The Best Small Business Advice


It’s a big promise to live up to, but when we picked the title for this roundup we looked at some of the great small business advice we’ve found recently and decided to share it all in one place. Remember, though, to always be learning. This roundup shouldn’t be the end of that education, only the beginning.

Trends & Tips

Why execs turn to grandma for business advice. In these times of economic uncertainty and an ever changing business climate, why are some business executives going back to the lessons they learned from their grandparents? Among other business common sense, they credit their grandparents with giving them confidence, teaching them principles and ethical standards, and giving them the perseverance to push forward and not give up. CNNMoney

Retweeting rules you should follow. Sure they exist. And if you want to get the most out of the most popular microblogging platform on the planet, you’ll pay attention to them. Here are some tips from Laura Fitton, founder of OneForty.com (recently acquired by HubSpot) using a tweet from our own Anita Campbell as an example. HubSpot Blog

Building Influence

How to turn Facebook friends into investors. You may have friends in your network who believe in your idea, but, up until now, allowing them to become investors has been difficult due to government regulations. A proposed law might change all that soon. WSJ

Klout and your social media strategy. What is your Klout score? How important is it to your social media strategy? Some changes have been made to Klout recently. How do these figure in? Here’s a post to help you sort out the details. Keep Up with the Web

Sales Advice

Great sales are like a Hollywood blockbuster. Like it or not, in small business, success comes down to sales. So understanding how to improve your sales technique, or the technique of those working with you, is critical. Here’s an approach straight out of Hollywood. GrowthUniversity

Tips for improving holiday e-commerce results. If you have an online store, then you should be just as concerned about capturing holiday purchases as your bricks and mortar brethren. After all, more people are shopping online these days and the holiday season is no exception. ClickZ

Growth & Development

How to create a business model for your blog. The most important advice when developing your small business blog is to have a business model. In this interview with blogger Jonathan Mead, we hear more about how and why business models are important from the beginning but also about the importance of doing what you love. The Rise to the Top

Creating time for spontaneity. If scheduling time for spontaneous activity seems like a crazy idea, just imagine what will happen if you don’t. Small business owners and entrepreneurs need time to be creative too. Where is that next great idea of yours coming from? Jonathan Fields

Training & Tech

Tips for improving as a virtual assistant…or in any business. Getting better at what you do takes time and investment. The energy spent, however, will improve your business and the perception of the value you provide. How can you improve the quality of what you do? GrowMap

How to build your own mobile app. In case you haven’t heard, the future is mobile, and, if you’re not there yet, you want to get your small business into this space. A new product makes joining the mobile app revolution easier for everyone. Here is our review. Small Business Trends

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  1. virtual assistant are a great help to small business. It worth your time and money to get someone else to do the small stuff.

  2. Hello SBT Staff,

    It’s an honor to see my article included in The Best Small Business Advice/Training and Tech section. I’m the author of Virtual Assistants: Step Up Your Game (“Tips for improving as a virtual assistant…”), a guest post for GrowMap.com.

    Thank you for helping spread the word about how small business owners can make good choices when hiring virtual assistants.