America’s SBDC Blog

A “Forbes 100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs”

What Happens After Someone “Likes” Your Facebook Page?

June 13, 2012

Sally Field is famous for getting excited at the 1985 Academy Awards ceremony about the fact that her peers like her. And these days, that’s the reaction you may have when people choose to “Like” your business and organization’s Facebook Page. But what happens after the Like?

Yes, when it comes to Facebook, it’s important to be Liked. After people Like your Page, you need to engage them and drive them to take action. That’s how you’ll get results. How do you actually do that? Here are some tips:

1. Feature an exclusive offer. One of the best ways to see results from your Page is to frequently run special offers specifically for your Facebook fans. In fact, in a study of consumer behavior on Facebook we found that two of the top 5 reasons people Like a Page were to receive discounts and promotions, and to gain access to exclusive content. (more…)

Trying To Access Your Office Network With Your iPad? Here’s 3 Solutions

June 11, 2012
By Ramon Ray

The iPad continues to be the leading tablet for consumers and businesses. And for business professionals who want to use their iPads and still access their corporate networks securely, LogMeIn, GoToMyPC and similar solutions all help you access your computer from a remote connection.

A new technology, from iSimplyConnect, says it’s an better solution – instead of a “screen scrape”, iSimplyConnect is a virtual private network (VPN) solution that gives you direct access to the files on your corporate network. It’s $15 a month and might make IT managers heroes to their colleagues. (more…)

The Death of the Small Business Server

June 8, 2012
By Eric Spellmann

I bet the title got your attention. And yes, that is a bold statement to make. However, if you can get past “tradition” and status quo, you will see that small businesses are on the threshold of some pretty amazing technological changes.

But, before I start blasting away at the small business server model, let me give some background: When someone starts a business, they typically have one PC. This machine does everything: balance the books, handle email, provide web research, build brochures, etc. However, once this business starts to grow and more people are hired, the need for more PCs increases.

As these PCs are added, the need for a true network is created. To save money, all of these PCs will need to share the same Internet connection…. AND (this is the important part), they will need to share files. (more…)

Are You Pregnant from The Legal Edge

June 6, 2012
By Jack Garson

(As seen in the SmartCEO Magazine, March, 2012)

One of the first critical steps in building your business is hiring employees. Yet interviewing job candidates is often ineffective and, worse, presents abundant potential for costly mistakes and missed opportunities. Interviewing itself is far from foolproof. I work with numerous businesses on their employment matters, have led executive searches and conducted literally hundreds of interviews for many companies. Interviewing is not enough. Just like some people test well, others give great interviews and then fail miserably at their jobs. You need to do more than interview.

Weeding Do’s and Don’ts

Think of interviewing as one part of the hiring process. A good process increases successful hiring and weeds out candidates who are not suitable for the position. This process might start earlier than you think. For example, if your job posting includes a request for both a resume and a cover letter and someone only sends in a resume, then that person failed the first test. (more…)

How to Successfully Buy a Small Business Online

June 4, 2012
By Mike Handelsman, Group General Manager, BizBuySell.com & Bizquest.com

Thinking of turning your dream of starting a business into reality? You’re in good company. According to a Yahoo Inc. poll, two-thirds of Americans have entrepreneurial aspirations for reasons including the ability to do what they love and so they can be their own boss.

Realizing the dream of starting a business, though, can be challenging without the right know-how. Most small business buyers have never purchased a business before, and it can be difficult to know where to start. Keeping four critical factors in mind can help ensure success when investing time and money into a small business. (more…)