Youve already figured out that your small business needs a web site to compete with the big boys and maintain every aspect of your relationship with your customers. But once you have your web site up and running, youll need web site promotion ideas so that people know about your web site. After all, no one will visit your web site if they dont know it exists.

The first of your website promotion ideas is submitting your web site to all the major search engines. Search engine traffic is a major draw to web sites and most web masters will tell you that the vast majority of their traffic is coming from search engine clicks. Most of the major search engines have a specific page you can use to submit your site. Once its submitted, it will usually take a few days to a week before it starts showing up in keyword searches.

Other web site promotion ideas include advertising your web site on internet message boards and discussion forums centered on subjects related in some way to your business. For example, if you run a small business selling pet supplies, you could go to message boards and discussion forums frequented by pet lovers.

Other tried and true web site promotion ideas include affiliate and banner exchanges. You can contact other web sites involved with the same target market and ask to exchange banners on each others web sites, or you can sign up at a banner exchange portal that will automatically generate banners for other sites on your site and banners for your site on other participating sites.

For even more web site promotion ideas, there are many online resources dedicated solely to teaching people how best to create awareness of their web site through the internet at large and strategies for attracting more visitors to their web site. Start with these basic ideas and when youre ready, explore for more!

If you run a small business, advertising costs must be figured in as part of your overall expenses. If you have received quotes for phone directory ads, business association block ads, and mostly any other print media, these costs are quite high. So, what if your budget is small, perhaps negligible? Will you be left outside of the advertising arena or are there other avenues to help you get the word out? The answer in one word is: yes. Lets explore ways you can get the word out through online meansyes, via the internet!

The rise of the internet has spawned an entire industry with it. You may remember in the late 1990s stories of dot.com companies who made a fortune and then went bust. The irrational exuberance of that era has, thankfully, passed by and in its place is a much more rational, but very lively market.

Todays biggest players online are search engine providers led by Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. Between them, these three search engines dominate the market. Mostly everyone today searches the internet for products sold by small businesses to large corporations and these are the people you want to target. Indeed, while Christmas season sales typically increase around 4% year over year for brick and mortar retailers, the internet has been seeing year over year increases of 30% and higher! No small business operator should exclude the internet when crafting a marketing plan.

Speaking of the search engines, both Google and Yahoo! have their own advertising networks. Google has its AdWords program while the Yahoo! Publisher Network is a comparable, though newer program. This is where you, as a small business owner, can do some of your advertising. By selecting the advertising plan that works for you, you can have your ads appear on web sites in your local area or across the world and be charged a small amount per click. In other words, you dont pay for advertising unless someone clicks on your ad and goes through to your site. To keep clicks from getting out of control you determine the price per click and the amount per day, week, or month you are willing to pay. No busting of your small business budget!

Banner or text ads on select sites can also be helpful for your small business. If there is a web site you like and you suspect that a lot of your customers would frequent that site, contact the webmaster to learn what his advertising charges would be. Perhaps in exchange for submitting a few helpful articles, the webmaster would waive your advertising fee altogether. Or, at the very least, accept any other help you could provide [moderating a forum, answering questions, etc.].

Another way of getting the word out is through your own web site. No, you dont need a web professional to establish your site, but it does help to have someone who can guide you through the set up process. At the very least a few pages is what you will need, so set up costs shouldnt be terribly expensive. In addition, figure on paying monthly hosting and domain name fees but these expenses should be no more than 100-125 per year. Pay a little extra for a web professional who can help you optimize your site [make it search engine friendly] and youll get your money back much quicker. Finally, check with your accountant for small business tax deductions.

You can also generate plenty of attention by writing articles, just like the one you are reading now. No, you dont need to be a professional writer, but if you can clearly convey your thoughts and present a plan of action for your readers [such as: buy my product] you can get what amounts to be free advertising. How so? By submitting what you write to article submission sites for wider dissemination. By including helpful links in the author resource box you can cause search engines to make your web site much more visible as your article gets reprinted on other web sites. Furthermore, readers will perceive that you are an expert and will likely inquire to find out just what you are all about. You can call this, small business advertising on the cheap!

No, as a small business owner you dont have to be strapped by high advertising costs — who has the cash to spare? Instead, the internet offers to you several cost effective ways of informing people about who you are, what you do, and where they can find you.

Select the marketing plan that works best for your small business. A mixture of all four points is a great plan of attack for many small business ownersjust like you!

With Singapores desire to become a regional business hub, it plans to attract a good number of entrepreneur minds into the country from overseas. The EntrePass is a type of Singapore Employment Pass that is designed to facilitate the entry and stay of foreign entrepreneurs who are ready to incorporate and launch a business in Singapore. EntrePass was introduced in 2004 and is aimed at attracting foreign entrepreneurs into the country.

Two categories of foreign nationals are eligible for the Singapore Entrepass:
A foreign national who is an entrepreneur ready to start a companybusiness and be actively involved in the operation of the companybusiness in Singapore.
A foreign national who is an existing shareholderpartner in a Singapore registered companybusiness and who wishes to become actively involved in the operation of the companybusiness.

The EntrePass allows global value-creating entrepreneurs and innovators to establish and run their business ventures in Singapore.

You don’t need to have a Ph.D. from top-notch school or have millions in the bank to get started. All you need is a good business plan and some investment to cover your startup expenses and support yourself in the early stages.

Important Facts about EntrePass

Application for EntrePass should be made prior to incorporating your business in Singapore.
Along with EntrePass application, you will need to submit a 10 page long business plan. The details of preparing a good business plan are described in the subsequent sections of this document.
Businesses not of entrepreneurial nature for example, coffee shops food courts, foot reflexology, massage parlours, karaoke lounges, money changing remitting, newspaper vending, and tuition services etc will not be considered for an EntrePass.
The application processing time is usually 2-3 weeks.
If your application is successful, you will normally be issued an EntrePass that is valid for two years. You do not need to incorporate your business in Singapore until the successful outcome of your EntrePass application.
Your EntrePass allows you to bring your immediate family members to Singapore to live with you.
The EntrePass is renewable for as long as the business remains viable. You are also eligible to apply for a permanent residence in Singapore in due course.

Importance of Business Plan for EntrePass Application

Preparing a good business plan for your new Singapore business is one of the most crucial aspects of applying for EntrePass. The Good news is that the business plan is expected to be relatively concise i.e. no more than 10 pages long.

In addition to its importance in applying for EntrePass, another important value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way. The act of planning helps you to think things through thoroughly, study and research if you are not sure of the facts, and look at your ideas critically.

A well thought out business plan will not only improve your chances of getting a Singapore EntrePass, but it will also help you clarify your mind and better prepare for your entrepreneurship journey. The well-known fleas-in-the-box analogy applies to your plan as well; if you put a lid on the box, the fleas will learn to jump to that height only, but if there is no lid, they jump as high as they are capable of doing. Your plan should set that lid higher. At the same time you must be confident that figures in business plan are achievable. You must strike a good balance between optimism and realism.

Make sure business plan EntrePass is impressive in presentation. Your plan must get across to readers what is interesting about your business. Stress your marketing and sales strategy and include a break-even analysis. Be sure to include tax payments, payments to local accountants and other service providers and the fact that your business funds will be kept in a Singapore bank!

How to prepare a good business plan for EntrePass?

So are you ready to prepare your business plan and apply for Singapore EntrePass? The guide below will help you to get a better understanding of the various sections and contents that are expected in the business plan.

1.Executive Summary (Approx. half-page)
Write this section last and keep it to half-page. Provide a brief summary of product(s)service(s), target customers, owners, and the future for your business and industry in Singapore.

2.Business Concept (Approx. half-page to one page)
In this section you should include brief description of the proposed business and industry, a mission statement, company goals and objectives, business philosophy, strengths and core competencies of the proposed venture, critical success factors, and legal form of ownership. (To find out more about possible legal forms, see Singapore Business Structure Options for Entrepreneurs).

3.Product(s)Service(s) (Approx. 1 page)
This is the place where you need to describe your product(s) or service(s) in detail. How will you differentiate your product(s)services(s) from the competition? What will be your competitive edge?

4.Marketing Plan (Approx. 2-3 pages)
No matter how good your product andor service, your business venture will not succeed without effective marketing. And it begins with careful research and planning upfront. Talk about the size of your market, current demand, and future growth prospects, and opportunities for a business of your size. What barriers will you face with your new venture and how will you overcome them? Write about your targeted customers, their characteristics, and their geographic locations, otherwise known as their demographics. Write about your direct and indirect competition: who, their size, position in the market. How will your offerings compare with your competition? Use a competitive analysis table to compare your new Singapore Company with the two most important competitors. Include factors such as price, quality, selection, service, reliability, technical and management expertise, sales and marketing strength, etc. Make an honest assessment of your companys strong and weak points against the competition. Outline your marketing strategy. How will you identify potential customers? How will you create awareness of your offerings? How will you advertise? What is your marketing budget (startup and ongoing)? What image do you want to project? What is your plan for creating marketing collateral (logo, website, business cards, brochures, etc.)? How will you retain customers? Write about distribution channels. How do plan to distribute your productsservices? What will be your pricing strategy?

5.Operational Plan (Approx. 1-2 pages)
Explain the operations and resource needs of your new Singapore business venture. How and where your product(s)services(s) will be produced? What equipment do you need? What is your procurement plan? Explain production, delivery, and quality control processes for your product(s)services(s). Describe your location and space requirements? Who will be your suppliers? What will be the proposed credit, delivery, and quality control policies? What are the legal requirements for your business? Business licenses? Other regulations that apply to your industry? Insurance coverage needs? What are personnel requirements? What type of workforce (skills and experience) do you need? Pay structure? Job descriptions? Duties & Responsibilities? Organizational chart? HR policies? Recruitment plan? What services do you plan to outsource and to whom? What are your inventory needs and how do you plan to manage it? How do you plan to manage your accounts receivables and accounts payables?

6.Financial projections (Approx. 2 pages)
Provide projected sales and net profit before tax for three years, startup expenses, cash flow projections, and breakeven point, key assumptions. The intended startup capital for your new Singapore business must be able to cover your startup expenses and keep you afloat for the first 6-months. Many startup businesses fail because they run into cash flow problems soon after they start. The person who will be evaluating your Singapore EntrePass application will definitely be paying close attention to this.

7.Management Team (Approx. 1 page)
Talk about your past employment and business experience, achievements, key competencies, and roles & responsibilities. Identify weak areas and how you plan to address them.

8.Supporting Documents
Here you can provide any supporting documents that you have to backup the information you provided in your business plan. This might include customer leads, written articles, awards, certifications, etc.

Although it requires some effort and research, preparing a good business plan is not as difficult as you might think. Writing a business plan is just capturing your longer-term goals, objectives, estimates, and forecasts on paper. It typically takes couple of weeks to complete a good plan. Most of that time is spent in research and re-thinking your ideas and assumptions. So make time to do the job properly. Those who do, never regret the effort.

Small businesses have many challenges to stay afloat. Many budding entrepreneurs think that all they need is an idea or product, a name for their small business, and a bit of work and the product will sell itself and money will come rolling in. If you have ever run a small business – even a home based business – you will know there’s much more to it than that!

The first thing you, as a potential small business owner must always do, is research your market. Then research your competition, then the available supply for your product or service, and find your unique selling position. This alone can take weeks often months.

Once you are satisfied that there is a market for your product or service then you need to sort out your business plan and cash flow projections.

Small businesses may appear low cost but many suck up substantial capital before they turn a profit so now, unless you are very fortunate, you must sort out how to finance your small business. Do you remortgage your house? look for investment partners? borrow from friends or family? or approach the bank? Whichever you choose you need to convince others that your small business will be profitable and they will get a return on their money.

Once finances are in place the hard work starts. You may have premises to arrange, suppliers to sort out, staff to recruit and mangage, accounts to keep, products to design or source, lawyers to consult, accountants to hire and we must not forget in all of this market and get the all important customers to look at and purchase your products.

To do that you have to advertise your small business, but where and at what cost? Don’t forget you have to provide customer support and accept returns. Then there’s waste disposal … and on and on.

Who’s paying for all of this – in simple terms you, and your friends, investors andor your bank are paying, until you are selling sufficient product or service to cover the costs – usually many months or even years away.

New small businesses rarely return a profit in the first year and frequently not for two or three years. Make sure you can finance it properly.

Is it worth doing it? That’s your decision but every year tens of thousands of people do start their own business and many are succesful and reap the rewards of all that hard work. But many also fail, and all too often it’s due to lack of preparation

If you’re about to set off on your new business venture prepare well and Good Luck. With good planning, persistence and a lot of hard work you too can build a profitable small business.

The Travails Of The Pros And Cons Of A Small Business Credit Card

For small business credit card getting a sense out of a deal is, in some instances, the most difficult thing to do. This is because most people could not instantly figure out the benefits they can derive from obtaining it.

Take for example the case of small business credit card. Some people contend that business credit cards are crucial in the growth of a business, while other s contend that it is just one way of losing their investments.

But whatever the point there is, only one this is certain, it is still a credit card and just like any financial decisions, extensive consideration is a must.

So, for those who want to know whether getting a small business credit card will be good for their company, here are some of the pros and cons to be considered first.

PROS

1. It is efficient and provides management on the companys financial charges.

With the small business credit card, most entrepreneurs can manipulate their costs and payments through separate charges consolidation. This means that the company will only have one billing statement with details on the employees expenses instead of having various statements and invoices.

2. small business credit card provide their clients with the opportunity to curb overspending in their employees.

Because the business owners are given the right to preset the credit limit of their employees, they are able to impede any probable overspending of their employees instead. This, in turn, poses great discipline among the people.

The statements that go to the manager or to the financial administrator are in full details of all the financial transactions incurred at a specific time. Hence, the company can track down the kind of spending habits of their employees.

CONS

1. It is still a credit card.

This means that even if it is a companys property, employees will still have the tendency to over spend or splurge into more cashless shopping. This can be very risky especially to business management who is primarily the one responsible for the accounts.

2. Any errors or faults can damage credit ratings.

If credit history is very important to common individuals, it has a greater impact on businesses. So, if something goes wrong with their business credit card, the effect is mostly imposed on the business rather on the employee.

So, whats the bottom line here? As compared to other types of credit, it is always best to monitor the spending habits. Credit cards can really be feasible where it serve its purpose, but can also do more harm than good if misused and taken for granted.

So youre starting a small business. You figured out what you wanted to sell or do and went out and got it all set up, had your DBA framed and on the wall and now all you need is for someone to buy your product or use your service. Right?

How are you going to go about getting your public to know you even exist?

Promote! Promote! Promote!

Well that all sounds simple, but say youre a financial specialist, a boat builder or llama farmer. They probably didnt teach the basic principles of starting small business promotional campaigns in boat-builders school. So what do you need to know, and how do you go about it?

Lets start with the Basic Principles of promotion:

What is Promotion?

Promotion (promō′shun) n. Anything, as advertising, public appearances, etc., done to publicize (get the attention or interest of the public) a person, product, event, etc. The New Websters Concise Dictionary2003 Encyclopedic Edition

Why do you promote?

The purpose of promotion is to make sure people know you are in business. You promote because if you dont, you wont make it in business. You promote because it is communication that you need to engage in in order to survive. You promote in order to expand and get the attention or interest of the public for your products or services. You promote because if you dont, no one will know you exist and no one will buy from you andwell, you get the point.

How do you promote?

There are more ways than you would ever think. Have you ever heard someone say, I never promote and I am always busy OR I dont have to promote, all my business comes from word-of-mouth? They may not be aware of how theyre doing it, but I promise you they are promoting somewhere. Maybe they just go around telling everyone they talk to, that they dont promote. (Sound funny? Its still promoting.) Maybe their larger-than-life running water faucet in front of their store attracts so much attention that they dont need to do anything else. Well here are some ideas you can do knowingly to drive in the business.

Greeting your customers with a smile is a great place to start.

Calling your customers after they have had a chance to use your product is a good way to promote that you care about their experience with your organization. It can also create an opportunity to make more sales.

A neatly packaged product, the shipping label on straight, promotes that you take pride in what you do.

Always keep up-to-date brochures or catalogs about your business in your reception area for people to see and take with them.

If you have customers coming into your business, make sure they are greeted pleasantly, professionally, and immediately.

Anything that gets the attention or interest of the public for the company, its employees, its products or services (in a positive way) is promotion.
But how do you go about promoting to the masses?

Here is a story that could save you thousands of marketing and promotional pounds, as well as months or years of experience.

I was working as the Communications & Promotional Director in a medium size business. We were fortunate enough to have our own commercial printing press, that put out lots of very fancy letters, catalogs, brochures and other promotional items, and oh yes, envelopes to put them in. My full time pressman and his helpers, spent several days each week getting everything printed, cut, folded and sent over to the mailing house.

There, they had machines that automated all the stuffing, sorting, addressing and stamping. All in all everything was going very well. We were sending out about 40,000 pieces per week at a cost of about 10,800.00, and getting around 120 to 140 good leads per week. This generated an average of 2 new sales per week for a product that cost around 12,000, and re-sign income of around 45,000 more. We werent growing very fast, but we were making money.

THEN911 hit. ”

Suddenly, nobody wanted to open envelopes. Our leads were dropping to nothing. We were heading toward our own disaster like so many other companies did. I knew I needed to promote, but what good did it do if nobody read it!

I was talking to the owner of the mailing house and he suggested the use of POSTCARDS instead of letters. So we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I had much less money to allocate towards promotion, so I started by sending about 20,000 postcards weekly. The total cost-per-piece, needing only one day on the presses, half the labor at the mail house and a substantial decrease in postage, was reduced by about 60%.

What was the result? Try 120 to 140 leads per week!

Why?

You don’t have to open a post card!

You see it right away, the bright picture is not hidden from view by an envelope.

The message leaps right out and you can’t ignore it or throw it in the trash unopened (the fate of many bulk mail pieces).

Postcards are the best medium to reach new customers when starting a small business promotional campaign.

Small businesses have special needs, especially in comparison to larger, more established companies. The term “small business” often really refers to “new business”, in that many small businesses that have been around for a while are as large as they are likely to ever become simply because of the type of business they are. Some small businesses, however, are destined to become large businesses. These companies in particular need to weigh the considerations of their unique situation when purchasing a business phone system. Knowing one’s options when it comes to business phones can save a substantial amount of money and time.

If a company is in a physical location that will be able to meet it’s needs for many years to come and their number of employees is well into the double digit range, they may wish to go with a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system. PBX systems offer increased expansion capabilities and can come with more available features for the end user. Installation expenses for PBX systems can be extremely high, however, and should be factored in any organization’s business phone system budget.

The alternative would be to use a Key System. Key Systems are cheaper and require less in the way of installation expense. Still, they are only expandable to provide service to thirty or forty terminals. For businesses that will eventually require more handsets than Key Systems are capable of supporting, replacement with a PBX system would be inevitable.

The worst case scenario would be for a business to buy a phone system that barely meets it’s current needs only to find that it will have to be replaced soon after. Properly planning for growth will help any business end up with a phone system that can expand with it’s expansion and allow the most value for the overall investment. Like any business investment, phone systems do not last forever, so it is often unnecessary to purchase the very best (and most expensive) system on the market. Still, it does pay to purchase a business phone system that is certain to meet your company’s needs, both now and well into the future.

Having 101 ideas in your head is something that many people would be envious of. In fact, if you mention to others that you are running your own business, they might remark with wonder and encouragement at your actions.

However, one thing that isn’t discussed as often as it should be is how business owners keep their heads screwed on. How do they cope with the ideas that are in their heads, and not become overwhelmed by the enormity of it all? There are a few common traits amongst those businesses that have achieved a certain level of success.

** They know they can’t do it all **

Having lots of ideas is one thing – trying to do them all yourself is another. Although having others complete work for you is a real challenge – especially when you are starting out and have limited money – it is often one of the key elements why the business owner still has their sanity.

** They roll with the punches **

As kids when we were growing up, parents or adults might have told us to roll with the punches. This most likely made no sense to you as a child, but as we grow up, the wisdom of this saying was quickly realized. Life, in all its glory and unexpectedness, delivers curve balls to us every day. As such, we have two choices – be flexible and respond, or strike out.

Successful businesses have learnt that the economy, people, and business in general, is dynamic and organic – it changes all the time. In fact, the most together business owners have developed an attitude that helps them cope with these circumstances. When things don’t go the way they planned, they quickly assess the situation, focus on doing those things they can control, and for those areas of the business that they cannot control, choose to accept the fact and move on.

** They know what they want to achieve **

Every successful business has made it because they knew what they wanted to achieve. They had a compelling reason to keep on going through hard times. This doesn’t mean that they had it easy, nor does it mean that they had a truly defined focus for the business. Once reality kicks in, sometimes even the best laid plans go out the window. But it was the compelling reason that helped these successful business owners push through and find a way to achieve their dreams.

This compelling reason can be anything that drives you – something you are passionate about. For example, it could be providing a better life for your family. It could be the desire to build a business that you can leave as a legacy after you die, for the benefit of your family and community. Whatever the reason, it must be strong enough to help provide you with the fuel you will need when powering through the rough times that every business owner has.

Being a business owner – an entrepreneur – is a hard task. When starting off, it isn’t uncommon to see yourself doing 50-80 hours of work each week in the business, and you are still barely breaking even. Sometimes, despite the efforts you have made, you lose money. But, after a while, things will change. The sales will start to increase. Customers will start coming back to you again and again.

Others might call this Luck. It isn’t. It is the outward representation and reward for all the hard work and internal ‘fine-tuning’ that you have been going through up until that point. All the trials, tribulations, set-backs, disappointments and foiled ideas are all necessary for you to be ready for the Success when it comes.

So, if you have a clear vision and reason for your business; have a flexible plan and attitude; and an iron-will and dogged determination to achieve despite frustration and disappointments, success will be yours. After all, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. There is a very valid reason why it isn’t ‘crowded at the top’. The question is – Are you prepared to go through your trials to get there?

Small Business Loans – Resources and Options
Just as every small business is unique, there are almost as many distinctive options available when it comes to securing small business loans or other funding options for your small business startup expenses or other ventures. Further, amid the various programs offered by the variety of lenders, the programs availability, terms, etc. may different from state to state even in the small business loan provider remains the same.

While the U.S. governments SBA (Small Business Administration) does not offer grants for starting or expanding small businesses, they do still offer a plethora of free help. The SBA has existed since 1953, and in that time it has assisted tens of thousands of Americans form small businesses through their outreach programs, now available in every U.S. state, the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.).

SBA offices are a rich resource of information and options in obtaining small business loans. Although the SBA does not directly loan or grant money, they are an invaluable asset to starting, maintaining and growing your company or determining your small business loan resources with localized options.

No matter where in the process you are in determining the needs for your small business loan, the SBA is a significant source of assistance that can save you time and money. Through extensive collaboration with local organizations, the SBA and its collective networks bring an unprecedented supply of information, tools, and information.

Making the most out of the resources available through the SBA at the federal, state and local levels will actually save you money. Not every small business starts out following a textbook model or formula. The desire or need for growth of your company will likely require funding, and small business loan providers will likely require documents, plans, records and statements youve never created, maintained or considered necessary; thats okay.

The process of obtaining a small business unsecured loan even with bad credit might seem inundated with an avalanche of paperwork, requirements, and obstacles. To top it off, if you dont have all of the traditional paperwork surrounding the textbook business, the process of creating it while applying for a small business loan can make the process overwhelming. One of the most valuable resources available through the SBA and other localized small business resource organizations, is mentorship programs – this firsthand assistance and knowledge directly from fellow local and successful small business owners is unparalleled, and best of all – free!

Getting the best small business loan to finance your companys future will likely take more than filling out an application. Doing your homework first, dedicated to your task and patient in your results, will help ensure securing the right small business loan that is best suited for your small business goals.

Small Business – The Benefit Of Adding Benefits To Payroll

With unemployment rates going down and companies struggling to attract and retain quality employees, employers should pay close consideration to the emphasis being put on the importance of health care by employees. We have seen several times more and more that employees are first asking about the benefits plan and then about salary. It is obvious that affordable health care is prevalent on the minds of candidates.

For existing employees, weve found that offering higher benefits contributions in lieu of salary increases is a well received concept. Small businesses have their eyes on the bottom line and labor costs are one of the hardest hitting factors. By offering higher contributions to benefits plans employers are able to reduce the overall payroll costs. This is an area that most employers dont spend a lot of time looking at because they think they are under the impression it will be too costly. Another misconception is that for a good benefits contribution plan, an employer must purchase a group policy. This is not the case, a resourceful HR person will assist company leaders in researching alternative benefits options such as mini-meds (miniature medical plans with lower maximum coverage and limited visits), individual medical plans specific to each employee (often times much lower cost than group rates) and Health Savings Accounts just to name a few.

Small businesses should definitely consider benefits options now as there are proponents of legislation to make benefits mandatory for small to medium size businesses. At the end of 2005 California voters were presented with potential legislation that would require that certain employers provide health coverage for their employees and in some cases dependents through either (1) paying a fee to a new state program primarily to purchase private health insurance coverage or (2) arranging directly with health insurance providers for health care coverage. The state would also establish a new program to assist lower-income employees to pay their share of health care premiums.

This referendum lost by only about 2% so we are keeping our eye on this to resurface again in the very near future.