EQUINOX Business Law Group - Seattle Bellevue

Continuous learning

November 28, 2007

I spoke with a colleague of mine recently who downloads articles from Harvard Business Review to listen to on his iPod while he's working out, driving, etc. This is a great way to keep up to date on publications that you either won't read or won't subscribe to in print. It's important to invest in yourself and your business through both practical and inspirational content -- figure out what works best for you from a learning standpoint and make a commitment to implement it on an ongoing basis!

Creative Thanksgiving

November 21, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving! A realtor friend of mine creatively incorporated a collection for Hopelink into her open houses for the weekend. She got 15 realtors on board to participate and was able to promote her listings through a giving program. Many of us participate in some holiday giving program as individuals -- how you might incorporate into your business to make it a more generous gift to the organization and a business building activity!

Counseling Disclosures

November 14, 2007

Counselors and many complementary or alternative health care providers are required to disclose to prospective clients certain information about their license, practice area and educational and experiential background. Some practices are even required to distribute a pamphlet to customers providing information on their rights as a client of the counselor or practitioner's services. If you are offering treatment in the areas of naturopathy, homeopathy, counseling or a similar field, make sure you are disclosing the relevant information to your clients. This information is intended to be a protection for consumers from misrepresentation by practitioners and you are required to disclose and distribute it. The requirements vary by practice area.

Website Requirements

November 07, 2007

Most companies these days have a significant presence on the web. Many, though, when they launch, don't think about adding "online contracts" to the site. These are usually the Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions and are sometimes confusing. The Privacy Policy tells visitors what information you collect and how you use it. It's a promise you make to them and many, many web users look for it on a site. If you implement a Privacy Policy, you must follow it. The Terms & Conditions (or Terms of Use) is the contract between the business and the customer, typically where there is a transaction taking place. It forces you to "agree" prior to finalizing the transaction and usually includes all the things that might be in a regular contract between parties -- price, terms, cancellation/refund policy, dispute resolution, limitation of liability, etc. Consider what you're doing with your website and how important these contracts are to giving your visitors confidence in you as well as protecting you from online transactions.