Eight Social Media Resolutions for 2011

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December 29, 2010
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NEWS  THIS WEEK'S TOP STORY Eight Social Media Resolutions for 2011 Keep your marketing on social networks meaningful in the New Year by being original and authentic, says Steve McKee

Inside: This Week in SmallBiz Small business owners preparing for 2011 should keep their marketing on social networks meaningful by being original and authentic, says columnist Steve McKee. He shares eight of his New Year's resolutions on how to use social media for business -- and how not to. Then hear about how one entrepreneur battled red tape to start an urban farm in Los Angeles; the SBA's plan to launch two programs of expedited lending guarantees; and the Fed's proposed rules to cut debit-card transaction fees. And get advice on what the estate tax provision means for business owners doing succession planning. Finally, hear one researcher's recipe for boosting the economy with billion-dollar startups. Enjoy. --Nick Leiber SEND FEEDBACK  |  E-MAIL A FRIEND  |  GET RSS  |  NEWSLETTERS

MORE SMALLBIZ NEWS SMART ANSWERS Struggling to Start a Farm in Los Angeles How one urban farmer battled red tape to sell local food and flowers New Small Business Lending Pledged The Small Business Administration introduced two programs of expedited lending guarantees for banks or community lenders giving loans of as much as $250,000 to small businesses SMART ANSWERS Perspective for Business Owners on the Estate Tax Saga A certified financial planner explains what the current proposal could mean and offers advice to family businesses preparing succession plans Fed's Proposal Slashes Debit Fees The Federal Reserve's proposed rules could cut debit-card transaction fees by 84 percent CAREERS Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur David Moyal, owner of 1800 Postcards and Next magazine, reveals how he decides when to jump into—or out of—a new venture and how he budgets his time   SMALLBIZ SLIDE SHOWS SMALL BIZ Twenty Billionaires Who Started With Nothing Many of the richest individuals in the U.S. started at the bottom of America's economic ladder and fought their way to the top—without passing "Go" in the Ivy League Twenty Rugged Survivors in Dying Industries For small business owners in struggling industries across the country, survival strategies range from severe service cuts to bold expansion SMALL BIZ 20 Small Businesses of the Future The most successful entrepreneurs are those who don't follow the herd but anticipate the needs of the market earlier than the competition BEST ENTREPRENEURS 25 AND UNDER 2010 Finalists: America's Best Young Entrepreneurs Check out 25 promising businesses founded by entrepreneurs in the U.S. aged 25 or less America's Most Promising Startups Meet new companies from across the country that embody the creativity and resilience common among today's entrepreneurs   SMALLBIZ SPECIAL REPORTS ENTERPRISE Focus On Entrepreneurs, November 2010 From Bloomberg Businessweek, a roundup of news, trends, and ideas for business owners ENTERPRISE Focus On Entrepreneurs, October 2010 From Bloomberg Businessweek, a roundup of news, trends, and ideas for business owners America's Best Young Entrepreneurs 2010 Who are the country's most promising young entrepreneurs? With help from our readers, we set out to answer that question in our sixth annual roundup ENTERPRISE Focus On Entrepreneurs, September 2010 From Bloomberg Businessweek, a roundup of news, trends, and ideas for business owners SMALLBIZ  BUSINESS DIRECTORY Need Help? Find experts in your area in: Accounting Advertising and Marketing E-Mail Marketing Legal Services Public Relations Search Engine Marketing Web Design Web Marketing Web Hosting  BW MALL  SPONSORED LINKS Buy a link now! This newsletter is a FREE service provided by BusinessWeek.com. To sign up for other newsletters, cancel delivery, change delivery options or change your e-mail address, please go to our Newsletter Preferences page. If you need other assistance, please contact Customer Service or contact: Wanda Cooper BusinessWeek Customer Rights Communications Data Services 1995 G Avenue Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 1-800-635-1200 To learn more about how BusinessWeek.com applies this policy, you can contact our Marketing Department. Copyright 2009-2010 by BLOOMBERG L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Terms of Use | Privacy Notice

SMART ANSWERS KAREN E. KLEIN >> What Companies Get Wrong When Marketing to Minorities Instead of using focus groups, conduct your own research. Then focus on a few well-connected individuals to get the word out, says DLB Group's CEO SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO KAREN >   VIEWPOINT VIVEK WADHWA >> To Spur Economic Growth, Bet on 60 Startups By helping turn a relatively tiny number of innovative new companies into billion-dollar businesses, policymakers could dramatically boost the recovery View all articles for Vivek Wadhwa   Advertisement Today's Tip Sales & Marketing Always strive to achieve a state of cooperation in the customer relationship. No matter how difficult a customer is being, you have been approached because he or she believes you can help... --Keld Jensen, Chairman, Centre of Negotiation at Copenhagen Business School READ MORE > Advertisement