Saving Small Businesses by Buying Local

Government and Economy

Saving Small Businesses by Buying Local

Tired of seeing local small businesses being ravaged by the recession, some people are trying to reverse the fortunes of mom-and-pop stores by organizing their towns to “buy local.” WSJ.com

Military Contracts: Big Help for Small Businesses

With the economy the way it is, some small businesses are finding both safety and profits in pursuing military contracts. NYTimes.com

Easy Credit: The Pros and Cons

The President recently unveiled plans to get banks to increase their lending to small businesses, but is this really the right approach for you? Experts detail the benefits and drawbacks of taking on debt. BusinessWeek.com

Management and Financial Issues

Employer-Employee Trust

Today, trust is all but vanishing, especially trust in our business leaders, and certainly within the workplace. Yet that need not be the case. In fact, when times are hard, fostering trust in your employees is more important than ever. Forbes.com

Land That Loan

If the government can successfully loosen credit, having the proper financial documentation can make all the difference when trying to secure a business loan. BusinessWeek.com

Technology Issues

Small Business IT Trends Forecast

Microsoft has released its SMB Insight report on the technology issues facing small businesses. Among other things, the survey identified declining revenue, competition from larger concerns and the overall economy as issues driving technology purchases. SmallBusinessComputing.com

Benefits and Labor Issues

The Value of IT Training
Creating an IT skills development program that uses cost-effective methods for each employee category is the key to success. ManageSmarter.com

Sales and Marketing

Is Your Email Getting Delivered to The Right Neighborhood?
When evaluating an email service provider, be sure to ask what neighborhood you'll be placed in. One bad apple could spoil the whole barrel. ClickZ.com

Google's Lessons on Printed Marketing Material

Anita Campbell always thought of Google as the quintessential electronic business, never expecting the search giant to print up little spiral bound booklets on printed marketing material and mail them to small business owners like her? But they did, and it made all the difference. SMBMarketingGuide.com