ABC Online

Duct Tape Marketing Interview

President Jim Tracy in a podcast on ABC membership benefits and how America's Best Companies can help small business owners succeed.

ABC's Small Business Tips

Whether your issue is customer service, the Internet, sales and marketing, or practically any other small business problem, ABC can help with the tips and tricks you need, advice that will make a real difference.

Government and Economy

Obama: Economic Radicalism

It's becoming self-evident that the ongoing Wall Street decline and growing fears among small business owners stem, at least in part, from the realization that President Obama's policies are really meant to radically alter the US economy, as opposed to merely mitigating the financial crisis. WSJ.com

Coming Tax Breaks May be Funded by Higher Energy Costs

President Obama is promising to return auction money to Americans, via a tax cut he proposed on the campaign trail, a move called "sleight of hand," since people were counting on a tax cut in any event and now early cap-and-trade supporters are suffering from buyer's remorse. WSJ.com

Can Obama Tame the Bear?

With the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 20% since Inauguration Day, the fastest drop under a newly elected president in at least 90 years, President Barack Obama now has the distinction of presiding over his own, investor-punishing, bear market. Bloomberg

Management and Financial Issues

Cutting Hours: Adjusting to the New Normal

With the rigors of the recession making it hard to keep the doors open, one small business hit upon a solution that will keep their prices low, but at what cost? WSJ.com

When Crisis Strikes, What Should You Tell Your Staff?

Reminding employees that you're watching the bottom line can be useful, but you also need to offer clear direction on what employees can do to help turn the crisis around. CNNMoney.com

Technology Issues

Measuring Exit Clicks
Exit clicks should be a success metric for some businesses. Here are some examples. ClickZ.com

Benefits and Labor Issues

Decreased H-1B Visa Demand Good for Small Business

The decline in guest worker visa applications is good news for small companies that have found themselves shut out of the annual H-1B visa lotto. CNNMoney.com

Survey Finds Nearly 20 Percent of Employers Plan to Drop Health Benefits

Nineteen percent of employers responding to a new survey are planning to stop offering health benefits over the next three to five years, nearly five times as many as the 4 percent that said they were planning an exit strategy last year. Workforce Management

Sales and Marketing

Customer Service Is Even More Important Now
Five best practices for online customer service. ClickZ.com

B2B Sales: Provoke The Customer and Get the Sale

By using a technique called provocation-based selling, you can persuade your customers that the solutions you are offering are not just nice, they are essential. HarvardBusiness.org