• Make sure your website is Search Engine Optimized. This will guarantee that when someone searches for what your business offers, they will find it before they find your competition. Search Engine Optimization and Online Marketing is the easiest way to generate leads to your website and it has a much longer shelf-life and is a better ROI than print ads such as Yellow Pages, Buy and Sell or Province/Sun Classifieds. (If you give RTP Online a call, they’ll give you $100 off a basic web site and SEO package. Just mention this post.)

• If you aren’t already, keep a database of all your past customers and all leads that never panned out. During these lean times, call those old clients and see if there is anything else you can assist them with. With the old leads that didn’t end up becoming clients, contact them and see if they ever received what they were looking for and if not, offer it to them.

• Give something away for free. Free estimates, free shipping, buy-one-get-one-free, anything free to show your client that you appreciate their business.

• Follow up each successful sale with a personal phone call or email to say thank-you for the purchase. Even better is a hand-written letter to thank the customer.

• Offer a finders fee for people if they send you a client. Referrals and word-of-mouth are great for business and if someone goes out of their way to tell another about your product or service, you should thank them.

• Take a close look at your own business spending. Are you spending money every month on ads that aren’t bringing you any clients? Are you spending money on flyers that cost too much money, too much of your time to design and print and then you aren’t seeing a return? Think about free advertising. Use the Internet to your advantage. Join social networks, post ads on message boards, and create a blog talking about your products. The internet is a valuable tool and other than your monthly Internet charges from Shaw Cable, you can promote your site for free online and see some decent returns.

• Sponsor events. Have a gift basket company? Donate a basket or two in exchange for your name in the program or on the flyer. Make sure to put a business card in the basket so the winner can buy a basket from you later on!

• Invest a little money on Internet Marketing if you don’t have the time to devote to getting your business name spread around the net. RTP Online can handle this for you, or you can find many other companies that will get your company’s brand out on the ‘Net.

• Don’t forget your existing clients. Make them feel special and ensure they have everything they need. Ask them if the products and services are working for them and if not, make it right.

• Increase your level of service and offer your clients more. Now that in many senses we are a global economy, there is plenty of competition for most businesses and unlike days gone by, you don’t have to worry about the business down the street undercutting you…There could be someone across the globe that beats your price by 15%. As times get tougher, people will be looking for a deal. Give them one.

There are many ways for you to keep afloat and even increase your revenue during a Recession but you have to battle hard. Don’t be afraid to make deals and lower your prices because even though you might lose money on the first deal, that customer will return knowing that they got a good deal.

Make sure to remember your past and present customers and make it your goal to make everyone that does business with you, feel good about the interaction and purchase.

• Click here to learn about the services we offer.
• Click here for a free re-assessment of your company’s plan.

For more tips, check out our Benefits Blog all about benefits, compensation, and human resources.

Vancouver Blinds from Blinds Brothers are custom fitted, attractive blinds in a wide variety of colours and styles. Using top quality materials and hardware, these window blinds at factory direct prices will turn your window in a conversation piece.

If you need blinds for your home or office, Blind Brothers will come to your place and give you a free estimate, and then install the blinds for free too! Usually you pay big bucks for the install but Blinds Brothers will measure, custom fit and install your window blinds so that they look amazing.

Some of the window blinds they provide are

Venetians Pleated Shades Woods Verticals Roller Shades Faux Woods Sun Shades

Head over to the Vancouver Blinds experts at Blinds Brothers and you’ll save money on window blinds for your home or office. Or, you can give Rick a call at 604-299-3664 and let him know that you heard about him from Vancouver Small Business!

Here’s the email…
I work for The Conference Board of Canada (CBoC)—the largest independent, not-for-profit research “think-tank” in Canada.

I am writing to invite you to participate in a Focus Group as part of our research project on how to increase the hiring of diversity talent into IT jobs in the ICT sector—especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Conference Board of Canada is conducting this study on behalf of the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC). The research project is studying workplace diversity and the hiring of internationally educated professionals and other diversity talent.
The Focus Group is intended to find out about your experiences and obtain your views and insights about the role of IT talent in your organization. Information obtained from you during the session will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Date and Time:

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
8:00–8:30 a.m.                   Continental Breakfast

8:30–10:30 a.m.                Focus Group

Location:

Vancouver, BC

Hyatt Regency Vancouver Hotel, Dover Room

655 Burrard St.

If you are interested in participating, please reply to this email or call me at 1-888-801-8818 ext. 384

For more information or if you have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Telephone Interview:

We value your input! If you are not able to attend a focus group, but would be willing to take part in a telephone interview, please contact me by toll-free telephone or by email.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Kindest regards,

Rupa Jolly

The Conference Board of Canada

Tel: 1-888-801-8818 ext. 384

Fax: 613-526-4857

Email: jolly@conferenceboard.ca

Website: www.conferenceboard.ca

This Canadian-based company officially opened up its online shop on in November 2007. My Hair Styling Tools offers up Professional Hair Straighteners and Tools for professional stylists and for non-professionals looking for the hair straightening irons that the pro’s use. From Flat Irons to Ceramic Straighteners,  My Hair Styling Tools has all your hair styling and hair straightening needs taken care of.

Get in touch with My Hair Styling Tools

Website 

Customer Service: customerservice@myhairstylingtools.com
Product Information: sales@myhairstylingtools.com

Toll Free: 1-800-514-9249

Give RTP Online a call at 778-928-4878 and leave your URL and contact information, or email them here. SEO is a great way to increase relevant search engine traffic to your site and increase your sales. It’s free and you’ve got nothing to lose!

I wish to start my own business, I would like to know the rules and regulations and taxation of running a small business in vancouver.

Taxation

Applying Provincial Sales Tax (PST)

Applying Provincial Sales Tax is necessary for a number of business transactions. You must register with the Consumer Taxation Branch, Ministry of Provincial Revenue, and collect social service tax (retail sales tax) on your taxable sales and leases if you engage in any of the following activities:

• Selling goods at retail.
• Leasing goods as a lessor.
• Providing legal services.
• Selling parking rights within the Vancouver Regional Transit Service Area.
• Providing taxable services (e.g. repairs to goods).
• Providing telecommunications services.

The Consumer Taxation Branch will issue you a Certificate of Registration and provide information on your responsibilities.

To register, or to obtain additional information, contact your local Government Agent or:

Information Services

Ministry of Provincial Revenue
Consumer Taxation Branch,
Vancouver 8th Floor,
360 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 6B2 Tel:
(604) 660-4524
Toll free: 1-877-388-4440 from anywhere in Canada
Fax:(604) 660-1104
Web Site: http://www.rev.gov.bc.ca/ctb

For more information:

Do You Need to Register as a Vendor?

Taxable Services

Application for Registration as a Vendor

Business Number (GST)

The Business Number (BN) is a numbering system that identifies you and the various accounts you maintain. You receive a BN, when you open one or more of Canada Revenue Agency’s four major business accounts. The four accounts are:

• Corporate income tax
• Import/export
• Payroll deductions
• Goods and Services Tax (GST

Business Number Registration Kits can be obtained from Business Windows, located in many Canada Revenue Agency offices in BC.

Tel: 1-800-959-5525

See also:

Business Registration On-line
Employers’ Guide Payroll Deductions
Payroll Deductions Tables
Goods and Services Tax (GST)

You must register for GST as an individual, a business or an organization operating in Canada with worldwide annual revenues from taxable supplies of goods and services over $30,000. You must register for GST if you are a taxi or limousine operator.

If your annual GST-taxable sales and revenues are under $30,000, you are not required to register, but may register voluntarily as long as you are carrying on a commercial activity.

When you register for the GST, you will be assigned a Business Number (BN).

For more information, contact:

Canada Revenue Agency Business Window
1166 West Pender St
Vancouver, BC
V6E 3H8
Tel: 1-800-959-5525
Fax: (604) 691-4446
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca

More information:

General Information for GST Registrants

Business Records

If you are operating a business or have a self-employment income, you must set up an orderly record and accounting system as required under the appropriate laws. We recommend that you contact the nearest Canada Revenue Agency office for relevant forms, information on expense deductions, interpretation bulletins and income tax return forms. We also recommend
securing the services of a qualified accountant.

For more information, contact:

Canada Revenue Agency, Tax Services
Vancouver District Office
1166 West Pender St.
Vancouver, BC V6E 3H8
Business Enquiries: 1-800-959-5525
Requests for forms & Publications: 1-800-959-2221

Income Tax

Income Tax is an important consideration for every entrepreneur to understand. The difference between understanding and complying with the Income Tax Act as a small business owner or not could put your business in jeopardy. While the information contained herein is an excellent starting point, we advise that you seek the advice of an accountant and lawyer for a professional perspective.

The Income Tax Act is administered by the Taxation branch of Canada Revenue Agency. If you conduct business as a proprietorship or a partnership, you must report your share of gross and net profits (or losses) for the business’ fiscal period on your individual tax return (T1).

For an incorporated company, file a corporation tax return (T2) within six months of the end of the corporation’s fiscal period.

Reasonable Expectation of Profit

If your business is operating under a sole proprietorship or a partnership, it is subjected to a test of reasonable expectation of profit (REOP) review. A REOP review involves examining the various factors of your business to determine if there exists a reasonable expectation of profit, and thus the existence of a business, for income tax purposes.

While this is not a complete list, some of the factors that the Canada Revenue Agency has used to evaluate REOP are:

• Profit and Loss experience in past years
• Significance and growth of gross revenues
• Development of the operation to date
• Planned or intended course of action
• Time spent on the activity in question
• Education, background and experience
• Extent of activity in relation to that of businesses of a comparable size

If your business is determined to have no REOP, it will be deemed to be not a business for income tax purposes. As such, any expenses and associated losses of the activity will be disallowed. To learn more information, check out the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Expense Deductions

As a rule, you can deduct any reasonable expense you incur to earn business income. The expenses you can deduct include any goods and services tax (GST) you incur on these expenses unless you claim an input tax credit on these expenses. Therefore, enter only the business portion of expenses on the form. Please note that you cannot claim expenses you incur to buy capital property.

Deductions might include:

• Advertising
• Bad debts
• Delivery, freight and express costs
• Fuel costs
• Insurance
• Interest on money borrowed to run your business
• Maintenance and repairs
• Management and administration fees
• Meals and entertainment (50% of the amount you incur, or an amount that is reasonable in the circumstances, whichever is less)
• Motor vehicle expenses (including license and registration fees, fuel costs, insurance, interest, maintenance and repairs and leasing costs)
• Telephone and utilities
• Disability related modifications, devices and equipment
• Expenses for disability-specific computer software and hardware attachments
• Computer leasing costs
• Other leasing costs
• Small tools (i.e. less than $200 cost per tool)
• Convention expenses (maximum two conventions a year)
• Capital cost allowance
• Allowance on eligible capital property (e.g. goodwill, franchise)
• Business use of home expensesFor more information, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency, Tax ServicesVancouver District Office
  1166 West Pender St.
  Vancouver, BC V6E 3H8
  General Inquiries: 1-800-959-8281
  Business, GST Payroll: 1-800-959-5525
  Requests for forms: 1-800-959-2221

Source: Small Business BC

Part 1: Business Promotion Starts With Your Contact Information
Business promotion is to running a successful business as practicing scales is to playing the piano well; it may not be a thrilling activity in itself, but you just have to do it! You should spend at least an hour a day on business promotion or planning how to promote your business (and more is better, if you can fit the time in)!
You promote your business by getting the word out. The first axiom of business promotion is that you have to do this consciously. You can’t rely on other people to do it for you, no matter how great your product or service is.
The second axiom of business promotion is that like every other aspect of your business, it’s a budgeted activity. But business promotion doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are ten inexpensive ways to promote your business; all most of these will cost you is some time.
1) Use every outgoing piece of paper, and every electronic document as business promotion.
You have business cards, but you also put out a lot of other documents in the course of doing business.
Check these to make sure you’re using their promotional possibilities to full advantage.
For instance, business stationery is an ideal business promotion tool. Is your business name, logo, contact information (including URL if you have one), and slogan on your envelopes as well as on your letterhead? Or are your envelopes only printed with your business name and return address? What a waste! Your phone and fax numbers, your URL, and even a memorable slogan should be there, too. It’s not just an envelope, it’s a business promotion tool! You’re sending it out anyway, so why not make it work for you?
The same goes for outgoing faxes, bill payments, receipts; whatever paper you send out should carry your full company message. And don’t forget to make sure that your email has a complete signature that provides all your business information and a promotional tagline.
Electronic documents, such as email, are also easy to update with your latest business promotion information, whether it be a special price on your product or service, or letting people know that your company has won an award. If you need information about using signature files with particular mail programs, visit About Email Guide Heinz Tschabitscher’s Signature links.
Articles and press releases are also excellent business promotion tools that you can use to promote your business inexpensively. Read on to learn what types of articles and press releases you should write and tips on where to send them to promote your business effectively.

Part 2: Articles and Press Releases As Business Promotion
2) Writing articles on topics related to your business expertise is an excellent business promotion technique.
Well-written articles can provide free advertising and build positive word-of-mouth. If you’re a realtor, for instance, you could write a piece on preparing your home to be shown. If you’re a Web site designer, you might write a piece about assessing Web site usability. The more specific your topic, the better. Write a short biographical note, or “blurb” about you and your business to go with the article. Then send it out!
Where? As the goal is to promote your business, ideally you’d like it to appear in a publication that your target audience will be reading. Realistically, you may have to send it to a publication that accepts unsolicited work from unknown authors.
Magazines generally have a long lead time, so I would focus my first efforts on the ‘Net. There are an astronomical number of e-zines and sites with newsletters that are hungry for content.
One place to look for e-zines to send articles to is The Internet’s Best E-Zine Directories. E-zines also provide excellent advertising value; the trick is to find the right e-zine for your target audience. Freelance writing sites also provide a great deal of information on all kinds of publications that might publish your efforts. Make your research easier by starting with a great site that provides all kinds of lists and information on markets such as About Freelance Writers, or FreelanceWriting.com.
Newspapers are also excellent places to place your business promotion article, as they too have a much shorter lead-time than magazines, and are always looking for material. Try contacting the Business editor of your local paper and pitching your article. If this approach fails, you might be able to get your piece into the paper by sending it in as a letter to the Editorial section.

3) Sending out press releases is another great way to get some free business promotion.
The caveat to using press releases as a business promotion tool is that your press release has to actually contain information that is newsworthy, and be engaging enough to get people’s interest. Has your business recently expanded? Do you have a new product? Have you been involved in some promotional activity such as sponsoring a charity event? Have you or your company recently won an award? All of these are examples of “news” that you can capitalize on to get some free promotion for your business.
While many business people send press releases to newspapers as a matter of course, don’t forget about the Internet. Web sites like mine, for example, that specialize in providing business-related information, are interested in you and your accomplishments. You’re always welcome to post your press release or information about your event on the Small Business: Canada forum, for instance.
What else can you do to get some free business promotion? What about using Internet forums and freebies as business promotion tools or doing some buddy marketing to promote your business?

Part 3: Forums, Buddy Marketing and Freebies As Business Promotion

4) If you’re an Internet user, spend some of your online time on business promotion.
Posting messages in forums (a.k.a. bulletin boards) is a great way to make your business known to people you would otherwise be unable to contact. You can’t blatantly advertise your business on most forums, but you can show others that you’re a knowledgeable, personable individual and promote your business through your signature file.
Getting people interested in your business and perhaps attracting new customers works best if you choose forums that are business-related (such as my Small Business: Canada forum) or directly related to your business’s product or service.
The other caveat with choosing forums to post in is to check their level of activity; posting in a forum that doesn’t have much traffic or regular activity isn’t going to do much to promote your business.

5) Use buddy marketing to promote your business.
For example, if you send out brochures, you could include a leaflet and/or business card of another business, which had agreed to do the same for you.
This gives you the chance to reach a whole new pool of potential customers.
You might also plan and carry out business promotions with complementary businesses. A pet store and a pet grooming business, for example, might use shared advertising, or run a contest together. This can considerably cut down the cost of business promotion, and allow each business to use promotion techniques that would be too expensive to implement alone.
6) Give out freebies as business promotion.
We’re all familiar with hearing or reading advertisements that promise that the first 50 people to visit a particular store will receive a free (____). You fill in the blank. It could be anything from a red rose through an ice-cream cone! We’re all familiar with this kind of spot promotion because it works. People love to receive things that are free.
Besides using freebies as business promotions, you can also use them regularly as customer “rewards”. For example, I recently had a picture framed; the framer had attached a free picture hanger to the painting’s wire, with a small card thanking me for my patronage. It’s only a small thing, which certainly didn’t cost him much, but as the customer, I appreciate not having to rummage through my home looking for a suitable hanger, and can’t help thinking positively about the service he provides. What small, inexpensive things could you give out with your product or service that will get your customer thinking good thoughts about you? Combining business promotion with customer rewards is definitely a win-win situation.

Part 4: Use Talk Shows or Seminars to Promote Your Business
7) Promote your business on a talk show.
Your local radio station or cable TV station may have programs that are looking for guests – a great low-cost way to promote your business! Business-related programs are ideal. Find out who the host is, and approach him or her as willing to share your expertise on a particular topic.
Call in programs are popular; you may be able to appear as a guest expert. If you’re a mechanic, you might offer to take call-in questions on car maintenance; if you operate a health store, you might market yourself as an expert in herbal remedies. Have your proposal clearly worked out before you contact the program host, and make sure the parameters of your appearance, such as details about plugs, are clear beforehand.
8) Promote your business by giving a seminar or presentation.
You have expertise that other people are interested in! (You couldn’t be in business if you didn’t.) Why not share that expertise and promote your business at the same time?
For example, a local carpet company advertises a free seminar on installation techniques for a type of laminate flooring.
Participants not only learn how to install this type of flooring themselves, but are offered special discount prices if they wish to purchase laminate flooring. Another local retailer who sells goods made of stained glass offers courses on working with stained glass on-site.
If there’s no direct tie-in to your product or service, you can still give a presentation on a related topic. Nursery people or horticulturalists, for instance, often give demonstrations on topics such as tree-pruning, or slide shows of famous gardens they’ve visited. Although most of my business involves providing specific writing or training services to businesses, I give presentations on general topics such as “Promoting Your Business On A Shoestring”.
If it’s not feasible to present the seminar at your site, because you’re a home-based business or just don’t have the facilities you would need, arrange to give the seminar elsewhere. Many government-sponsored organizations, such as Business Service Centres and Economic Development Centres, and non-profit programs are always looking for experienced business people who are willing to give presentations. You may also be able to arrange to present your topic through the Continuing Education branch of your local college or university.
Scared? Start small and start building a name by making a presentation to one of your local groups such as your Home-Based Business Association or Business Women’s network. If public speaking terrifies you, I can’t recommend Toastmasters highly enough; this organization has helped a great many people get over this fear and be able to address groups of people. The link I’ve given here will lead you to Toastmasters’ groups throughout Canada.
That’s eight low-cost ways you can promote your business so far. But there are two more business promotion opportunities that you may not have considered yet; using your car and your non-business related activities.
Part 5: Vehicles and Leisure Activities As Business Promotion
9) Use your vehicle to promote your business.
Mobile business promotion isn’t just for white delivery vans. Where I live, one in every four vehicles has the name and phone number of a business decorating one of the windows or doors. Think of all the people who see your vehicle when you’re driving around – especially if you live in a place where people often get stuck in traffic!
You should be able to get a pair of magnetic signs from your local source for less than a hundred dollars. Or, for an elegant promotional look, you could order Promo Plates, which are quite inexpensive at $29.95 USD plus shipping and handling.

10) Promote your business through your leisure activities.
One savvy businessman I know relaxes by being part of a rock band.
Guess what? Every time his band’s gigs are mentioned in the newspaper, the piece also mentions the name of his business!
You may not be part of a band yourself, but everyone does something for “fun”. Whether your chosen leisure activity is working on a Spitfire Restoration project, rock-climbing, or shopping, there are all kinds of ways to promote your business while you do what you love to do.
Where’s the harm in shopping or rock-climbing wearing a T-shirt that has the name of your business prominently displayed? Or in taking your business cards everywhere you go and clipping your card to the slip when you pay for a purchase by card or cheque? Get in the habit of doing business promotion wherever you go and you’ll be surprised how word-of-mouth builds.
If your leisure activity involves a group, you might ask if you can include your business information on all of their out-going paper, or ask if you can at least give everyone a brochure.
And with any kind of group activity, there’s always the opportunity to promote your business by letting other people know what you do and how it could benefit them. This doesn’t mean that you talk about nothing else, but there are bound to be chances to talk about your business that crop up during normal conversation.
These ten business promotion ideas are just some of the ways you can promote your small business without spending a small fortune. With a little experimentation and time, you’ll find out which of these ideas work best for you – and best get the word out about your small business.

Are you thinking of starting up a business in Vancouver and are looking for business resources and services? Perhaps you are needing information on the local economy in Vancouver or looking for events and activities to start networking?

Check out the Vancouver Board of Trade site

Membership in The Board of Trade offers an extensive number of resources and services and puts you in touch with a network of more than 5,300 business contacts. Vancouver Board of Trade members are automatically members of World Trade Center Vancouver.

Some of the links will take you to web sites or services that require a fee, but there is more than enough free information and links to help most business owners. Spend some time checking it out and make sure to bookmark it.