• NASE Honors Chairman Manzullo
• 110th Congress Off To A Busy Start
• Congress Debates Minimum Wage Measure
• Micro-Businesses Tout Success Of Word-Of-Mouth Advertising

NASE Honors Chairman Manzullo

As the new Congress begins, a few key champions of small- and micro-business will be moving on to other positions. In particular, the NASE bids a fond farewell to the House of Representatives Small Business Committee Chairman Donald Manzullo. Chairman Manzullo was the first to introduce an issue spearheaded by the NASE to eliminate the additional 15.3 percent in taxes that the self-employed and micro-businesses are paying on the cost of their health insurance premiums. We thank him for numerous hours spent on the legislation, as well as his tireless efforts to advocate for the nation’s smallest businesses. 110th Congress Off To A Busy Start With newly elected Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House leaders began implementing their agenda for the first several days of the new Congress, called the “first 100 hours.” The schedule began late last week with the adoption of the House rules governing ethics, lobbying and spending earmarks. This week, the focus shifts to various bills that will be debated on the House floor. This includes legislation involving a minimum wage increase, foreign policy initiatives, stem cell research, lowering costs on some prescription drugs, cutting interest rates on student loans and promoting federal incentives for renewable- and alternate-energy sources. The NASE will provide updates on any legislation that is of special interest to the self-employed and micro-businesses as it occurs. To monitor the legislative activities of the House of Representatives, visit http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.html. Congress Debates Minimum Wage Measure The federal government is set to raise the minimum wage for the first time in over ten years, if a Democrat-introduced minimum wage measure passes this week. The House is expected to pass legislation that would raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over the next two years. This has some Republican leaders pushing for provisions that would offer tax breaks to small businesses. They claim the nation’s smallest businesses will feel the squeeze of increased wages and should receive tax breaks to help shoulder costs. If the minimum wage bill passes the House, it will head over to the Senate where it will need 60 votes to pass. Right now, there are 51 seats filled by Democrats and 49 seats filled by Republicans. Leaders are hoping these proposals will gain traction when the bill reaches the Senate for a vote. House Republicans are also introducing measures to allow consumers to band together in association plans, a proposal the NASE supports. “It’s important for something substantive to be done about association health plans in this Congress,” said Kristie Darien, executive director for the legislative office for the National Association for the Self-Employed. “This is an issue the NASE continues to advocate for because we want more people to benefit from association plans.” Micro-Businesses Tout Success Of Word-Of-Mouth Advertising Micro-business owners are constantly trying to get the word out about their operations and say that the kind words of current customers are a sure bet for drumming up sales. That’s according to a recent online survey by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). “By and large, micro-business owners do not have the resources to hire a marketing firm to assist them,” said Kristie Darien, executive director for the NASE legislative office. “Some of the most popular marketing techniques for larger corporations, like print and radio advertisements, are the least successful for our members. Every penny matters, so they must be particularly efficient with their marketing dollars.” Less than 10 percent of respondents chose to acquire outside help when putting together their marketing and advertising plans, so keeping their existing clients happy becomes extremely important. “It costs three to five times as much to reach new customers as it does to reach the ones you already have,” said Gene Fairbrother, lead business consultant for the NASE. “Offering discounts on subsequent purchases or sending small gifts to customers on their birthday can do a lot to make sure they keep coming back.” For the full results of the survey, visit http://advocacy.nase.org/membersurvey/default.asp. Become a media contact and get the opportunity to share your experiences as a micro-business owner. Visit www.NASE.org/mediarelations/contactsheet.asp to fill out an informational sheet on the background of your business. Then, send it back to us at the contact information listed on the sheet. You can put your name in the hat to sound off on key legislative issues, and get some free publicity for your business in the process!