Here's a way to separate yourself from the pack when marketing your services: Use a proposal letter to notify potential clients what your company will and will not do while working on their property.

The person who answers your phone creates a first impression that can make or break business opportunities. Telephone reception isn't brain surgery. It doesn't require extraordinary credentials or top pay. Still, whoever does the job ought to receive more than cursory training on what to say and how to handle predictable tricky situations …

In general, so-called telecommuting is becoming more and more prevalent for office workers throughout the business world. This article discusses the downsides as well as the advantages.

Some of the biggest marketing hustles ever perpetrated on mankind are perfectly legal, yet manage to pull the wool over the eyes of millions of consumers day after day.

In last month's article, I dealt with the white-collar segment of construction industry theft represented by embezzlement. Now, let's turn our attention to the more common problems associated with the theft of tools, equipment and materials, which can be thought of as construction's “blue collar” crime wave.

Thieves see value in tools and equipment, but more costly crimes come from people you trust the most.

This month's “Smart Business” column reflects on company names, concluding that what you call your business is less important than how you run it.

Most everyone would agree with the old saying that “word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising.” Sometimes it just happens, but more often than not, you need to instigate it.

“Smart Business” looks at common causes of miscommunication and how to prevent them. “Communication failure” is a catchall term that describes the cause of probably 90 percent of all business problems. Failures to communicate happen in many ways, for many reasons.

A discussion of subcontracts and what contractors need to know.