Companies employing between 5 and 49 people can obtain a grant from the Quebec government.

If you are eligible, your business can benefit from financial assistance for putting its commercial documentation, its existing public displays and its information and communication technologies in French (up to $50,000).

What are the eligible expenses?

French translation fees for software interfaces already installed on a workstation in another language than French.

Translation fees for intranet, extranet or web pages by a competent person working within the field.

Translation fees for brochures and flyers destined for the companies’ clients and promoting products or services being sold in Quebec, inasmuch as there doesn’t already exist a prior French version.

Design, manufacturing and installation costs to permanently modify the public display of the company’s name or any other commercial message on a public sign, a commercial vehicle or on a store window.

The purchase … Read More »

Here’s a simple, efficient and appreciated way of referring someone: provide your referral’s basic coordinates to your network contact (Person to talk to, Company name, phone and e-mail) as well as the need and the estimated time frame. And also inform your referral that you are referring them one of your contacts. You will thus help your contact to better get through and your referral to be better prepared.

And here’s the other side of the coin. When you receive a referral, there are three steps to follow.

First of all, thank the person that sent it to you and request additional information as need be: type of business, what’s their character like, the urgency of the situation.

Secondly, get in touch quickly with the referral, ideally live. Even if it didn’t look like a rush. Both parties will appreciate that you took … Read More »

For certain people, like accountants, it’s nothing. For many others, it’s a pain. There are just two choices, but which one to choose?

It must be understood that there will always be a minimum of memory required. That having been said, there’s a line that works well: Revenue is a Credit. It’s the key to establishing the rest. Every time you need it. We must also know that there are two types of accounts: Revenues and Expenses on the one hand and Assets and Liabilities on the other hand. The thinking goes like this:

– If Revenue is a Credit, its opposite, the Expense, is a Debit.

– Revenues must perforce be associated with Assets; in both cases, we’re talking about gains.

– The mental gymnastic required is that for the other type of accounts, we must reverse. Therefore, Revenue is a Credit but … Read More »

Do you engage in networking within your business development activities? Are you thinking about doing it? You should, because it’s not only “in”, it’s mostly a proven method of generating contacts and business. It’s as if word-of-mouth was spreading from your existing clientele to your potential one!

On the face of it, there are many ways of engaging in networking and more and more possibilities are before us. How is one to decide? What is profitable, in time and in money?

1. What is Networking?

Before talking about types of networking, let’s understand what the spirit of networking is and especially, what it isn’t. If you believe that a networking event is the place where you hand out your business cards and get contracts the following week, don’t bother going. You’re wasting your time and are hurting your business’ development. However, if … Read More »

You are meeting people every day. You are meeting them for any number of reasons but if you have a business or represent someone’s business, your antennas should be out because there are always opportunities out there. Your antennas should be out whatever the case, but that is another kettle of fish, not for this discussion.

There are some simple steps you should be aware of, some concise things you should be doing to improve your sales/business potential. Let’s call it ‘Your 5-Step Sales Method’.

1. Understand your Solutions and your Audience

This may sound like an obvious one but you must have a clear idea of what you’re offering and stick to it (at least until you have had enough feedback to justify some adjustments). Saying that you are a Graphic Artist or a Coach isn’t enough; nor is mentioning something like … Read More »