The type of license needed for your business will depend on several factors. They include the jurisdiction that our business is located in, and the type of business. For instance, if your business is located in a city, it probably needs a license from the city itself, from the country, and in some states from the state as well. Since business licenses are a great source of revenue for government agencies, counties and cites both try to get in on the act.

Now, as to the type of business, that may be regulated as well. If your business is an insurance agency selling life, health, and auto insurance then you will need a state license for each: life, health, and property & casualty. If you also sell mutual funds or stocks then a federal NASD Series 7 Securities License will be required. These licenses are issued only after stringent testing and are subject to revocation if laws, regulations and guidelines are not followed.

Lawyers will need to pass a state bar exam and receive a state license to practice law in addition to city and country licenses. A doctor in private practice will have to have city and county business licenses as well as a state medical license. An insurance agent will be in the same category, needing a license from the state that is partially contingent on passing a national standard real estate examination.

Some businesses will need special licenses from either state, county or city regulatory agencies in addition to a standard business license. A daycare for instance will need to be inspected by children’s services. A liquor store or bar by liquor control, which is usually a state organization administered by the county. In addition, while not legal licenses many professionals encourage their members to join professional organizations. The members will often take exams and try to earn credentials to show their knowledge and expertise. While these credentials may not be legally required, they are smiled upon by most consumers.

When it comes time to license your business, first check with the city and county to see what is required. Then determine if your particular business has any special licensure that you may need to acquire.

Types of insurance needed for a business will, of course, vary from type of business to type of business. If a business is larger than a one man sole proprietorship and actually has employees, then unemployment insurance is required, with premiums paid to the state government or a designated energy.

Also, with employees Workman’s Compensation insurance is required, which covers medical emergencies and injuries employees could sustain while on the job. Also if your business has employees you may be providing some sort of health insurance coverage as a benefit.

Determining exactly what type of insurance the business itself needs is a different story. How much risk is there in your particular business of liability? Obviously if the company owns or operates motor vehicles then at minimum liability insurance for the vehicles is needed.

It may be wise to pay a slightly higher premium for comprehensive and collision insurance to cover repair or replacement in case of accident. With regards to liability insurance, don’t just take the minimum required by the state. Most experts recommend having at least a million dollars in liability coverage on each vehicle.

Lawyers see deep pockets when company vehicles are involved in accidents, and the last thing you need is a half a million dollar judgement with only two hundred thousand in insurance, which would leave three hundred thousand in company assets vulnerable. Regarding liability insurance, better safe than sorry.

The same thought holds true with regards to liability insurance on company property. If someone trips and falls on ice during the winter the company is liable, so having at least a million in insurance, if not more, is essential.

Taking a look at the personnel involved in your business, you can probably spot the key individuals, without whom the company could not function, or at least could not function as well. For these individuals the company may wish to have key man insurance, a life insurance policy that pays off if someone essential to running the business dies, providing functions to replace his expertise.

If the company is a partnership, or an LLC or corporation with key individuals, then having life insurance policies that will buy out the shares of the deceased partner for the remaining partners is a good way to maintain continuity in the business. Then the deceased family members will receive cash settlements, but loose interest in the business, which they may not have expertise in.
There are many types of insurance available, and the needs of every business are different.

Consulting an insurance specialist who works with other businesses will give you an idea of options, and then it is up to you to decide on what is right.

Creating a web site for your new business may be the most fun part of the entire process. It is something you can do yourself even if your expertise is limited.

First you need to decide what you want your web site to accomplish. Is it to be a selling site with a full shopping cart to sell your products online, or do you simply want to encourage customers to come in and see you or give you a call? This will determine the complexity. Assuming you just want a simple site, the first step is to create a domain name and register it.

If your business name is available as a .com, then that is your best choice. If not, check .net, .biz, .us, .info, .tv, .ws and .org. Chances are good that at least one of the names you want will be available.

If you have the funds and want to reserve some domain names for possible later use, do so. You can always park them with a redirect to your site.

Then find a web hosting service. There are many good ones available both locally and on the net. Some will have templates and wizards that will help you create your web site. Others require you to use a program like FrontPage or Dream Weaver, or write code in HTML. If that is the case, HTML isn’t difficult to learn and there are many tutorials available for free and many books on the subject, as well as classes at community colleges and computer training centers.

If you have experience making web sites, great. If not, now is a good time to get some help from someone who does, either in person or by reading a good book on web page design. Most will tell you to keep the site simple. Graphics look nice, but sometimes they slow down older computers and dial up connection modems, and could turn off the casual web surfer.

Making the web site simple but attractive is your best bet. Be sure to include a “contact us” section where a surfer can mail you, and it is also a good idea to offer a free ezine newsletter, a great promotional tool. Have fun with your new web site, because if it is fun for you then it will be fun and appealing to your customers and they will come back again and again, and eventually come in to see you.

If you need a Web Site for your business visit Artitude.com, or Strategic Web Success

My company owns both Sites.  I have been creating successful Web businesses sinc 1994.

Inexpensive ways to promote your new business are abundant. Here are a few examples:

1.Print fliers and distribute them on car windshields in the parking lot, post them on public bulletin boards, and put them anywhere else you can find.

2.Write and distribute press releases to local media. Include the daily newspaper, the weekly business journal, your city magazine, any alternative monthlies or weeklies, and the papers in the surrounding suburbs and small towns. Write the press release like a short news story, not an ad. Be objective and you’ll get printed. No hype.

3.Place cheap classified ads in the local shopper and the daily newspaper.

4.Call in and chat with your morning radio talk show host, and find a way to mention your business during the conversation. Then show up the next day at the studio with a dozen donuts. He’ll probably mention you on the air.

5.Take a journalist to lunch, and tell him or her why your business is news worthy.

6.Submit your web site to the search engines, is free.

7.Buy Pay Per Click advertising in the local section of the major search engines. You can limit it to as little as one dollar a day in spending.

8.Take a news reporter from your favorite local TV station to lunch. Tell her why your business is newsworthy.

9.Make a low bid on unsold inventory at a local radio station. You might pick up some twenty dollar radio commercials for a dollar each.

10.Use chalk talk. Use colored sidewalk chalk to put your message on a downtown sidewalk. Include your phone number.

11.Give your business card to everyone you meet.

12.Post a banner in front of your building for traffic to see.

13.Offer your services as a public speaker. You are an expert in your subject area if you say you are. When you make your speech, plug your business and pass out a business card.

14.Offer to trade web site links with other local businesses, and display their fliers and cards if they will display yours.

15.Write an ebook, and give it away free online. Include links to your web site.

16.Keep a mailing list, or email list of your customers. Send them a monthly newsletter, even if it is just one page typed. Offer them discounts for repeat business and bigger discounts for referrals.