Has business been slow? Are you finding that people are pulling the trigger as fast as they used to?
You’re not alone.
The latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business index shows that half of 600 owners polled nationwide said they’ve postponed major purchases over the past three months.
In addition, just under half said they’re putting less into savings, while 31 percent have reduced their contributions to a retirement account, the survey found.
About a third said their personal finances were getting worse.
What about you?  Are you holding back from spending?

Web 2.0. Social Networking. We’re told we need to use these to build our businesses, but are overwhelmed with it all!
So I’m bringing in my good pals, Michele PW, Your $Ka-Ching! Marketing Strategist, and Mary Pat Kavanagh, Queen of Connections, on exactly what all of this is and how you can use these strategies to get more leads, contacts, customers and MONEY.
On June 24 at 8 PM EDT (5 PM PDT), I’ll be grilling them to reveal the Insider Secrets of Using Web 2.0 and Social Networking to Get Thousands of Warm, Hungry Visitors to Your Web Site.
We’re going …read more

The latest issue of Be Heard!, my weekly ezine chock full of publicity tips, is now available.
I share with you how to find media contacts to get free publicity. I’ve also opened my little black book of reporters and offered up some Today Show contacts.
Check it out here.

In this week’s issue of Be Heard!, I share my secret to getting year-end publicity. Plus, you’ll get a great contact for Power Lunch!
Check out the ezine here.

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs think marketing and publicity is out of their reach, especially when they feel they can’t compete budget-wise with big corporations.
But I disagree. With the right amount of exposure in the right places, any small business can flourish and succeed. National Be Heard Day is on March 7th and small businesses can celebrate their own unique marketing efforts.

Established in 2004, National Be Heard Day calls attention to the 145+ million people who own small business or is an independent professional or entrepreneur in the United States. They’re the owners of the local grocery store …read more

You may have read my recent post about health care costs and small business owners. But it seems that health care isn’t only only issue on the minds of small business owners.
According to a recent poll by Wells Fargo and Gallup, retirement looms large on their minds. About 43 percent of small business owners are concerned they will not have enough money to retire.
With all the to-dos we have running a business, it’s no surprise we don’t plan for our end-game.
It wasn’t until about a year ago, I really started thinking about how I wanted retirement to look for me …read more