Video Series - BOSHnewmedia Communications

BOSHnewmedia Communications - Trademark and Business Referral

Dawn Boshcoff had good foresight to change her career path 10 years ago by studying New Media Journalism and subsequently founding BOSHnewmedia Communications, which provides creative and innovative messages for brands to better position themselves online. Now, with the rise of social media, search engine optimization and other growing online marketing outlets, BOSHnewmedia has positioned itself to be a strong contender in the competitive marketing communications industry.

When Dawn was looking to register a trademark she quickly came across CorporationCentre.ca online and, after careful research, she applied for her trademark through the CorporationCentre.ca filing services. After finding the process to be easy and worry-free, with great customer service, Dawn continues to refer her clients to CorporationCentre.ca for all their business needs. As the saying goes, the best marketing is always word of mouth. Thanks Dawn!

To find out more about BOSHnewmedia Communications, visit her website at www. boshnewmedia.com.

Helpful Hints to Avoid Procrastination

If you're reading this article then it's probably because of two reasons: you want to find ways to avoid procrastination or you’re actually procrastinating at this moment. Procrastination is that habit many people often fall into that prevents them from getting something done, whether it's a business proposal, a trip to the gym or spring cleaning.

If left unchecked, a bad procrastination habit can actually be a deterrent to advancement in a career or getting good grades in school. In the realm of independent consultants, procrastination can lead to a loss of business. No employer wants to wait for a project that has passed the deadline. There are some very helpful hints when it comes to avoiding procrastination. How quickly can you make these a part of your daily routine?

·         Make a Commitment: This is a lot like accepting a deadline, but it's also more about your own personal responsibility. When you commit to finishing a project by a certain date then you are pretty much putting your reputation on the line. Even if it's a small matter of returning an e-mail or phone call within 24 hours, it's still a commitment that you can make to yourself. Staying true to that commitment can go a long way towards improving your business relationships which equates to success.

·         Prioritize: If you have a list of several small assignments and one big task, don't let the little jobs get in the way. You need to prioritize your tasks by level of importance and deadline. This can be done at the beginning of every morning as you set out plans for your work day.

·         Utilize the Morning: Speaking of the morning, that is a perfect time to accomplish tasks that are due by the end of the business day. It's simply a matter of figuring out how long a particular task will take and then setting aside those hours in the morning to do the actual work. In many cases this goal could be reached by lunchtime!

·         Get Prepared: A common theme for procrastinators is that they're never ready. This goes back to that issue of staying organized. As a freelance consultant, if you're working on a project that involves a certain amount of research then you should conduct that research all at once and assemble it in a single file or group. That way you'll have easy access to that information when it's time for you to disseminate it. There's no excuse for poor prep work.

 

·         Remove the Distractions: Ironically, the very thing you are reading this article on is probably the biggest contributor to procrastination. That would be the Internet. Today, we use the Internet to communicate with friends, read news and conduct business. While it's easy to get lost in the world of YouTube or Facebook, those activities should be regulated for off work hours. Perhaps you should look at spending time on those personal sites as a reward for a job well done. Don't let the Internet drag you down!

Now that you've read some helpful tips about avoiding procrastination, it’s time to get back to work!

CIPO Now Accepting Sound Trademarks

A ground breaking federal Court of Canada decision has allowed for the trademarking of sounds. CIPO (Canadian Intellectual Property Office) has been resistant to sound trademarks and, up until this point, only allowed words or designs to be trademarked, even though many other countries have already allowed for sound to receive the same protection.

The decision has come from a long and drawn out court case between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios and CIPO. In 1992 MGM applied to trademark the sound of the lion’s roar that viewers hear before any MGM movie. CIPO, after years of delays, eventually denied the trademark application for MGM’s lion roar and MGM appealed the decision.  The case made its way at the federal Court of Canada where MGM won. Because of the ruling, CIPO announced that it will now be accepting sound trademark applications.

Sound trademarks can be considered a kind of “aural brand” in that the sound you hear can instantly trigger the thought of a brand. Besides the MGM lion’s roar, other sounds that have been trademarked by brands in the US include the NBC chimes, the Intel Pentium chord sequence, the 20^th Century Fox music and the Harlem Globetrotter’s theme music. However, in Canada the sound trademark does not extend to longer sounds like songs, which would instead be protected by copyright.

To submit a sound mark in Canada, your application must include:

a.      a statement that the application is for a sound mark registration;

b.     a visual depiction that graphically represents the sound;

c.      a description of the sound; and

d.     an electronic recording of the sound in MP3 or WAV format or on CD or DVD (5 MB max.)

The recording should not contain any looping or repetition of the sound. Types of media other than listed above, hyperlinks, or streaming locations will not be accepted.  New applications for sound marks can only be submitted through a paper application, and not by CIPO's online filing system.

For more information on sound marks visit the CIPO website.

Mistakes To Avoid When Owning A Franchise

On many levels a franchise business can be considered a “turnkey” type of business. In other words, a lot of the important work has already been done in terms of establishing a brand and providing for quality assurance of selling a product or service. However, just because you are investing into a franchise doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed 100% success. To optimize your return on your franchise investment be aware of these common mistakes and try to avoid them at all costs:

1)      Not Reading the Fine Print:

A common mistake is when a new franchise owner doesn’t understand or even has knowledge about their responsibilities to the franchise and may learn the hard way. Before you sign on to any franchise business, understand that there has already been a team of lawyers who have gone through every detail pertaining to that business, protecting the interests of the parent company. They have outlined every step including your role as a franchise owner. There should be no doubt about what you’re buying into. Remember, it’s all spelled out in the contract - that’s why not only should you read the fine print but you should also go over every line of the contract with a qualified attorney.

2)      Not Talking With Current Franchise Owners:

Buying into a franchise means you are buying into a network of like-minded business owners. These are the perfect resources you should tap into as you get your business up and running. You’re all on the same team and it stands to reason that the success of one franchise is good for all the franchises. You’re sure to have many questions to ask but make sure you go beyond the potential franchise owner you might be buying from. Seek out other owners in your community to assess their experiences with operating the business and their relationship with the parent company.

3)      Not Having the Right Amount of Capital:

Any type of franchise business is a serious investment that goes beyond the initial purchase price. You also need to have enough capitol on hand to cover the pre-opening costs and other business budget items. Just as you need to have a cushion of several months worth of savings set aside for your family, you should also have enough capital on hand to insure you can survive any potential lean times with your new business.

4)      Not Researching the Neighborhood:

Suppose you are looking to invest in a franchise business selling hamburgers. You’ve got a great location and plenty of parking but what if the majority of your neighbors are vegetarians? That probably won’t happen but you can see by that example how important it is to research the community you’re going into with your franchise. You might have a robust business during the week but will be hard pressed for customers on a Sunday. You could also find out that there is a late-night crowd on the weekends which can provide a boost to the business. It all comes down to a question of doing the right research.

5)      Not Working With the Parent Company:

As a franchise owner you’ll have access to all information and benefits provided by the parent company. While it is true that the day-to-day operation will fall on your shoulders, that doesn’t mean you can’t tap into your field reps for help. Take full advantage of those company representatives; that’s what they are there for!

15 Great Guerilla Marketing Ideas for Startups

The term ‘guerilla filmmaking’ refers to creating a film or video with the barest of resources. That same principle applies to guerilla marketing. This is where a small business can latch onto a simple idea to get the word out about their goods or services. Startups benefit the most from a positive guerilla marketing campaign because of their potential to generate a “big splash” without huge marketing dollars. Here are 15 great guerilla marketing ideas for startups:

1) Put Themes to Work: Anything from special sales to in-store displays can attract more attention when you apply a theme to the event. While the seasons and holidays are good starting point, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box like a “Christmas in July Sale.”

2) Reward Loyal Customers: Handing out a discount coupon to loyal customers will not only generate more of their business but will help get the word out to other potential customers.

3) Start a Blog with Unique Content: If you’re in business, you need a website and that website has to be refreshed with great content. Start a blog and give visitors something new to read or comment on every day.

4) Go with a Viral Video: If you can find a way to get the word out about your product with a video that can go viral you’ll be in a strong position to capitalize on that. Try hiring a young team of college film students and make it funny.

5) Pass out Swag: Sure you can print your company logo on a pen and pass those out but that’s also a bit of a cliché. Today, you can print your logo on just about anything. What can your customers really benefit from? Cup cozies? Cupcakes? Remember you want to create a buzz.

6) Build up your Twitter Network: Encourage customers to follow your company on twitter then use that network to advertise special sales or deals.

7) Switch out your Phone Message: Forget the boring, “We’re not here right now”, swap it out for something fun like, “We’re unpacking product for our next sale.” Make it personal.

8) Ask for Testimonials: If you’ve got happy customers ask them to share their experiences on your website or Facebook page (yes, get one of those too!). New customers like reading positive reviews.

9) Improve Customer Relations: Offer your employees incentives for the most positive customer reviews. When you create a great experience for customers they will keep coming back.

10) Sponsor an Amateur Sports Team: You can’t ask for better community relations than sponsoring a local sports team or two. Just make sure you get your company logo on all the team uniforms.

11) Support a Local Cause: Another way to make a positive impact in the community is to sponsor a local cause. Keep your giving in the neighborhood where you’re customers will see the efforts directly.

12) Use Texts: As with other forms of social media networking, text messages are a great way to remind your customers of special sales or a pick up appointment.

13) Flyers: A slick looking flyer is a great way to generate business. Make sure you have a coupon on the flyer to track their effectiveness and give the person a reason to hold onto that.

14) Make it Personal: If you can find a way to tell your family business story through a local newspaper profile or video then you’ll reach a lot more potential customers by relating to their own struggles.

15) Create a Publicity Stunt: Don’t go too overboard, but even having someone dress up in a chicken outfit to pass out coupons in front of your store can draw attention. It would be especially funny if your store had nothing to do with chickens!

Should You Start Your Own Company?

If you were to proclaim to friends and family that you’re thinking about starting your own business they might call you crazy. They would point to a struggling economy and a chaotic political environment as proof that this is the wrong time for investing in a small business. However, it might just be that the opposite is true. All eyes are on the private sector to provide indications of an economic rebound. As a new business owner you have the opportunity to tap into that desire for a recovery by providing goods or services to a community who is eager to offer support to anyone who are creating jobs. Consider these other benefits for starting a small business:

·         Finding Real Job Security: By working for yourself, you create your own job security. By working for a huge corporation, you lose the ability to have control of your own job future, especially in an era of downsizing and outsourcing. It’s hard to get fired if you’re the boss.

·         Making Smart Choices: Starting your own company means you get to call the shots. Yes, you should have a team of qualified advisers and employees, but ultimately the final decision pertaining to any company matter will fall on your shoulders. While that might seem like a lot of responsibility, it can also be a rewarding role to play for someone who has spent most of their career working for someone else.

·         Utilizing Technology: In many ways, it is actually easier to start a business today than it was several years ago. Your big advantage is the ability to tap into a vast amount of technology to improve your chances of success. First of all, consider all the fundamentals of running a business such as bookkeeping, budgeting and staff recruitment that is made easier thanks to the wide array of business software programs. Secondly, there is a vast array of free social media outlets you can tap into on both a local and national level that can help get the message out about your business.

·         Financial Rewards: If you are currently working in a salaried position then you know exactly what your take home pay will be every week. That number has very little opportunity to grow exponentially. On the other hand, as a small business owner you have the potential to reap great financial rewards when your business becomes a success. Yes, you might be putting some initial funds at risk in the early start-up phase, but if your goal is to be a success then there is no telling how far that success can take you.

·         Vested Interest: Anyone who starts their own company has a vested interest in making that business a success. This is the kind of passion that can reinvigorate a person’s life. Suddenly, the motivation for getting up in the morning and going to work takes on more meaning. You’re working for yourself which means you’ll get out just what you put in. 

Video Series – Éditions Dédicaces Inc.

Éditions Dédicaces Inc. - Business Formation

Guy Bouillane is the founder of Éditions Dédicaces Inc., a general publisher of a variety of genres of writing from poetry to science fiction. Incorporated in 2009 with CorporationCentre.ca, Grâce à internet, elle s'est fait connaître très rapidement à travers le monde et elle publie des auteurs provenant de plusieurs pays, dont la France, l'Algérie, la Suisse, la Belgique, la République du Congo, l'Argentine, les États-Unis et le Canada. Éditions Dédicaces now publishes authors from several countries, including France, Algeria, Switzerland, United States and Canada. The published works can be found many major online stores in both print and e-book format and continues to expand worldwide.

For more information on Guy and Éditions Dédicaces Inc. please visit www.dedicaces.ca.

10 Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Business from Fraud

As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is true for keeping colds at bay and for preventing personal and business fraud. When you consider that most business fraud can be attributed to a lack of proper control over information and assets, then you can instantly see the importance of prevention. It doesn’t matter if you are a small business or a vast conglomerate; there is a demonstrable benefit to be found through being diligent in protecting yourself from fraudulent activities. The following are the top ten ways to protect yourself and your business from fraud.

1.      Upgrade Onsite Security: 

A thief who breaks into your company offices or warehouse could not only steal property but also valuable information. That information can include credit card account numbers, computer passwords and all other forms of sensitive information. Once those numbers are obtained, the criminal could go on a virtual buying spree before you can make it into work the next day. This is why upgrading your on site security in the form of proper locks, alarms and security gates are crucial for preventing theft.

2.      Properly Secure Business Records:

Even with the extra alarms, there might be personnel who will be tempted to access important business information. That is why it should always be kept under lock and key after business. While it is convenient to have a list of all your account passwords handy, you really want to make sure that “prying eyes” won’t get a peek.   

3.     Add Shredding To Your Routine:

A shrewd identity thief will know right where to find the information they need and it’s not always in your office, but in your dumpster. Any paper that is being thrown out with any kind of company information should be shredded first. This is especially true for a small business that might not have secure dumpsters.  

4.     Don’t Divulge Over the Phone:

The natural instinct for anyone answering a company phone inquiry is to be helpful and courteous. That “help” might extend too far towards a potential identity thief who is trolling for information through a random “customer” call. Unless you initiate a call, don’t give out any vital company information over the phone to a stranger. 

5.      Lock Down Your Computers:

You might think it is easy to keep track of people who come through your office on a regular basis. However, when you consider all the messengers, delivery men, service technicians, sales persons and custodians you can see that the stream of outside workers, even in a small business, can be enormous. This is why your computers should have password protection. They should also be shut down when you are away from your desk.

6.      Install Computer Firewalls:

The protection from your computer needs to extend throughout the internet through updated firewall security measures. You need to protect your network systems from potential hackers who troll for businesses to steal from. If you have an IT professional who takes care of your IT network and systems, ask them for their recommendations. 

7.      Establish Strong Anti-Fraud Policies:

Your employees are going to be your best line of defense to prevent fraud. However, they can also become your weakest link. This is why you need to establish clear policies with regard to sharing company information. A rep from your company shouldn’t be out in the world broadcasting sensitive information. It could be unintentional, but that won’t matter if a fraud occurs from using this information.

8.      Set Up a Fraud Hotline:

Sometimes an employee could witness an act of fraud but they don’t want to directly report this incident to a manager. Setting up a fraud hotline or email address can provide staff members with the opportunity to share any knowledge of fraud. This type of hotline also tells anyone who might be thinking about a fraud scheme that they are being watched by their co-workers.

9.      Take Immediate Action:

The moment there is a report of a suspected fraud incident you should begin a thorough investigation. By taking immediate action you’ll let your staff know this type of behavior won’t be tolerated.

10.  Sever Ties With Ex-Employees:

When renting a new apartment, you should request that new locks be installed. This is also a smart policy with regard to ex-employees, especially those who were fired under undesirable circumstances. You need to make sure any previous access these employees had to sensitive information be changed. This could be swapping out passwords, canceling company credit cards and yes, in extreme cases, changing the locks.

Managing Office Politics in a Small Business Setting

Simply put, you can’t maintain an office without office politics. Even a small business with just a handful of staff members won’t be able to totally hide from it. But just because office politics are part of doing business doesn’t mean they should become a distraction. Whether you are an employee, a manager or an owner, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the staff in order to avoid potential blow-ups that can result with office politics gone awry. When left unchecked these matters can bring productivity to a screeching halt. Here are some issues to consider when confronting office politics:

Stay focused on goals

Office politics most often concern jockeying for position. Workers feel that need to always be the “number one” pick of their supervisors. The theory goes that if they become the “go-to person” then they are aligning themselves for advancement within the company. Unfortunately, this might mean advancement at the expense of other workers through gossip and back-stabbing. None of this has anything to do with achieving the goals set forth by the upper management.

As a staff member your best course of action is to complete the assigned tasks to the best of your ability. Simply by doing that you’ll automatically become the “go-to person.” If you’re in the role of supervisor, it is your responsibility to nip any gossip in the bud by asking the question, “What does this have to do with getting the job done?” Unless there is a compelling answer for that question, any rumor or gossip is just a distraction.

Avoid taking sides

The best way to confront distracting office politics is to adopt a position of neutrality. This can be a challenge, especially if you are working in a small business and are called in to judge a conflict between two staff members. In those cases, you need to deal with the facts at hand. This is where getting it in writing matters. For instance, if you are in a position to hand out an assignment, make sure everyone within the staff circle understands what their responsibility will be for that project. This isn’t an issue of picking favorites, but of utilizing the most qualified member of the staff for the assignment. By including everyone in these decisions, no one can argue with the intent. 

Keep it professional

There is no way to 100% avoid personality conflicts among staff members. No matter how thorough you conduct an employee interview, sometimes you just can anticipate how well co-workers will get along. Accept that not everyone has to like everyone, as long as they can work together and move on. Sometimes this might mean forgoing socializing with workers after hours, especially if this socializing is going to involve spreading malicious gossip. A small business tends to bond more easily than a large corporation. However, team-building outside of work is one thing, but gripe sessions don’t accomplish anything. There should be a specified chain of command in the management structure to handle any personality complaints.

Video Series - ACCESS Charity Non-Profit Formation

ACCESS Charity - Non-Profit Formation and Charitable Status Services

Daniel Francavilla is not your average young adult. Not only is he a student at OCAD in Toronto, he also runs his own graphic design company called Daniel Design and is the founder of ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education.  ACCESS is a youth-run non-profit organization, dedicated to helping children in the developing world gain access to education opportunities.

ACCESS was founded in 2006 after Daniel travelled to the Dominican Republic and witnessed the extreme poverty that many children in this area face. Daniel was inspired to help and since then has raised money to help hundreds of children in developing countries receive school uniforms, supplies, shoes and more.

Daniel incorporated ACCESS through CorporationCentre.ca’s non-profit formation and charitable status services. We’re really proud of Daniel and all the great work that he and his team have accomplished and are happy to have had a small part in getting this great charity up and running.

Please watch Daniel’s video above and visit AccessCharity.ca for more information on how you can get involved.