First National Bank of Montana - Resources 04-01-07

Business Resources

Notice to First National Bank of Montana Visa Customers:
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On-Line Business Resources - specifically designed for our customers, select from a variety of on-line "Financial" resources including small business issues, retirement planning, budgeting, home ownership, and insurance. Simply click on the link above to access the following articles and more.

Choosing the Right Form for Your Business - Choosing the appropriate legal form for a business is one of the first issues most entrepreneurs face. It is an important decision at the formation stage and also as a business grows.

Developing a Business Plan - Having a business plan can make running your business easier. Your advisors, creditors and others will better understand your business after reviewing your plan.

Getting Ready to Borrow - At some point, almost every business will need to borrow money. Being prepared for the loan application and approval process can make the whole experience less stressful.

Developing a Marketing Plan - Having a written marketing plan can make everyday decision making easier and save you time. Here are some ideas to use when creating a plan.

Giving Customers the Respect They Want and Deserve - Keeping existing customers, as well as finding new ones, is more critical than ever. Better understanding the customer relationship from the customer's point of view can help you strengthen, lengthen and leverage one of your most valuable business assets - your customer relationships.

Marketing With Direct Mail - Marketing through the mail is effective for some and not for others. Learn some of the ways to evaluate and use this marketing tactic.

Marketing With Newsletters - Finding ways to stay in touch with customers and prospects is critical for the success of your business. Newsletters provide "a reason and a means" to communicate. Learn why many companies use newsletters to keep interested parties informed.

Trade Show Marketing - Industry gatherings and conferences can be an ideal way of getting your marketing messages in front of potential buyers. This article helps identify what types of shows may be best and how to use your attendance or exhibiting more effectively.

The Science and Art of Generating Referrals - Asking for referrals can be uncomfortable. Learn some of the when's and how's to make the process more effective and easier.

Using the Trade Press to Generate Results - Trade publications you and your customers read are an ideal way to spread the word about your company. Following a few steps can help you take advantage of this "free" advertising.

Preparing a Business Speech - Opportunities to speak in front of customers and others should be seized and capitalized on. Many business managers let the anxiety of public speaking prevent them from taking full advantage of these opportunities.

The Importance of Job Descriptions - Giving employees an understanding of what is expected will help them perform better. It can also help in the evaluation, promotion or termination of the employee.

Interviewing Job Applicants - Good employees are critical for the success of any business. Asking the right questions during a job interview can help you make the right employee decisions.

Evaluating Your Employees - While performance evaluations are seldom looked forward to, they can be a critical and valuable step in effectively managing your business.

Terminating Employees - No matter how carefully you hire employees, there will be a time when you must terminate an employee. If you do it carefully, you can reduce the risk of any legal action and maybe learn something that will help in running your business.

Retirement Plan Options - You have many choices for a retirement plan for your business. Be sure to consider all the costs and your objectives.