Government and Economy
Geithner: Economy Stabilizing, Pain Ahead
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Monday the U.S. economy was beginning to stabilize, but cautioned that consumers will still feel the pain of the current recession. Reuters.com
Post-Recession America: A Vastly Different EconomyWith the US economy beginning to show some early signs of stabilization, people are wondering what the “new normal” economy is really going to look like? Here are some thoughts. MSNBC.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · May 18 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Mills: Banks Are Loaning Again
According to SBA chief Karen Gordon Mills, efforts to get money to capital-strapped small businesses are beginning to pay-off, with banks starting to make government-backed loans. WSJ.com
GM Begins Cutting 1,100 Dealers
Facing General Motors, facing a probable bankruptcy filing by June 1, is telling 1,100 U.S. dealers they will be terminated as the automaker starts shrinking its retail network. Bloomberg.com
By Charles M Cooper · May 15 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
White House: A Bit Loose with Stimulus Success Figures
It is difficult to capture the full effect of the stimulus at this early stage, but with the high bars set for success, the White House seems to be playing fast and loose with the facts in their first report on the effect of the program. Google.com/AP
Will Business Forward Help Small Business?
Business Forward, a Washington-based group soon to be launched by the Democratics, is dedicated to improving the business climate in the US, especially for small business. But the group prefers to remain silent on specific issues and now some are counselling caution about the...
By Charles M Cooper · May 14 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Is Obama Anti-Business?
The weekly assault on business by President Obama is becoming a fixture of this administration, or is it, as some Democrats say, merely an assault on business-as-usual? Yahoo.com/USNews & World
Climate Bill: It's On Its Way
There is a compromise in the works on carbon caps and while it may not garner Republican votes, it could bring skeptical Midwestern and Southern Democrats on board. BusinessWeek.com
By Charles M Cooper · May 13 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Taxing Financiers to Close `Unfair Loopholes'
President Obama is turning yet again to financiers as a source of tax revenue to plug holes in his budget and what he sees as gaps in the tax code itself. Bloomberg.com
Small Business and Middle Class Tax Relief Plan Unveiled
The Obama administration has unveiled its long-awaited proposal for approximately $736 billion in tax cuts for middle class families and almost $100 billion in tax cuts for small businesses, all over the next ten years. Forbes.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · May 12 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
White House Predicts Zero Job Growth This Year
Christina Romer, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, expects the GDP to begin growing in the fourth quarter of this year, but she also expects unemployment to rise after the economy turns, saying the GDP must grow at 2.5% before unemployment improves. NYTimes.com
Intense Bargaining Earns Banks Stress Test Concessions
After two weeks of intense negotiations, the Fed scaled back the size of the capital hole facing some of the nation's biggest banks shortly before concluding its stress tests, using a measurement of bank-capital levels that resulted in much smaller capital...
By Charles M Cooper · May 11 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from Friday, May 8, 2009
The Small Business tips today will be about tracking the results of your advertising, it’s absolutely fundamental to your success.
Coupons and offers with different codes for different runs or medias will help you find which ads and which route will do best for you.
In testing different offers, headlines, copy and design, save money: test ads on less expensive media; cheaper newspapers, smaller ads, etc.
Record how many calls from each ad come in. Use a phone extension even if you don't have one. It's a great way to track each ad.
You can also track by asking for your customer's zip code or phone number. This will tell you the demographic return.
Daily Overview: If you don't track your customer response rate, you will never know what is really working, and where you are just throwing your money away.
By Kim Fenolio · May 08 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, Advertising
Government and Economy
Obama's Budget: The Picture of Austerity?
President Obama defended the $17 billion in cuts he’s making in his record-breaking $3.55 trillion budget, deflecting criticism and trying to make the case that his budget in an exercise in restraint. Politico.com
Climate Czar Talks Cap-and-Trade With CEOs
White House climate “czar,” Carol Browner, is set to meet with executives from companies seeking more business-friendly rules to the President's proposed cap-and-trade legislation. Bloomberg.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · May 08 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
