“A lack of information has left small business owners out-of-the-loop, so we need to bridge this knowledge gap and make sure these people are prepared,” said Andrew Patricio, BizLaunch Co-founder.

HST will take effect July 1, 2010 in British Columbia and Ontario. The new HST will combine the provinces’ current provincial sales tax (PST) with the federal goods and services tax (GST), to create a single harmonized sales tax administered by the federal government. HST will total 13% in Ontario, and 12% in British Columbia.

The survey conducted by BizLaunch.ca also revealed:

• 48% feel that HST will be harmful to their business
• Over 70% of respondents believe the HST will increase the price of goods and services, while only 1% of those surveyed believe that HST will actually increase sales.
• 40% responded that they are not aware of the HST obligations and entitlements for businesses.
• Top concerns include: confusion about changing over to new accounting systems, explaining the new tax to customers, and an increase in the price of goods and services overall.

“Integrating a new tax can be confusing for businesses, especially those that have never charged PST,” added Patricio, “with May 01, 2010 being the first date for compliance small business need to get the ball rolling.”

BizLaunch will be offering a number of free 60-minute webinars to make it easier for small businesses to handle the incoming tax. The seminars will focus on the affects of HST on selling products and services, setting prices, preparing budgets, and record keeping.  For more information visit www.bizlaunch.ca

Canada’s largest small business training company, BizLaunch Small Business Experts deliver practical, ready-to-apply how-to advice in a unique style that’s friendly, fun and informative. Founded in 2003 by a pair of entrepreneurs passionate about advising startups, BizLaunch has since trained over 20,000 new business owners worldwide. Company customers include STAPLES, Bell, Visa, Scotiabank, Cisco, ADP, Deluxe and Microsoft.

Expert says entrepreneurs need training to properly use social media

[TORONTO, ON. October 8, 2009] With more than 56% of the Canadian population using social networks, they are becoming top destinations to find customers. But while most consumers rave about social media, it seems very few small business owners know how to use it to grow their companies.

In a recent national survey conducted by BizLaunch.ca, small business owners identified which social media applications they have embraced as part of their marketing strategy. The most popular choices, in descending order, were Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, blogs and YouTube.

However, when asked which social media application is contributing to sales, only 14 percent identified Facebook, followed by Twitter at 5 percent, Linked-In at 7 percent, blogs at 4 percent and YouTube at 1 percent.

Across all online marketing activities, a majority of business owners said their website remains the most effective tool for generating sales.

“Building business through social media is not something most small businesses are doing very well right now,” states small business expert Andrew Patricio, co-founder of BizLaunch.ca, Canada’s largest small business training company. “Like a lot of new inventions, social media holds plenty of promise yet it is failing to deliver sales for small business owners.”

What worries Patricio the most is the time small business owners are investing in social media. According to the survey, over 49 percent of small business owners have invested 21 to 101 hours in social media promotions during the past 12 months, yet only 28 percent say that investment has yielded returns.

“A small business owner can’t afford to spend that valuable time on something that isn’t generating results,” he warns. “They need to learn how to make this powerful new medium work for them.”

The problem, Patricio explains, is that small business owners don’t really understand how to use social media properly. “Entrepreneurs may understand traditional forms of marketing such as television or newspaper ads, but social media requires a different approach that is an entirely new skill for them.”

What’s the biggest mistake when using social media? Using your Facebook page or Twitter account to only plug upcoming sales or specials. “Pushy sales messages will turn off anyone who has joined your online group,” he warns. “Social media is more about building a community of people with common interests, and then tying it to what your business does.”

“For example, a pet store owner could build an online community of dog owners. Or, a wine maker might build a community of wine lovers,” adds Patricio. “The business owner needs to learn how to bring enthusiasts together, facilitate interaction, stimulate dialogue, fuel a common passion and, very delicately and naturally, connect that community to his or her business.”

To help entrepreneurs learn such skills, BizLaunch is delivering several free seminars and webinars called ‘How to Use Social Media to Market Your Business.’

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For immediate response to your media inquiry, please contact Marc Hill (marc@bizlaunch.ca, tel. 705-791-3242) or contact Renee Warren (renee@bizlaunch.ca, 416-581-8880) anytime.

(As seen in the October 1, 2008 Jobboom Section of the Toronto Sun)
West Coast friends target a new generation

[TORONTO, ON – September 24, 2008] Having lived in Vancouver most of his life, Justin Hanna was influenced by the west coast lifestyle. The snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding “action sports” were always his passion.

It became very clear to Hanna and his friends that there were no clothing brands that truly reflected the lifestyle of action sports. He saw a market need for apparel that targeted not only the action sports themselves, but also the culture that goes with it. From this realization FIGJAM Apparel Inc. (www.figjamapparel.com) was born.

“As an apparel company within the action sports industry, we’ve really chosen to market ourselves around the culture rather than a specific sport like surfing, or skateboarding”, comments Hanna. “But we are also a marketing group for amateur athletes who participate in action sports. We support them at every level, because we feel that they are the best representatives of this growing lifestyle.”

This Canadian based street-wear clothing company and marketing group with offices in Toronto, and Vancouver, FIGJAM equips Generation ‘ME’ with the hottest street-wear clothing and is dedicated to promoting the culture of action sports. Their corporate goals and vision facilitates the design, production and distribution of clothing with a unique street-wear look to GenMe. The FIGJAM team also acts as the premier marketing and public relations group for amateur athletes and events in action sports.

Hanna says he’s learned the importance in doing his market research. “Always do your research, and learn your industry better than everyone else. Make yourself an expert.” In doing so, he was able to cut out a precise niche in the already saturated sporting apparel company.

However, Hanna still claims the best way to get to know your industry and your target market is to “network as much as possible, and to get involved wherever you can. Join online groups, attend trade shows, events, and always meet new people.”

It is possible to build your small business to make a difference in the world. “When I was a ‘budget bride’ I thought up this way to help other marrying women and help children with cancer at the same time,” says entrepreneur Helen Sweet.

Sweet started The Brides’ Project in 2004 (www.thebridesproject.com) to fulfill two very important goals: To provide every bride with the things she needs for a beautiful wedding within her budget and to help children and adults with living with cancer.

This unique bridal salon takes donated gowns from individuals, salons and manufacturers and sells them to raise money for cancer charities.
“I began the Project the day after my honeymoon on June 1st, 2004,” recalls Sweet. “I donated all of my wedding items to charity.”
Sweet sells donated gowns to budget-conscious brides-to-be and uses the funds to send a kid to camp. “We support an organization called Camp Quality which provides a camping experience for children affected by cancer,” she says.

Early in life, Sweet lost her best friend to cancer. “It’s one of those memories that stayed with me because I felt so helpless at the time,” she recalls. “Now, my customers and I get to bring a little joy into a child’s life by letting them enjoy a true camp experience.”

At its location at Broadview and Gerrard in Toronto, The Brides’ Project offers a relaxing and friendly environment for women to browse and try on dresses. “We’ve got lots of inventory for every taste and budget,” says Sweet.
Certainly a different type of entrepreneur, Sweet says she’s also learned to cooperate with her competition. “When I started, I viewed several other organizations as competition,” she explains. “Now I work with these companies to cross-refer clients. Working together is far more effective than trying to compete.”