Problem. Solved.

• Don't let desperation ruin your business
  When your company is struggling, you may feel pressure to do anything you can to get it back on track, writes Cornell professor Samuel Bacharach. "But it's precisely when you're fed up with your present situation and are willing to try something different just for the sake of it that you're most likely to be rewarded with a mediocre result." You can avoid making poor decisions in these situations by managing your ego and paying attention to relevant data, he advises. Inc. online (free registration) (1/17)      

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• 4 ways to optimize a LinkedIn profile for search
  Your business might be at an advantage if you can improve its LinkedIn profile's ranking on the site's search engine, A.J. Kumar writes. You can accomplish this mission by adding keywords to your business' profile and by building a larger network. "LinkedIn prefers to display results that have at least some connection with the search user -- even if these connections are only second or third level, rather than first level direct relationships," he writes. Entrepreneur online (1/16)      

• B2B marketers should change their position on positioning
  B2B marketers should shift their thinking about brand positioning from distinguishing a company from competitors to demonstrating "your company's strengths in relation to your customers' needs," Ardath Albee writes. Instead of writing an "about" paragraph that could apply to everyone in the space, think of positioning as "[t]he art of sharing your company's unique value in ways that resonate with your buyers, compelling them to engage, trust, and -- ultimately -- buy from you," she writes. Marketing Interactions Blog (1/16)      

• Why older workers often are smart hires
  Older workers can be better hires than younger ones because they are more dependable, have lower benefit costs and are more flexible with their schedules, writes Eric Holtzclaw, CEO of Laddering Works. "With no small children at home, mature employees are not rushing out at the end of the day to prepare dinner by 6pm or take their kids to soccer practice twice a week," Holtzclaw writes. Inc. online (free registration) (1/18)      

• 2013 employment trends that will affect your business
  Companies may pick up their recruiting efforts this year, which means that small businesses will have plenty of competition as they search for talent, notes Rieva Lesonsky. Companies will also leverage social networks to train their staff and find new employees, and businesses may have to deal with additional employment regulations. NetworkSolutions.com (1/18)      

• Financing options for business owners who want to buy a building
  If you're interested in buying office space for your company, you can either fund your purchase with conventional financing or with the assistance of certain programs offered by the Small Business Administration, writes Randolph T. Mason. "With SBA financing the major benefits to the business owner are that the buyer needs to contribute only 10 percent as a down payment, which helps conserve cash for the business owner to run their business." Commercial Property Executive (1/16)      

• How to get better referrals
  The first step to gathering better referrals from your clients is to do your research to figure out who is in their professional networks, writes Matt Anderson. "Google them, search LinkedIn contacts and think through what other people, groups or interests they have already mentioned in their life," he advises. You should also try to make sure your clients are aware of all of the different tasks your company is capable of performing. Duct Tape Marketing (1/17)      

• How to keep a record of your social media history
  Entrepreneur online/The Daily Dose blog (1/17)      

• Selecting the best data storage device for your small business' needs
  PCWorld (1/17)      

• New website helps connect small businesses with government contracts
  Inc. online (free registration) (1/18)      

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

• Why taking handwritten notes is a waste of time (Harvard Business Review online)

• A 12-month online marketing plan (Duct Tape Marketing)

• Do you have too many LinkedIn connections? (CIO.com)

• How to use a flash drive to repair your PC (PCWorld)

• How to automate your marketing efforts -- and why you need to (Social Media Today)

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

• Why coupons have a miniscule cash value
  Many coupons include fine print indicating that they are worth an incredibly small cash value. This fine print stems from laws that were passed to regulate trade stamps -- special stamps that merchants used to distribute and that could be exchanged for merchandise. MentalFloss.com (1/11)      

Before moving forward make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons, and don’t let your personal feelings unnecessarily influence your judgment." --Samuel Bacharach, professor at Cornell University and co-founder of the Bacharach Leadership Group, writing at Inc. online