This reminder is for Delaware Corporations only.

 Your Annual Franchise Tax fee of $150 is due to the State of Delaware on or before March 1, 2014. The fee may be higher depending on your company’s number of shares. This fee is paid in arrears for the preceding year, meaning that in 2014, you are paying your tax for the year of 2013. The fee is required to be paid by all Delaware Corporations regardless of company income.  If your fee is not paid on or before March 1, 2014, a late fee along with a 1.5% monthly interest will be assessed by the State of Delaware and your company may fall out of Good Standing.

If you use American Incorporators as your Registered Agent in the State of Delaware, you will be receiving additional reminders including instructions via e-mail and postal mail. American Incorporators also offers a filing service. If you have any questions about how to pay your tax, would like to use our filing service, or are interested in checking the status of your company, please call 800.421.2661. 

* Ask About Our New Compliance Package Services! *

On November 4, 2013, American Incorporators will be moving into our new offices!

Our last day in our current offices will be on Friday, November 1, 2013. On November 1, we will be open until 12 PM EST. If you have any urgent filings, please contact our office prior to that time. If you are mailing any document to American Incorporators after October 31, 2013, please mail it to our new address.

Our new address will be:

Here's a few things to keep in mind during our move:

1. We will update and pay for all necessary filings with the relevant Secretary of State. 

2. This is not your business address. Do not update any of your business mailing addresses, unless you use American Incorporators for Mail Forwarding. If you do not use us for Mail Forwarding, but would like information on how to do so, click here. 

3. If you are a current Mail Forwarding client, you will receive a separate email that will include any further information or instruction.

4. If you would like a company resolution stating the change of address, please contact us by calling 800.421.2661.

5. Our telephone number will not be changing!

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 800.421.2661 or 302.421.5750. 

It’s important for business owners to be cognizant of how their current and potential customers feel about the services they’re providing. One simple, effective way to maintain an understanding of your customers is through distributing and analyzing customer surveys.  Customer surveys allow you to expand your relationship with customers while discovering ways for your business to improve. If you’ve never written a customer survey before, you may not know where to start. To help you out, we’ve created these 5 tips to help you create a customer survey:

1. Define your goals. Once you have a clear, concise objective, creating your survey will become much easier. Each step of the process will always tie into your initial goal. Find your goal by asking yourself these questions:

What am I trying to learn?

Why am I trying to learn this information?

How will I analyze the results?

A few topics you may want to consider include customer loyalty research, new product development, and customer service reviews.

2. Choose Your Audience

After you’ve identified your objective, this step should be easy. Do you want to hear from current customers? Potential customers? Or a mix of both?

If your survey is going to be based on past experiences with your company, you’d be wasting time and resources if you send it to potential customers. Always keep your goal in mind.

3. Create Your Questions

You should start your survey with a brief introduction and include a simple set of directions. If you plan on using responses as testimonials, include a brief disclaimer explaining so.

Each question should be as specific as possible. Make sure you only ask about one point per question. Varying the format of questions can make the survey seem less monotonous and hold the survey taker’s interest. Always include at least one open-ended question, which will give the customer the chance to share their opinion and offer suggestions.

Conclude the survey by thanking the survey taker. Often, surveys will include incentives as a way of thanking that individual for taking their personal time to help your business, but this is optional.

4. Distribute Your Survey

When distributing your survey, keep your audience in mind. Three main types of surveys are phone surveys, direct mail surveys, and online surveys.

Today, you’ll find many free resources to help distribute your survey online. Some of these websites also include tracking data.  Sites such as Survey Monkey or Survey Builder are great places to start if you’ve never worked with online survey distribution. You can link the surveys on your Facebook page, send it out via Twitter, or include it in an email.

5. Analyze Your Results

Make sure you’ve planned how you’ll interpret and track the data you receive from the surveys. Create a timeframe for when you’d like the survey to start and finish, schedule showing how frequently you’ll check the results.

After the survey has concluded, it is important that you do not ignore your results. Don’t keep them sitting in a spreadsheet. Share them with fellow employees and don’t ignore negative feedback. Hopefully, you’ll be receiving positive feedback, but negative feedback deserves a follow up email or call.

This article from Inc provides insight on how you can make the most of your customer feedback.

We hope this article helps  you create a fantastic customer survey! Surveys will always be a simple way to stay in touch with your customers while learning how your business can grow. If you’d like to read more about surveys, Mashable has created a great article with a few more tips, tricks, and suggestions. 

As always, please let us know if there's anything you'd like us to address in our blog! Our Incorporation Specialists are always available for assistance by dialing 800.421.2661.

If your corporation is considering ending all activity, you may want to consider filing a dissolution. We've created this post outlining the basics behind corporate dissolution to help you gain a basic understanding of your options. 

What is a Dissolution?

A dissolution is the statutory procedure that terminates the existence of a domestic corporation.

What are the different types of Dissolutions?

There are 3 different types of dissolutions:

Administrative Dissolution

  An Administrative Dissolution is the involuntary dissolution of a corporation by an act of the Secretary of State or similar state authority, caused by the corporation's failure to comply with certain statutory requirements. This frequently occurs when corporations fail to file an annual report, to pay franchise taxes or maintain a valid Registered Agent.

Voluntary Dissolution

A Voluntary Dissolution is an intentional action by shareholders, incorporators or initial directors to dissolve a corporation.

Judicial Dissolution

A Judicial Dissolution is an involuntary dissolution ordered by a court of law.

What happens during a Dissolution?

During dissolution, all activities of the corporation are ended, which is frequently called “winding up.” Winding up refers to the discharging of a corporation's liabilities and the distributing of its remaining assets to its shareholders in connection with its dissolution.

What’s required to file a Dissolution?

Dissolutions require an officer, director or member of the company to file a Certificate of Dissolution or Certificate of Cancellation after getting shareholder or member approval. To obtain one, your corporation must be in good standing, with all required taxes paid and all annual reports filed with the state.

If you have any questions regarding dissolutions, don't hesitate to call our incorporation specialists by dialing 1.800.421.2661! 

American Incorporators

would like to wish you a

Safe & Happy 4th of July!

Our office will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2013 and will reopen on Friday, July 5, 2013 at 8AM EST. 

American Incorporators is excited to introduce the Small Business Spotlight feature to our blog. The Small Business Spotlight will highlight businesses that we have helped get started. Each business will have the opportunity to provide a background of their business, highlight products and services, and share advice with entrepreneurs.

If you’re interested in being featured in the Small Business Spotlight, please contact Samantha@ailcorp.com and include “Small Business Spotlight” in the subject line. After we review your website, you will be contacted with information on how to be featured!

We look forward to introducing you to many amazing small businesses!

When opening a small business, it’s important to research any business license and permit requirements that may apply to your industry. Not having proper licensure can be extremely detrimental to your business. It can cause unnecessary stress, confusion, and potential fines.

To help you avoid this and better understand the basics of business licenses, we’ve answered these 4 common questions. 

1. Why Do I Need a Business License?

Obtaining proper business licenses and permits ensures that your business is maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Keeping your business license up to date is just as important as paying your taxes and annual state fees.

When applying for a bank account, you will most likely be asked to present your business license. Your business license can also help you with business financing, and may make things smoother when filing your taxes.  

2. What Are the Different Types of Business Licenses?

Keep in mind that license types and requirements can vary from federal, state, county, and city levels. The following are a few common types of business licenses and permits to help you gain a general understanding of what you may need.

Basic Business License: This is typically issued by the city or county in which you’ll be operating.

Health Department Permits: If you prepare, serve, or sell food products, this will most likely be required,

Sales Tax License: This license is typically required for the sales of products and services.

Zoning Permits: This permit states authority to use a certain area of land for a certain purpose.

Professional & Occupational Permits : These may be required for services that are regulated by the state. These services may include, but are not limited to:

Medical Services                Legal Services

Tax Servoces                    Real Estate Services

Be sure to review your state laws if you are in an industry that may require an occupational license.

Federal Permits: if your business involves any of the following, it is best to contact federal departments for specific requirements.

Alcohol, Tobacco, or Firearms  Ground Transportation

Drug Manufacturing                Broadcasting

This is a sample of industries that may require federal licensure. Please check with federal agencies for your specific requirements. 

3. Are There Penalties for Not Having a Business License?

If you do not obtain required business licenses and permits, you are highly jeopardizing the security of your company. Not having a business license can leave you legally vulnerable, result in high financial penalties, and in some cases may lead to imprisonment. Aside from this, it negatively impacts your credibility as a business owner and will cause long term negative effects for your business. 

4. How Do I Get a Business License?

Since business licenses are handled on many levels, we suggest doing research with your state to find out exactly what you may need. You may find that your local city hall, state’s government websites, or www.sba.gov are great resources.

As you can see, knowing exactly what business licenses and permits you may need can be difficult. American Incorproators Ltd. offers a service that researches, details, and lists all of the licenses and permits you will need. The only thing you would need to do is answer a few quick questions about your business. If you’d like to learn more, visit our Business License section.

Having the proper business licenses and permits is just as important as being incorporated. Do not leave this process out of your business plan. We hope that this eases your business license research process! If you have any questions, feel free to post below or contact one of our Incorporation Specialists by dialing 800.421.2661. 

This reminder is for Delaware Limited Liability Companies only.

 Your Annual Franchise Tax fee of $250 is due to the State of Delaware on or before June 1, 2013. This fee is paid in arrears for the preceding year, meaning that in 2013, you are paying your tax for the year of 2012. The $250 is a flat fee required to be paid by all limited liability companies regardless of company income.  If your fee is not paid on or before June 1, 2013, a late fee along with a 1.5% monthly interest will be assessed by the State of Delaware.

 If you use American Incorporators as your Registered Agent in the State of Delaware, you will be receiving additional reminders including instructions via e-mail and postal mail. If you have any questions about how to pay your tax, or are interested in checking the status of your company, please call 800.421.2661. 

Trade shows are rebounding as industry networking events that help promote brands and products. They can be valuable experiences for meeting new clients, as well as developing market positioning and learning about other dealers within your industry. While the key to effective trade show marketing is presenting an attractive booth represented by friendly communicators, budget concerns and planning should also be taken into account. To help you get the most out of your trade show marketing, we’ve compiled 7 key things to remember while planning:

1. Plan Far in Advance
   
   Research upcoming trade shows you would like to attend in the next year. Since booth space is usually limited, try to secure the best possible booth location as early as possible. Locations near the front of the hall, corners, food vendors, and restrooms will help give your booth high visibility. In the event you cannot afford a booth, you can still attend trade shows to network and market your business.
2. Distribute a Press Release
   
   One of the best ways to get attention from media, potential clients and other trade show attendees is to send press releases about your booth in advance. Postcards also make excellent vehicles for press releases because they can be read quickly and stored easily. PRWeb  is a great resource for creating, distributing, and tracking press releases.
3. Create Marketing Materials
   
   Prepare and order handouts that attendees can take home well in advance. Keep your trade show marketing messages simple and be sure to include contact information. Business cards and flyers are low cost, yet effective marketing tools. Try to make your business cards stand out in some way, so that they don’t get lost in a pile. Get inspired by this article featuring creative, intelligent business cards.
4. Invest in Portable Exhibits 
   
   Keep exhibits as small and as portable as possible without sacrificing appearance. Some of the most affordable yet presentable booths are lightweight and can fold into shippable tabletop units.
5. Design Attractive Signage
   
   Create an eye-catching banner of your logo to display at the top of the booth. Use another sign that summarizes your mission or positioning statement in six words or less. Messages will be most memorable if they are quick and easy to read. Skyline Exhibits is one resource that can help with both signage and exhibits, and also offer frequent webinars for trade show education.
6. Practice Presentation
   
   The most important aspect of any trade show presentation is more about the presenter than the booth. Aim to send outgoing representatives with adequate product knowledge that can capture and engage your prospects. If part of your goal is to book sales, keep in mind that you will probably want to send someone with sufficient sales experience.
7. Follow Up
   
   Collect as many business cards and details as possible at the event so that you can follow up with potential clients and resources. An app like Card Munch can help organize these cards without the mess. Taking notes on relevant trade show contacts can help accelerate the process of developing relationships and meeting individual needs in the future.  Keep in mind that email may be a way to save time, but calling individuals on the phone will likely have a more dramatic impact on sales or building relationships. 

Good luck and we hope that you’ll find these tips useful at your next trade show. Remember to review the trade show and see if it was worth your investment before considering reserving a spot for the next year. If you’re interested in reading more about trade show strategies and the best ways to follow up, take a glance at these articles:

• 10 Tips for Working a Trade Show
• 4 Steps For Judging the ROI of a Trade Show

 If you have any strategies that you’ve found to be successful, please share them below! 

Our New Online Client Dashboard is Live!

Click Here to Login!

We are excited to announce our new Online Client Dashboard! This new feature will make it easier to maintain your business records. Inside, you’ll have convenient and immediate access to:

If you are a client, you should have received an email including your login username and password. If you did not receive this email, please visit the live chat on our website or call 800.421.2661 to receive your credentials!

We look forward to hearing your feedback and hope that this helps maintaining your business much easier!