SmallBusinessNewz

Business Barometer Survey Shows Q2 Weakness

The results of the Capital One Small Business Barometer survey have been released, and they're not altogether positive.  Between the first and second quarters of this year, some small business owners lost confidence in certain aspects of the economy and their companies.

Small Businesses Open To Online Threats

Nearly half (46%) of U.S. small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have fallen victim to cybercrime, up two percent from last year, according to a new report from Panda Security. Thirty-one percent of businesses are operating without anti-spam, 23 percent have no anti-spyware and 15 percent have no firewall.

Sprint Launches Small Biz Communications Site

Several months ago, Sprint ran some specials to celebrate Small Business Week, and the company's now in a sense at it again.  This morning, Sprint launched a new site designed especially to serve the needs of small business owners.

Take Advantage of Advertising Right Now!

Advertising is expensive, especially for small businesses. However, advertising is at one of its most affordable points right now, thanks to the economic downturn. Both advertising and media companies have been forced to reduce their prices, which have opened many doors for small businesses.

10th Anniversary Of Small Biz Lending Program Celebrated

About ten years ago, a small business lending program called Banking on Business launched, and now, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (abbreviated FHLBank) has taken stock of what it's accomplished.  The biggest matter: at least 5,000 people who might otherwise be unemployed have jobs.FHLBank explained in a statement that the initiative "has provided $195 million in financing to 468 businesses across Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia over the past ten years, creating or retaining 5,308 jobs."

Economy Forcing Small Businesses To Cut Back

While many reports say the economy is slowly leveling out or improving, the new results from Office Depot's Small Business Index show that small businesses are still facing uncertain times and are continuing to feel the effects of the economic downturn.More than a third (38%) of small businesses indicated they have been impacted by the economic slowdown and are compensating by "limiting business travel," 29 percent are "cutting advertising expenditures," and 22 percent are "outsourcing fewer jobs."

Back-To-School Shoppers May Be Ahead Of Schedule

At the University of Kentucky, today is move-in day for students who will live on campus this semester, and it's a good bet that every business within five blocks is packed with kids and parents.  But for better or for worse, a study's indicated that most people have completed a little more of their shopping this year compared to last.

Economy Set For Slow Expansion

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.1 percent in July to 109.8, following a 0.3 percent drop in June, and a 0.5 percent increase in May."The indicators point to a slow expansion through the end of the year, says Ken Goldstein, economist at The Conference Board."

AdWords Small Business Corner Introduced

Small business owners who would like a little help when it comes to AdWords have a new option in terms of places to go for advice.  Google's created the AdWords Small Business Corner to act as an environment where individuals can get together and exchange tips.

Getting the Most out of Your Analytics

Analytics can be very confusing and overwhelming. Most business owners recognize the importance of them but easily get bogged down with all the data. Fortunately, it is possible to make them more understandable. To do this, small businesses should start by establishing goals for their analytics.