Julie Rains's blog

20 Tips for Converting Digital Shopping Carts to Sales

Here are common problems and specific solutions that may work for your ecommerce business.

Components of a Sales-Driven Credit Function

To accomplish your sales goals, create a credit function with these components.

Pros and Cons of Online Visitor Registration

Your company’s approach to online visitor registration can cement or destroy a relationship.

Get Rid of Bad Customers

Bad customers are costing you more than you realize. Here are some types of bad customers and techniques to get rid of them (without alienating your good customers).

E-Book Review: Discover Your New Job Online

In Discover Your New Job Online, a new e-Book by Thursday Bram, this Wise Bread blogger takes readers through the steps of landing a job using online tools.

How to Set Up Online Billing and Payments

Setting up an online billing and payment system isn't just good for the environment. The convenience can speed up cash flow, an advantage for any business.

9 Ways to Protect Your Pricing and Keep Your Customers

You don't always have to slash prices to stay competitive. There are many great ways you can add value to your goods and services at little or no cost. Here are 9 ways to protec

Money-Saving Strategies for Workers’ Compensation

The owner of an asbestos-removal company in New York was sentenced to prison for failing to pay workers’ compensation premiums, according to a July 2009 article in the New York

Standout Stuff for Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Deciding what to put on and leave out of a resume can be perplexing. Professional goals should influence these decisions. But I have found that job hunters can intrigue potential b

5 Steps to Lower Small-Package Shipping Costs

Decoding and minimizing the cost structure of shipping is a challenge for many ecommerce companies and any business that sends more than a handful of packages every year. Each d

Why a Lousy Job Can Lead to a Bright Future

In the past couple of months, two clients have landed great jobs in the midst of the worst employment climate in decades. The secret to their successes, I believe, were delivering

11 Sources of Free or Low-Cost Training

If your company doesn’t have a large budget for professional development, or if you want to explore less expensive options, here are some free or low-cost sources of training.

Money Pitfalls of the Big Sale

You've just scored your first big sale — hurray! But that new sale might be less lucrative than you expected, or even put you deeper in the hole. Learn why.

Goal Setting, Defined and Deconstructed

After examining my goals for the past year, I realized that the type goal, rather than its perceived difficulty, is what often leads to fulfillment or frustration. Here are ways to

Getting Kids Started with the Stock Market

Recently, a reader asked how to give stock to kids in her life in an effort to inspire a life-long interest in investing. Here are ideas on ways to get the younger generation start

4 Reasons to Cut Hours, Not Wages

In the midst of the economic downturn earlier this year, I spoke with an operations manager who had received a mandate from his boss to trim payroll costs. He considered reducin

Gifts for the Person Who Has Everything

We've all shopped (or tried to shop for) the person who has (or seems to have) everything. Yes, it's hard...but not impossible! Draw some inspiration from these affordable ideas.

Book Review: The Art of Manliness Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man

I just finished reading "The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man" by Brett and Kate McKay. As the married mom of 2 sons nearing manhood and the daughter

How to Generate Product Sales Without Inventory

Having the right inventory at the right time in the right place at the right price is the mantra of large-scale retailers with deep pockets for forecasting systems, planning ana

Why the Affordable Home Really Isn't

I've taken a look at home affordability calculators that are available from many reputable sites offering personal finance advice. "Affordability" is based on bank lending guidelin