Small Business Tools on Huffington Post

Ecommerce: 5 Things You Need To Know

2012-05-23T09:45:00Z

How important is ecommerce to your business? According to reports from comScore, online sales hit $38 billion in the first quarter of 2011, up 12 perc...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Online Stores, Ecommerce, Setting Up an Online Store, Mobile Payments, Mobile Shopping, Online Shopping, E-Commerce, Starting an Online Store, Small Business News

Crafting The Perfect Elevator Pitch: 5 Things You Need To Know

2012-03-15T18:53:21Z

When you're an entrepreneur, you have to live your life as if there's a new opportunity around every corner. And though meeting your future investor i...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Business Pitch, Chris O'Leary, Business Plan, Video Pitch, Jay Bailey, Elevator Pitch, Pitch Your Business, Small Business News

Customer Surveys: 5 Things You Need To Know

2012-02-27T17:45:00Z

Surveying your customers regularly and in a variety of ways is a critical part of running a successful business, regardless of your industry, product ...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Online Surveys, Small Business Customer Surveys, Online Business Surveys, Customer Feedback, Customer Surveys, How to Survey Customers, Free Online Surveys, Small Business News

Retaining Employees: 5 Things You Need To Know

2012-02-01T17:28:41Z

Even when the economy is tough -- and maybe especially then -- it's never a bad idea to show your employees appreciation. You may have a few knucklehe...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Gerry Patnode, York College of Pennsylvania, Chip Manning, Adam Neary, Retaining Employees, How to Retain Employees, Profitably.com, Babson Center for Global Commerce, Small Business News

Starting A Business After 50: 5 Things You Need To Know

2012-01-30T14:30:00Z

Starting a business after the age of 50 is obviously a lot like starting a business at any age. All companies pretty much have the same rules for achi...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, How to Start a Business After 50, The Post 50 Entrepreneur, Buying a Business, Starting a Business After 50, Buying a Franchise, Buy a Franchise, Boomer Business Tips, Boomer Business, How to Buy a Business, Small Business News

Year-End Tax Moves: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-12-26T04:00:54Z

'Tis the season for procrastination, and Congress isn't the only player waiting until the 11th hour when it comes to taxes. Some small-business owners...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, 2011 Tax Deductions, Tax Write-Offs, Business Equipment Deductions, Business Supply Deductions, Small Business Tax Deductions, Small Business Payroll Tax Cut, Year End Taxes, Small Business News

Designing A Business Card: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-11-12T16:30:00Z

While the information that goes on a business card may have changed over time, replacing fax numbers with Twitter handles, the card itself is still a ...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Free Business Cards, Business Cards, Designing a Business Card, Best Business Cards, How to Design a Business Card, Business Card Tips, Video, Small Business News

Building Apps For Your Business: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-10-14T17:40:47Z

Designing apps for your business has become the next hot trend, and, thanks to a variety of online, do-it-yourself app-building tools, you don't need ...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Building Business Apps, App Development, How to Build an App, Bolt Creative, Dave Castelnuovo, Squeaky Wheel Media, Robert Boyle, Small Business News

Conducting A Background Check: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-09-15T13:49:24Z

If you think it isn't necessary to conduct a background check on an employee, consider what might happen to your business if you hire the wrong person...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Talon, How to Conduct a Background Check, Employee Background Checks, Winter Wyman, Employco, Small Business News

Starting A 401(k) Plan: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-09-08T13:33:25Z

Should you start a 401(k)? After all, it's what generally successful companies tend to do: offer a financial vehicle for their employees to save for r...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, IRS 401k Checklist, Setting Up 401k Plan, Marvin Wealth Management, 401k Plans, How to Set Up 401k Plan, Constangy, Employco, Brooks & Smith, Small Business News

Getting An SBA Loan: 5 Things You Need To Know

2010-07-08T14:31:46Z

Chasing a Small Business Administration loan these days is a little like going to a carnival and expecting to win one of those giant stuffed animals. ...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Getting an SBA Loan, Small Business Administration, How to Get an SBA Loan, Starting a Business, Money, SBA Loans, Sba, SBA 7(a) Loans, 7(a) Loans, Small Business News

Writing An Employee Handbook: 5 Things You Need To Know

2010-08-07T13:35:34Z

When you're launching a startup, writing an employee handbook probably isn't the first thing on your mind. But once you start hiring, and have enough ...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, How to Write an Employee Handbook, Employee Handbook, Starting a Business, Writing an Employee Handbook, HR Policies, Managing Employees, Management, Small Business News

Starting A Business With Your Spouse: 5 Things You Need To Know

2010-08-13T13:06:53Z

Successful marriages can often lead to successful business ventures. Take Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, who turned Clif Bar & Company into a $235 mi...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Family Business, Clif Bar, Starting a Business With Your Wife, Starting a Business, Home Based Business, Unique Business Ideas, Starting a Business With Your Husband, Legal, Starting a Business With Your Spouse, Small Business News

Gift Cards: 5 Things You Need To Know

2010-08-17T12:53:46Z

It looks so easy from the other side of the cash register. Somebody gives you a gift card. You take it to the store. You pick out some merchandise. Yo...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Merchant Processors, Mastercard, Setting Up Gift Cards, Gift Cards, First Data, Visa, Adam Hanft, Credit Card Processors, Using Gift Cards, Retail, Selling Gift Cards, Running a Business, How to Sell Gift Cards, Small Business News

Google Apps: 5 Things You Need To Know

2010-08-20T12:30:36Z

Unless you've been running your business out of a cave in the Himalayas, you know that software has undergone some major changes over the past few yea...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Using Google Apps, Google Docs, Dito, Cloud Computing, Business Software, Google Apps, Google Calendar, How to Use Google Apps, Gmail, Small Business News

Hiring Unpaid Interns: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-04-19T12:45:45Z

Interns can be a great resource for a small company -- they're cheap, they're motivated and they bring a young perspective. And sometimes they even wo...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Unpaid Interns, Hiring Unpaid Interns, Internships, Hiring Interns, Department of Labor, Hr, Human Resources, Unpaid Internships, Interns, Management, Small Business News

Managing Online Customer Feedback: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-06-24T11:53:51Z

The customer is always right. And with the proliferation of online customer feedback in recent years, now he has a big, public megaphone. Positive com...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Online Feedback, Twitter, Online Reviews, Customer Feedback, Customer Reviews, Yelp, Facebook, Customer Complaints, Customer Service, Small Business News

Hiring Your First Employee: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-06-09T12:10:01Z

If you do everything right during the startup phase, eventually you'll need to hire additional help. Simply put, you can't go it alone forever. And th...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Employee Benefits, Hiring Employees, HR Advice, Hiring, Hr, Human Resources, Managing Employees, Hiring Your First Employee, Small Business News

Getting Media Coverage: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-05-31T12:27:32Z

Any publicity is good publicity, the saying goes, which makes free publicity even better. A mention in a magazine or buzz on a blog can put your compa...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, Getting Media Coverage, Media Attention, Public Relations, Marketing, PR Strategy, Media, Pr, Small Business News

Starting A Lemonade Stand: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-05-11T12:36:13Z

With the end of the school year approaching and the weather heating up, that can only mean one thing for aspiring entrepreneurs: Lemonade season is up...

Read more: Kid Business, 5 Things You Need to Know, Lemonade Day, Starting a Lemonade Stand, Prepared 4 Life, Summer Business, Lemonade Stand, Michael Holthouse, Small Business News

Home-Based Business Tax Deductions: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-04-05T13:00:47Z

If you are one of the more than 18.3 million (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) to 38 million (according to the U.S. Census) home-base...

Read more: Taxes, 5 Things You Need to Know, Tax Tips, Home-Based Businesses, Home-Based Business Tax Deductions, Home-Based Business Taxes, Small Business Taxes, Tax Breaks, Tax Deductions, Small Business News

DIY Tax Preparation: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-03-28T13:11:37Z

Every business owner is required to complete a tax return every year, whether or not the business makes any money. The majority opt to use tax profess...

Read more: Taxes, 5 Things You Need to Know, Turbotax, Tax Tips, Business Taxes, Filing Taxes, Irs, Tax Preparation, Small Business Taxes, Small Business News

Choosing A Company Name: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-03-06T13:46:34Z

Choosing a solid, compelling name for your company is one of the first -- and probably one of the most challenging -- tasks you'll face as an entrepre...

Read more: 5 Things You Need to Know, How to Choose a Company Name, Starting a Business, Advertising, Choosing a Company Name, Marketing, Company Names, Branding, Picking a Company Name, Best Company Names, Business Names, Small Business News

Forming A Board Of Directors: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-03-03T14:48:57Z

Thinking about forming a board of directors for your business? First, you should probably figure out if you really need one. While a formal board of d...

Read more: Board of Advisers, 5 Things You Need to Know, Advisory Board, Beverly Behan, Corporate Governance, Board, Management, Board of Directors, Home News

Using The iPad For Business: 5 Things You Need To Know

2011-03-02T15:04:39Z

With more than 15 million sold, Apple's iPad has become a favorite among skinny-jean hipsters and suit-and-tie executives alike. With the release of a...

Read more: Steve Jobs, 5 Things You Need to Know, New Ipad, Ipad Release, iPad Business, iPad Apps, Steve Jobs Apple, Ipad 2, Ipad 2 Release, Steve Jobs Announcement, Ipad 2 Announcement, Facetime, Best Ipad Apps, Next Ipad, Ipad, Small Business News