| Business news you can use from your Better Business Bureau® |  |
| Trends & Trust |  |  |
|
- What every business owner should know about e-commerce
The proliferation of smartphones means that online merchants that tailor their sites to mobile users have an advantage over the competition, writes Curt Finch. Another e-commerce trend to be aware of is the potential for small-business success on the Internet. "Smaller stores aren't saddled with anachronistic organizational structures that segment a business by channel, such as store, catalog or digital," according to Chris Andrasick of Tacit Knowledge. Mashable
(7/10)     
| Customer Satisfaction & Marketing | | |
|
- The benefits of building a content-management-system-based website
Content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal and Joomla can allow even company owners who aren't technologically inclined to update their websites as often as necessary, writes Wes McDowell of The Deep End. You should make sure your website has a CMS for a number of reasons. You can use it to keep your content fresh and you can avoid having to hire a Web designer just to make minor modifications. "[B]ringing site updates in-house is a huge money saving move," he writes. Small Business Trends
(7/10)
- Prevent hackers from breaching your point-of-sale system
Criminals may target point-of-sale systems -- especially those operated by small businesses -- in an attempt to steal money from customers, writes Michael Eckenfels. You can protect your business by changing the password on your card readers, placing the readers in secure spots and getting knowledgeable people to help set up your systems. SmallBizTechnology.com
(7/10)
- The benefits of doing a business-card drawing
Doing a business-card drawing, in which you encourage people to leave their business cards in a bowl for a chance at winning a prize, can help you to gain valuable information, write Dan S. Kennedy and Jeff Slutsky. You can use the information to create a database of customers and to figure out where your customers work. "With this information you can plan an attack for those geographical areas where you have a weak concentration," they write. Entrepreneur online
(7/9)
| Management & Leadership | | |
|
- 6 rules for crafting a legitimate social media policy
The National Labor Relations Board recently published guidelines to help employers avoid running afoul of the National Labor Relations Act when setting social media policies. It's generally kosher to ask your workers to be honest, accurate and respectful in their online activities, explains Mikal E. Belicove, but companies are on much shakier ground when they seek to specifically limit employees' ability to discuss work-related subjects. Entrepreneur online/The Daily Dose blog
(7/10)
- Why leaders shouldn't strive for total control
The best leaders understand that they can't always have total control over their employees and their companies, writes Ron Roberts. "Relinquishing control encourages subordinates and colleagues to thrive because as the leader relinquishes control, subordinates are empowered to show initiative," he writes. Fast Company online
(7/9)
| Funding & Finance | | |
|
- Office space: Should you lease or buy?
One thing to consider when deciding whether to lease or buy office space is you might require more or less space in the future depending on the performance of your company, certified financial planner Holly Nicholson writes. "If you have not been in business for long and/or don’t have a good sense of how stable the occupancy needs of your business are, you're probably better off leasing unless your budget can handle a prolonged vacancy." But if you are confident that your space requirements won't change, buying may be a good option. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
(7/10)
| BBB in the News | | |
|
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious."
--B.C. Forbes,
Scottish financial journalist
|
| |
| |
| About BBB® |
|
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.
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent BBB TrustBrief Issues:
- Monday, July 09, 2012
- Friday, July 06, 2012
- Monday, July 02, 2012
- Friday, June 29, 2012
- Wednesday, June 27, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: Brooke Howell
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
