We should never underestimate the power of the word “free.” The beauty of offering something free on your Website, like a report or how to advice or a newsletter or ezine, is that visitors will take it. Most importantly, they will have something to remember you by and this is a powerful advantage.

In the past, we’d see federal agents stage a well-publicized bust and cart off numerous undocumented workers. But that was under a different administration. Now, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has shifted its focus away from undocumented workers and is targeting the employers who hire them.

The truth is it doesn’t matter how fancy a company’s vehicles or Yellow Pages ads are if employees don’t know how to sell. If they can’t get the company’s products and services into the hands of their customers, your marketing investment is a waste. If you’re looking for greater profits, here are five keys for success.

How some efficiency initiatives can land you in legal hot water: For Domino’s Pizza, speedy delivery was more than a promise - it was a guarantee: 30 minutes or it’s free. When executives coined the marketing campaign, they probably didn’t think about potential legal ramifications. But legal ramifications followed.

“Exit planning takes time, and preparation is the key,” according to Eric R. Voth, a business consultant and author of How to Sell Your Privately Owned Company: A Basic Guide for Independent Business Owners, Baby Boomer’s Edition. Business owners need to begin by preparing their assets.

On Jan. 1, amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) took effect but the new amendments left many unanswered questions. Now, as instructed by Congress, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed rules designed to bring some clarity to both employers and employees.

An excellent way to promote the experience and expertise of your contracting company is to establish yourself as an HVAC expert. An expert becomes the go-to person when consumers have comfort questions or problems. It can help make you and your company more well-known and prominent in your community.

More and more companies are turning to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as a new means of advertising their products and services, especially to those tough to reach young people. But if it’s showing up in this column, you can guess there must be risk involved.

The word “salesman” has earned the ill-fated reputation of being someone who can’t (or shouldn’t) be trusted. But business is based on sales, so what’s a business owner to do? My advice is stop calling them salespeople. Expert, advisor, or specialist are much better choices when it comes to labeling our employees.

The best of intentions can often lead to the worst of results. Technology can be a particularly problematic issue, especially when it comes to the areas of ergonomic issues and add-on (or aftermarket) equipment. If used incorrectly, these types of equipment can lead to sprains, strains, or even more serious injuries.