Business Liability and You: Things You Should Know

With millions of lawsuits being filed each year, liability insurance is more important than ever. Learn what you need to know to protect yourself and your business today and in the future.

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Yes, Virginia, There is a Job Fairy…and she’s a Gazelle!

A surprisingly small number of nimble, highly efficient firms--less than 4% of the businesses out there--are responsible for most of the jobs created in the U.S. economy. Who are they? How do they differ from other companies and how does your company stack up?

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America’s Best Companies’ Partner Program Expands

Always on the lookout for new ways to improve the bottom line for each and every one of our members, America’s Best Companies is proud to announce the addition of the following companies to our exclusive partner program.

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Buy-Sell Agreements: Continuity at the Top

Life, as the commercial tells us, comes at you hard. How are you and your partners going to ensure the continuity of your business if something should happen to one of you? A Buy-Sell Agreement can take care of that and more.

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Target Marketing and Consumer Privacy: Some Do’s and Don’ts

It is all about getting the product to the consumer, what could be more straightforward than that? When it comes to target marketing, you might be surprised. Sure, it does get relevant ads to relevant audiences, but knowing that someone is out there watching what people do on the Web and using that information to sell them things is more than a lot of people out there can stomach.

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Customer Stereotyping Leaves a Bad Impression

Every retailer has a strategy on how to best serve their customer. There's nothing insidious about that. However, there is a recent trend in retail that has made more than a few people uncomfortable. Read more...

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ABC Launches the eWeekly: Small Business e-Newsletter

Last week, America’s Best Companies (‘ABC’) introduced the ABC eWeekly, a free electronic newsletter for members and other small and independent business owners who want to be in the know on small business trends, strategies, and other information critical in helping to run a business.

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Online Reputation Management: Making a Great First Impression Over and Over Again

Your online reputation, like your credit rating, is a very important part of your business identity, but in this day of instant communication, that reputation can be tarnished or even destroyed by the click of a mouse. If that happens, what can you do? We have some answers right here.

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Go Ahead and Apologize, Just Don’t Turn it into a Marketing Campaign

You mother taught you to apologize when you hurt someone, but we have gone crazy apologizing to one another for every little thing and now, on some fronts, that is even creeping into business marketing! Enough is enough!

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American Confidence in Small Business

We like facts, but as a people and as a nation, tend to run on feelings—specifically confidence. It controls many of the choices we make. How do you feel about the Congress? Do you trust the Military? What are your feelings about small business? How about your church? We have the answers and they are very interesting.

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Speed Things Up: Five Cheap Productivity Tools

In the office environment, the cliche term “Time is money” is dead on. With a few small steps integrated into day-to-day operations, you can increase your efficiency and most importantly decrease your stress level...

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Changes at eBay have People Talking

eBay has been in the news recently for a variety of different reasons, check out some of the reasons the online powerhouse is making waves.

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Going International? Learn the Language

With the reach that the Internet can give your business into foreign markets, there is great opportunity to grow and prosper. You could run into some real snags, especially when it comes to your overseas marketing efforts, if you don't watch your language.

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Summer Jobs, Small Business and Community

There is something to be said about the old fashioned summer job we all grew up with, jobs that the current economic climate is making harder and harder to get. This is a symptom of something much larger, a consequence of choices made long ago that, like the high price of gas, we all have to live with. It's time to do something and maybe that something is opening your business to a teen this summer looking for work.

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Internet Forums: The Place to Be

Community forums, like blogs, are the new place to “hangout” on the Internet. Forums are great for networking and membership is usually free. Find out the top five small business forums and advice on how you can get started.

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Effective Customer Service – Dealing with Unhappy Customers

If you haven't already, you will encounter unhappy, difficult, and unpleasant customers. Handling these customers can be a challenge, but if approached in a proper manner, you will benefit from the experience.

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The Digg Paradigm: Community Spirit vs. Active Promotion

Everyone knows that having an article hit the front page of a popular social bookmarking site is an instant traffic boon that can't be ignored, but how do you get to the front page? Learn more about the issues involved.

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Small Business: When Government Stacks the Deck against You

We expect a degree of corruption, arrogance and drooling self-interest from our elected officials. However, we could have more respect for the operatives, the party-men and the politicos themselves if they could be just a little intelligent about it. Don't they know that giving big businesses the contracts set aside for small business is a felony?

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When Natural Disaster Strikes

Thousands of small businesses will be affected by natural disasters this year, and many of them won't have taken the necessary measures to protect their physical structures. However, that doesn't have to mean the end of the business altogether.

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Why does Health Insurance Cost so Much Part I: Health Insurance Fraud

Fraud costs health consumers about $100 billion per year. Who do you think covers the expense of that added risk? Everyone. Learn what to look for and what to do when you find it.