There are many helpful resources for small businesses.   The following are some we recommend

• Government Resources and Sites
• Commercial Resources
• Publications: Books, Journals, Articles
• Software, Tools and other helpful resources

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Government Resources and Sites

• Association of Small Business Development Centers

  The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) represents America’s Small Business Development Center Network — the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States and its territories. The mission of the network is to help new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership, and to assist existing businesses to remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy.

  For more information go to www.asbdc.org.

• SCORE

  “Counselors to America’s Small Business Owners” (SCORE) is a national association dedicated to helping small business owners form and grow their businesses. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia and Washington D.C., SCORE has 364 chapters in the United States as well as in U.S territories.  SCORE is a partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).    You can find more information at www.score.org

• US Small Business Administration

  The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. 
  For more information go to: www.sba.org

Commercial Resources

• American Express - OPEN Forum

  OPEN Forum by American Express is a community of business owners like you.   OPEN Forum gives businesses the tools to connect and collaborate.   Tools like the Connectodex^SM, which can help generate new leads by intelligently matching businesses with similar needs and interests. And the Idea Hub, a digital trading post of ideas and insights from industry experts and owners. Exclusive articles, videos, discussion boards and events listings can help businesses get informed and inspired.     Visit www.openforum.com for more information.

Publications: Books, Journals, Articles

• Entrepreneur

  Entrepreneur is the magazine for the small business community.  Stay up to date with the latest business trends, opportunities, movers and shakers.   Here you can also join the Entrprenueur connect network where you can share ideas and establish meaningful connections with others like yourself.   Visit www.entrepreneur.com

• Wall Street Journal - Small Business

  Here you will find many great tips and information written by WSJ journalist.   Visit http://guides.wsj.com/small-business/

Software, Tools, and other helpful resources

• Duct Tape Marketing Local OnLine Profile

  

  A Duct Tape Marketing Local Search Engine Profile gives small business owners a way to easily create a master profile page of information to be used by the search engines, yellow pages and online directories.

  Completing this one stop online document also automatically submits this profile to major search engines, local search directories, and local phone directories increasing your businesses ability to be found locally.   Learn more…

• Duct Tape Marketing Referral Flood

  Referral Flood is a comprehensive 118 page how-to guide to referral marketing, a 60-minute referral marketing audio CD seminar, 54 real-world referral marketing system examples, a 70 minute audio CD explaining the inner workings of each real-world referral marketing example, and referral marketing toolbox of letters, postcards, business cards, and other referral marketing tools all rolled into one easily accessed product.   Learn more…
  

• Duct Tape Marketing Ultimate Marketing System

  The Ultimate Marketing System is a complete small business marketing system consisting of 14 workbooks and 4 audio CDs – the product of over 20 years of working with some of America’s most successful small businesses and independent professionals.

  Each workbook contains a through explanation of one critical small business topic, real-life small business examples and worksheets, forms and tools needed to help you implement the lesson presented.  Learn more…

• Marketing Audit

  Receive your free marketing audit! Simply fill out the form below. It only takes 5 – 10 minutes to complete the form, but the value to your business may last a lifetime.

  This Signature Brand Marketing Audit uses the principles of the Duct Tape Marketing System to help you create a simple, effective, and affordable marketing system.

  After you complete the audit questions we will contact you to schedule a free, 30 minute session to review your existing marketing, give you a quick snapshot on the effectiveness of your web site and suggest several ways to improve your marketing system right now. The more information you provide, the better the feedback we can provide.

• Planet Ocean Search Engine News

  

• Swiftpage

  Swiftpage gives you the tools to:

  • Create beautiful email templates or import your own HTML templates.
  • Send to one or thousands of ACT! contacts, lookups, groups and companies with a single click.
  • Track who opened, clicked, bounced and more with detailed and graphical reports.
  • And more , including the storage of all email marketing activity back in your ACT! database and the delivery of a ranked list of the most interested ACT! contacts based on their interaction with your email marketing campaigns.