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Small Business Owners to Shoppers: Stay Put

Management and Operations
Identify New Consumer Norms
The recession has changed how customers shop, possibly forever. Entrepreneur.com

Management and Operations
Resolving Employee Complaints Before They Hit the Internet
The question is what to do about employee complaints about the workplace. It's more than a matter of damage control. Trying to repair the harm to internal morale, recruitment efforts, and corporate reputations after the fact is not as effective as preventing the damage in the first place. ManageSmarter.com

Management and Operations
Time to Audit Your Image
It's all in the details--from the friendliness of reception to your office decor. Entrepreneur.com

Management and Operations
Small Business Owners to Shoppers: Stay Put
The "buy local" movement is popular among small-business owners, but does it really work? WSJ.com

Legal Issues
Vulgarity Justifies Hostile Work Environment Suit
After complaints to management went unheeded, Ingrid Reeves resigned and filed suit, alleging she had been subjected to a hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Workforce.com

Financial Issues
A 'Systemic Shift' in Small Business Lending
As banks cut back on lending directly to small businesses, CDFIs are expanding their role and tapping recently formed bank holding companies for capital. BusinessWeek.com

Financial Issues
An Emergency Small Business
A stimulus measure crafted to get emergency funding to Main Street businesses has turned out to be such a flop that even its Congressional advocate wants the program killed. But for the 5,000 business owners who have jumped through all the hoops to land loans, even a flawed lifeline is better than none at all. CNNmoney.com

Technology Issues
Marketers to Spend More on Social Media as Usage Skyrockets
Rumors of a Facebook decline have been greatly exaggerated, according to a new Nielsen report that says the average person spent five and a half hours on social media sites in December 2009, up 82 percent from December 2008. Significant traffic increases for Facebook and Twitter led the way. ClickZ.com

Technology Issues
Microsoft Media Fastest Growing U.S. Ad Network in 2009
Microsoft Media Network was the fastest growing major ad network in the U.S. in 2009, according to data from comScore's Media Metrix panel. The measurement firm estimates the network's reach was 31 percent greater in December 2009 than it was during the same period in 2008. ClickZ.com

Branding, Sales, and Marketing
Global Sales Training's Balancing Act
A one-size-fits-all global sales strategy that fails to take into account the cultural, regulatory, geographic, and economic differences that exist across borders is a blueprint for failure. ManageSmarter.com

Branding, Sales, and Marketing
3 Ways to Talk so Clients Listen
If you want your clients to really hear what you have to say, you have to know how to say it in the most effective manner possible. In any given situation- business or otherwise-a person's main motivation is, "What's in it for me?" That means whatever you say has to be geared towards answering that very question for your listener. BusinessKnowHow.com

Branding, Sales, and Marketing
Eight Steps to Attracting Clients
There’s a logical sequence to building a business, whether it’s online or offline. There are certain things that must be done in order to see your business grow. By committing to follow these eight steps, you can attract more clients and have the kind of income you want. BusinessKnowHow.com

Branding, Sales, and Marketing
How to Boost Sales in a Deflated Economy
Introduce new products or services to help your small business beat the recession in ways that cost-cutting can't. Entrepreneur.com

Branding, Sales, and Marketing
3 Sales Lessons from the Massachusetts Senate Race
It seems that no matter who we are or where we live, those of us in the United States were watching the Senate special election on January 19, 2010. I know I was watching and learning. SmallBizTrends.com

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