Professional Business Network

Thinking of investing in social media but struggling to know where to start?

According to a December 2009 survey by Ad-ology, 46 percent of small business owners said they wish they knew more about social media.

And, while coming up with a social media strategy is one thing (the resources at the end of this article provide pointers on this), it also helps to have a basic understanding of what each of the major social media sites can and can’t do for your small business and its customers.

Here’s a quick 101 on how to best leverage the top three social networking sites — Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Twitter

It’s a common misperception to think that Twitter is just about personal updates and “Tweets” (messages of 140 characters or less) about where folks are and what they are doing. Today

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“We vaccinate to protect our future.” This succinct message from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains the importance of immunizations. During National Immunization Month, take the time to make sure you and your family’s shots are up-to-date and then initiate steps to protect the future health of your organization.

Much like vaccinations are an important shield against health threats for humans, business leaders can defend their organizations against internal and external threats by “immunizations” that take the form of careful planning.

With our economy in flux, CEOs must have plans in place to navigate today’s difficult economic times. Lee Frosc

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Why would anyone want to start a small business?  One of the positive things that come from poor economy is the surge of small business start ups. Although many will fail, starting a small business, even a part time business, can be very rewarding.

If you need to find reasons why you should pull the trigger on a new business concern, here is a list of reasons why.

Cash is king

Most people need the extra cash that a small business will bring in, hopefully. If you just lost a job, or are on a pay cut, starting a business in your spare time can easy the pain of lost income. If you happened to be in this position, plan your business carefully. Make sure that you do not over extend yourself in the money department.

Security

I have found myself in the position of asking the question, how secure is my job? Today you could argue that few jobs are really secure.

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The U.S. government offers many resources and programs to help small business owners expand into overseas markets. But, you might be surprised at just how much Uncle Sam has to offer.

For example, did you know the government can help target and facilitate meetings with potential partners and buyers? Or that Uncle Sam provides U.S. exporters with international marketing and promotion opportunities?

Let me introduce you to Export.gov.

Operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce as a collaborative effort with 19 other agencies, Export.gov is quite literally a goldmine of information, tools, and programs for anyone looking to navigate the exporting business and succeed in the global marketplace.

Whether you are new to exporting, looking to expand your existing exports or ready to take your export business online, here are eight essential resources that Export.gov offers small business owners.

1.

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Studies say that working in an office is inherently bad for you. They say that offices sap your energy. If you’ve ever felt that, then perhaps now is the time to do something about it!

You don’t need the most sophisticated or the most expensive stuff in your office to make work it well. However, what you do need to do in your office is to apply the principles of Feng Shui.

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of directing energy through placement. Once everything in your office is in the proper ‘place’ then the energy, productivity and money will flow.

Many people would be shocked to learn that how they have their office arranged is not even close to Feng Shui principles. Are you ready to invite in all that good energy you’ve been missing?

Let’s begin with 5 easy answers. (Please Not

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Image by chispita_666 via Flickr

I’m not a great golfer. OK, let me rephrase that. I’m a terrible golfer.

But of the little I do know about the game, other than the fact that during the summer months more business deals may get done on the course than in the office, following through on your swing is pretty important.

And as our social networks grow, I’d like to suggest that following through is the most important thing one can do to stay ahead of the pack.

As media choices proliferate, messages are easily jumbled. E-mails are missed, voicemails are lost and feelings are hurt. And Read Full Post…

We’ve all heard about the benefits of social media marketing as a tool for engaging with customers, building your brand, and increasing your business reach.  But just how is it done?

So many brands (big and small alike) make the mistake of using social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook for simply pushing messages out but not listening to or joining in the conversations that are going on. In other words, they ignore the fundamental point of social media – being SOCIAL!

But just how do you get social? Saying you’re on Twitter or Facebook is not enough, because while it’s free and easy to build a social media presence, when it comes to growing it and seeing ROI – social media marketing is easier said than done.

Which is why SBA and Google partnered earlier this year to create a series of video “shorts” that educate local businesses about how to succeed online. Entitl

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