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Friday | 1.27.2012
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2012 Small Business Purchases Not Robust; Bad Online Reviews Can Help; Making a Mistake May Help Career;In 2012, small business leaders are focusing on improving their PC/Mac equipment, upgrading IT, taking tentative steps into social media and investigating the cloud world. A survey by this newsletter’s parent on planned expenditures indicates small business leaders may be spending the monies they held back in 2011. One in 10 dollars is expected to be spent on healthcare costs and just under 5% additional monies are earmarked for marketing. Read more. We are conducting our annual reader survey and ask you to tell us what information needs you would most like to see. Three respondents will each receive a $50 American Express gift card. Take the survey here. Depending on who you talk to, small business leaders are a little bit more optimistic as the year begins but then again, entrepreneurs are an optimistic lot. Many people believe the real uptick will occur after the Presidential election no matter who wins. Surveys show optimism amongst small business leaders but at the same time caution as to this continued good feeling. For instance, Newtek Business Services said the results of its monthly Small Business Market Sentiment Survey shows that a majority of business owners are optimistic about the future and their 2011-year end results. According to CEO Barry Sloane “this optimism is the result of recent headlines indicating a drop in the unemployment rate, the growth in consumer spending and small gains in hiring in the fourth quarter. Whether this optimism will continue in the first quarter of 2012 is anyone’s guess, given that consumer spending growth has not been accompanied by personal income growth.” Focus groups conducted by this newsletter’s parent, Information Strategies, Inc. in December mirrored these findings with a strong undercurrent of doubt as to continued optimism. One bellweather was the continued lack of interest in hiring new employees with less than one in five in its annual survey saying they expected to increase head count in 2012. Healthcare reform is still driving the bus but the latest government reports indicate they were held down somewhat in 2011. Online criticism should be used to build positive reform. See why and how. Building core values into the sales effort pays dividends. Making a mistake can actually help a career. |
 |  | If customers give a negative review online, turn it into an opportunity to do a better job. |
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| | Greater sales can come from shaping a company's culture, brand, and business strategies into a positive approach. |
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| | One successful businessman says mistakes are not all bad and may lead to greater career success. |
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| | Industry experts tell of exotic, old foods being used in new ways in 2012. |
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| | Healthcare costs still takes one in every 10 dollars spent by smaller enterprises. |
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