Don’t Make Excuses in Your Small Business

Don’t make excuses in your small business. Making decisions is much better. Deciding to blog, deciding when it’s best to raise prices, deciding which client or team member might be the right fit for your business and which might not–all of these are critical decisions that must be made for your business to function properly. We hope this roundup gives you food for thought when making those decisions today.

Business Blogging

Do you have excuses? Blogging for your small business has many benefits. But many small business owners find excuses not to use this tool instead. Ryan Hanley, who blogs regularly for business, has collected some of the main excuses others choose not to. Can you think of other excuses you’ve heard not to blog? Strategies in Content Creation

Perks that might surprise you. Even if you did start your blog to promote your small business, there are some other perks that might take you by surprise. Here are 31 things that might make creating that blog worthwhile no matter what. Hey, it’s funny, but owning and operating a small business can be the same way. ProBlogger

Self-development

A question of determination. Like many things in life, sometimes small business or entrepreneurial success comes down to a matter of determination. How much do we want it? You might ask yourself when exploring your entrepreneurial journey, what are you willing to do to achieve success. Small Business Bonfire

Marketing

How B2B Marketing is like having your own cooking show. Seriously! OK, maybe you don’t have a film crew, hot lights and a bunch of cameras in your kitchen, but beyond that there are some striking similarities, so listen and learn to become a better B2B marketer. Channelship

Changing your strategy for a new year. It’s that time again. Every now and then you’ve got to take stock and decide what the future holds for your business. As competition stays fierce but the economy brightens, here are some things you should definitely remember when approaching your business in 2012. Bloomberg Businessweek

Sales

Selling is more than just making friends. Those who complain about the decline of “relationship selling” may never have truly understood the relationship they had with their customers at all. As a small business owner, do you understand your relationship with clients and customers and why they buy from you? Sales Practice

It’s time to raise those prices! Strange as it may seem, this realization is sometimes more terrifying to small business owners, who fear that raising prices will drive away their customers, then to customers who often understand the value of what they are receiving from you. Entrepreneur

Tech

Technologies you need working for you. New tools are changing the marketplace and leveling the playing field. They make it easier for us to reach clients and customers and to compete on many levels in a way that might once have appeared impossible. But don’t be overwhelmed. Here are some items you won’t want to be without. Open Forum

Management

Some assembly required. You may have the basic components for a successful business. Hopefully you have a great product, great sales team and great customer service, for example. But have you put all this together to create a business that works? Partners in Excellence

Tips for managing your team today. Your team is critical to your business success, so managing them correctly is definitely not optional. But what are the steps for creating a successful team and how can you effectively manage that team giving you more time to handle other aspects of your business? Small Business Trends