As a small business owner, you likely wear multiple hats, do the jobs of a dozen other people and long for a few more hours in the workday. In fact, a survey of small business owners by Mavenlink, which provides cloud-based scheduling and project management software, shows that entrepreneurs consider time the number one business asset above their computers, websites, mobile phones and even their offices or storefronts.

Effective marketing is critical to the success of any business - especially small businesses. Yet, many new entrepreneurs are so focused on simply getting their businesses off the ground and operational that a marketing budget proves an afterthought.
If you're struggling to market your small business with a limited budget, Baker County Chamber of Commerce offers these helpful tips:...

Planning to start a new business? No doubt you'll want to build a website. With 644 million active websites on the Internet as of the latest research, and more added every day, you'll want to secure your desired website domain name stat.

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In 2013, the crowdfunding industry grew to be over $5.1 billion worldwide, helping tens of thousands of entrepreneurs and businesses raise the money needed for the development and launch of new products, services and inventions. So successful has the online crowdfunding proven that federal legislators passed the JOBS Act with crowdfunding provisions to assist entrepreneurs, public companies and nonprofits.

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April is National Stress Awareness Month, an annual campaign designed to educate Americans about the effects of stress on health, work performance, relationships and lives. And nobody knows stress like entrepreneurs. The Baker County Chamber of Commerce offers these four top tips for managing stress and ensuring a smooth daily operation of your business.

1. Develop a great team: "Jack of all, master of none." There's a lot of wisdom in those words, but entrepreneurs often miss it. After all, they're natural self-starters and go-getters. But trying to do it all eventually will lead to burnout and when it does, both your business and your health will suffer. Instead, make smart hires and develop a talented, hard-working team that you can trust with all the multiple elements of your business. This allows you to focus on the elements that you do best. 
2. Budget both your finances and your time: The word "budget" is nearly always associated with financials. But your time is a valuable asset that should be wisely budgeted as well. Decline or send a trusted employee to a meeting that you don't absolutely have to attend. Delegate client questions and issues to capable team members with problem-solving skills. And plan to attend only the most targeted networking events most likely to prove profitable for your business. 
3. Get out of the office: Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like a change of scenery. Schedule lunch out of the office with a current or prospective client, trusted colleague or friend at least once a week. Keep your employees positively charged with a quarterly half-day or daylong retreat offsite to hold brainstorming sessions. And make sure you give yourself and your employees a vacation. Multiple studies have shown that not taking vacations is linked to health problems and shortened lifespans. 
4. Mind your health: Exercise daily, adopt a nutritious diet and get plenty of sleep. All the success in the world means nothing if you're not healthy enough to enjoy it.

The Baker County Chamber of Commerce exists to help entrepreneurs successfully build and grow their businesses via networking, training and other support programs that help minimize stress and guesswork. Call 904-259-6433 to speak with a membership specialist today.

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In today's business world, a well-designed and functional website is a must for any business, particularly a small business. But considering that the average attention span of a website visitor is less than 15 seconds, the window of time to lock in a potential new customer is short.
To that end, we offer these eight great website design tips:

1. Compelling homepage message: Your web visitors should quickly understand what your business is, how your products or services can help them and why they should choose your business over a competitors. Clearly address these three primary questions on your website's homepage. 
2. Clean design: The overall look of your website should be clean and clutter-free, assuring that your message won't get lost in the chaos. 
3. Call to action: Speaking of messages, each page should have a clear call-to-action - a message that directs your visitors to complete a specific task whether it's to sign up for your newsletter, enter a message or make a purchase. 
4. Effective visuals: Research shows that 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual and that consumers who watch a product video are 85 percent more likely to purchase that product. An effective website will feature the right mix of pictures, infographics, videos and text. 
5. Social media links: Your website should provide a wealth of information on your company, products and services, but your social media site will be where your customers interact with you. Make sure your social media links are prominently displayed on your website. Don't make your customers search for them. 
6. Easy navigation: Savvy consumers can be an impatient bunch. They want to find what they're looking for and complete their transactions in as few clicks as possible. Think through your website's navigation to assure it's as streamlined as possible. 
7. Make it mobile: Today's consumers are constantly on the go. Make sure your company is right there with them by designing a website that's mobile responsive, so that customers can engage as easily from a smartphone as they can from a desktop computer.

For more savvy small business tips, consider a membership with the Baker County Chamber of Commerce and join us for our monthly Lunch & Learn events. Call 904-259-6533 to find out more.

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In a perfect world, everyone earn their livings honestly and leave others to do the same. Unfortunately, the world we live in is far from perfect. Case in point - the multiple scams perpetrated on small businesses.
Here are a few of the top scam types to look out for:

• Bogus Yellow Page ad invoices: Small businesses nationwide are receiving mailings designed to resemble invoices for advertising space in the well-known Yellow Pages directories. Be sure to read them closely, as many actually are solicitations for listings in smaller alternative directories. A similar scam involves phone calls from individuals claiming they want to update a business's directory listing. 
• Unsolicited office supplies: If you receive a shipment of office supplies that you didn't order, along with a huge invoice, consider it a free gift. Law does not require to you return or to pay for mailed merchandise that you did not order. 
• Vanity awards: A number of scammers out there will play upon your sense of pride, telling you that you've won an award and offering a commemorative plaque - for a fee, of course. Any legitimate award won't cost you a fee. 
• Phishing emails: Certain emails that appear important may actually be an attempt to hack into your business's computer networks. Common examples are emails purportedly from the IRS claiming an audit, or from the Better Business Bureau notifying you of a complaint. If you receive such an email, do not download or open any attachments or click on any links. Instead, contact the agency directly to confirm an email's legitimacy.
• Charity pitches: Perhaps the lowest of scammers are those posing as charities and soliciting donations. While charitable contributions can make good business sense, make sure that an organization is legitimate before you make a donation. Give.org is a great source for reliable information. 
• Overpayment scams: One common scam involves a customer who claims to have inadvertently overpaid for a product or service and asks for an refund of the difference to be wired back to them. In these cases it's likely that the initial payment is no good to begin with.

​For more support and guidance in building your Northeast Florida-based small business, consider joining the Baker County Chamber of Commerce. Call 904-259-6433 to learn more.

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There's no doubt about it - Social media is a must for small business success today. But the random posting and lack of follow up that many entrepreneurs practice won't do your customers or your bottom line any favors. Here are four top tips for effectively using social media as a small business success tool:

1. Define your target market: Members of different customer demographics use social media in varying ways, so you'll have to know where your potential buyers are in order to best target them. A quick rundown - Teens favor Vine, YouTube, Instagram and Tumblr; women, particularly moms and brides, love Pinterest; Facebook started young, but now trends toward parents and grandparents; business professionals are on LinkedIn; and bloggers and influencers are all over Twitter and Tumblr. 
2. Choose a consistent handle: Ideally, your handles (public usernames) should be the same on across all the social media networks you use, as it becomes part of your company or product branding. Make sure it's available on all networks you'll use and claim it quickly. 
3. Develop and share the right content mix: Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of using their social media sites solely for self-promotion. That's a great way to send potential customers running the other way. Instead, develop a solid mix of promotional, testimonial and newsy material as well as random funny, interesting or inspiring content such as humorous memes, holiday wishes, and encouraging or thought-provoking quotes. 
4. Pay attention: Be consistent with the type, amount and timing of your social media posting. But more importantly, be responsive to followers who post, message or tag you online. Social media has quickly become the place where consumers praise, decry or attempt to reach companies. If a potential customer messages you, respond quickly. If one posts favorable words about your company, products or services, thank them. And if one posts criticism, use it as an opportunity to show that you value consumer feedback and work quickly to resolve issues. To help keep on track, download, print and use the Sensible Social Media checklist below.

For more small business support, join the Baker County Chamber of Commerce and plan to attend our monthly Lunch & Learn events. Call 904-259-6433 to speak with a membership specialist today.

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If you're a business owner or a manager of employees, take note. New federal laws governing the reporting of injuries or deaths suffered while on the job are in place as of January 1. The new law requires businesses to notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of a workplace death within eight hours, and to report any work-related hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
Before the new law took effect, employers were required to report work related deaths and hospitalizations only if three or more workers were affected. There previously was no reporting requirement for single hospitalizations, amputations or eye losses.
The new law also updates the list of employer types that are partially exempt from OSHA record-keeping requirements. Among the partially exempt industries are those with comparatively low occupational injury and illness rates such as insurance, finance, retail and real estate. Companies with more than 10 employees and those not classified as partially exempt must record all instances of work-related illnesses and injuries using OSHA Forms 300, 300A and 301, which you can easily access on the agency's website.
Figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2013, 4,405 workers were killed on the job and more than 3 million private industry employees suffered work-related injuries or illnesses. Unfortunately, many of these incidents were avoidable.
Says US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez: "No one should have to sacrifice their life for their livelihood, because a nation built on the dignity of work must provide safe working conditions for its people."
To that end, OSHA offers a range of services to small and medium-sized businesses to help assure that you offer a safe and legally compliant workplace for your employees. Visit the OSHA website for details. And to help assure your business continues to grow and succeed, consider joining the Baker County Chamber of Commerce, offering a variety of support services including training, business-to-business discounts and networking opportunities.

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As 2014 comes to a close small business owners across the nation are busily preparing to wrap up annual tax requirements. This year, there are a few new considerations you'll need to be aware of. Here are our top year-end tax tips for small businesses operating in Baker County.

1. Scrutinize your HRAs: If yours is among the thousands of small businesses that opt for reimbursing employees for purchasing their own individual insurance policies rather than providing group coverage, you may be in for an unpleasant tax surprise. Under prior rules, many employees were exempt from paying taxes on those reimbursements. Now, many of these HRAs (health reimbursement arrangements) violate rules of the Affordable Care Act and can saddle businesses with fines of up to $100 per employee per day - a potentially devastating $36,500 penalty for each worker for the year. Among the possible fixes is paying workers regardless of how they plan to use the money and counting it as taxable compensation.
2. Move quickly to take advantage of depreciation: Congress recently passed legislation that retroactively renews a variety of temporary tax breaks, including the 50-percent bonus depreciation deductions on qualifying personal business property placed in service during 2014. The new law also allows 50-percent bonus depreciation through 2015 for certain property with longer production periods and certain aircraft.
3. Study up on repair regulations: If you've spent money on repairs or improvements to your business and its facilities, know that rules involving depreciation have changed. Some expenditures, like repairing a broken window, qualify for immediate full deductions while others must be written off over a period of several years.

Proper preparation of business taxes can be highly complicated, and mistakes can prove costly. If you're a new small business owner or simply not a tax wiz, don't attempt to go it alone. Hire a business tax preparation professional. And to help further develop and improve your business in 2015, take advantage of all the benefits of a Baker County Chamber of Commerce membership.