A small business may be defined as a business with a small number of employees. The legal definition of "small" often varies by country and industry, but is generally under 100 employees. These businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships. Outsourcing is the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources. Small business owners can outsource non-core functions to specialized and efficient service providers. It is required of businesses to hire special contractors for particular types of work or to meet the demands put forth by sudden spurts in the workload. Business and marketing experts urge small business owners to "brand" their businesses with a logo and a set of consistent marketing materials - a brand identity system.             Small businesses often face a variety of problems related to their size. A frequent cause of bankruptcy is undercapitalization. This is often a result of poor planning rather than economic conditions - it is common rule of thumb that the entrepreneur should have access to a sum of money at least equal to the projected revenue for the first year of business in addition to his anticipated expenses. Building trust with new customers can be a difficult task for a new and establishing business. Some organizations like the Better Business Bureau and the International Charter now offer Small Business Certification, which certifies the quality of the services and goods produced and can encourage new and larger customers. These services may require a few hours of work, but a certification may reassure potential customers. However, the most effective way to earn trust is through customer referrals. http://your_home_page_url/ Your copyright information You want to ensure you always get a deposit check on any major IT consulting project. Don’t start a 40- 60 or 80 hour project on a handshake. 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This is reflecting a 75% utilization rate; or 75 http://www.articles.travelmycity.com/Business/articles_Small-Business-Computer-Consulting:-Appropriately-Setting-Your-Rates.htm Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:08:23 -0800 http://www.articles.travelmycity.com/Business/articles_Small-Business-Computer-Consulting:-Appropriately-Setting-Your-Rates.htm There’s nothing more stressful for IT consultants than getting the dreaded emergency call from a client whose office is "crippled" because of a major systems outage. If you’ve been an IT consultant a while you know the harsh realities of small business technology adoption. 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