Tips from February 1, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss common website mistakes. Poor Maintenance: Broken links, "404 file not found" error messages, and links leading to the wrong place is frustrating for your website visitors. No Contact Information: A website is important for every business, and lacking contact information is detrimental. Address, email, and phone number are crucial. Poor Navigation: Dead pages, no links to your homepage, and disabling the back button on your browser is not only frustrating for visitors but also for web designers. Outdated Information: Old business hours and addresses are misleading to website visitors and potential customers. Old information hurts business, not encourage it.  Daily Overview: Poor upkeep & maintenance are the two biggest mistakes businesses make for their website. Avoid this by testing your website and updating information. [Read Full Article]

We've all seen the commercials. "I'm a Mac," "I'm a PC." The Apple sponsored commercials show the differences between the Mac and the PC in a humorous way, giving the Mac the edge. But, what don't the commercials show you? What do PC's have that's better? Are Mac's really the best choice all around, or is there a better option for small business owners? Let's explore.Back to the BasicsPerformance is one of the most important factors when deciding on which computer to buy for your small business. In general, the performance of any computer depends on the random access memory (RAM) which comes with your computer. The RAM is commonly referred to as the memory of your computer. More memory means a faster boot up and a more efficient experience. Based on information from various websites and my own personal experience with my PC and my college roommates' Mac, the two are very different. I have had one PC with Windows XP and one with Vista. Although Vista is the newer of th... [Read Full Article]

Tips from September 28, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss deciding on a computer for your small business. Laptops, although more expensive, are versatile, portable, take up less space, & good idea for traveling entrepreneurs. Desktops are good for small businesses looking to conserve money, have one computer set up, & have the room. PC's are the staple computer with Windows & share the same file type as most businesses; standard computer for biz. Apple's Mac is popular for the younger crowd. It's best suited for art & graphic design businesses.  Daily Overview: Laptop vs. desktop; PC vs. Mac; determine your needs! (stay tuned this week) [Read Full Article]

Government, Politics, and the Economyhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB125233977333690447.html Key Week for Obama Starts on Feisty Note President Obama starts off the Tuesday after Labor Day by stressing the importance of his new government-run-health-insurance program, while key senators collaborated for a bipartisan deal. WSJ.com Management and Operationshttp://www.womenentrepreneur.com/2009/09/hiring-without-the-headaches.html Hiring Without the Headaches Salary, taxes, and benefits are just some of the worries that arise for entrepreneurs when they decide to add on to their workforce. Small businesses need to have a hiring process in place to effectively hire employees for their small businesses. WomenEntrepreneur.com Management and Operationshttp://entrepreneur.com/sales/customerservicecolumnistsydneybarrows/article203136.html Prioritize the Customer Experien... [Read Full Article]

Tips from June 29, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be about ways to safeguard your finances to save money. Keep track of every purchase by saving receipts from transactions. Find an effective way to record purchases, whether a computer program or check book.  Validate purchases by keeping up with bank statements and your purchases. ABC members have a discounted program, Shoeboxed.com, for record keeping. Try http://bit.ly/7Qb58. Back up your computer! A virus, crash, or even a simple computer malfunction can erase data and records.  If you have a computer program for your finances, back that up as well.  Losing this information could cost your business hundreds of dollars and many hours of recovery.  Save your information on an external hard drive to ensure safety.  Check, recheck, and check again on your bank statements.  Although unl... [Read Full Article]