May 22, 2013 08:00AM

ExpertCircle Launched: Find Products Recommended by Your Peers

DocStoc today launched ExpertCircle, a �site where you can find vendors and products for you business, recommended by your peers. �You can also suggest vendors and products to recommend them to others.

ExpertCircle is like sharing word of mouth for business vendors, but in an organized central place.

According to Jason Nazar, founder and CEO of Docstoc, “Most small business owners rely on word of mouth for business advice; with ExpertCircle we?re incorporating the ability for those same professionals Read More

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May 22, 2013 05:00AM

Why Website Analytics Are Vital For Your Business

Ten years ago, it was enough for a business to create a website, cast it out into the wild and merely sit back while the traffic rolled in. But in today?s increasingly technical world with big data seamlessly flowing, it has become essential for small businesses to study their website analytics in order to personalize the experience for visitors, compete with industry behemoths and improve overall business.

For those of you that aren?t studying your website analytics to enhance businessRead More

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May 22, 2013 02:30AM

U.S. Government To Pay $3 Million in Back Fees to Small Businesses

The U.S. federal government owes 1,281 small businesses approximately $3 million collectively in termination fees. The small businesses are ones that were approved to sell to the government on the GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule, but had their contracts terminated.

The failure to pay was uncovered after a year-long investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Small Business. �House Small Business Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) announced the findings.

Why the Fees Are Owed

The fees are related to guaranteed minimum Read More

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May 21, 2013 04:00PM

How Mansa Systems Crossed $2M Leveraging Salesforce AppExchange

In 2006, the concept of cloud computing was just beginning to gain ground. Siva Devaki saw the Cloud as a means to achieve his longtime dream of building a full-service IT company. He decided to leave his secure career working for large companies such as Oracle and VeriSign. Drawing upon his past experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications, Siva launched his venture that same year.

Initially, Siva focused his work on the Cloud computing Read More

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May 21, 2013 01:30PM

Hangout Magix: New Tool Lets You Add Branding to Google Hangouts

A new tool is available to give users options when it comes to Google Hangout graphics. Hangout Magix was unveiled on May 4 by entrepreneurs Alex Kozak and Bertrand Diouly.

The app is intended to work alongside Hangout Toolbox, a Google+ extension that is available on the left sidebar of Google Hangouts.

?Hangout Toolbox already lets you add some graphic elements to your presentations, but it?s very basic,? said Kozak. ?Hangout Magix gives you more options.?

The tool requires Read More

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May 21, 2013 11:00AM

Self-Employment Do and Don?ts: Create the Right Balance

When you are planning to start your new business and become self-employed, you need to know about the things you need to do. But that is not all. You also need to know about the things you need NOT do.

Properly Balancing Do and Don?ts

Customers ? Too Few or Too Many?

It is true that the chances of failure of a new business increase when it cannot generate sales. However, it is also equally true that the chances of Read More

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May 21, 2013 08:00AM

Main Streets May Soon Be Without a Bank

Is the main street bank becoming a thing of the past? Over the last three years, banks have been steadily closing branches around the country. Many small communities are finding themselves without a bank branch for the first time since the Great Depression. U.S. banks and thrifts shut 2,267 branches in 2012, according to SNL Financial, a Charlottesville, Va., research firm.

According to a recent Celent study, branch closing is long overdue. ?Branch growth over the last 40 years Read More

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May 21, 2013 05:00AM

How a Small Business Can Use Big Data

Big data is big news in today?s digitized world. With the explosion of Internet usage and social media networks, there?s a massive cloud of data being generated about people all over the world, and it?s growing at an exponential rate.

Until recently, big data has been a mining center for big business to learn more about customer behaviors, desires, trends and browsing or buying patterns. It takes a sophisticated system and considerable computing power to sort through all that information Read More

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May 20, 2013 04:30PM

5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Good Content

Getting good content is difficult enough. It often needs to come from a professional SEO writer, not just a professional writer, and that comes at a cost. However, what does a business do once the content’s there? It can’t promote itself, and this will take some Web savvy. Otherwise, it’s a complete waste of money and that’s something no business wants. Below are some tips.

5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Good Content

1. Use Analytics

Google AnalyticsRead More

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May 20, 2013 01:30PM

10 Ways to Improve Your Business with Mobile Technology

A recent study shows how reliant small businesses have become on mobile technology. The 2013 AT&T Small Business Technology Poll says 85 percent of small businesses now use some kind of smartphone. And 80 percent of small firms founded less than two years ago use tablets, the survey also showed.

Customers are becoming more mobile too. The International Data Corporation, a global marketing intelligence firm, says the number of smartphones shipped now outpaces the number of “regular” cell phones Read More

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