Fwd: Toughing it Out vs Tough Economy

Being tough vs. the economy

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February 17, 2012 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF Share | Sign up | Archive | Advertise Problem. Solved.  4 ways to show you're tougher than the economy Many small businesses rise and fall with the economy, but it's still possible to succeed under difficult economic circumstances, writes Ken Sundheim of KAS Placement. It's important to stay positive, treat your employees well and persevere. "When things don't go your way, it is imperative you keep fighting. ... There is always light at the end of the tunnel," he writes. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (2/16)      Fly a lot? Earn 3X rewards points on airline purchases with The New Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster: • 3X points on airfare • 2X points on advertising, gas, and shipping • 1X points on everything else LEARN MORE AND APPLY Marketing  A low-cost way to conduct website usability tests Usability testing is critical to perfecting your website, and it doesn't have to be difficult, according to Steve Krug. A company can conduct an effective usability tests by finding three volunteers, creating a script to instruct them and observing how they use the site. MarketingProfs (2/14)      7 ways to get customers more involved with your company There are a number of ways to encourage your customers to interact with your brand, which can help to get a conversation going and even help with search-engine optimization, Danyl Bosomworth writes. It's important to integrate social-sharing options with your website and to make sure your blog is regularly updated and on target. "[H]ave a publication schedule to help you keep on-brand, on-topic and on-time," he recommends. iMedia Connection (2/14)      Organizational Privacy Architecture and Assessment This checklist for Ecommerce, Web Development and Design, and Direct Marketing professionals enables you to gauge your organization's privacy compliance and best practice levels. Thousands of companies leave the intricacies of privacy management to TRUSTe, the 13-year-old leader in online privacy. Gain an overview of the program today. Management  4 examples of incentives gone wrong Companies make a variety of mistakes when they try to implement incentive plans, writes Dave Logan. For example, creating a new compensation plan to encourage the sales force to close more deals can backfire if workers don't think it's possible to do so, he writes. Other mistakes include using incentives to address an issue that relates to only a small group of employees or to get people to do something they don't feel comfortable with. CBS MoneyWatch (2/15)      3 ways to locate your company's Jeremy Lin Just as Jeremy Lin has seized his chance to shine for the New York Knicks, it's possible some of your overlooked employees are ready to thrive if you would just give them the right opportunity. Companies should look for employees who have excelled in low-profile parts of their businesses and make sure workers are in positions that match their talents, according to George Anders, author of "The Rare Find: Spotting Exceptional Talent Before Everyone Else." Entrepreneur.com (2/16)      Money  A bright idea for saving your business money Some business owners shy away from making the switch to energy-efficient lighting because of the upfront costs involved, but using compact fluorescent bulbs and LEDs can save money in the long run, Kelly Spors writes. Some utility companies will help to cover the costs of energy-efficient lighting, which can make it an even more attractive option. Small Business Trends (2/16)      Advertising alone is not a complete mobile strategy. Learn how to use every mobile opportunity to your advantage. Download our report "Beyond Mobile Ads: 3 Tips for Your Mobile Marketing Strategy" and learn how marketers are building closer ties with on-the-go consumers as they surf, search, share, and consume entertainment on their mobile devices. SmartPulse  Are you ready for tax time? SmartBrief is writing a white paper on small-business taxes and would like to incorporate your thoughts. The results of the following poll questions will be included in the white paper, which will be available for free download after its completion.      Has your business ever been audited? Yes, by the IRS Yes, by an auditor we hired No What category accounts for the largest portion of your deductions? Furniture Equipment Home office Insurance Meals Office supplies Software Travel and entertainment Transportation Other I don't know Tips & Tools  Self-encrypting drives can protect your sensitive data A self-encrypting hard drive, which can automatically encrypt and decrypt information, can help to keep your data safe in case your computer is stolen, David Strom writes. There are also some products that can allow users to manage an entire system of drives. SmallBizTechnology.com (2/15)      Arming your business against online fraud attempts Dedicate one computer for financial transactions, give it a unique password and don't use it for e-mail. Separate the jobs and passwords for initiating and authorizing wire money transfers. Those are among the ways businesses can protect themselves from online financial fraud, experts say. Other tips: Talk to your bank to understand how to manage liability, review online banking records daily, and be wary of clicking on social network links. CIO.com (2/16)      The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Dollar Coin = Bad for America Interested in learning more about advertising with SmartBrief? Click here for detailed industry information and media kits.  Featured Content  3 Web Tools Boost Productivity and Enliven the Office Jacob Harper Small Business Week in Review OPEN Forum Editors How Thoughtful Blog Comments Can Pay Off Big Time Courtney Rubin Can We Recover From the Disease of Disengagement? Alexandra Levit How to Save $14,000 a Year at the Touch of a Screen (Really!) Courtney Rubin Just for Fun  Researchers declare Trinidad Moruga Scorpion the world's hottest pepper The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is the hottest pepper on the planet, according to researchers from the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. The peppers average a reading of more than 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale. The discovery will lead to "a run on seeds and plants," according to pepper-grower Jim Duffy. "Like Cabbage Patch dolls right before Christmas or Beanie Babies, it's like the hot item," he said. The Huffington Post (2/16)      SmartQuote  As the CEO, if I don't remain positive, I risk negativity spreading to my subordinates. The key is to be around positive, upbeat and successful people." --Ken Sundheim, CEO of KAS Placement, writing at The Globe and Mail      SmartBrief delivers need-to-know news in over 100 targeted email newsletters to over 3 million readers. All our industry briefings are FREE and open to everyone—sign up today! Accounting Advertising Automotive Aviation & Aerospace Biotechnology Business Chemicals Construction & Real Estate Consumer Packaged Goods Distribution Education Energy Finance Food Service Health Care Insurance Legal Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Nonprofit Retail Technology Telecommunications Travel & Hospitality This SmartBrief was created for profjorge.entrep@gmail.com John Jantsch, Editor at Large John Jantsch is author of "Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide" and "The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself." John is a marketing and digital technology coach and creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small-business marketing system. 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