If you haven’t had time to review all the news stories this week, we’ve got you covered. The Small Business Trends editorial team has collected the small business news highlights important to your business. Check them out below:
Regulations
Too much regulation may kill the consignment business. One popular consignment organizer is under threat from the U.S. Department of Labor. It’s one more industry under attack by bureaucrats. Learn the scoop and whether this could affect your business.
The latest on business licenses and permits. It’s not the most enjoyable thing for most small business owners to think about, but following the rules is important. Nellie Akalp gives us a basic overview.
Services
The UPS Store introduces 3D printing. Planning to create prototypes or architectural models or other tangible small-scale items? 3D printing may be the answer. But that doesn’t mean you have to invest in a machine right now. UPS Stores plan to come to your rescue.
YouTube again expands its services. This time it means streaming video for all accounts with 100 plus subscribers. It also means a tool to point customers at your merchandise. Read how.
Sell your photos and videos on SmugMug. The content you create has value, whether its posts you write or photos and videos you produce. Here’s a way to sell these last two today.
Mobile – Smartphones and Tablets
The new Kindle will change everything. Or so speculators suggest. The newest Kindle device will be more of a full-featured tablet than a book e-reader, and that’s not all.
Motorola unveils Moto X smartphone. The new flagship phone from a new Motorola has emerged. Here are the features that might assist your mobile business.
Microsoft cuts price on Surface Pro tablet. Some may say it was inevitable. After Microsoft cut the price of the Surface RT (the lower end version of Microsoft’s Surface tablet line), could this decision really have been far behind? It’s important for small businesses, since you are much more likely to be interested in the Surface Pro version because of its seamless ability to use Windows office applications, same as what your company uses on desktop computers and laptops. That’s a key attraction of a Windows tablet.
Twitter has updated its app for Blackberry 10. The new BlackBerry platform lets you use Twitter in a convenient app form. Here’s a rundown of the features.
Branding
SkyDrive hits branding difficulty. Microsoft will be renaming its cloud storage service. Apparently use of the word “sky” is too confusing to UK users.
What is branding? And do small businesses need it? They are two questions often asked. Anita Campbell, founder of Small Business Trends, explains why branding is more important than ever in an age when buyers can go to the Web and find countless choices. She also offers four low-cost ways to get started on or improve your company’s branding.
Marketing
What B2B websites are missing. A study by Online Marketing Coach, and presented by Small Business Trends, shows 70 percent of B2B websites have no call to action. Here are the details you need to know, and a way to get a 30-point checklist of what your website should have.
Back to school revenue could be big for your business. The key is knowing how to get your share. Rieva Lesonsky shares some ideas you may want to consider.
E-commerce
Review of Volusion eCommerce software. Finding the right e-commerce software is a challenge, balancing cost with effectiveness and ease of implementaton. Stephanie Robbins, owner at Robbins Interactive, has the pros and cons of one such program that she recently implemented for a client. Her firsthand experience is invaluable.
Indian merchants find niches online. E-commerce in India is helping small merchants take their products to a whole new market. Sramana Mitra, founder of One Million by One Million, explains.
The rise of the maker movement. Artists, crafters and makers have become entrepreneurs — and you may be one of them. TJ McCue shares more online tools and places to sell your items.
Operations
Revenue of sole proprietorships is on the decline. Scott Shane, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University, shares this disturbing trend.
Your business could fund its own insurance. Many small businesses see healthcare premiums continue to rise. Michael W. Zuna, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Aflac U.S., explains another option for some small businesses.
Book Review
What can a monk teach you about business? You’re about to find out. Susan Payton shares her review of Business Secrets of the Trappist Monks: One CEO’s Quest for Meaning and Authenticity by August Turak.
Shutterstock: Reading on tablet
Shawn,
When I read about small business updates, I always stop at regulations. I see them as some of the major roadblocks for many small business owners. Perhaps a comment from a friend can explain it all: Don’t rely on regulations for your small business growth. Make resilience your endeavor… in such a way that your business can adapt to almost anything – fast.
Hi Ivan,
Couldn’t agree with you more. It’s an excellent recipe for success.
Great week. I am loving the monk book that you referred to us. It gives a fresh and less rigid point-of-view about business which I love. Surely, we can learn a lot of new things about business which we can also apply in different areas of life.