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 BaseCamp: Trusted by millions, Basecamp is the leading web-based project collaboration tool. Share files, meet deadlines, assign tasks, centralize feedback, make clients smile.  CodeBase: Git hosting, Mercurial hosting & Subversion hosting with complete project management - tickets, milestones, time tracking.  Project Manager: Share project plans, manage your teams online and track daily progress with the world's smartest project management software.  Zoho Projects: A perfect mix of Project Collaboration and Management features. Plan, track and collaborate on projects. Keep everyone in the loop. A centralized place where relevant project documents and contents are stored, updates are posted, everyone exchange ideas and get work done.  No Kahuna: Whether at work, home, or among your friends, we help you work together on projects big and small. Simply: Set up your project(s), Refine and distribute tasks, Track them as they’re completed.  Teamwork Project Manager: Teamwork Project Manager is an easy-to-use online teamwork & project management software application that helps managers, staff and clients work together more productively online.  Lighthouse: Collaborate effortlessly on projects. Whether you’re a team of 5 or studio of 50, Lighthouse will help you keep track of your project development with ease.  Zen: Zen is a simple, flexible, and cost-effective way to manage your work. With an easy-to-use web interface, and by drawing on ideas from lean manufacturing, Zen helps you stay organized, focused, and on target. Labels: business, software, website
GIFs of spinning @s on the “Contact us” page. Common usability mistakes for the sake of visual appeal. Splash pages. Fancy search box. No whitespace. Music on page load. Home page banner of a jigsaw-puzzle globe with a piece missing. Sometimes you just know that what a client is requesting is wrong and that you have to find a way to tell them. But how? Sometimes you just can't and you have to weigh whether you want the client. Personally I find it very hard to do things which I know are an incorrect move for their website which could lead to a negative impact on their business. When this comes up I usually turn a project down. Link: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/...Labels: business, design, development
One huge list of courseware geared towards web developers / designs / freelancers. Link: http://www.webhostingunleashed.com/...Labels: business, design, development
Close to severing ties with Time Warner and fresh off announcing that they plan to cull almost a third of their work force by the end of the year, AOL has debuted--why not?--a new logo and branding campaign. The new logo has a variety of backgrounds, but always the new name in a sans-serif font: "Aol." Yes, with the period. Why? Link: http://consumerist.com/2009/11/...Labels: business
Interesting the way Google makes you 'think' during an interview in way that you might not be expecting. You can tell they want intelligent people who can think outside of the box. How many questions could you answer? The questions:http://www.businessinsider.com/...The answers:http://www.businessinsider.com/...Labels: business, google
 Track time, log expenses, invoice clients, keep track of account receivables and revenue. Harvest lets you do it all, so you can run your business with style and ease. A great way to get organized if you're the type that likes your data in the clouds. Link: http://www.getharvest.com/Labels: business, website
 This is a site where people can create and share interactive forms -- forms that can be used by others to assemble detailed output documents with just a few clicks of the mouse.
The Tree Form Machine makes it easy to create:
* Legal documents -- by mixing and matching relevant paragraphs.
* Business form letters -- tailored to your customers.
* Software licenses and EULAs -- with just the terms you care about. This is a very cool idea and worth checking out. Creating complex forms and documents where sections are often altered based on different criteria becomes a breeze. Try it! Link: http://www.tfdocs.com/Sample using the BSD License: http://www.tfdocs.com/form/bsd-licenseLabels: business, website
Until yesterday, signing up for a Google Voice account required you to pick a new phone number -- not a pleasant option for those who have kept the same digits for years. Now Google has enabled users to keep their existing phone numbers and get (most of) the features Google Voice offers, including Google's excellent voicemail service. I have been using Google Voice for a couple of months now and now its powerful but I just haven't switched to the phone number yet. Still trying to decide exactly what to use my Google Voice number for. Veign's business number? Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/...Labels: business, google, veign
The ability to win new client projects is an essential skill to any freelancer. It’s something we freelancers practice from the day we get started, and it’s usually a skill that builds over time.
Aside from just practice, there are actually a lot of things you can do to become better at winning new client projects. Winning projects is not a confusing process, and it can actually be broken down very methodically.
In this article we’ve done just that, and divided the project-winning process into five steps. Read on for an explanation of each step, and a few tips for what you need to do to win at each stage of the game. Link: http://freelancefolder.com/5-steps-to-winning-any-client-project/Labels: business
Managing the files and reference materials that you’ve compiled over the course of a project (or even your entire career) can be a daunting task. You need to organize invoices, proposals, creative files, mock-ups, research sources and a myriad of other folders and files for later reference. And let’s face it: most operating systems have inadequate file management tools for power users.
Below are a number of apps and resources that you can use to manage your files and resources. Some are Web-based, some desktop-based and some are analog (i.e. paper-and-pen-based). The one that’s right for you will depend largely on your workflow and what you need to keep organized. Decent list, with some tools that I have never heard of that seem to be worth investigating a bit further. Link: http://www.noupe.com/tools/...Labels: business, software, website
 Search all US trademarks filed since 1870 for free. Link: http://www.trademarkia.com/Labels: business
1. Giving out too much informationSome people are just looking for information on how to accomplish a project and not really looking to hire someone to do the project. Giving too much information in a proposal just feeds the people who are fishing for information. Proposals should outline what you will be doing and how this directly affects the client without revealing all the details about what it takes to accomplish it. Example: Don't say 'Setup a Joomla based website' when you can say 'Setup and configure a content management system (CMS) to allow full control over the websites copy and structure'. The second part states what will be done and what benefit the client gets without giving out the details of the CMS system that you recommend or have researched to fit their needs. 2. Not protecting yourself or your clientBoth you and your client should now how they are protected during the project. An example of some questions that should be answered in a proposal is; who owns the copy and graphics, when does the transfership occur, what happens if the project drags on too long (because of you or client delays), what is the payment schedule, how will reviews of the project be handled, whats included in the price and what may not be included. Most of these questions would be in a Terms of Service and becomes the legal contract, signed by both parties, that the project follows. Having this in place often prevents issues from coming up since the questions have already been answered. 3. Not including enough informationA well written proposal needs to define what the client is receiving and what benefits they will get by using you over your competition. Never think you're the only company they are talking to. Sure, you can leave them with a positive impression of yourself after the initial meeting but most likely the descision of who they will use will fall on the proposal. A proposal that best conveys the project to them and really hits upon all the benfits will do wonders in landing projects. Think of the proposal as painting a visual picture of the project without saying specifically how you will accomplish things. 4. Not presenting the information in a professional manorThis one is simple and sometimes most overlooked. The layout and presentation of your proposal, in the client's eyes, indirectly will represent the quality of the work you will be providing. Make sure the layout is clean, neatly organized, consistent in its styling and free of spelling or grammatical mistakes. For an even better proposal oragnize the information into sections like: quote, scope of work and terms of service. 5. Leaving money on the tableDon't undersell yourself. Alot of companies, especially freelancers, are afraid to price a project to its value for fear of losing the project. Sure its easy to undersell a project in attempt to get it but what you end up with is one of two situations: 1) The project cost is low enough that towards the end of the project you're working for peanuts and aren't happy. This results in a 'just get it done' attitude which affects the work or 2) By underselling yourself the client feels that your skills are directly related to the price you quoted them. Labels: business, design, development
When your brother's starting up a new business and keeps asking you for the best places to do things online like send faxes, get legal help, or find a virtual assistant, send him a copy of The Ultimate Small Business Owner's Resource Guide. The book normally costs $35 for a print version, but it's available as a free PDF download here today. Link: http://lifehacker.com/5053913/Labels: business
 CurdBee is a safe and secure web-based billing application from Vesess. Use it to send clients invoices and then collect payments via PayPal or Google Checkout, billing them easily in the currency you choose. It’s so simple, you won’t believe it till you see it. Link: http://curdbee.com/Labels: business, website
WordLab brands itself as the " The Wordboard Naming and Branding Discussion Forum" where they have forums for naming a company, naming a product, tag lines, band names, club names... See where I'm going with this? If you need a name for something, anything, then check out WordLab. Link: http://www.wordlab.com/wordboard/Labels: business, marketing
Contracts and forms for designers are an important part of any design business. No matter if you are a graphic designer or web designer, a solid contract or good pre-project questionnaire can make every project go smoother. A good contract can go a long way. Not only does is provide you, the designer/developer, a level of protection but it forces you to properly define the project and deliverables. This way both parties know whats expected of them and the client knows what they will be receiving from you. Link: http://.../graphic-design-contracts-agreement-forms-webdesigner/Labels: business, design, development
Step 2 - You need to know who owes you money.
You need to know who is past due, who is paid up. Some of these invoicing apps allow for due date tracking. Or you can use a calendar app (gcal, ical etc) to do that. Let me add my #1 tip: Get QuickBooks as it will save you so much time and make things so much easier. It will also lower the cost of an accountant at the end of the year since your books are in a format they are comfortable with. I used to track expenses and invoice by hand. Man that was a mistake. Quickbooks has made it so much easier. Read all at: http://freelanceswitch.com/.../accounting-basics-for-a-freelancer/Labels: business
A common list of issues designers have to deal with while working with clients on projects and how to avoid or solve those issues in a professional manner. Link: http://youthedesigner.com/.../20-horrible-habits-of-clients/Labels: business
I have never agreed with one of these top 10 lists as much as I do with this one. If you are looking to be a freelance designer/developer you should really read this list and understand why what he says is so very true. Have something to add that is not on the list? Leave a comment. Link: http://.../10-absolute-nos-for-freelancers.aspxLabels: business
Every year thousands visit the garages where Hewlett-Packard and Apple were hatched. But the hottest tech companies out there weren't all started in a car lot. Link: http://money.cnn.com/.../gallery.web2_0_starsLabels: business, technology, website
Many businesses still are very hesitant to embrace outsourcing as a means to growing their practice and increasing productivity. To help you decide whether outsourcing is right for your business consider the following common questions: Q: How can I be sure private client data will be secure? A: Superior security measures and processes; make sure you have a signed service agreement (including confidentiality guarantees). Some important security features to look for when choosing a vendor are if they support a paperless monitored work environment. Consider network security such as if their site is encrypted and uses a firewall. Also, verify how they hire their employees. Do they adhere to stringent background checks and do they require a particular level of education or training? Q: Is it against the law or code of ethics to utilize outsourcing? A: No, as long as disclosures are made to the client. There is typically a provision in most privacy statements that disclose that the firm may be a need to disclose client information to third parties who provide help in servicing their accounts. Most firms reference outsourcing directly or indirectly in their privacy statement in order to comply with the Graham Leach Bliley Act. In either case, as long as the taxpayer is assured that his/her return will be reviewed by the firm's tax department prior to filing, they generally respond favorably to outsourcing. Q: How can I be assured that the work being done meets the high quality standards that I guarantee my own clients? A: Again, investigate whether the vendor employs a skilled staff. Verify that the vendor performs quality checks and audits by seasoned U.S. staff and conducts rigorous and continual ongoing training of the tax and accounting team. Q. How can I ensure outsourcing will be successful for me? A. Communication with vendor. In the end, it is up to both the vendor as well as the client to make sure the lines of communication are open. The more the vendor understands the needs and work flow of the client and the more the client understands the outsourcing process, the better the relationship will be for both parties. BuPro USA is the leader in outsourcing services for accounting and tax professionals. BuPro USA is a U.S. and Indian based company that helps accounting and tax professionals become more efficient and manage their work more effectively. Their proprietary technology platform makes the outsourcing process easy to use for all accounting and tax professionals; no matter their size or business mix. Key benefits include: a lower stress work environment, better quality, lower costs and better end-client relations. BuPro USA is a privately held company based in Ferndale, MI. For additional information, please visit http://www.BuProUSA.com or contact us at: info@BuProUSA.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allison_MarrsLabels: business
 Law.com's Quest brings legal professionals relevant results from across the Law.com network of sites and the legal web, including hundreds of hand-picked law firm websites and legal blogs. Link: http://quest.law.com/Search/Labels: business
Every lit bit helps when getting your business name out there and this website makes it easier to figure where and how to get your business listed in the ' local' section of a search engine. Link: http://www.locallytype.com/pages/submit.htmLabels: business
101 Essential Freelancing Resources is one of the best collections of sources to help you in your new business or your established business. For any small business owner sites like 101 Essential Freelancing Resources make things just that much easier. I dare anyone to look through the list and not find at least one useful website. Link: http://freelanceswitch.com/.../101-essential-freelancing-resources/Labels: business
Microsoft Office Accounting Express: "Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007 is everything you need to make your small business idea flourish. Whatever your idea, take it further with these great features: Create quotes and invoices; track expenses and employee time, Manage payroll and taxes with ADP’s integrated payroll service, Store and organize all your customer, vendor, employee, and financial information in one place, List items on eBay, track sales activity, and download and process orders, Email invoices and get paid faster with PayPal, and Monitor your customers’ business credit in real-time through Equifax." Labels: business
The blog post called 5 Things You Shouldn’t Spend Money On When Starting a Business is spot on when starting a new business and giving yourself a financial chance. I actually adhered to these five thoughts with Veign. Link: http://...spend-money-on-when-starting-a-businessLabels: business
Google Local Business Center now allows a business to add coupons to their listings. This is cool for people like me who are always using Google Maps for locating local business'. Let Google users print your coupons and bring them to your business.Coupons will appear alongside your business listing on Google Maps. Link: http://www.google.com/local/add/couponsLabels: business, google, seo
I have been wanting to make a post of this information for a while but it just seems to get pushed back. Well, I now found a little time to get the information organized to make a post about it. This is some of the information that I have come across for starting, running, and growing a small business. Nothing fancy, just a list of things. - E-Myth: This book is a must read for anyone starting a small business (no matter what), running a small business, or just curious about businesses. Don't pass this one up.
- Sales and Marketing @ Entrepreneur.com: A good collection of articles. Check back often and keep ontop of sales and marketing. Don't wait until your in a feast or famine situation with your business.
 - Inc.com: Another good resource for companies.
- Small Business Administration: The US goverments website to help small businesses succeed.
- S Corp vs LLC: Most small businesses will become one of these two legal entites. LLC's are easier to setup and maintain but S-Corp's provide much better tax breaks.
- CafePress: Great website for getting some swag for your company (or anything else for that matter). Costs nothing out of pocket and very easy to setup. Check out Veign's shop.
- Nolo: Online resource for do-it-yourself legal stuff.
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