC, C Corporation or other legal entity, you must obtain an EIN for that entity. Otherwise, you will not be able to open up a business bank account or file your business tax returns properly.

After I incorporate or form my LLC, what happens to my sole proprietorship?

This question needs to be answered on two fronts:

• From a tax perspective:you should consult your accountant/CPA about when is the best time to close the books on your sole proprietorship and open them on your corporation/LLC. This decision can have some pretty hefty tax implications and some professional advice can go a long way.
• From an entity standpoint:if you form the corporation/LLC under the same name as your sole proprietorship, you can start conducting business under the corporation or LLC. In this case, you can either cancel the DBA (Doing Business As) that you had set up with your sole proprietorship, or just let it lapse.

If I have a bank account as a sole proprietor, can I convert it to the corporation or LLC, or do I need to open up a new bank account?

No, you will need to close the books on your sole proprietorship (again, remember to check with your CPA/accountant on the best time to do so) and then open a new bank account under the corporation or LLC.

Once I form a corporation or LLC, is my name automatically protected in all 50 states?

No.  Your name is not automatically protected in all 50 states upon the formation of your corporation or LLC in one state; you are merely preventing another from filing as a corporation or LLC in that same state.

What you are inquiring about istrademark protection.  You’re not actually required by law to register a trademark. Use of a name instantly gives you common-law rights as an owner, even without formal registration. However, you should consider trademarking your name for proper legal protection — after all, you’ve spent untold hours deliberatingon the ideal name, and you’ll be spending even more cultivating brand recognition. Trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) enjoy significantly stronger protection than common-law (unregistered) marks. In a future post, I’ll discuss the topic of protecting your business name and brand in more detail.

If I am doing business under multiple names, are all my names, including my website, protected under my newly formed corporation or LLC?

If, like most businesses, you’re going to be operating under any variation of your official company name (i.e. CorpNet vs. CorpNet.com vs. CorpNet, Inc…), you will need to file DBAs for each of the variations. You should have your corporation/LLC file the DBAs so they operate under your corporation/LLC.

The same holds true even if you’re going to operate multiple ventures (for example selling handmade soaps, knitwear, jewelry…) under the same company. You can establish one main company (i.e. Susy’s Corp) and then have Susy’s Corp file multiple DBAs for each of the specialized brands (i.e. Susy’s Soaps, Susy’s Knits…). This way each of the smaller companies can reflect the branding and presence best for their specific markets, yet still enjoy the legal protection of the main holding company.

Do I need to do anything else to keep my LLC/Corporation in good standing?

I’m going to address this issue in detail in my next post, but the short answer isyes… your work isn’t entirely done after you submit that initial paperwork. For both the LLC and corporation, you’ll need to file an Annual Report (requirements vary by state). In addition, you’ll have to stay on top of any major changes (for example, did you authorize more shares? Did a boardmember leave?) by filing Articles of Amendment. Stay tuned for my next post to learn more about how to keep your LLC or corporation compliant.

Source

What to Look for Today in Online Invoicing Apps

Back in January 2010, we gave you a list of30 Online Invoicing Apps for Small Business.  We got lots of emails and comments.  Since then, readers like you have pointed out invoicing apps we missed.  So we thought we’d add some new players, and take another look at the market.

The first thing we did was add an additional 20 online invoicing software apps to the list, and renamed the post to:50 Online Invoicing Apps for Small Business.

The second thing we did:  we reviewed the market as a whole to see what’s changed and what’s new.  We discovered that the online invoicing market has evolved and is starting to“grow up.”  One change in online invoicing and billing solutions from 17 months ago is that back then, most solutions were pretty broad (or marketed that way, at least).  Their websites simply offered a Web-based solution for the small business owner, no matter what type of company.  Now, there are more niche offerings specifically for certain industries.  For example, you’ll see Time59, which focuses on the solo attorney market.  Or there’s  Zencillo, which offers a product for Spanish-speaking business owners.

Other things have evolved over the past 17 months, too:

• MOBILE—Almost all vendors have dialed in to the mobile market.  Most offer iOS and Android solutions to complement their Web-based product.  Apparently they are banking on the fact that small business owners operate on the go, and increasingly use mobile devices not just as phones but to conduct business transactions.

• FREE VS SUBSCRIPTION–Large or well-funded vendors may offer a completely free solution as a way to pull you into other products they offer.  Free is a positive— but shouldn’t be the main deciding factor.  Some of the most exciting features and time-savers come from the smaller vendors.  Also, the smaller vendors tend to be the ones offering tailored solutions to specific industries or types of businesses.

• DASHBOARD INTELLIGENCE–More analytics tools and dashboards are available to help you determine how your cash is flowing.  Now you can expect your invoicing tool to do more than just handle invoicing transactions well.  Now the bar is higher.  Look for an invoicing tool that gives you both:  transactional capability AND intelligence.

• VIDEO TO“SHOW” YOU–Marketing, support and training sections of their websites are using more video.  This strikes us here atSmall Business Trendsas a great use of video.  A video can convey much more information than words when it comes to showing people what the software is like and how to use it.

• MORE TESTIMONIALS—More credible testimonials appear on all of the sites, including the original 30.  This in part is a reflection of the fact that many of these apps now have more of a track record 17 months later.  That’s a good thing.  We suggest looking closely at the type of business giving the testimonial.  That may give you some clues as what type of industry or size of business the product is best suited for.

• PROMINENT PRICING—Almost all vendors, at least the truly savvy, list their prices prominently so you can easily answer the most important question: Can I afford this?  Business owners are time-pressed.  Many of us are shopping for online software after hours and on weekends or holidays.  And time is money for many of us in the small business world.  So look for a vendor that makes it easy for you to make a choice online, without needing to contact them for additional information.

On each of the earlier 30 reviewed, I visited each site again to confirm mostly if pricing was the same or different. If there were any significant changes, the short summary has been edited to reflect the new information. In a couple of cases, companies went out of business or sold and are not currently available.  Fortunately, most of the original 30 are still doing well and keeping up with customer demand.

Visit the full post,“50 Online Invoicing Apps for Small Businesses,”  and please feel free to share your comments, thoughts and recommendations.

Source

Brand Power! Are You Building It?

There’s manpower, girl power, flower power, horsepower, higher power, nuclear power.

Now there’s. . .BRAND POWER! Are you building it?

No matter what website, blog or social media site you go to in the marketing, business, advertising and sales space, branding and personal branding are going to come up. The topic must be important, right? It is, very.  Don’t get tired of it, sick of it or bored with it because it will make all the difference in your personal and business success in the long term.

We’ve gone from the dawning of the age of Aquarius to the dawning of the age of Brand-Poweredness!

If you don’t have a strong, defined, authentic, identifiable, relatable and active brand today, you will get gobbled up and swept away. You don’t have to be huge or national or on television every day, but you do need to be out, serving, solving and, yes, selling.

I love the reality showShark Tank. It’s packed with inspired entrepreneurs with ideas on how to fill niches. I saw Tiffany Krumins’ Ava the Elephanttalking medicine dispenser get picked up by Barbara Corcoran; then I met Tiffany atTory Johnson’sfirst Spark and Hustle in Atlanta in July of 2010. Her products are now in thousands of stores nationwide including drugstore chain CVS. Ava the Elephant is“brand-powered.”

I love The Food Network’s Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.He profiles little mom and pop restaurateurs who have been in business for generations  making some of the most delicious, unique dishes in their towns. After a location is featured on his show, people will make it a destination if they are passing through. Be it burgers, meatloaf, hash browns or latkes, all these restaurants are“brand-powered” for what they serve.

Here are 12 ways to enhance and develop your“brand power.”

1. Be practical, tactical and useful
2. Be easy to find and understand
3. Be helpful and solve problems, pain or fear
4. Be authentic
5. Be caring, kind and generous
6. Be grateful
7. Be respectful and have integrity
8. Be indispensable
9. Be resilient
10. Be responsive
11. Be paying it forward and giving back
12. Be fun and have a sense of humor

How are you developingyourbrand power?  Stay with it–it will pay off, long term.

Source

Let’s Make It New Again: Small Business and Innovation

A quick flip through the recent covers of Fast Companymagazine is a simple indicator of how innovation is top of mind for cutting-edge businesses. In fact, one of the feature articles,The United States of Innovationby Jeff Chu and Margaret Downing, highlights creative and effective businesses from every city, with Houston as the City of the Year—I take pleasure in it being in the South—but back to business.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary,to innovateis“to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas or products.”Stated at its core, the Latin root for innovate means“to renew.”

I believe most small business owners have some knowledge of renewal, as well as a desire to implement creative and effective change. But sometimes we need a little push. Innovation doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be fresh and effective. In three interesting articles, Anita Campbell and two of our Small Business Trends experts have provided different ways of figuring out how to make your business new again.

Clouds& Innovation

In“The Lost Art of Studying the Clouds,” John  Mariotti challenges the small business owner to slow down. He’s asking for five minutes of your time. He doesn’t want it for himself. He wants you to use it like you did when you were a child. In a world of virtual computing, John asks that you remember“the kind of clouds that form in the sky to show us an infinite number of patterns limited only by our eyesight and our vision.”

He suggests that creative ideas to change your business could be in the clouds. John believes that this exercise in creativity “uses the visualization skills that are so essential to innovation.”Check out the challenge at the end of his article and, like John, you just may find some of your greatest ideas while“watching the clouds drift by.”

Age& Innovation

“As business owners, we’re not seeking innovation for innovation’s sake. We’re seeking innovative ideas that have commercial potential– that can be applied in practical ways to create new products, develop new services or enable us to run our businesses better.” ~ Anita Campbell in“Are You Too Old to Be Innovative?”

Anita highlights the idea put forth by consultant Greg Farley that age is a benefit to innovation. She says, “People who don’t have a lot of experience in your business, so the argument goes, are more likely to think in unusual ways.”She mentions that in order“to bridge the gap between those out-of-the-box, innovative ideas and the practical reality of putting product in the box, you need people with experience and knowledge of your industry and your business. And those are likely to be older people.”

While Anita doesn’t wholeheartedly agree with Farley on every point, for me her post highlights the fact that there is a place for age in trendsetting and impacting creative culture.

I like the way this is going. Could it be true– that I can have my head in the cloudsandcan age in style? And all of it is potentially good for business?  Hmmm. Let’s not stop there.

Authentic Innovation

Ivana Taylor in“Are Authentic Business Owners Happier?” challenges us to“Be yourself when you’re marketing, because the alternative is just too expensive.”While she doesn’t highlight the wordinnovationin this article, it does feel like the best kind of creativity there is: the one that comes from being you.

Ivana says that“being human and authentic has proven to be an insanely effective strategy for building a successful business.”And then she lays out an Authenticity Challenge for 2011. She believes that you can“structure your business in a way that is 100 percent in line with who you are as a person, your values, your beliefs, and those little things that light you up and make you the lovable, amazing person that you are.”I’m taking her up on it.

Source

Small Business Contests Could Help You Grow

This list of contests, competitions and awards for small businesses is brought to you every other week as a community service bySmall Business TrendsandSmallbiztechnology.com.

-
* * * * *

BlackBerry SmartBuilder Contest
Enter by May 15, 2011

Enter today for your chance to WIN $10,000. Identify the unique needs of your business and determine the most impactful and profitable way to spend your $10,000. Perhaps its office equipment? Maybe advertising? Possibly market research? What would you choose?

Forbes List of America’s Most Promising Companies
Entries currently open

Forbes wants to shine a light on high-growth, privately held companies with brilliant prospects. Forbes— with help from CB Insights’ Beacon software— has developed a methodology for picking promising companies. The best will appear on Forbes’ second annual list of America’s Most Promising Companies. See website for entry survey.

Facebook Big Break for Small Business
Enter by May 20, 2011

American Express OPEN is giving five small business owners the ultimate Big Break. You could win a trip to Facebook headquarters for a two-day, one-on-one business makeover and $20,ooo to help grow your business.

To enter the Facebook Big Break for Small Business from American Express OPEN, small business owners need to visit http://www.facebook.com/OPEN and submit answers to a short questionnaire describing how they would utilize the competition’s winnings to better their business.

2011 Small Business Awards
Enter by May 20, 2011

In its 6th year, The New York Enterprise Report Small Business Awards honors the achievements and accomplishments of the 500,000+ small businesses throughout the tri-state New York area. In addition to the Best of the Year Categories, the New York Enterprise Report Small Business Awards will honor nine small businesses for their accomplishments and best practices.

Verizon Contest Seeks Hardest Working Mompreneur
Enter by May 22, 2011

In recognition of Mother’s Day on May 8, Verizon is holding a contest to discover the Hardest Working Small Biz Mom. The contest, which launched on April 29 and runs through May 22, is open to mothers across America who run their own businesses and are Verizon or Verizon Wireless customers.

The grand-prize winner will receive $5,000 and a year of free cleaning services valued at $2,400. Verizon will also select a second-prize winner, who will receive a free iPad and $1,000 prepaid gift card, and a third-prize winner, who will receive a $500 prepaid gift card. Verizon has produced two short videos announcing the contest, and another instructional video about how contestants can upload their own videos for entry. For more information and contest rules, visit www.verizon.com/smallbizmom.

Build It Big
Enter by May 23, 2011

This is a new business development program by Springboard Enterprises, especially for Ohio-based, women-led companies seeking success strategies to help grow their businesses.The program is looking for companies that meet the following requirements:

• Awoman in a key management positionw/ significant equity ownership
• Aqualified and profitable market opportunityw/competitive advantage
• Atrack record of milestone achievement, which may include: product development, distribution or licensing contracts, grants, beta clients, customers, revenue, etc.
• Afavorable debt-to-equity ratio
• Acredible core management teamor ability to attract one
• Aninterest in and ability to growthe company beyond its current position

The applicants that are chosen to be part of the program will have:

• Access to trusted advisors from Thompson Hine LLP, KeyBank, and Meaden& Moore in one-on-one advisory sessions to discuss appropriate strategies for growing their business
  
• Ongoing support from the Springboard network of industry experts, investors, and seasoned entrepreneurs

Ultimate Business Contest: Win A Free Website
Enter by May 24, 2011

Virtuosi Media is giving away over $21,000 in prizes, with the Grand Prize package featuring a free business website valued up to $10,000 and other prizes from sponsors, all designed to boost your business’ success online. See website for prize and entry details.

e-Cycle iPad2 Giveaway Contest
Enter by May 31, 2011
To celebrate, e-Cycle has declared April“National Recycle Your Cell Phone Month” to help raise awareness for the growing e-waste problem with mobile devices, and as a reminder for organizations to implement responsible mobile phone recycling programs. As an incentive, e-Cycle is offering businesses and organizations a chance to win one of four Apple iPad2 tablets when they recycle and/or sell their used wireless devices with the company through May 31.

National Association for Moms in Business Grant Competition
Enter starting March 1st, Competition runs May 1– June 15, 2011

Business grant competition via crowdfunding to give mom entrepreneurs a better chance at launching a new or current business project. All participants win a half-page feature in Moms In Business Magazine, publicity on peerbackers.com and momsinbusinessgrant.com, and a $2,000 publicity toolkit from PRNewswire. When the crowdfunding competition ends, all grant applicants who raised 80% or more of their funding goal will become semi-finalists. A team of mom executives and entrepreneurs will judge each application to determine the $10,000 Grand Prize Grant Package winner. Competitors must be a member of NAFMIB.

Entrepreneur of 2011 Awards
Enter by June 15, 2011

If you’re making an impact–on your industry, for your employees and in your community–this is your award to win. Past winners have rocked our world with radical headgear, taken us back to basics with healthy snack ideas, and made innovative contributions to the sustainability movement. Now it’s your turn. Tell Entrepreneur Magazine how you’re making a difference with your business and you could be the Entrepreneur of 2011.

Ernst& Young’s Entrepreneurial Winning Women Competition
Enter by June 30, 2011

Ten winners will be paired with advisers and resources for growing their businesses and they’ll get to participate in a customized executive-leadership program. In addition, winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Ernst& Young Strategic Growth Forum 2011 in Palm Springs, Calif., in November.

The contest is being run in collaboration with the Women Presidents’ Organization, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the Committee of 200, National Association of Women Business Owners and Babson College.

HP Smart Color Sweepstakes
Enter by July 13, 2011

HP is giving away an HP Printer each day until July 13th, and one grand prize winner will win $10,000. Answer the question“What would your business do with $10,000?”
See website for entry details.

The Conway Center for Family Business Awards
Enter by August 4, 2011

The Conway Center for Family Business Awards Program was established in 1998 to recognize excellence in family business and has honored more than 115 Central Ohio family businesses during its first 11 years.

The program honors recipients in categories consistent with the success and longevity of a family business: leadership, planning, communication, support and community service. For more details, see the website.

Cleantech Open Idea Competition
Enter by September 12, 2011

The Cleantech Open runs the world’s largest clean technology business competition and they’re looking for the best clean technology ideas from around the world.

Enter to win a prize package of services worth $100,000 to help you start a business to grow your idea. If your idea beats out the competition in your National Competition, you get to represent your country as a Global Ideas finalist at the annual Cleantech Open Awards Gala on November 17, 2010 in San Francisco.
There, your idea will be presented in a five-minute pitch in front of a crowd of 2,500 investors, entrepreneurs, sponsoring companies, corporations, members of academia, press, and others interested in hearing your ideas and getting involved. The crowd will vote via text message for the“People’s Choice” winner.

To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit ourSmall Business Events Calendar. In addition, we also have a giveaways page; click to learn more about oursmall business giveawayssection.

If you are putting on a small business contest, award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please submit it through ourSmall Business Event and Contests Form(it’s free).

Please note: The descriptions provided here are for convenience only and are NOT the official rules. ALWAYS read official rules carefully at the site holding the competition, contest or award.

Source