| Business news you can use from your Better Business Bureau® |  |
| Trends & Trust |  |  |
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- How to build trust with your customers over the Internet
For companies, achieving success online isn't just about using the right platforms, it's also about building trust, writes Wendy Lea of Get Satisfaction. "When it comes to earning trust, it's not if you answer, it's how you answer," she writes. "Recognize the type of feeling your customer is having, and respond in an empathetic, emotionally intelligent way." It's also important to provide multiple ways for your customers to get in touch with you. Mashable
(5/17)     
| Customer Satisfaction & Marketing | | |
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- Ask questions to fine-tune your marketing strategy
Asking questions can help to refine your marketing strategy, which John Jantsch defines as the manner in which you "plan to use the resources available to you to build an ongoing case that your business, products and services are the obvious choice for a narrowly defined ideal customer." For example, you should ask yourself about what sets your company apart from the competition and about what revenue sources are available to you, he writes. Duct Tape Marketing
(5/15)
- Why entrepreneurs shouldn't ignore advice
While resolve and determination are positive qualities for an entrepreneur, it's also important to listen to what other people have to say, according to Brian Hamilton of Sageworks. "What separates the great entrepreneurs from the merely good ones is the ability to let information in," he notes. Inc. online/Making Cents
(5/17)
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4 tips for making better hiring decisions: When filling an open position at your business, don't just rely on a person's resume, writes Raj Sheth of Recruiterbox. Instead, try to give people some sort of sample project that you can use to evaluate their skills, he recommends. Also, don't put too much stock in references, because most people will only supply positive ones. Small Business Trends
(5/16)
 | Most small business owners know the importance of managing credit effectively and that a "one size fits all" model won't work. Use Managing Credit - Made Simpler to find the right credit management model for your business and to help identify strategies to ensure you are on top of your business's financial condition. |
| Funding & Finance | | |
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- Should small businesses work with big banks?
Recent experiences have led some small-business owners to wonder whether large banks are willing to see them through the ups and downs that can come with running a small company. "In a bigger bank there are lines of authority that the borrower doesn't understand," said Charles Withee of The Provident Bank. Still, Robb Hilson of Bank of America argues that larger banks can be the right choice for small businesses. CNBC
(5/16)
- How small businesses can succeed at raising money through crowdfunding
Small businesses will soon be able to sell equity stakes online, but there are certain things they should keep in mind before jumping into crowdfunding. For one thing, it's important to do your research before settling on a platform, according to David Millard of law firm Barnes & Thornburg. Businesspeople should also be careful not to give away too much equity, experts say. The Wall Street Journal
(5/16)
| BBB in the News | | |
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| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Confusion is a word we have invented for an order which is not understood."
--Henry Miller,
American writer and painter
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| About BBB® |
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BBB is the leader in advancing marketplace trust - it is an unbiased, non-profit organization that sets and upholds
high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Across the U.S. and Canada, 116 BBBs serve communities by
evaluating and monitoring more than four million local and national businesses and charities. Learn more at
www.bbb.org.
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| | Recent BBB TrustBrief Issues:
- Wednesday, May 16, 2012
- Monday, May 14, 2012
- Friday, May 11, 2012
- Wednesday, May 09, 2012
- Monday, May 07, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: Brooke Howell
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