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Charles M Cooper

Charles M Cooper

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.

Tags: unemployment, jobs, teens

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Posted: 6/18/2008 | Comments (2)

Brittany Higley

Brittany Higley

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.

Tags: forums, smo, seo, social marketing, optimization, blogs, weblogs, small business, marketing, advertising, networking

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Posted: 6/17/2008 | Comments (3)

Cheryl Sowa

Cheryl Sowa

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.

Tags: customer service

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Posted: 6/17/2008 | Comments (0)

Ed Hubert

Ed Hubert

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.

Tags: social media

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Posted: 6/17/2008 | Comments (5)

Charles M Cooper

Charles M Cooper

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?

Tags: big business, sba, contracts

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Posted: 6/16/2008 | Comments (0)

Lisa Doyle

Lisa Doyle

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.

Tags: disaster, sba

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Posted: 6/13/2008 | Comments (0)

Charles M Cooper

Charles M Cooper

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.

Tags: fraud, health insurance

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Posted: 6/12/2008 | Comments (0)

Cheryl Sowa

Cheryl Sowa

How to Motivate Your Employees

Motivated employees are the key to a successful business. Incentives provide employees with a sense of pride through productivity, efficiency, and professionalism. In fact, a 2008 study by Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice concluded that motivation is a predictor of small business growth. Here are five ways to motivate your employees.

Tags: motivation

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Posted: 6/12/2008 | Comments (0)

Lynn

Lynn

15 Ways to Reduce Your Stress Level at Work

While many people dream of owning their own business, the stress associated with being an entrepreneur is far from desirable. A recent Staples survey of U.S. business owners with 1 to 20 employees found that two thirds of them work on evenings, weekends and holidays; 49 percent work while driving and 18 percent deal with business e-mails and messages while in the bathroom.

Tags: stress

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Posted: 6/12/2008 | Comments (22)

Cheryl Sowa

Cheryl Sowa

Tips on Effective Hiring

No Human Resources department? No problem. Hiring for your small business can be a challenge for many small business owners. Fortunately, there is a basic formula to shorten the process. Follow these simple steps and you will be on your way to filling a position in no time.

Tags: hr, hiring

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Posted: 6/12/2008 | Comments (1)

Charles M Cooper

Charles M Cooper

Lessons of Small Business Survival: What you can learn from the World’s Oldest Companies

Opening a business can be risky, but there are businesses out there that have managed to weather whatever storms life could throw at them. These companies, many still owned and operated by the descendants of the people who started them, have some very valuable lessons to teach today’s entrepreneurs.

Tags: starting a business

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Posted: 6/11/2008 | Comments (0)

Lisa Doyle

Lisa Doyle

Make Online Shopping Easier for Your Customers

Have you ever shopped for something online, added it to your e-shopping cart and then, at the last minute, backed out of buying it? Chances are you have--and if your business sells its goods online, your clients have done so as well.

Tags: sales

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Posted: 6/11/2008 | Comments (3)

Cheryl Sowa

Cheryl Sowa

Big Idea Solutions for Big Problems Facing Small Businesses

Data recently collected from mail surveys circulated to 3,530 small businesses showed that small businesses face issues ranging from day-to-day operating costs to taxes and insurance. The data also showed that small businesses are at a disadvantage when competing against big box retailers. Here are some of the big problems and solutions for small businesses.

Tags: health insurance, taxes, consumer

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Posted: 6/11/2008 | Comments (0)

Charles M Cooper

Charles M Cooper

Small Business Boost from the U.S. Senate? Don’t forget Energy!

The President and the Senate both have plans to help small business, but will it be enough in the face of runaway energy prices? Find out here.

Tags: sba, energy

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Posted: 6/10/2008 | Comments (0)

Dave Cosper

Dave Cosper

Small Biz Statistics You Should Know About

Sometimes it’s good to know where small businesses stand today and what factors effect their success or failure. While the mega-marts and giant online retailers grab most of today’s headlines, there are plenty of interesting stats out there regarding small businesses ... For instance, each year there are over 1,000,000 small businesses started in North America. 800,000 of these fail in the first five years.

Tags: small business, statistics, stats, small biz

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Posted: 6/10/2008 | Comments (2)

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