Small Business Update: News That Matters

Another week’s flown by, and whether or not you knocked everything off of your to-do list, you probably didn’t get a chance to catch up on the latest news and goings on in the world of small business. Fortunately, we did. From small business marketing, finance, social media, thought leadership, technology and more, we compiled the best information from around the Web to scratch your entrepreneurial itch, stretch your leadership skills and grow your business.

Ecommerce

  • Owners of brick-and-mortar retail businesses may experience reluctance or even outright resistance to expanding into the world of ecommerce. At worst, it can be completely overwhelming. At best, you need to be smart about dividing your time and money between the two concerns. But you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, learn from this small business owner who went before you.

Entrepreneurship

  • Here’s a startling statistic: More than 1,200 women start a business every day. And here’s another statistic that comes as no surprise at all: women-owned businesses are undercapitalized. And in other news, ice cream is delicious.
  • How would you like to make more money and have more time? Learn to let go and outsource. These tips will help you decide what to outsource and how to find the right person for the various tasks.

Finance

  • A cardinal rule of small business is to keep your personal finances separate from your business expenses. A dedicated credit card makes that easier. If you’re looking for a business credit card, or want to find one with better terms, a site called The Simple Dollar recently published a guide to the Best Business Credit Cards of 2014.
  • Unfortunately for many small business owners, money flows out of their business much faster than it flows into their business. Before you dial a collection agency or tear out what little hair you have left, consider these nine strategies for kicking your accounts right in the receivables.

Marketing

  • So much small business marketing today focuses on the Internet, but don’t forget the value that old-school, face-to-face marketing still offers. Events, for example, can generate a lot of new business, so brush up on your event marketing skills.
  • Running a small business is a constant learning experience. If you’re interested in learning about social media, small business marketing best practices, and legal services for your business, check out Local Lift—a traveling small business series from Main Street Hub, Yelp and Rocket Lawyer. The free roadshow’s coming to Brooklyn, Austin and Washington, DC this fall.
  • If you find the thought of adding videos to your small business marketing mix, take a deep breath and relax. Start with these three video marketing tips.

Productivity

  • Just about every motivated member of a company—from the CEO to the summer intern—wants to stay productive. And the number one productivity tool of all time is: caffeine. Its magic powers move beyond mere productivity: some believe that caffeine boosts creativity.

Social Media

  • We found a lot of Facebook tips this week, and given how quickly things change on Facebook, we’re going to list them all. Facebook wants to reduce the amount of spam that shows up in newsfeeds (a good thing). To that end, the company announced two anti-spam updates.
  • Have you noticed a drop, precipitous or otherwise, in your organic reach on Facebook? These tips and resources can help you stay in the game.

Technology

  • Sometimes it feels like there isn’t a square inch of privacy left in this digital age. Small businesses can take advantage of a wide range of services thanks to cloud computing. However, while many of these online tools and services are technically free, you certainly pay a price. The good news: you can opt for more private online alternatives.

Lauren Simonds is the managing editor of SmallBusinessComputing.com. Follow her on Twitter.

Do you have a comment or question about this article or other small business topics in general? Speak out in the SmallBusinessComputing.com Forums. Join the discussion today!

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