ABC Online and On Your Side
EZlocal.com Gets a Redesign
EZlocal.com recently got a redesign. More members are seeing their business on the site as a Featured Listing on the local homepages, search results and more! If you're a paid ABC member you can login to add coupons, images and detailed descriptions to drive even more traffic to your business.
Government, Politics and the Economy
Fed's Yellen: `First Solid Signs' of Emergence From U.S. Recession
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Janet Yellen has made a statement saying that the US economy is showing the “first solid signs” of emerging from the recession and that it should resume growth later this year...
By Charles M Cooper · July 28 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from July 27, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss time management. Step 1: Get the right mindset.
Reality is, everyone only has 24 hours in a day. Learn to how to manage that time, but don't forget to relax!
Start with yourself. YOU are in control. Don't let time manage you. Resolve to take control & manage your time.
Acknowledge you need help to manage time. Be open to suggestions. Realize you must make sacrifices in order to change habits.
Don't waste time! Start now! Time stops for no one. Once you take control of time, you will be able to change the future.
Daily Overview: Everyone has the same amount of time - the challenge is to start to use it effectively. There is no time like the present!
By Cheryl Sowa · July 27 2009
small business tips, small business, time, time management
Government, Politics and the Economy
SBA's Karen Mills on How She's Thawing Small Business Credit
SBA Administrator Karen Mills discusses how her agency is working to get banks to lend to small business again. BusinessWeek.com
Polls, Politics and the Small Business Majority
Do the Small Business Majority's Polls really indicate support for requiring employers to provide healthcare or pay the penalty? We don't know and here's why. NYTimes.com
By Charles M Cooper · July 27 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
With a recent ruling from the California Supreme Court, companies across the nation are taking another look at their non-compete agreements with their employees. The Court upheld a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the case of Edwards v. Arthur Andersen, ruling that the non-compete agreement at the heart of the case—prohibiting Edwards from working for or soliciting Arthur Andersen clients for limited periods after his employment ended—was void. In its ruling, the Court emphasized California’s strong public policy favoring open competition and employee mobility, and determined that non-competition agreements are permissible only if they fit within one of the statutory exceptions of California Business and Professions Code Section 16600, which states: "Except as provided in this chapter, every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void." Those exceptions relate to the sale or dissolution of c...
By Charles M Cooper · July 27 2009
small business, non-compete agreements, contract enforcement
Tips from July 24, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss how to use Facebook to market your business.
Create a Facebook Page instead of a Group for your business. People can become fans & receive better updates & more info.
Brand your business. Include content about your business & show what is unique. Personalize. Upload your logo, pics, & videos.
Inform your fans on your Facebook Page using feeds, posting articles, links, or photos & videos relevant to your business & fans.
Invite friends & family to your Page to create buzz about your business. Start personal at first, then customers & the community.
Daily Overview: Start a Facebook Fan Page with relevant info, personality, & start "close to home."
By Cheryl Sowa · July 24 2009
small business tips, small business, facebook, page
There is nothing unusual about conflict in the workplace. In fact, it would be unusual if yours was perfectly harmonious. Your employees will have disputes with each other and with you, and while you cannot keep it from happening, you can work to resolve the issues as quickly, cleanly and fairly as possible. Here are 3 tips that can help you return harmony to your office.
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
Listen, consider and then boil it down. Listen to each side as they tel...
By Charles M Cooper · July 24 2009
small business, conflict resolution
Government, Politics and the Economy
How Should Government Encourage Small Business Innovation?
Within Congress, there are two visions of how the government should harness the power of small firms to innovate that need to be reconciled, visions that pit bootstrapped companies against venture-backed companies. NYTimes.com
Consumer Sentiment Posts First Drop Since February
Confidence among American consumers dropped in July, the first time in five months, as mounting unemployment and depressed wages battered households. Bloomberg.com
By Charles M Cooper · July 24 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from July 23, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss how to write an effective tweet.
Be helpful, not pushy. Tweet info relevant to your business & followers. Sole self-promotion will lead to people unfollowing you.
Let your personality shine though. Followers can decide if they like you. If they like you, they're more willing to trust you.
Be entertaining! People should enjoy reading your tweets. If they're boring, there's less desire to create a relationship with you.
Use services like Twitter Search to find what others are saying about you on Twitter. Respond. Reply. Retweet.
Daily Overview: Get your info out there in 140 characters with personality & maybe even entertain in process!
By Cheryl Sowa · July 23 2009
small business tips, small business, twitter, follow
