2007 September Edition

A Message from Doris:

Yes, we (and our clients) are all in business for profit, and I think most of us try very hard to be. Making profit is serious business. Having fun while making that profit is a challenge. Feeling good about what you do from day to day makes it all worthwhile or the coup d' grace. When visiting firms, it is the little things that catch my notice. When firms' employees greet you at every corner, that makes me think they are "not just making money" but are thinking "what a great place to work!"

The managing principal or partner's business style directly impacts the performance and the attitudes of the co-workers they manage. Communicating with your employees frequently goes a long way. Your staff are individuals who have day-to-day needs beyond work that impact work performance.

What provides for a good working atmosphere in an office? In my opinion, some "good" characteristics of an office include:

• Pictures of friends and family in personal workspaces. This means they've moved in and are making a home.
• Managing principals or partners that walk through the office to say good morning.
• A resource for personal issues that goes beyond work. Whether financial or illness in family.
• Employees and principals that help each other and cross train within job descriptions.
• Company sponsored events that involve family.
• Respectful disagreement.
• Laughter
• Working facilities that have access to kitchen or a place to sit down and eat.
• Philanthropic efforts with Charity or promotional "give back" to their community.

In my opinion, some of the "not so good" office characteristics include:

• Micromanaging (on all levels)
• Verbal friction and disapproval
• Inconsistent HR policies
• Infrequent communications
• Lack of verbal or written praise.

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Marketing for Small Businesses by Guillaume Deflers

Many companies look at advertising and marketing in general as multi-million dollar campaigns that global companies created in partnership with advertising agencies. But what about the largest employers in the US, the small and medium enterprises? Small companies have more limited resources, never the less there are many cost effective solutions which can be very rewarding in the end. The key to any marketing activity is consistency because it builds an invisible trust with potential clients. Managers when looking at new vendors want to be sure they are reliable; that is why carefully choosing your advertising channels is critical. You do not want to change the medium in which you advertise every month. So what can you do to make people more aware of your company and consequently create more business?

Internally

• In order to launch a successful marketing/advertising campaign, the first thing you need to do is consider who and where your clients (your market niche) are. Although it may seem obvious at first, many companies appear to have forgotten this basic concept. The majority of small businesses rely on referrals for their business, that is the most common approach, but in order to grow, other strategies need to be considered. Referrals are great, but client feedback and surveys will help you to determine what you do right and what can be improved.
• You need to get your entire staff on board because they are the ambassadors of your company. They represent the company every time they meet a client. Employees are usually the primary contact, so they know first hand the company’s needs. This could help the marketing/ business development department to promote a certain service to them if the right information is gathered.
• Create, Review and Update your Marketing Materials periodically. An introduction package/ letter, which includes a Tri-fold Brochure and Newsletter, are common, but the creativity of the design and the content will make it stand out from the competition.

Print

• Adverting in newspapers can be very costly for small companies, but more and more you will find that business and industry-focused journals are proposing small business programs. In addition, writing articles in your local newspaper or industry-focused journals could help you to avoid that barrier of entry.

Internet

• Today, an internet presence via a website is the minimal requirement. Having your company listed in every major website will not only increase your brand awareness but also your credibility as a business. Being a sponsor link on Google and/or some industry specific websites using key words to describe your business are also good ideas. The Internet can create many opportunities and your company may be able to widen its geographical work range.
• In order to acquire new clients, you need contacts, and this is where online database services such as Hoovers could be very helpful. You will be able to access companies in the industries and locations that you have previously selected.

Networking More than ever, knowing just the right person will open doors. Here is a sample list of what a small business owner should consider:

1. Create events such as User Groups or Product Demos and advertise them
2. Attend industry conventions (often with clients)
3. Send postcards to remind people about your services
4. Be an active member or sponsor of Sports and/or Business Associations

Project Management or CRM Software

• In order to facilitate the communication between the different departments of your company, small business owners should consider implementing a project management software or CRM system which will allow the company to record contacts, track marketing campaigns and develop opportunities. If your company should ever consider one of these types of software, DMC Accounting + Technology, Ltd can help you to choose, implement, customize and train your staff on the most appropriate software for a more efficient work environment.

To conclude, small businesses always have the possibility of doing many marketing incentives that will not break the budget. In order to be consistent and build awareness, your advertising push should be planned, creative and updated. The first thing you should do before spending any money on any campaign is to decide on a detailed plan/strategy to know exactly what the marketing campaigns should accomplish. Then, track and report the evolution to make the necessary changes in the future.

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Dress For Success by Annie Chubbuck

Looking professional is one of the keys to success in business, but that does not necessarily mean your employees need to wear a three piece suit every day. In this hi-tech, computer age world, many small businesses are opting out of the traditional dress code for a less formal “Business Casual” look. Many companies allow their employees to wear polo shirts, which have a collar and buttons but are often more comfortable and affordable while looking professional and are acceptable for both men and women to wear. Khakis, dress pants, a nice blouse, skirts, or dresses, and comfortable leather shoes are all acceptable in most offices. Jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts are usually only acceptable on a “Casual Friday” or dress-down day.

Although there are many standards of professional dress codes, how can you tell what will work for your company? Many companies base their dress code on whether the employees need to interact with clients or the general public, others by what industry they are in. Some companies don’t have a written dress code, but will just tell their employees to “look professional”. Dress codes are important because the appearance of employees often reflects how others view the company as a whole. Dress codes are not made to restrict employees; but rather to create a professional environment that everyone can be comfortable in. It’s up to you, and your HR department to create a dress code that works for all.

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Mpilonhle: A Remote Affair : by John Pidgeon

Mpilonhle (pronounced: em-pilôn-shlay) is a South African non-profit organization that is both privately and government funded for the sole purpose of assisting local citizens and communities in the fight against HIV. DMC Accounting + Technology was asked to assist in setting up their QuickBooks file in compliance with donor reporting requirements. Mpilonhle is one of many non-profits that DMC Accounting + Technology has serviced. Of significance with Mpilonhle is the remote servicing requirements from Massachusetts to/from South Africa.

There are several methods DMC Accounting + Technology uses to remotely service (within Massachusetts as well) clients. The best methods are Virtual Private Network connections with terminal services, Citrix, and web clients. This allows for “real time” data analysis. The most common method is mailing via post office whereby the client’s data set activity can be monitored, adjusted, and sent back to the client. The second most common method is to have the client drop off a copy of the data set at our conveniently located office in Boston, MA. For those technically comfortable, DMC Accounting + Technology has a “secure FTP” site which a client can access over the internet sending data set, securely, and DMC can work on the data as needed.

Regardless of the distance, it has been a great pleasure to work with Mpilonhle. I first met Christine, owner and operator, who performed an internet search and discovered DMC Accounting + Technology several months ago as she was visiting a friend in Lexington, MA. It was here that I first set up her non-profit accounting using QuickBooks non-profit version. At first, Mpilonhle was using the British version of QuickBooks designed specifically to handle all V.A.T. transactions. Because Mpilonhle was not required to report V.A.T. and was not going to be getting a V.A.T. refund, we thought it best to recommend the U.S. version in order to service them more efficiently remotely by having the same version in our office at DMC Accounting + Technology. So far the project (and remoteness) has worked out and we look forward to the continued work with Mpilonhle and also anticipate the tremendous growth that is predicted for the organization within the next couple of years.

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Employee Recognition

DMC Accounting + Technology recognizes the following employees for their excellence:

Joe D. - IT Implementation Dept.

Joe, a multi-talented employee, has been with DMC for 2 years. He has jumped into the role of IT Implementation Consultant with confidence. After having spent a good deal of time training with Doris, software companies and other employees, Joseph has recently completed 3 successful Vision/SQL upgrades. He is a very personable young man, and loves to solve a problem. He can spend hours on research on the internet, and will not stop until he finds the answer. He is also very willing to stay on “hold” with any telephone contact until he gets the answer he is looking for.

If you have looked at our website recently, www.dmcsystems.com, you will see the result of Joe’s creativity. He planned and executed the current website, and is working directly with our Marketing Coordinator for more updates and exciting new ideas.

Joe is from the Mid-Atlantic, and his easygoing ways and personality always make us smile. Doris often says that he keeps her calm. He is an avid reader/writer, loves all kinds of music and food!

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