Small Business Trends

The social media craze is here to stay, but for those who doubt the anecdotal evidence a boat load of statistics keeps piling up about what this stuff can mean for your business. And it’s much more than a passing fad. We’ve also got some information on alternative financing, the importance of planning your marketing campaign and how to lead and follow in our Small Business Trends business news wrap-up for March 18.

Social Media

Want more proof social media will boost your brand? The evidence just keeps piling up! Online Media Gazette

Make sense of the social media landscape. Get your free PDF social media guide at the bottom of the post. CMO.com

Do you “feel like bacon love?” This interview shows how one entrepreneur with a healthy dose of social media marketing made good. Understanding Marketing

Marketing

Why “some marketing” just isn’t enough To do it right, your marketing needs planning to reach its goals. Ikon Marketing Group

What rules do you follow in B2B Marketing? This list includes some important ones you shouldn’t ignore. B2BMarketing Smarts

Knowing your audience. What blogging and marketing have in common. The Yonatan Maisel Blog

Workplace Culture

How to lead and manage. It can take both skills to create and sustain your small business. Winning Workplaces

Innovation through imitation? Look at the world’s most innovative companies and picture yourself there. Open Forum Innovation

Taxes

Getting your taxes right. Why preparing for tax season needs to be an important priority for your small business. Understanding Marketing

Tax breaks as financing? The best thing about taxes is when you take them away. New Equity Daily

Policy

Small business under attack? Does your community support the interests of small business? Daily Mail Online

Haitian business community says private sector loss tops $2 billion. Is there an opportunity for the global small business community to help? NYTimes.com

Operations

The Tiger Woods school of project management. How to tackle operations for your small business like a champ. Tweak Your Biz

On the lookout for your kind of business. Important tips for successful small business networking.  Abonar’s Blog

Contests

And the winners are… Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 Bizzies, including Small Business Trends’ own Anita Campbell. Bizmore