How do I go about obtaining a UPC Bar Code for a product I am manufacturing?

In order for you to be able to print UPC bar code symbols, you will need to become a member of the Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC). Once a member, you will be assigned an identification number that will be specific for your company only. To learn more about obtaining a UPC bar code symbol visit the Uniform Code Council, Inc. web site.

I am interested in making my first big sale to a customer that I don't know much about, and therefore I am worried about whether or not I am going to get paid on time. Where can I go to find out more about a company's credit worthiness?

Try Dunn & Bradstreet's Small Business Solutions. D&B Small Business Solutions gives you easy access to a suite of online tools and services that will help you make better informed credit decisions, find new customers, monitor your competition, and more.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Yellow Pages advertising?

Advantages of Yellow Pages advertising:

1. One ad works all year long.
2. It gives your prospect a method of easily locating and contacting your business, even if they didn't initially know your name.
3. It can help you describe the differences between you and your competition.
4. You pay by the month instead of one large payment.

Disadvantages of Yellow Pages advertising:

1. You must commit to an entire year of advertising.
2. You are immediately placed with a group of your competitors, making it easy for the prospect to comparison shop.
3. Some classifications are so cluttered with advertising that your ad becomes buried and ineffective.
4. It is only effective when a prospect looks you up in the correct classification, assuming the prospect knows what classification to look for in the first place.

How can I determine if Yellow Pages advertising will benefit my business?

Probably the easiest way to determine whether or not Yellow Pages advertising is effective for your particular business is to look in the Yellow Pages under your business category and observe the types of ads that your competitors are taking out. If you see a lot of ads (and especially big and expensive ads), you can assume that these businesses are making this type of investment because it has paid off for them. If you don't have any competitors in your particular market, refer to the Yellow Pages in another community close by or in another geographic area similar in make up to yours.

What exactly is specialty advertising?

Specialty advertising basically consists of giveaways - the pencils, pens, buttons, calendars, and refrigerator magnets you see everyday - are called specialty advertising in the trade. Chances are, you have some specialty advertising items right at your desk. Businesses imprint their name on items and give them away (or sometimes sell them at very low cost) in order that:

• You notice their name enough times on the item to build top of the mind awareness, so when you need a restaurant, for instance, you think of their name first.
• You appreciate the goodwill of the company giving you the item and eventually return the favor by giving them some business.

My business associate suggested that I use outdoor advertising. We don't have many billboards in our community, so why should I consider outdoor advertising?

1. Since it is in the public domain, outdoor advertising assuredly reaches its audience. People can't switch it off or throw it out. People are exposed to it whether they like it or not. In this sense, outdoor advertising truly has a captured audience.
2. Its messages work on the advertising principle of frequency. Since most messages stay in the same place for a period of a month or more, people who drive by or walk past see the same message a number of times.
3. Particular locations can be acquired for certain purposes. A billboard located a block in front of your business can direct people to your showroom, or you can reach rural areas efficiently by placing it billboard in each small town.
4. Outdoor advertising is an excellent adjunct to other types of advertising you are doing. In fact, it is most effective when coupled with other media.

Where can I obtain some tips on performing business research on the Internet?

Visit the SBA's Business Research on the Internet.

What is co-op advertising?

A relatively unknown form of advertising, co-op is a cost-sharing arrangement in which manufacturers and suppliers provide financial assistance for customers' advertising programs. It can often make the difference in whether or not a small business can afford to advertise at all. Co-op advertising works in a number of ways. For example, a retailer can buy goods from a manufacturer and accrue co-op funds based on the amount of purchase. Those funds can be returned in the form of a cash rebate, a credit to the retailer's account, or in products. In case you're thinking your firm is too specialized to take advantage of co-op advertising, you may want to reconsider. The Co-op Handbook, published twice a year by the Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA), contains thousands upon thousands of co-op program listings. Indexed by brand name and company, each listing provides the company name, the type of plan it offers, whether mention of competitors is allowed, and the type and size of ads required.

Is there a direct link to the various federal agencies collecting statistics that might be helpful to me?

Yes, the site is www.fedstats.gov. FedStats is the new window on the full range of official statistical information available to the public from the federal government. This site allows you to use the Internet's powerful linking and searching capabilities to track economic and population trends, education, health care costs, aviation safety, foreign trade, energy use, farm production, and more. Through this site you can access official statistics collected and published by more than 70 federal agencies without having to know in advance which agency produces them.

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