ABC Online and On Your Side

Changes to the ABC eWeekly

We've got great news about the ABC eWeekly! We've reorganized our entire email effort. The newsletter now offers four consistent topics that cover what our readers want to read about the most including money matters, Internet marketing, sales and advertising and business technology. We have also added our social networking information so you can stay uptodate with the latest ABC news. Of course, we will keep the popular Q&A section as well as our small business tips and selections from the ABC Newsbrief. Are there other topics that you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us today, let us know your thoughts and follow us on the social networks!

Government, Politics and the Economy

Seidman: I Don't Want the Recession to End Yet

According to Dov Seidman, the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of LRN, we need more time to understand where our economy went wrong and to get Wall Street back into proper perspective. BusinessWeek.com

Next Six Months Will be Tough for Obama

In his first six months as President, Barack Obama got a $787 billion economic stimulus package, $750 billion for the financial crisis, and a down payment on a $1 trillion overhaul of the healthcare system. With greater policy hurdles before him, the next six months may be far more difficult. Bloomberg.com

Management and Operations

Turning Buzz Into Loyalty

Many small businesses enjoying sudden popularity are working to build loyal customer bases by reaching out on the Web, offering freebies and getting celebrities to try their products. WSJ.com

Listening: A Talent all Leaders Need

If you are a leader, you need to be able to listen—not just hear, but listen—to the things the people around you, your employees, your partners, your customers, are telling you. Here are five steps to being a better listener. USAToday.com

Legal Issues

Returning Vets: Be Their Ally, Not Their Enemy

Facing the largest re-employment of "citizen soldiers" in US history, employers must address the impact of returning military employees on their organizations, especially the owners of small and medium-sized businesses. Workforce.com

Be Careful to Avoid 'Accidental Contracts'

Most employment contracts are written with the assistance of an attorney, but an employment contract does not need to be written. It can be oral, or partially oral and partially written, and if you are not careful, you may discover that you have unknowingly entered into an employment contract with an employee. BusinessManagementDaily.com

Taxes and Financial Issues

CIT Worries Those With Receivables Credit

Small business lender CIT is a big player in the business of extending credit based on receivables, and its recent financial crisis has many of its customers worried. BusinessWeek.com

Six Ways to Impress Venture Capitalists

The competition for venture capital in the recession is fierce, and winning such funding can be very challenging for entrepreneurs. Here are six tips on how to appeal to investors. WSJ.com

Technology Issues

Social Media: Can a Visible Brand Ruin Your Life?

In today's world of social media, building your own personal brand can be as important as anything else you do in your career, but you have to be careful because major problems can crop up. ZDNet.com

Is Windows 7 the Vista We've Been Waiting For?
People in the know say that Windows 7 is just what Vista should have been all along, but wasn't. Get the perspective of analysts and small business owners who took part in early testing of the new Microsoft operating system to see if that is true. SmallBusinessComputing.com

Health, Benefits and Labor Issues

Obama Nominates NAACP Attorney as EEOC Chair

President Obama announced plans to nominate NAACP attorney Jacqueline A. Berrien as chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Workforce.com

Putting a Stake Through Office Energy Vampires

Vampires have moved from the graveyard to your business, and instead of blood, they suck up energy and time, lowering productivity and morale as they go. Here are several types you need to be on the look-out for. BizJournals.com

Branding, Sales and Marketing

Digital Marketing: Is Twitter Worth It?
The digital marketing world is abuzz about twitter, and the microblogging site's trending topics do hold opportunity for brands to connect with consumers, but does it offer any real, lasting value? ClickZ.com

The Misconceptions and Truths of Selling
Everyone thinks they can sell, but they think that because of their last encounter with a salesman. They don't really know the reality of sales as a profession. Here are some hard truths about being a sales professional. ManageSmarter.com

7 Persuasive Qualities of Powerful Sales People

Everyone in sales, at some point, will have to persuade someone that their product or service is the one they need. Here are the seven skills every sales person needs to convince others to change their mindset. BusinessKnowHow.com