• 5 ways to sharpen your focus for business success
  For small-business owners like Olympic athletes, focus is critical for achieving success. Keep lists of what you need to get done and avoid the temptation to multitask, which is not generally effective. Shut out technological distractions such as Facebook and Twitter when you need to focus, and set up the visual and auditory elements of your office to enhance your concentration. FlyteBlog.com (8/3)      

• What to look for in a social media expert
  E-mail might be the cornerstone of Internet marketing, but social media is also a key element, David Choate writes. For the best results, you should enlist a knowledgeable and hardworking expert to handle your outreach on social platforms. You also can choose to outsource social media duties, but cost might be a concern with this approach, he writes. Small Business Trends (8/2)      

• The e-mail signature block is valuable ad real estate
  Don't overlook the valuable marketing real estate in the e-mail signature block, writes Lee Polevoi. Add to the usual company information -- which should include the website and blog address -- social media links, special offers and newsletter opt-ins. Don't let Apple co-opt your space with a "Sent from my iPad" ad. Change that line to something that promotes your business, while avoiding overindulgence and HTML formatting that won't make it through to every inbox. Intuit Small Business Blog (8/2)      

• Comments and questions that don't belong in a performance evaluation
  An employee might have a problematic personality, but you should focus on his or her behavior when delivering performance evaluations, Jeff Haden writes. "Talk about how those personality traits manifest themselves," he advises. Also, back up your comments with evidence and don't ask employees to evaluate their own performance. Inc. online/Owners' Manual blog (8/3)      

• Why small-business owners should keep their opinions to themselves
  Small-business owners should think twice before speaking out on a controversial issue as Chick-fil-A has done, experts say. "I don't think small businesses should play with religion or politics because you are bound to upset people in a way that is not core to your business," said Cliff Courtney of Zimmerman Advertising. That might not be a tragedy for a large company like Chick-fil-A, but it could be a death sentence for a small business. Fox Business Small Business Center (8/3)      

• You need to know your tax incentives
  Small-business owners sometimes overlook tax incentives that could help their companies, according to Jeremiah E. Thomas of Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter. "Knowing which federal incentives you qualify for and accounting for them on your annual tax return allows you to access 'easy' money," he said. Federal tax incentives are often the simplest to use, he said. Smart Business online (8/1)      

• 6 ways to limit the damage divorce can do to your business
  In addition to the emotional impact of divorce, the end of a marriage can also take a toll on a business, writes Jennifer Brandt. However, business owners can reduce the damage by planning ahead and having their spouses sign prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, and by hiring a skilled divorce attorney if things hit the rocks. Fox Business Small Business Center (8/2)      

• Social-collaboration tools can give your business a boost
  There are a number of social-collaboration tools on the market, each with its own purpose. Some of these tools are designed to help people communicate with one another; other tools help employees to work together as they prepare or review files. "Social collaboration is not just about replacing e-mail or sharing a document; it's about moving business ahead, solving problems and making strategic decisions," said Holly Simmons of SAP. Small Business Computing (8/2)      

• An easy way to create PDFs
  A tool called doPDF can allow businesspeople to create PDFs easily, Dave Johnson writes. The tool installs itself as a printer driver, so users can convert files into PDFs simply by printing to it. CBS MoneyWatch (8/1)      

Featured Content

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief on Small Business readers in the past week.

• 6 tips for better e-mail marketing (NetworkSolutions.com)

• 6 ways to be a better boss -- to yourself (Mashable)

• What do when an employee says "I'm outta here." (Inc. online)

• What small-business owners should know about Kickstarter (Small Business Trends)

• 3 small-business steps to major marketing success (Forbes)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

• Watch a 90-year-old pole vaulter in action
  William Bell, who is 90 years old, is still pole vaulting. A video included with this article depicts his attempt to clear 7 feet, 2 inches. Mashable (8/2)      

If you’re not in the business of opinions, then don’t give them out." --Steve Siebold, author of "Sex, Politics and Religion: How Delusional Thinking is Destroying America," as quoted by Fox Business Small Business Center