SmallBizResource Blog -- Research

The Summer That Wasn't? Economy Puts A Damper On Small-Business Owners' Vacation Plans

Posted by Gayle Kesten 11:01 AM ET | Jun 1, 2009

Three's a charm, but four was not meant to be. Economic confidence among the smallest of businesses slipped in May following three straight months of steady gains, and now the majority of people who run those companies say they're either postponing or canceling their vacation plans.

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Cross-Channel Shoppers: Are ROBO Shoppers Faking Out Your PPC Conversion Rate?

Courtesy of Business Know-How 11:19 AM ET | May 28, 2009

We've heard it for years. Heck, I've said it myself countless times before: "Click-throughs are great, but it's conversions that really matter." However, consumer research during the past several years has shown a growing trend that most emarketers believed would have eased by now.

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Business Know-How | Internet | Research | SmallBizResource

Home-Based Businesses & Web Apps: We've Only Just Begun

Posted by Gayle Kesten 03:34 PM ET | Mar 17, 2009

The cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) model can go a long way to level the playing field for small businesses, which are getting their hands on useful applications for their growing companies minus the headaches and high cost of ownership. And by small businesses, remember that includes those based at home.

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Small-Business Ups And Downs

Posted by Gayle Kesten 02:40 PM ET | Nov 14, 2008

Small businesses may not be a very optimistic bunch, but if it's any consolation, we sure are innovative.

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Survey Says: Zoomerang Can Bring You Closer To Your Customers

Posted by Gayle Kesten 11:48 AM ET | Oct 31, 2008

Holding onto the customers you have and convincing them to spend more is top of mind, to be sure. One more tip I'll throw into the mix of advice: try Zoomerang, an online-survey maker, to find out what's on your clients' minds.

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Economy | Internet | Research | SmallBizResource | Software

Small-Biz Numbers Everywhere

Posted by Gayle Kesten 12:43 PM ET | Sep 8, 2008

Forecasts, predictions, reflections -- plenty of researchers are kindly keeping tabs on our small businesses to help us assess the bigger landscape we're all part of and, perhaps, adjust ourselves accordingly.

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Research | SmallBizResource

NFIB Releases July Numbers -- And They're Not Pretty

Posted by Gayle Kesten 02:00 PM ET | Aug 15, 2008

Sorry to end your week on a low note, but the latest stats from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) paint a less-than-optimistic mood among small businesses.

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Research

Wednesday's Woman: What Working Women Want Mo$t

Posted by Gayle Kesten 11:57 AM ET | Jul 2, 2008

Wanted: Some jerk named Dan's head on a platter.

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Research | Women in Business

Slip Sliding Away: Small-Biz Survey on the U.S. Economy

Posted by Gayle Kesten 08:44 AM ET | Jul 1, 2008

How low can small businesses' confidence in the U.S. economy go?

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Research | SmallBizResource

Wednesday's Woman: Hear Our Ringtones Roar

Posted by Gayle Kesten 01:12 PM ET | Jun 11, 2008

Time to come clean: I don't own a smartphone. Yet. But with my wireless contract soon to expire, I'm ready to wipe the slate clean and join the 10.4 million women who bought a smartphone in 2007.

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Marketing | Mobility | Research | Women in Business

What Would Get You To Reveal Your Computer Password?

Posted by Gayle Kesten 12:24 PM ET | Apr 17, 2008

The answer, I'm afraid, is bittersweet.

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Research

iDuh: Customers Want Smarter Phones

Posted by Gayle Kesten 06:57 PM ET | Feb 10, 2008

Hold onto your headsets! New research has declared a "seismic shift" in the kind of mobile phones we consumers want.

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A Few Quick Facts About SMBs

Posted by Judy Mottl 07:12 AM ET | Nov 27, 2007

If you ever start doubting the impact that small business has in America all you need to do is check out the latest data from the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.

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Female Biz Leaders & The Bad Rep

Posted by Judy Mottl 09:55 AM ET | Nov 26, 2007

You’re running your own shop, keeping the business growing yet if you’re a female business owner you’re not being viewed the same as a male counterpart.

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Research | Women in Business

Free, And Informative, Insight At Your Fingertips

Posted by Judy Mottl 02:12 PM ET | Nov 3, 2007

There’s a neat little knowledgebase, with substantial informative content, right at your fingertips and you likely don’t even know it.

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Research

Is Your IT Spend Aligned With Growth Expectations?

Posted by Judy Mottl 09:24 AM ET | Oct 31, 2007

Nearly 45% percent of small SMBs expect business to grow more than 10 percent over the next 12 months, and 21% expect more—like a 20% growth spike.

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A Clever Spin On Social Networking

Posted by Judy Mottl 09:46 AM ET | Oct 9, 2007

Intel's taking a unique approach these days to figuring out market and industry trends and it's a strategy I think small businesses could copycat.

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Sneak Peek At Start-Up Genius

Posted by Judy Mottl 03:52 PM ET | Sep 17, 2007

You probably can't get to TechCrunch40 happening today and tomorrow in LaLa land, but you can get a peek at emerging technologies making their formal debut.

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Small Business Rules Job Growth

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:30 PM ET | Sep 6, 2007

Small business continues to be the engine powering US job growth. In August, small business employment grew by 44,000, while medium and large businesses shed 6,000 jobs.

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