| Business news you can use from your Better Business Bureau® |  |
| Trends & Trust |  |  |
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- What leaders can do to stem the tide of distrust
Research has found that the public is distrustful of government and business institutions, and this can create serious problems, Holly Green writes. "When we don't believe that our business and political leaders tell the truth, it sets in motion a tidal wave of negative attitudes and ways of thinking and behaving that get in the way of achieving our goals," she writes. Leaders can begin to re-establish trust by acting with integrity and having open communication with the people they oversee, she adds. Forbes/Work in Progress blog
(2/12)     
- How to stop malware from infecting your system
Malware and other cyberthreats are on the rise, and a majority of businesses reported IT security events last year. Strategies for protecting your computer include updating your operating system and browser, using tough-to-crack passwords and educating your employees about security best practices, writes Dave Johnson. CBS MoneyWatch
(2/11)
- How to protect your smartphone from security threats
Chances are good that your smartphone is loaded with valuable data, which makes security a priority, writes Miguel Leiva-Gomez. You can protect your phone, your business and your reputation by using an anti-malware system, downloading the latest updates and being wary of apps that request excessive permissions, he writes. SmallBizTechnology.com
(2/12)
| Customer Satisfaction & Marketing | | |
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- Neglected customers often turn elsewhere
The average business loses about 20% of its clients each year by neglecting customer relationships, according to data compiled by customer experience consulting firm 360Connext. Fifty percent of customers will give a business only a week to address a problem before turning elsewhere, and businesses have only a 20% to 40% chance of winning back those customers. MarketingProfs
(2/12)
- Developing a schedule for content marketing
How often you need to update your marketing content depends on what types of media you are using, writes Pawan Deshpande, founder and CEO of Curata. Post on your company's social media accounts frequently, and consider using a tool such as HootSuite to schedule your tweets.
Update your blog at least once a week, and schedule e-mail newsletters based on your customers' preferences. MarketingProfs
(2/11)
- What executives can learn from Pope Benedict XVI quitting
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation is a reminder of just how tough leadership really is, says Nancy F. Koehn, a professor and historian. Neither CEOs nor spiritual leaders are supermen, and it's important that they admit that to themselves. "I don't think this is primarily about age. I think it's really about energy and enthusiasm and a kind of physical, moral, intellectual, and emotional verve -- an appetite," she says. "It's something that every leader is responsible for maintaining and feeding." Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network/Our Editors
(2/11), Forbes
(2/11)
- Reward your employees to maximize productivity
Rewarding your employees for their hard work is a good way to keep them motivated and create a strong community, writes Jacob Kache. "[T]he most effective rewards programs combine smaller, regular rewards, with bigger, more extravagant rewards at greater intervals," he writes. LeadChangeGroup.com
(2/11)
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| Funding & Finance | | |
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- Where to look for working capital
Working-capital funds are vital to owners of small companies. Sources of working capital include equity investments, bank lines of credit, factoring, trade creditor arrangements and short-term loans. Entrepreneur online
(2/11)
- 5 ways to find additional revenue
If you're looking to generate some extra revenue, look for ways to leverage your company's assets, suggests Jeanne Rossomme, president of RoadMap Marketing. For example, you can sublet some of your space, sell advertisements in your e-mail newsletters or make commission-earning referrals to other companies. SCORE Small Business Success Blog
(2/11)
| BBB in the News | | |
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- Ariz. businesses are warned about official-looking mailer
Some businesses have received fraudulent documents in the mail that are designed to look similar to papers from the Arizona Corporation Commission, according to BBB of Southern Arizona. The fraudulent documents request information such as corporate minutes and credit card information that would not normally be required. The mailer is an attempt to "intentionally create confusion by using language that is similar to that in Corporate Commission documents," the ACC said. KOLD-TV (Tucson, Ariz.)
(2/11)
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Several excuses are always less convincing than one."
--Aldous Huxley,
British author
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| About BBB® |
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For 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping consumers find businesses,
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Business Reviews on more than 4 million companies and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities,
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www.bbb.org.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella
organization for 115 local, independent BBBs across the United States and Canada, as well as
home to its national programs on dispute resolution and industry self-regulation.
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| | Recent BBB TrustBrief Issues:
- Monday, February 11, 2013
- Friday, February 08, 2013
- Wednesday, February 06, 2013
- Monday, February 04, 2013
- Friday, February 01, 2013
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