Stories from the Street

What sequestration means for small-business owners
Small businesses could feel the sting of sequestration as the government cuts its spending and some workers are left with less money. "Less income means those workers will not visit the restaurants around the corner, bring dry cleaning to small businesses at the end of the block," said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. One study from late last year found that almost a million small-business jobs could be endangered by sequestration. CNBC (2/28)

Caring for Customers

How to market your company on Pinterest
The first step to setting up a successful Pinterest page for your business is to set clear goals for using the site, writes Kim Lachance Shandrow. Do you want to publicize your commitment to a cause, for example? Use images to tell a visual story about your company. "Choose brightly colored, interesting pictures that show your followers how they can use your products and services in interesting, non-promotional situations," she recommends. Entrepreneur online (2/27)

Get more mileage from your marketing content by repurposing
Creating marketing content is a time-consuming process, so try to reuse your content in as many ways as possible, writes Dan Kraus. For example, you can get more mileage out of an article you wrote by putting it on your website, sharing it on social media and using it as a basis for future blog posts, he writes. Duct Tape Marketing (2/27)

Keeping Shop

Don't grow too fast, and other business mistakes to avoid
It's tempting to expand your business as quickly as possible, but careless growth can cause problems, writes Jan Fletcher. "Invite a seasoned entrepreneur to give you feedback (and perhaps a reality check) on your expansion plans," she recommends. Among other common pitfalls for business owners are insulting competitors and bragging too much. Intuit Small Business Blog (2/28)

Making sure your sweepstakes and contests are legal
Sweepstakes and contests can be a good way to build buzz about your brand, but they can land you in legal trouble if you aren't careful, writes Deanne Katz. You can avoid some legal pitfalls by making sure the rules are clearly stated and allowing people to enter the competition without having to pay. In general, it's best to use e-mail rather than social media sites to let entrants know whether they have won. FindLaw/Free Enterprise blog (2/27)

Managing the Money

The true cost of hiring an employee
Expenses such as health benefits, taxes and retirement plans can inflate the cost of hiring workers. In total, employees may end up costing employers as much as 26% more than their base salaries. This article shows how a worker who earns $70,000 may cost the employer $88,000. CNNMoney (2/28)

Tips & Tools

6 ways to stop hackers from striking your business
Cyberattacks can take a significant toll on small companies, but research shows that the majority of small firms haven't developed cybersecurity plans. Guard against hackers by encrypting sensitive information, using anti-virus software and educating your staff about security. Entrepreneur online (2/27)

News You Can Use

Congress gives up on efforts to avoid sequestration
Hopes of averting $85 billion of spending cuts set to take effect today disappeared as Congress left the U.S. Capitol for the weekend. Congressional leaders are scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama today to talk about the matter, but Obama has offered little optimism that the effort will accomplish anything. In the House, Republicans are now focused on the March 27 deadline for preventing a government shutdown. The Washington Post (2/28), CNN (3/1), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/28)

SmartQuote

Marketing can and should take a nurturing approach that allows a prospect to consume your value-added content in a way most meaningful to them." -- Dan Kraus, writing at Duct Tape Marketing. Share: