from the PaySimple Small Business Tips archive Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Accounting and Finance ........................................................................................................................ 4 Web-Based Accounting Software .............................................................................................................................. 5 Credit Guide for Small Business Owners .................................................................................................................. 6 Tool for Testing Pricing Scenarios ............................................................................................................................. 7 How Much Should You Pay Employees? .................................................................................................................. 8 Business Templates ............................................................................................................................... 9 Creating a Privacy Policy ......................................................................................................................................... 10 How to Make a Small Business Employee Handbook ............................................................................................ 11 Business Continuity Planning .................................................................................................................................. 12 Small Business Template Collections ..................................................................................................................... 13 Computers and Software ..................................................................................................................... 14 Free Expert Tech Support ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Put Your Private Files in a Lock Box ....................................................................................................................... 16 Back-up Social Media Data ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Windows Cleaner and Optimizer Utility ................................................................................................................... 18 Must Have Internet Explorer Add-On ...................................................................................................................... 19 Graphics and Design ............................................................................................................................ 20 Stock Photography and Graphics Collections ......................................................................................................... 21 Image Viewing, Editing, and Conversion Tools ....................................................................................................... 22 Staying Above the Fold ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Cross-browser Compatibility Test Utility .................................................................................................................. 24 Create a Mobile App in Minutes .............................................................................................................................. 25 Marketing & Public Relations ............................................................................................................... 26 Must Read Internet Marketing Newsletter ............................................................................................................... 27 Press Release Distribution ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Email Marketing Service .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Get the Demographic Skinny on Your Customer Base ........................................................................................... 30 Productivity ........................................................................................................................................... 31 PDF Creation Software ............................................................................................................................................ 32 File Conversion Tool ................................................................................................................................................ 33 Quickly and Easily Clean Your Bookmarks File ...................................................................................................... 34 Send Online Messages That Self-Destruct ............................................................................................................. 35 An Easy Way to Find Free Software that Meets Your Exact Needs ....................................................................... 36 Index of Links........................................................................................................................................ 37 2 Introduction The PaySimple Small Business Tip of the Week is designed to point small business owners and their employees to the tools, resources, and news that can help improve business operations and make their lives easier. We’ve been posting tips for over two years and cover everything from how-to articles, upcoming small business events, changes in small business tax laws, buying guides, business courses, small business website communities, online marketing, social media and HR best practices to small business humor and horror stories. But, by far the most popular tips are those pointing to resources such as software downloads, calculators, and business templates that can increase productivity and optimize operations at the most reasonable of prices—FREE. This e-book pulls from well over 100 tips to provide you with the very best of the free resources in six key small business categories: Accounting and Finance, Business Templates, Computers and Software, Graphics and Design, Marketing and Public Relations, and Productivity. While they all may not apply to your business needs, you’re sure to find at least a couple of must-haves that will truly make your life easier. The tips don’t stop with this e-book. Be sure to stay current with the latest PaySimple Small Business Tip of the Week by checking the Tip of the Week section of our blog every Monday morning. If you have an iGoogle page, you can add the PaySimple Tip of the Week to one of your tabs. 3 Accounting and Finance 4 Web-Based Accounting Software The publishers of waveAccounting have a simple premise—we know accounting is one of the least enjoyable parts of running your business, so we’ll provide basic accounting software that simplifies the entire process to you for free. And they do mean completely free—they call it “un-pricing.” The catch, though they don’t like to call it a catch, is that you’ll see ads while using the software. If you buy, they get paid. If you don’t, you still get to use the software for free. The key of course, isn’t whether waveAccounting is worth the price, but whether it’s worth your time. If your needs are simple, then the answer is likely yes. The web-based application lets you import transactions directly from your bank accounts and credit cards and then categorize them manually or using automated programming. You can also manually input deposits and outgoing payments. You can run reports, send one-time invoices, calculate taxes, generate bill payment reminders, record payments, and generate basic ledgers. You can even create read-only access for your accountant or bookkeeper. The site provides several videos demonstrating how to do things as well as a help center for subscribers. waveAccounting won’t replace your accountant, and it won’t replace robust invoicing, bookkeeping, or payment processing solutions. But, if you run a simple small business, it may be just what you need—at the right “un-price.” Check out waveAccounting here. 5 Credit Guide for Small Business Owners So, you need a loan. What’s next? If you’re a small business, you have several options for obtaining one, but you need to know how to prepare your request and where to go to ask for the loan. The financial experts at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York have created a very informative and very detailed free booklet on exactly what you need to do. Called The Credit Process: A Guide For Small Business Owners, it begins at the beginning, and walks you through options and the materials you will need to prepare. The guide starts by talking about funding sources and types, as well as covering good reasons to borrow, and the types of loan you should be looking for based on the stage of your business. The next section covers the preparation of your loan request and business plan. First, you are given an outline of a basic business plan. Then in the “What the Lender Will Review” section it breaks down each component—such as balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and financial projections—tells you what a lender is looking for, and provides a sample for