Summers Says U.S. Economic Freefall Has Ended
from Reuters
The sense of "unremitting freefall" in the U.S. economy has ended and the picture is no longer completely negative, but rather mixed, President Barack Obama's economic adviser Lawrence Summers said. "Six or eight weeks ago, there were no positive statistics to be found anywhere. The economy felt like it was falling vertically. Today, the picture is much more mixed," Summers said. More

Consumer Confidence Responds in April
from The Austin Business Journal
The Consumer Confidence Index rose significantly in April after posting modest gains in March. The Index now stands at 39.2, up from 26.9 in March, according to The Conference Board, a New York-based business research group. The rise in the national index was largely driven by improvements in short-term outlooks, as the Expectations Index rose to 49.5 from 30.2 in March. More

To Sell During a Recession, Shop a Mile in Their Shoes
from MarketingProfs
"Know thy customer" is often referred to as the first commandment of marketing. Ironically, this tenet is almost always overlooked or, at best, receives a perfunctory nod. Countless organizational decisions are based on executive preferences or beliefs that have no relationship to the people who are absolutely necessary for success - the customers. More

How to Get Fired Using Twitter
from Fast Company
On the Internet, anything that can be used to act stupid will be used to act stupid. Like the bank intern who told the boss he had a family emergency and then posted photos of himself at a Halloween party on Facebook. Now that Twitter has become the favored medium for oversharing, so too has it become the best way to get fired, double quick. More

Learn to Evolve: Seven Ways to Transform Your Business Model
from Entrepreneur
For companies feeling their way through the worst recession since the 1930s, it's easiest to stay focused on next quarter's numbers, improving operations and lowering costs where possible. Just stick with the playbook and keep your head down, and things will be fine, right? Wrong. More

Your Approach to Acceptable Use Policies May Be Unacceptable
from Smart Company
After surveying 500 IT administrators at small and medium businesses across the country, Smart Company has concluded that acceptable use policies (AUPs) in the workplace are not up to date, if they exist at all. More senior companies consider AUPs and other tools defining best practices for computer usage to be essential policy tools. But it's not much of a surprise to find them lacking when you consider the level of IT support available in smaller companies. More

How to Demonstrate to Employees That They’re Important
from Smart Business
Building strong employee relationships starts with showing respect for your employees and the jobs they do, says Doug Sibila. And to help employees better understand your vision for the company, you have to tell them why their actions are important, interact with them in their environment and put yourself in their shoes, says Sibila, president and CEO of the warehouse, distribution and transportation company Peoples Services Inc. More

The Psychology of Color in Retail
from Retail Customer Experience
Our heart rate and blood pressure rise when we look at intense reds; conversely, we can become tired or anxious by looking at large areas of bright whites or grays. In a retail environment, understanding those responses can be crucial to enticing a customer inside, and then enticing her to open her wallet or purse. More