What Brands Can Learn From Luke and Leia
from Fast Company
Star Wars, an idea that is now thirty years old, gives brands much to learn in how they consider their future in a digital, conversation driven world. Star Wars is a platform. Most brands could only wish to have a platform this powerful, but it is exactly what they should be striving for. More

Social Media for Business
from Reuters
A new report by Inside Facebook discusses some best practices for retailers hoping to set up shop on the popular social networking site. Some of the recommendations include letting users shop from within Facebook, including even the ability to share product information with friends. More

Managing: Planning Now for an Economic Rebound
from Inc.
Everything seemed to be falling into place for Dominic Coryell. Garment Valet, Coryell's laundry and dry-cleaning delivery service, had close to $1 million in sales and 1,900 customers in the Boston area. And he had big plans to roll out a nationwide network of franchises and chains. But when the credit market began drying up and his bank - which supplies Garment Valet with a $100,000 line of credit - appeared to be in jeopardy of going out of business, Coryell paused. He and his partner, Adam Jacknow, asked themselves a tough question: Should we slow down? More

Learn to Impress Lenders
from Smart Money's Small Biz
While obtaining a loan may be challenging amid the current economic climate, you can increase your viability as a loan candidate by taking steps to prepare for that initial meeting with a lender. First, be thorough when preparing documents a lender may request. These include: past financial statements and tax returns, a copy of your current note and payment schedule (if your business is already established), and a detailed business plan. More

Understanding the Cycle of Change and How People React To It
from Work911
Managers often make the mistake of assuming that once a change is started, that employees will see that it is going to take place, and get on side. This is rarely the case. Because change causes fear, a sense of loss of the familiar, etc., it takes some time for employees to a) understand the meaning of the change and b) commit to the change in a meaningful way. It is important to understand that people tend to go through stages in their attempts to cope with change. Understanding that there are normal progressions helps change leaders avoid under-managing change or over-reacting to resistance. More

Online Coupons: Limited Offer, Limitless Possibilities
from STORES Magazine
In a perfect retail world, retailers would sell every product every time at full margin. Yet that's hardly a business model many merchants can bank on. Special purchases, promotions and loyalty programs all seek to attract new customers without alienating existing ones by offering selected goods for less than manufacturer-suggested prices. Enter the coupon. A front-page article in The Wall Street Journal last spring noted that Campbell Soup reported a 20 percent increase in paper coupon redemption in the previous 12 months. More

Five Misplaced Social Marketing Fears
from Entrepreneur
With all of the online networks and business building tools available, one begins to wonder why more businesses have not embraced the internet as a networking tool. This isn't just having a business website; this is reaching out to hundreds, possibly thousands of potential new customers by joining the conversation online. More

Guarantee Task Compliance
from Integrated Solutions for Retailers
Retailers struggle with corporate oversight and compliance requirements in the day-to-day operational tasks at the store level. Many current systems are paper-based and heavily dependent on store and department managers for tactical execution, with little feedback to corporate management. Other current systems rely on email. This inefficiency can result in overworked managers and staff, low customer satisfaction, and confusion at the store level - all of which can increase operating costs. A task management solution provides a collaboration portal to the store level that allows the assignment and tracking of day-to-day operations in real time. More