This Is The Worst Small Business Advice We've Ever Heard

There's a lot of good and bad business advice out there. After all, everybody has an opinion. But if you're a small business, it can be especially hard to tell what's right for you. To help you out, here are some of the worst pieces of advice for small businesses that we've ever heard -- and why you should ignore it.

'Never use a credit card'

Hear us out on why this may not be such good advice anymore. Some credit cards offer cash-back rewards so that you can put all your expenses on the credit card and get some of it back (and pay it all off at the end of each month, right?). But even if you don't have a credit card that offers rewards, look into one that allows for 0% APR or low interest rates.

This means you can put your expenses on the card and pay them off over time without any interest charges. This is a great way to get your expenses paid off without having to front the money. You can do this in conjunction with using an invoice factoring company as well.

This allows you to sell your invoices (the right to collect on them) for cash so that you don't have any more expenses at all. It's a great way to save yourself some money and get things paid off without the interest charges that credit cards can sometimes incur.

'Networking doesn't work'

We've heard this one before. But if you don't meet people, how do you connect with other businesses that might need your services? How do you meet that person who can refer your next employee? Networking is on a roll when that business owner down the street introduces you to a great distributor or vendor.

Networking is an effective way to build your clientele and promote yourself. By connecting with others, you can help get your name out there in the business arena. And if there are other companies you've networked with, then they can do the same for you.

'Social media is a big waste of time'

Even if you don't do a lot on them, a social media presence is important. This gives people a way to find you and know where you are and what you do. It establishes credibility and opens up a chance to communicate with your target audience.

Use your full business name for Facebook pages and Twitter handles so people can trust your accounts. Make sure you interact with people as they comment on your posts, and talk in a way that represents your brand.

Social media can be amazing publicity for small businesses. But odds are, people aren't going to stalk your feed. Plan to post once or twice a day to stay relevant. And don't forget to use videos, pictures and interesting hooks to capture audience attention.

'You absolutely need an office space'

This advice depends on your type of small business and how small your business actually is. Office spaces increase your business expenses and overhead considerably. If you're working out of your home and not in a retail setting, there's a good chance you won't need an office space. But if you're working with a team of employees, you may want to think about some sort of physical location.

'Marketing plans are a money pit, don't bother'

If you're not building any exposure for yourself or your work, then it'll be difficult to attract new clients. The truth is, you probably need a marketing plan in order to succeed. At the same time, don't waste your money on things that aren't targeted and measurable. As you run campaigns, track the number of leads that come in from each avenue over time, so you can monitor the profitability of your strategy.

Small businesses can succeed by putting solid advice into practice, focusing on what's best for their company's needs. With the right support, a small business can grow into something more.