Your company logo is one of the best representations of your brand, your products or services, and your company. More often than not, it’s also the first impression customers have with your brand.

If you have run out of ideas of creative ways in which to use your company logo, it can be good to remember that sometimes simple is better. After all, images do speak louder than words. Perhaps it’s time to turn to a little guerrilla marketing for some innovative and inspiring uses for your logo.

Here are a few ideas for unique ways to use your company logo:

As part of graffiti art. Perhaps you are seeking something eye-catching, and you happen to have large amounts of space on your building where you would like to market. Hire a graffiti artist to incorporate your logo into an art piece (as per local signage laws) that fits your brand.

Sponsorship on public transportation. Some cities with modern light rail systems sell sponsorships to put your company logo on the rail cars. The same can be true in other cities with street cars. What better place to publicize your company logo?

On company vehicles. There’s no better place to display your logo and brand than your own company vehicle. For a relatively low cost, you can have wrap-around professional graphics installed on your vehicle fleet. If you want to get creative, partner with other companies who have vehicles (such as radio stations) to create co-branded graphics.

Bottom of the glass. A branded pint glass adorning your company logo is always a great way to reach potential customers while they are unwinding at local pubs. Now, promotional companies will even print your logo at the very bottom of the glass.

Creative door handles. There’s no better (or obvious) way to get someone’s attention easily than when they reach for a door handle to enter a building. Incorporate your logo into the handle of the door with marketing graphics [like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/inagorillacostume/5742886352/].

Do you incorporate a strategic visual presence on your social media channels? If not, know that you’re not alone, but also that you should really read on.

People who are familiar with social media marketing know that visuals – colors and images – dominate the social media space. In fact, there is loads of valuable data to support the premise that choosing the correct colors and images for items you share online will impact the effectiveness of your marketing and brand recognition, connect with your community, and drive purchasing. Basically, it makes you memorable.

So how do you go about incorporating the right colors and visuals on social media? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Set your color palette. Your company should have specific colors associated with it, and use them uniformly to create brand recognition and convey brand personality across all social media channels.

And use the right colors. People have emotional responses to colors. Studies have shown color increases brand awareness by up to 80 percent and may be 85 percent of the reason people buy. This infographic shows the emotional guide to color.

Set your fonts. Don’t forget about the importance of fonts in conveying your brand. Pick two or three fonts, and use them across all of your marketing and media channels.

Understand buying influences. People are inherently (65 percent) visual learners and 92 percent of buyers make decisions based on a visual factor. Color can increase brand recognition by up to 80 percent and comprehension by up to 73 percent.

Visuals dominate social media. When you can, show it instead of saying it. Photos on Facebook get 53 percent more likes and 104 percent more comments, while images on Twitter get 150 percent more re-Tweets.

So try photo filters. You can add a “look” and consistency to your images and photos with photo filters. Reinforcing your brand’s culture, vibe and personality with photo filters – and doing it consistently – will help convey the type of messages you intend.

Create social media templates. Using templates with consistent elements (fonts, colors) for your updates (sales, promotions, images, quotes) across social media channels will make your campaigns easily recognizable.

Every successful business relies on efficient software behind the scenes. The ability to start, run and grow your business only happens when you are supported by software solutions that create advantages.

There is certainly no shortage of business management software out there to choose from. And many focus on certain aspects of business such as accounting, project management, scheduling, supply chains, facilities, and so on. Other business management software have a broad focus as more all-in-one solutions.

So what will work best for you? Here’s a short list of the top business management software.

SAP Business One – Small business software that can help you better manage every aspect of your company – from sales and customer relationships to financials and operations. The affordable, scalable small business software is servicing more than 40,000 businesses.

Mhelpdesk – This all-in-one software can handle just about everything, including managing field employees, booking jobs, invoicing clients and managing work orders and billing. It’s ideal for small businesses who need improved organization, mobile access, scheduling, and billing.

Netsuite – This cloud-based software combines back-office operations and financials, CRM, e-commerce and PSA in one unified system connecting all of your data. The award-winning software is running more than 20,000 businesses.

Front Desk – Widely used in hospitality and service industry companies, this simple client management tool helps you manage scheduling, attendance, billing and invoicing, financials, e-commerce and even marketing.

So, what’s in your desk?

That might seem like an odd question, but face it, you spend a lot of time at your desk. So, it makes sense that you would have a stash of necessary items that can help you navigate almost any situation, from an impromptu client meeting to a dying smartphone to an unplanned rainy day.

As a professional, you need to be prepared for contingencies, especially the ones you would normally overlook. Here are 10 items every professional should keep in their desk.

Device chargers – You never want to be caught with a dying tablet or smartphone when you really need it, so keep extra chargers stored away. Chances are a client or colleague might need them as well.

Lint roller – Pet hair or fuzzies from your office chair aren’t a great look for you or your co-workers when you’re in a rush to get to a client meeting.

Extra set of keys – Your neighbors likely have a set, but it makes too much sense to keep an extra, unlabelled, set of home and car keys at work. You will be glad you did.

Energy snacks – There will be times when you don’t have time to eat properly, so keep supplies to power up. Energy bars, almonds, vitamins and powdered energy drinks will help in a pinch.

Mouthwash and breath mints – It would be easy to regret not having these items around when you need them.

Hand sanitizer – It’s easy to pick up germs after shaking hands or riding on public transportation. Also keep bacterial wipes on hand to disinfect your work area.

Plastic silverware – You don’t want to be caught with take-out or delivery and no way to eat it when you’re in a rush. Plus, you’ll be stocked for every impromptu work celebration.

Umbrella – A sudden rain storm is made much worse when you have to get through it to meet an important client and you’re not prepared.

Earbuds – These will come in handy when you have extra work to do and need to focus.

Deodorant – A travel-size deodorant or antiperspirant can be great during the summer months or when you’re rushing to meetings and appointments.

Yes, it’s almost tax season again. As a small business owner, you’re keenly aware of the looming tax deadlines that will impact how you go about your business.

It’s that time of year for small business owners to get their financial ducks in a row and prepare for tax season. There are many new pending tax changes afoot, some of which will be particularly important and need to be on your radar when you meet with your tax professional.

Here are five tax changes for 2015 small business owners should be aware of:

The Affordable Care Act. Changes here should be at the forefront of your tax agenda and planning. This is especially true if your small business is near, or just passed, the 50-employee threshold. Business with more than 50 employees must offer health-care insurance to full-time workers, a mandate which is expected to be enforced in 2015.

Retirement account contributions. Many of the rules regarding contributions to retirement accounts are changing for 2015, allowing employees to put away much more than previous years. For SEP-IRA and solo 401(K) accounts, both commonly used by small business, the maximum contribution has increased to $53,000. Employees may contribute up to $18,000 for 401(K) accounts.

Tax extenders may expire. Within the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 that expired at the end of 2013, there were 55 extended tax benefits. Of those expired benefits, 14 impacted small businesses.  Be prepared if your business has relied on any of the benefits that have not been renewed.

Increase in corporate tax rates. This is one of the key issues for small businesses in the upcoming tax season. Companies structured as corporations currently pay a higher rate, and if corporate tax rates are lowered, how small businesses are structured could impact their tax advantages.

Expiration of tax credits. Small businesses may find that many of the tax credits they previously relied on have expired or been greatly reduced. Bonus depreciation ended in 2013. The work opportunity tax credit and the energy tax incentive are also both gone. Section 179, allowing business owners to deduct the entire cost of certain assets, has been greatly reduced.