I want to end off this series of Twitter posts by breaking away a little from the business theme of this blog and take a brief philosophical-type tangent…

The Internet and the technology that both supports and relies on it has been changing quite rapidly over the past couple of decades, and throughout its insurgence many websites have risen and fallen. Remember Lycos and Friendster?

But Twitter is poised to buck that trend. Many users and numerous technology and business experts attribute Twitter’s current success to the fact that it is a versatile networking and information-sharing platform. However, Twitter’s longevity will stem specifically from its role as a business and organizational tool because in this capacity Twitter’s communication model promotes a culture of giving. Twitter asks the question: what do you have to offer to your community? And it does so in a way that is more open and dynamic then the other popular social networking sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

The Internet has traditionally been seen as the medium that levels the playing field where those people and groups who may be “limited” in “real life” can suddenly rise to the top and make contributions where they would have never been able to before. One just needs to consider the success and proliferation of user-generated media such as blogs, Wikipedia, and YouTube as well as the open source movement and the increased reliance among businesses on crowd sourcing.

Though all this openness may open the door to a whole slew of fraudulent practices, Twitter is not just about self promotion, automatic responses, or greedy self-fulfillment (though it does still happen throughout the site). In fact far from it.

Overall, the ones who succeed on Twitter (i.e. grow and maintain a community of loyal and active followers) especially when it comes to business are generally those people and groups who are real, considerate, and “real”-ly consistent. Many people tell newbies to look for opportunities to listen before tweeting, to offer useful help, stay away from automatic responses and spammy self-promotion and in short be themselves.

Twitter will last because its culture is bringing some light and positivity into the online social order. Something we should perhaps take note of at a time when so much corporate greed, political bickering, and corruption is being brazenly flaunted in the face of the “every man.” Maybe those who are spreading the “Twitter love” can influence the world at large.

In the spirit of the iPhone, the emergence of every great new technology these days leaves in its wake a clamor of software developers racing to build the applications that will enhance its usage. Twitter is certainly no exception. If you are just now beginning to integrate Twitter into your business operations the good news is that there are hundreds of really useful apps out there that can make a big difference in the way you use the site and significantly increase your ROI. The bad news is that with all the options it could get a bit overwhelming, not to mention a time consuming process trying to narrow down the most suitable apps.

To make the process a bit easier, I have compiled a list of some of the most versatile Twitter tools applicable to small businesses and organized them into functional categories. Some of the apps listed here will over lap in terms of features, so it’s a matter of trying them out to see which ones work best for you and your business.

Just a note before getting to the list… If you are just starting out with Twitter, then you should pick no more than two or three of these tools to use at first. As you become more familiar with the site and your pattern of usage and learn more about your needs, you can then change them or add more.

Twitter Search Tools

ChirpCity- A local Twitter search that allows you to see the latest tweets and the top twitterers in a given location.

Nearby Tweets – Find twitterers near your area; you can also limit your search by radius and keywords

Tweepz – A powerful search engine that helps you find people on twitter. Search within the name, bio and location.

Twellow – A search directory of people by area of expertise, profession or other attribute listed in users’ personal profiles on Twitter.

Tweefind – A Twitter search engine that displays results based on users’ rank

Twazzup - A real-time Twitter search engine. Search Tweets, related photos and the most popular links.

Tracking News and Trends in Real-time

Trendistic – Search trends in the topics discussed on Twitter, and compare trends across topics.

Tweetmeme – A great resource to see the most recent news and trends within your industry.

Keeping Track of and Managing Follower Lists

Twitoria – This application allows you sort through your network of followers and filter out the inactive users.

Tweepler – Sort through new followers and easily accept them or ignore them. This app shows the followers’ stats and last three tweets in one simple screen view.

Twimailer – Use this free email client to receive extensive email notifications when your account gets new followers. Emails contain the follower’s location, followers stats as well as their most recent tweets. It also includes the ability to follow the person or organization back without having to log into Twitter.

Digsby – Manage all your existing IM, email, and social network accounts from one application.

IsFollow. This web-based Twitter app that lets you find out who is following who without having to login.

Topify – Another email client that provides new follower stats and allows you to follow and reply to direct messages by email.

FollowWatch – Receive hourly alerts of followers that you have gained or lost.

Qwitter – Receive an email notification whenever anyone stops following you.

Account Management

Future Tweets -Schedule your tweets ahead of time. You can also schedule reoccuring tweets daily, monthly, and yearly.

Tweetburner – This app allows you to keep track of what happens to the links in tweets you share.

Tweet Later – Track keywords, track replies, schedule tweets, send welcome direct messages.

Splitweet – A multi-account management app and brand monitor all in one screen.

Multi-user Account Management

Cotweet – Manage multiple accounts with multiple users by creating tweet assignments and on duty status, in addition to having access to several other productivity tools.

Hootsuite – Use this Twitter client to manage multiple Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn & WordPress profiles as well as montior keywords, schedule updates, and measure your impact.

Group Tweet – This app enables users to send private Twitter messages to specific groups of friends or co-workers.

Tweeting from Your Web Browser

Twitter Toolbar – Use this toolbar to get instant access to Twitter from your browser. Post tweets, check your stats, and access a variety of online Twitter tools.

TwitterFox – A Firefox plugin allowing people to post Twitter updates and recieve them from followers from their Firefox browser.

Feed Monitoring

Monitter – A web-based tool that allows you to monitor Twitter in real-time for mentions of any specified keywords.

Tweetbeep – Set up email alerts so that anytime anyone mentions your brand or any other specified keywords on Twitter, you receive an email notification in your inbox.

Twitter Clients

Tweetdeck – Stay on top of and even update all of your social media sites, manage multiple Twitter accounts, see top trends, and much more all from one screen and all for free. It’s even available for the iPhone.

Seesmic- A versatile Twitter client that includes features such as Twitter list integration and the ability to preview multi-media bit.ly links within the same browser window.

Twitzap – A web-based Twitter client that provides real-time Twitter monitoring and allows users to slice tweet streams into designated channels.

Blog and Website Integration

Twitterfeed – Allows you to feed your blog posts to Twitter.

Twit This – Allow visitors to your blog or website to post Twitter messages.

Twitter Counter – A badge that displays the number of your Twitter followers. You can add this to your site and invite customers to follow you on Twitter.

Analytics

Bit.ly – This popular URL shortener also packs several analytics features.

Twitalyzer – Analyzes how effectively you are using Twitter by measuring five aspects of Twitter use: “influence, signal, generosity, velocity, and clout. The factors that influence these metrics include your number of followers, references by others, your retweet rate, and the number of times others retweet your posts. The new beta version also calculates the “hidden costs” of using Twitter based on your hourly pay.

Twitteranalyzer - Get quick, in depth analyis of your Twitter account activity. Plug in your account name and have instant access to a variety of stats.

Tweetstats – Graph your Twitter activity stats including tweets per hour and month as well as reply stats.

Multi-media/ File Sharing

Bubble Tweet – Use this app to post a short video message that pops up on your Twitter profile.

TwitPic – Share your favorite pictures on Twitter.

Twitxr – Post pictures and updates from your mobile phone directly to Twitter.

Tweetr – Share files up to 10MB via Twitter.

Twiturm – Share your MP3 files and turn them into a Tweet.

Twisten.FM – Listen to all of the music tweeted about in real-time.

TweetPhoto – A photosharing app that can upload photos by email, mobile or web. You can also manage and track who is viewing your photos.

yFrog – Use this app to share images and videos.

FileTwt – Quickly and easily upload and Tweet your files up to 20MB.

TinySong – Share songs with this application.

TweetMic – This iPhone application allows you to publish audio to Twitter

Marketing/Customer Relations

twtQpon – Use this handy app to create coupons and share them with your Twitter followers.

TwitterHawk – This app will send your local Twitter users a response if they tweet a certain keyword in specifc locations.

Information Back-up

Tweetake – Back up your list of Twitter followers, the people you are following as well as of your Tweets.

Twitter Safe – Use this app to ensure that your network of followers will not be compromised.

Miscellenous Business Tools

Track This – Track the progress of any UPS, USPS, FedEx or DHL shipments.

Tweetbrain This is a powerful crowdsourcing service for the Twitterers.

CalendarTweet – Use this app to tag, share and promote events.

Twitterific – An iPhone app that allows you to easily read and update Tweets.

TwitterMass – A paid-for suite of tools to help you grow your Twitter network.

TwitterContd – Expand your tweets to1250 characters and simultaneously upload images, video or audio.

Twiggit – This app works in conjunction with Digg.com. Digg an article, and your Twitter account will be automatically updated with the link.

Twitter Gallery – A collection of profile backgrounds.

Small business owners wondering how they can harness the power of Twitter to increase sales and build their business connections can find several great lists floating around the web. For example, check out here, here and here.

Almost all of these tips essentially boil down to one point: success with Twitter as a business tool revolves around building and maintaining your relationships- something which on the surface seems surprising given that posts are limited to 140 characters. How much can one actually do in 140 characters?

As it turns out, quite a lot.

Twitter is a dynamic online social experience that provides a real-time wellspring of business networking, and customer interaction, as well as critical information and insight from industry leaders and experts. But underlying all this, Twitter allows a community of users to engage with each other in a quick and easy way.

Below is a summary of the most essential tips for small and home business owners looking to break into the Twitter scene for the first time. In a following post, I will examine several Twitter apps which can significantly enhance your Twitter time and information management.

1. Develop your business’ profile page. If you are new to Twitter then your first order of business is to build up your profile page. This is the page that other Twitter users (i.e. your potential business contacts and customers) will consult to find out what you and your business are all about. One of the biggest pieces of advice regarding this page is to let your personality or your business’ brand image shine bright. For a few stunning examples, check out @idesignstudios, @sitepointdotcom, @spurrachel, and @Doubleolee. If you are not the creative type, there are several web apps available, such as, Free Twitter Designer, that can help you create a customized profile page background.

2. In the beginning… silence is golden. Some new to Twitter may be tempted to jump right in and start tweeting away. But before you seriously begin offering any comments, ancedotes, links, or responses, it is a good idea to spend a couple of weeks just following a few of the conversations. Getting used to the tone and flow of a thread before posting will help you to keep your tweets focused and relevant.

3. Build up your followers list slowly. Don’t start following a hundred people on your first day. Begin adding friends and family, then work your way out. By slowly adding people or businesses to your followers list, it gives them the time to get to know who you are and maybe reciprocate by following you.

Another tip: If you are specifically looking to add a certain group of people to your followers list, for example, other business owners in your state or county, then it is also a good idea to send out a tweet letting people know that this is your intention. That way, if you add anyone from this group they will know why they were added.

4. Stay away from spam, and over self-promotion. Though advertisement and self-promotion have their place on Twitter, it should be done carefully and in moderation. One of the biggest turn-offs in the Twitosphere (followed by a quick click on the “unfollow” button) is being bombarded with sales pitches.

5. Focus on building relationships. One of the best ways to build connections and increase visibility on Twitter is to take some time to scan the message stream and retweet or reply to the posts of other users. Specifically look for places where you can offer help or advice. Engaging with your followers is also important. Don’t forget to acknowledge anyone who took the time the RT one of your tweets.

6. Keep your flow of tweets interesting, consistent, and well-balanced. Ideally, your tweets should be a mixed bag of links, “status” updates, responses to other users, interesting retweets, and even a bit of chatter. The goal is to be approachable, engaging, and genuine. If you have a good sense of humor, use it as long as it is tasteful.

7. Use Twitter with time and content management tools. Twitter can be a really big time guzzler. After setting up your profile page and adding a few people, businesses, and/or communities to your follows list, you will want to put some controls in place to ensure that you are not spending too much time with the site. Your “tools” can be as simple as having a daily schedule with your “Twitter time” blocked out at set intervals, or you can use Twitter in conjunction with any number of Twitter apps, such as tweetdeck and tweetbeep.

8. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. There are many creative ways that small businesses can use Twitter. Some examples include: running a Twitter contest, offering discounts to Twitter users, sending out real-time updates of what’s happening in your business, as well as tweeting new product and service announcements.

 As the year and a decade come to an end it is time to both reflect on the past and plan for the future…

I recently came across this survey conducted by the Pew Institute which examined popular attitudes on the most notable technological and social changes of the past decade.

According to half of the respondents the current decade is considered the worst in 50 years. This sentiment is further reflected in the expressions they used to describe it- words such as “downhill,” “poor,” “decline,” “disappointing,” “turbulent,” and “chaotic.”

For many small business owners the past few years have been particularly brutal as consumer confidence and spending dropped and the flow of credit was reduced to an almost indiscernible trickle.

But not all is doom and gloom. The last few years have brought to small businesses a wide range of technology that allows them to significantly improve operations and successfully compete with bigger companies. The recessionary economy has also created a crucible of sorts giving rise to new business ideas and opportunities. Moreover, the spate of corporate bankruptcies that occurred toward the end of the decade left gaps for nimble and advantageous small businesses to fill.

Given all of these trends, I have composed a list of what I feel are the ten most important resolutions for small business owners in 2010.

 1. Acquire healthy business habits: The healthier the core business operations, the better the chances that your business will survive and thrive. This means proper cash flow management, disaster planning, content management, and theft prevention. Where growth is a possibility, look to diversify what your business offers, add more value for customers, and make sure that the level of growth is sustainable.

2. Invest in an Internet presence. Having and sustaining an online presence is an important tool in marketing and image branding. But, small business owners should keep in mind here that quality is more important than quantity with all the bells and whistles. To be effective, your web presence does not have to cost you a fortune in either time or money. Maintain a simple, up-to-date website. Make sure that your business is listed in the major and local online directories, as well as Point of Interest databases. Where appropriate you might want to initiate an email marketing campaign or upload informative videos on to YouTube.

3. Get on the social networking bandwagon: Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have been generating a lot of buzz over the past couple years by providing an easy way for people to connect and share information. Many businesses big and small have joined the fray, by for example, maintaining their own Facebook and Twitter profiles.

Now, with Google’s recent announcement of its new personalized search results, social networking sites are poised to play a more prominent role in bringing traffic to your business website. One cool feature: enter a Google search query and you will see relevant updates and suggestions from your friends in Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. It’s definitely a trend worth noting and incorporating into your online marketing strategy.

4. Bring on the gadgets: From smart phones, such as RIM’s Blackberry series or the ubiquitous iPhone, to netbooks and pocket projectors, the market is literally flooded with some really powerful and handy electronic devices. Where budgets are tight, look to bring in multi-functional equipment.

5. …And load those gadgets up with some good apps: Your equipment is only as good as the tools and programs you put on it. Make sure to check out any free open source versions of popular software programs as well as a slew of low-cost apps that can turn your phone into a powerful business tool.

Though the next four resolutions fall under good business practices, they deserve specific mention:

6. Don’t skimp on security: Make sure your sensitive business information is protected from would-be thieves and hackers-especially if you conduct business online.

7. Be selective in your hiring: The job market is currently flooded with qualified individuals seeking employment. But even if your applicant pool has grown don’t shy away from conducting standard background checks such as calling references and conducting online searches.

8. Build good business credit: With the credit markets holding at a virtual standstill, maintaining a good business credit history has become all the more vital to accessing financing. It also paves the way for future business-to-business transactions.

9. Revamp your debt collection policy: Times are tough, and it may be affecting the ability of your valuable customers to pay up on time. It is therefore all the more important to re-evaluate and refine your debt collection policy to ensure that your cash flow is even and your customers remain loyal.

10. Look on the bright side: Even if your business has been forced to cut back or put off growth opportunities, look for ways to maximize the situation, such as seeking out cost reductions and redefining your company’s product or goals. 

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One of the less publicized fallouts of our economic tailspin has been the overnight devaluation and in some cases decimation of personal savings. This phenomenon has effected people from all walks of life and all ages.

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But, there is a silver lining to every cloud… Now that the economic bubble has burst, it is forcing many people to focus on and re-evaluate their financial planning, and major priority is being given to planning for retirement in particular.

For those who are self-employed or who own very small businesses (10 or fewer employees), the onus of good financial planning for retirement is that much greater since there are no matching employer contributions to rely on, there may be fewer assets to put aside, and the cost of the best retirement plans may make them prohibitive to the smallest businesses.

Having a good retirement plan for yourself and your employees to fall back on in later years is essential. But with all the qualified retirement plans and programs available it may be hard to know which one is right for you. Here is a brief rundown of your options:

The Simplified Employee Pension Plan ( SEP)

The SEP is one of the simplest and cheapest qualified retirement plan options for the self-employed or for those who have only a few employees. The plan is funded with tax-deductible employer contributions, and the employer must cover all eligible employees. Self-employed individuals and small business owners can make tax-deductible contributions to SEP accounts of up to $49,000 per year in tax year 2009. SEPs are also flexible in terms of contributions from one year to the next. If, for example, business is slow one year, account owners can reduce their SEP contributions or skip them altogether.

SIMPLE-IRA

The Savings Incentive Match Plan or SIMPLE-IRAs are somewhat of a hybrid between a SEP-IRA and a 401(k). With the SIMPLE IRA, both the employee and the employer are required to make tax-deductible contributions. The employer contribution is defined at a fixed match rate, usually 3% and is mandatory each year for all employees who participate. The 2009 contribution limit for SIMPLE IRAs is $11,500, or $14,000 for employees who are age 50 or older as of December 31st of 2009 plus an employer matching contribution (up to 3% of your salary). This may be a good option for businesses with only a handful of employees, but compared to other retirement plans, your own allowable contributions are limited.

Traditional IRA and Roth IRA

Since IRA accounts are available to anyone who earns taxable income and they can be held simultaneously with other qualified retirement accounts, it is definitely worth considering- especially if you are able to put aside more than the maximum contributions allowed with other plans yet you earn less than disqualifying income limit.

There are two types of IRA accounts: the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA. With the traditional IRA, you can claim a tax deduction on contributions and your account earnings grow tax-deferred until you take the money out upon retirement. With a Roth IRA, you do not claim a tax deduction. Your contribution is made with after tax income. The retirement earnings in your Roth IRA then grow tax-free. This means you will not have to pay taxes on your distributions from the account.

Self-Employed 401(k)

Unlike the popular 401(k) plan which can get expensive and difficult to administer, the self-employed 401(k) is actually quite easy set up and cheap to maintain. Moreover, the self-employed 401(k) offers higher contribution limits than other retirement plans, it can be consolidated with a traditional IRA account, and there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to making contributions.

Keogh Retirement Plans

Those who are self-employed and support only a handful of employees may want to consider the self-employed Keogh plan. Like the other qualified retirement plans, the account holder must be 59 1/2 in order to withdraw money from the account, and required distributions begin when the account holder reaches 70 1/2. Similar to an IRA contributions are pre-tax thus lowering taxable income, but contribution limits are more liberal than with an IRA.

There are two kinds of Keogh Plans: the Defined Benefit Plan and the Defined Contribution Plan. Each one has its own rules, benefits, and deductible limits. Deciding which Keogh Plan type to choose and administering it once chosen will require the services of a professional.

Profit Sharing Plans

With a profit sharing plan, all employees (owners can claim themselves as employees) receive a percentage of the company’s profits. Annual contributions up to $49,000 are made to the account, but because they are dependent on the company’s profitability, they may vary from year to year. Under a profit sharing plan employers are only required to contribute when the business makes a profit, which may make them particularly attractive to small businesses. These plans will generally require the services of a trained professional for administration so this cost should be factored in.

For more information on retirement plans, see IRS Publication 590 and Publication 560.

Online banking may offer a great deal of ease and convenience, especially for owners of small and home-based businesses, but it exposes the account holder to a sea of unscrupulous fraudsters and hackers. In one fell swoop, a business’ entire financial health can be compromised and a business owner’s personal assets can be decimated.

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Many small business owners may not be aware that according to federal law losses in private consumer accounts due to fraud are typically covered by the banks that hold them. The Federal Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) requires banks to reimburse consumer fraud victims within 10 days of a reported incident of fraud. Commercial accounts on the other hand receive virtually no protection from fraud or theft.

If your small business relies on online banking, then pay attention to the following tips to help keep your assets and your business safe:

1. Know your bank’s policies. Make sure that you are clear about what your bank is doing to protect your account and what it will do if your account is compromised by hackers. You should also know how your bank wants you to report any unauthorized charges or suspicious activity.

2. Choose a bank that has a solid fraud monitoring system and policy. One way to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of fraud is to do business with a bank that takes a proactive approach to online banking fraud. It should have a reliable monitoring system in place to detect suspicious account activity and should have a history of responding quickly to suspicious behavior.

3. Keep your anti-malware software and firewall protection current. Make sure that your system and browser software is up-to-date, and that you have installed reliable anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall protection.

4. Monitor your accounts for suspicious activity. The sooner you catch and respond to any irregularities and missing funds in your account the greater your chances of recouping the lost money. If your bank offers transaction alerts, then make sure to sign up for this service.

5. Don’t easily give out sensitive information. Be on alert and act with caution if either your bank or credit card company asks you to verify your account information. Keep in mind that they already have this information on record.

6. Be mindful of your paper trail. Printed banking and credit card information should be disposed of properly (i.e. shredded or rendered unreadable). To be safe, where possible you can opt to receive electronic statements instead of paper ones.

7. Conduct transactions from secure computers. Use your own computer and where possible avoid conducting sensitive transactions on the go over a wireless Internet connection. You could also have one computer that is specifically dedicated to online banking transactions and purchases to reduce the chances of picking up a virus.

8. Pay attention to the what you open on your computer. Only open emails from people you know and trust, be careful with emailed links, and pay special attention to email attachments. Make sure to scan attachments even from people you know before opening them. Make it a practice of avoiding and even blocking pop-ups.

9. Pay attention to the look and feel of your bank’s online system. If the logo suddenly seems out of place or the bank seems to be asking you for seemingly irrelevant information then it could be a red light signaling that something is off.

10. Personalize your security controls. Some banks allow their account holders to customize their online transactions (i.e. disabling some of them, while enabling others, or placing certain restrictions or requirements) so that actions, like international wire transfers, for example can only be done in person.

Earlier this year I posted a series on credit card reform and suggested that it would be a rough road ahead for many small business owners… unfortunately I was right.

Though the credit card reform act of 2009 may have put a spotlight on some of the obscure and outright abusive business practices embraced by the credit card industry, most of the attention has been duly heaped upon the consumer. But the truth is that small business owners are getting the worst of the credit reform fallout, and unlike consumers, they are being hit on all sides.

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In October, the National Small Business Association presented the results of a survey it conducted to determine the usage of credit cards among small businesses as a quick source of financing. It also provided a telling snapshot of the way credit card companies are treating their small business clients.

According to the NSBA survey, in April of this year 59% of small businesses have used credit cards to finance their operations in the past 12 months; this is up from 49% in December 2008. Underscoring the struggle of most small businesses to get adequate financing in an economy that has gone belly-up, this increase in credit card usage is occurring even as more small businesses report that credit card terms have gone from bad to worse. In fact, according to the NSBA survey in the last six months alone, 75% of the small businesses reported that their credit card terms had worsened.

One of the most difficult changes to swallow has been a flurry of credit limit reductions. In the past year, 41% of the small businesses surveyed stated that their credit limit was reduced- often without any overt reason. Not only do these credit limit reductions effectively reduce the amount of available financing, but they can also negatively effect a business’ credit score by creating a higher outstanding debt-to-credit ratio. Since the business is then considered to be more risky, it prohibits financing from other sources.

Other reported changes in credit card terms include: an increase in the interest rate (63%), switching from a fixed to variable interest rate (23%), and increasing the minimum amount due each billing cycle.

All of this comes at a time when fewer small businesses are paying off their credit cards each month. This year 40% reported paying their monthly credit card balances in full, down from 50% a year ago. And this is exposing countless small businesses to the same unscrupulous business practices that have gained so much attention over the last few months. Of those who carry a balance: 33% reported receiving statement after due date, 48% reported that the due date seems to randomly change, and 57% reported receiving statements too close to the due date to have it mailed on time.

What’s more, since some companies advertising business credit cards are in fact (according to the fine print) offering little more than a fancy personal credit card, such practices can be devastating to the business owner’s personal credit rating.

But the credit card industry does not stop there when it comes to small businesses… According to the survey, 57% of small businesses accept credit card payments from their customers. Each time a customer swipes a card to pay for goods and/or services, the merchant pays a small processing fee to the banks and and credit card networks. These so- called merchant interchange fees have tripled in cost since 2000 cutting into profit margins at a time when every cent counts.

Bottom line for small business owners: when it comes to the credit card industry, the cards are stacked against them.

In a previous post, I listed my picks for the top small business blogs. But as the economy continues to sputter along and the credit markets remain tight (especially for small businesses), I wanted to highlight those blogs that are specifically targeted to those small and home-based business owners committed to bootstrapping- those who seek to avoid outside financing, while focusing on how they can use their available resources creatively and efficiently.

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The following business blogs offer a vast collection of techniques, advice, and knowledge on cost-cutting, raising capital, creative marketing, and efficient operations:

1. SOHO Tools, News & Technology. This blog hosted by Wendy Piersall offers a a collection of ideas, business book reviews, product reviews, technology tips, coupons, and freebies to help the aspiring entrepreneur build and run a business on a shoestring budget.

2. The Entrepreneurial Mind. Hosted by Jeff Cornwall, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Nashville’s Belmont University, this blog discusses various topics in entrepreneurism such as, Bootstrapping, Global Entrepreneurship, and Learning from Failure.

3. Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. Mike Michalowicz offers a “get real” approach to starting and running a new business with a collection of helpful tips and resources.

4. Duct Tape Marketing. Hosted by John Jantsch the founder of Duct Tape Marketing, this site focuses on marketing techniques and methodology for small businesses operating on a shoe string. The blog contains insightful articles and commentary by several small business marketing gurus.

5. Neville’s Financial Blog. Follow Neville Medhora as he documents his business goals, strives to increase his net worth, and even conducts “experiments.”

6. The Simple Dollar. The Simple Dollar is an insightful personal finance blog offering advice on managing debt and living cheaper.

7. Productivity501. This site offers an abundance of information and tips and help people increase their personal productivity.

8. Free Money Finance. This comprehensive personal finance blog offers information and advice, commentary, news, resources, tips, and tricks.

9. Wise Bread. Wise Bread is a valuable forum for personal finance including tons of advice on frugal living, consumer deals, as well as a section dedicated to small businesses.

10. How to Change the World. Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop, offers on practical tips on technology, marketing, and innovation.

11. Vest Pocket Consultant. Blogger Rosalind Resnick offers her expertise and insight in the areas of business planning, finance, and marketing to start-ups and growing small businesses.

12. College Startup. This blog offers advice for entrepreneurially-inclined college students trying to make money while they study.

13. FiveCentNickel. A clear, and highly informative blog about personal finance and general money matters.

14. Mint Life. This blog offers a lot of useful information on personal finance tips, trends, and news.

15. I Will Teach You to be Rich. Ramit Sethi offers advice and tips for saving, investing and negotiating as well as how to live a richer, happier life.

16. Practical Ecommerce. This site offers blogs and articles on a variety of topics affecting online merchants.

17. Gulliver. Gulliver is a valuable source of business travel news, service reviews, and thoughtful discussion

18. Seth Godin’s Blog. This blog written by marketing expert, author, and entrepreneur Seth Godin, is in itself a lesson in branding and image development. It will challenge the way you think about marketing yourself or your business.

19. Small Business Growth Strategies. Blog Hosted by Stephanie Chandler provides thoughtful commentary, advice, tips, and news related to running and growing a small business.

For numerous small business owners who are being heavily affected by the current economic turmoil, the road ahead remains tough. Though the Fed (with a lot of help from the media) has been all too happy to call an end to the U.S. recession, the statistics paint a grimmer picture: the rates of unemployment, home foreclosures, and bankruptcy filings are all soaring. This comes as the credit markets remain tight and the cost of health care continues to prohibitively climb.

With all the focus being heaped on government-sponsored economic stimulus, it would seem that the issue of small businesses should be front and center. After all, small businesses in the U.S. account for half of the GDP and over half of the nation’s employment. Shouldn’t the Administration in the White House be concentrating on easing the burden for the nation’s smaller companies?

So far real help has been slow in coming, and this raises an important question: Is President Obama really concerned about the plight of small businesses?

The answer, in my opinion… not enough.

Let’s look at the facts:

In a previous post, I pointed out that government money did not seem to be reaching the small businesses who needed it the most. But underlying this article was the fact that it was Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) who worked to secure the 45% funding increase for the SBA’s core small business programs in the first place. Under the President’s plan, several small business loan programs were effectively reduced or nixed completely.

And then there is the recent annoucement that the Administration will ask Congress to raise the loan limit on the 7(a) lending program to $5 million; on the 504 program from $4 million to $5.5 million, and on the microloan program to $50,000.

This was a blatant nod to Republican Senator Snowe, whose support is crucial to the Administration in the area of health care reform- President Obama’s pet project. This seems more like political maneuvering rather than a serious commitment to helping small businesses.

In order to truly hasten an economic recovery, Obama may need to re-evaluate his interests and start showing small business owners and their employees that he cares.

As the year begins to wind down, it’s time to turn our attention to the 2010 tax season. For many small business owners emerging from such a difficult economic year, the mere thought of taxes may conjure up a hearty serving of distress and anxiety.

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But the truth is that the IRS has been offering some flexibility lately when it comes to fulfilling tax obligations. Being aware of these leniencies and knowing how and when to use them beforehand can reduce a great deal of pressure, and can help you to plan out the most appropriate payment strategy.

Here are some options for those small business owners who think they will be unable to pay their taxes on time:

Filing for an Extension

If you are lacking the full amount owed come tax time, then you have the option of filing for an extension on April 15. You should make every effort to pay what you can at this time the IRS asks that you give a good faith estimate of the amount you expect to owe and pay whatever you can at that time since interest and late payment penalties will be added to any additional amount due.

Approximately 45 days later the IRS will send an invoice for the remaining amount, and will go through two or three more billing cycles before requesting a formal payment schedule.

Installment Payments

For those who will need to pay their tax obligation slowly over time, filers have the option of requesting a formal installment agreement using IRS Form 9465. This form can be filed separately or sent with the tax return in April. Here you can indicate how much you can afford to send the IRS each month and on what day you want to make these monthly payments. The IRS will usually accept an installment agreement if the amount owed is less than $25,000 and the balance is to be paid within five years. For those who owe less than $10,000 and fulfill other requirements, acceptance is guaranteed.

You will be charged about $50 to set up the installment plan, and interest as well as other penalties will be assessed until the tax obligation has been completely repaid. Moreover, the The IRS may even allow a skipped payment or a reduced monthly payment amount without automatically suspending the Installment Agreement, if the filer is experiencing financial hardship.

Tax Settlements

For those who will be unable to repay the amount owed even with an installment plan, the IRS may accept an Offer In Compromise. Much like a regular debt settlement that one would obtain on an outstanding credit card bill, for example, the tax payer would offer to pay an amount that is less than the actual sum owed in order to settle the bill immediately. Those seeking this option will need to complete a financial statement along with other important paperwork and send it to be reviewed by the IRS. To be accepted, however, you must have significant proof of your inability to cover the total outstanding liability.

For more information on delayed or partial payment of tax obligations, be sure to check out the IRS website. You might also want to take a look at the “What If’s” of An Economic Downturn page which answers some of the questions people have during the recession.