Did you miss any of my blog posts from around the Net this week? No worries, just read on below.

Do you really know how your employees feel about working for you? If you want to keep them, you’d better. Get the scoop in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

We all know consumers are going mobile–when shopping, that is. But what are they buying and on what devices? Find out in my post on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Do you use content marketing to attract customers? (Or are you not even sure what “content marketing” is?) Learn how well different types of content work in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusiness InSite.

Maybe you use Facebook ads. How well do they work for you? Find out what other business owners think in this Huffington Post Small Business post.

What’s up with Generation Y entrepreneurs (and intrapreneurs)? Get the scoop in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

And, in the words of Nike ads, if you’re thinking about starting a business, stop thinking and “just do it.” Read my post at SCORE‘s Success Blog for inspiration.

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Do you sometimes feel your small business can’t compare with today’s giants– Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google? Try learning from them instead. In today’s guest post, Phil Simon

In case you haven’t noticed, four platform-based companies have fundamentally altered the business landscape, and the rest of us would be wise to adapt. Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, aka the Gang of Four, thrive in a state of constant motion. They invite third parties to participate in their business in unconventional and collaborative ways. They harness the potential of emerging technologies. They change the way people behave and think. They welcome risk, experimentation, and change.

No matter what your business does and how big it is, you can learn to be more like these four companies. Based on their business models, here are six lessons you can learn and apply.

1. Keep reinventing yourself.

In the Age of the Platform, companies that constantly reinvent themselves lead the pack. Keep adding planks to your platform. Start a newsletter. Become an expert at an online industry forum. Add new services or features to your suite of offerings. Find an underserved market niche and modify your product/services to fill their need. Write a white paper. Team up with a complementary business and share customers. Revamp your website. Whatever you do, don’t stand still. The moving target survives.

2. Curate your customers.

Apple curates many passionate users and turns them into partners (app developers for their iPhone and iPad) who pay back profits. Win-Win. How might your customers generate profit for you? Maybe you offer a reward for referring a new customer. Or create a wiki that enables customers to suggest new product lines. Think of new ways to get your customers expanding your brand for you. In the Age of the Platform, the fundamental relationship between a business and its customers is changing.

3. Let others’ platforms do the work.

The Gang of Four shares each other’s platforms; iTunes has its own Facebook page, for example. There are so many free and low-cost tech tools designed to build or expand your platform that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and others enable you to add planks such as blogs, plugins, widgets, integrated social networks, podcasts, videos, and the like. Groupon can bring customers to your business. Salesforce.com enables a small company to act and operate like a big one. Sites like eLance allow you to connect with low-cost specialists of almost any vocation. All of the popular social media sites offer great free branding tools. Sites like Kickstarter enable entrepreneurs to test new product ideas in advance.

4. Expand in all directions.

What if Google had been satisfied with just being a search engine, or Apple had only made computers? Great platform companies understand that the more high-quality services and products you offer, the more customers and growth opportunities you’ll attract. Diversifying invites serendipity and makes your company more resilient to unexpected changes in a market. Find something your company does really well and then use that as a starting place for a brand new endeavor. Perhaps you translate all of your marketing materials into Russian to serve the local Ukrainian community. You never know which new path will lead to unforeseen success.

5. Be sticky.

Attracting customers with your great products and services is step one. But getting them to stay with you–and only you–is the ultimate goal. With the launch of its Kindle Fire, Amazon just got stickier by making it easier for users to shop at Amazon and consume media and entertainment at Amazon than anywhere else. How can your business lure in customers and keep them there? With amazing customer service, follow-up, regular email specials, or contests? With interactive features at your website, birthday coupons, or preferred customer perks? Make it hard for your customers to want to go anywhere else.

6. Move quickly, and make small bets.

If you see an emerging need or trend in your industry, be the first one on your block to blog about it, ask your customers about it, and turn it into a new offering. You don’t have to sink a lot of money into this new endeavor, but you do need to act decisively to beat your competitors. The worst that can happen is you’ll fail. But you’ll know how to improve it before any of your competitors do. Being first fearlessly is a characteristic of successful platform companies.

Phil Simon is a recognized technology expert who advises companies on how to optimize their use of technology. A sought-after speaker and media personality, he has written a critically acclaimed new book called The Age of the Platform: How Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google Have Redefined Business.

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I don’t mean to be brutal, but there’s something you’re no good at–and it’s time to face up to how that might be hurting your business.

Let me explain. As business owners, we typically start our businesses based on a passion for something we love to do. Maybe it’s a hobby, an interest or a job we used to do for someone else and now want to do for ourselves. But while we may be good at that thing we have a passion for, we typically aren’t good at all the other elements that are needed to turn that passion into a business. You might be the world’s greatest lawn-care genius, but that doesn’t mean you’re the world’s greatest bookkeeper.

Since few of us are good at everything, the key to small business success is identifying what we’re not good at—and doing something about it.

Here are some key areas that are essential to business success—and where you might have a weakness:

• Accounting, bookkeeping, taxes
• Legal, incorporation, compliance, contracts
• Sales, lead generation, CRM, closing
• Marketing and advertising, market research, marketing strategy, creative
• Management, HR, hiring, operations
• Strategy, business planning, partnership, business development
• IT, website design and development

Of course, the first step is to acknowledge where your weaknesses are. Some of them may be obvious to you; others may be blind spots. Ask people you trust, whether that’s your employees, business partners or friends and family, for their honest opinions. Then listen. This might require letting go of some long-held beliefs. If you’re convinced you’re the world’s greatest salesperson, but everyone you ask says otherwise, it’s probably time to admit you might…stink.

The good news is that today, it’s easier than it’s ever been to fill in your weaknesses. While in the past you might have had to hire a full-time accountant or HR person to manage these areas, you can now choose from a wide range of options. Yes, you can still hire in-house staff. But you can also outsource to a consultant (either local or across the country), use simplified hiring tools like online job boards, or develop a team of “virtual” employees without having to spend money on office space or equipment.

Of course, another approach is to learn how to handle all (or at least some) of your weak areas yourself. You can take a class at a local community college or adult education center, enroll in the many webinars you’ll find online, or visit your local SCORE office or Small Business Development Center to get free, expert help that can make you an expert in just about every area of your business. And that is good.

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Two national small business advocacy groups–the Small Business Majority and Main Street Alliance–have filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court opposing the lawsuit attempting to repeal the  Affordable Care Act.

The organizations contend that the federal healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will benefit  the country’s 28 million small businesses.

“We want to ensure the Supreme Court knows the Affordable Care Act includes a number of provisions that will help small businesses obtain more affordable health insurance,” said John Arensmeyer, CEO of Small Business Majority. “The best way to serve small business owners is to help them understand, participate in and benefit from the changes already underway, not tear down policies aimed at helping them.”

“The Affordable Care Act does a lot to help small businesses,” said Jim Houser, owner of Hawthorne Auto Clinic in Portland, Oregon and Main Street Alliance steering committee member. “It gives us more bargaining power, it holds insurers accountable, and it makes sure everyone is pitching in. This court challenge threatens to take all that away. There are plenty of ways to move forward on making healthcare work for small businesses – throwing out the ACA and forcing us back into the same broken healthcare system we were stuck with before is not one of them.”

The organizations contend that the Affordable Care Act’s small business tax credits, state health insurance exchanges, minimum medical loss ratio requirement and other provisions offer small businesses some relief from the costs that are hindering their growth and success. They believe repealing the law would once again mire small business owners in a system that threatens their competitiveness, discourages entrepreneurship and makes them unable to play their historical role as the country’s primary job creators.

What do you think of the advocacy groups’ efforts? Do you support or oppose the Affordable Care Act–and do you think it will help or hurt your small business?

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Have you missed any of my posts around the Web this week? Read on for a quick roundup.

Why do female small business owners have more trouble getting financing? The answer could be traced back to the scarcity of women on corporate boards. Get the connection in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

Have you tried Facebook ads and, if so, did they work for you? Find out what other business owners think about advertising on Facebook in my post on  Huffington Post Small Business.

How about selling products on Facebook? Few businesses have tried, but new data show consumers might be readier than you think to embrace buying on the social media site. Check out my post on Huffington Post Small Business to learn more.

Are your sales in a slump? Looking at your business with a fresh perspective can show you customers you might be missing out on. Find out more in my post on the SCORE Success blog.

How is consumer confidence? It depends on who you ask. See how optimistic different age groups are feeling in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

Need tech employees to power up your website? Finding them may not be as simple as you think. Get the skinny in my post on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

If you’re selling BtoB, you know “content marketing” is all the rage. Find out how to make content marketing work for you in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

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The “This is Retail” contest is part of NRF’s Retail Means Jobs campaign and is aimed at raising awareness of the retail industry’s significant economic impact. Here’s how to enter:

Tell your retail story in a video no longer than two minutes. Make sure your video includes the phrase “I’m [Name] and This is Retail.” (Check back February 1 for complete guidelines for video submissions and a checklist of what to include.)

When telling your story, pick one of the following themes, and be sure to mention at least one in your video:
• Retail Powers America’s Economy
• Retail Is Main Street
• Retail Drives Innovation
• Retail Strengthens Consumers
• Retail Creates Opportunity

Upload your video between March 5 – 16 ( upload link will be available March 5).

The top 20 finalists will be announced on April 2. Then rally your friends, family and community to vote!

For more details go to the Retail Means Jobs website. http://www.retailmeansjobs.com/contest

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Have you ever struggled to deal with an angry customer in the best way for your business? In today’s guest post, customer service expert John Tschohl shares his advice for handling the situation in a way that benefits both your business and the customer.

Most of us have been there at one time or another and most likely don’t want to ever go back.  Whether it was over the phone or in person, and regardless if a product was flawed, a delivery was late or a charge was inaccurate, dealing with an irate customer isn’t fun in any situation. How you deal with that customer will determine how he or she feels about your business.

When most people come in contact with an irate customer, their first instinct is to turn and run. Dealing with a customer who has a problem and is upset about it can be more than a little daunting. With the proper perspective, however, you will see that the customer’s complain is actually an opportunity to put your best foot forward.

Customers who have complaints are a blessing in disguise. They are letting you know where you and your business have flaws, and are providing you with the opportunity to correct them. When you do, you will see increased customer loyalty, revenues and profits. It’s a win/win situation. In fact, you should be more concerned with the customers who don’t complain than with those who do.

Dealing with irate customers and solving their problems is a critical element of providing great service. When dealing with an irate customer, train your employees to follow these steps:

• Listen carefully and with interest to what the customer is telling you.
• Apologize without laying blame, regardless of who is at fault.
• Put yourself in the customer’s place, and respond in a way that shows you care about his or her concerns. Use phrases such as, “I understand that must be upsetting,” or “I don’t blame you for being upset; I would feel the same way.”
• Ask pertinent questions in a caring, concerned manner, and actively listen to the answers.
• Suggest one or more alternatives that would address the customer’s concerns.
• Solve the problem quickly and efficiently, or find someone who can.

Using these steps will quickly calm most unhappy or angry customers and allow you to address and solve their problems. Patience and tact is the key.

It’s important when a customer is making outrageous statements and throwing a fit that you remain calm. Do not take those statements personally. Apologize, take the blame, and empathize with the customer. Then go and solve their problem.

Just as important as what you and your employees should do, there are four things you should not do:

• Don’t directly challenge someone who has a complaint and is angry. Even if that customer is wrong, don’t attempt to prove it. Your goal is to solve the problem, not to enter into a debate on the merits of the complaint.
• Don’t let the conversation wander or get off the topic. Solve the crisis at hand without looking for, and finding, additional problems.
• Don’t participate in fault finding. Shifting blame doesn’t help anyone.
• Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way. Stay cool and use courtesy and tact to defuse the situation.

When you successfully handle irate customers and their complaints, you will be rewarded with a satisfied customer who will be loyal to you and your organization. That loyalty will have a positive impact on your organization’s bottom line and make you look like a hero.

John Tschohl is a customer service strategist who has been instructing and motivating employees, managers, supervisors and company CEOs for 39 years.  He’s been called the “Guru of Customer Service” by USA Today and TIME magazine.  He is a bestselling author of six books, including his latest release, Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service. Tschohl is president of The Service Quality Institute, the global leader in customer service training and development.  Visit http://www.johntschohl.com/ and http://www.customer-service.com/.

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Have you missed any of my blog posts from around the Internet this week? Catch up here:

The “New Normal” is here to stay, but what does that really mean? Get the scoop on 5 trends shaping small business this year in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

It’s official: Consumers love shopping with mobile devices. Find out why in my post on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog. They also love daily deals–so if you haven’t used these yet, you might want to give it a whirl. Get more details on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Despite what you may read, you can get financing for your business–as long as you have the right stuff. To learn what that is, visit my post on the SCORE Success Blog.

And even without getting a loan (or increasing your sales) there are ways to take home more of what your business makes. Find out how to boost profits by making 7 small changes in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

Is your business relying on virtual employees? Then you’re right in line with a growing trend–read my post on Huffington Post Small Business to learn more. But while employees are going digital, some marketing still works best the old-fashioned way–i.e., snail mail. Get the scoop in another of my Huffington Post Small Business pieces.

Want to be an expert in your industry? You already are–now, you just need to learn to promote yourself that way. Find out how in my post on the Industry Word blog.

Starting a business in 2012? Here are 10 tips from entrepreneurship experts at community colleges on how to get started.

1. Have a Solid Idea – According to Tim Mittan, Director Entrepreneurship Center at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, NE, “When you are looking to start your own business, make sure your idea is everything you want it to be. Remember, you will be doing this every day and you want your days to be fun, not a drag. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will never feel like you are going to work. Stay flexible as you plan, but stay focused on your idea. You may have to conduct extra research, but take the time and do it right.”

2. Answer the Big Questions – Mittan advises that you need to be able to answer these questions: What is my product? – Who will buy my product? – How will they get my product? – How much will they pay for it? “Being able to answer these questions will allow you to be more specific with your business planning,” he says. “With these answers you will make good marketing decisions, create a good online strategy and keep your books in the black. And most important, you will get what you are passionate about out to others in the most effective way possible.”

3. Develop a Solid Business Plan. Once you’ve answered the questions Mittan raises, you have some of the building blocks of a business plan. According to Associate Dean Jan Pagano, head of Indian River State College’s Entrepreneur Development Institute in Fort Pierce, FL, “A business plan is your ‘roadmap’ and should outline your attainable and reasonable goals that are both strategic and financial. Think of it this way: You would not take an extensive trip cross country without a GPS or roadmap. Your business plan is just that – and without it you could end up on a dead end road!”

“It does not matter how large or small your business is, you have to assertively plan the work – and then work the plan,” says Joyce Presby, Entrepreneurial Resource Consultant at White Mountain Community College in Berlin, NH. “Having a plan will keep you on track and will show where there are variances in plenty of time to make adjustments. Sticking to the plan and really working it is vital to a strong business.”

4. Get a Mentor – “The old adage is to make sure you have an accountant, banker and lawyer on speed dial,” says Tim Mittan. “That is still sound advice, however, in this day and age having access to a business coach or mentor is also extremely important. You never want to feel like you are going it alone. Make sure you find someone at your local community college, SBDC, or economic development center that can help you. If any of those are not available, go online or find a networking group in your area.”

5. Get Trained and Be Willing to Learn New Skills – “As an entrepreneur you will soon learn you will be the ‘jack of all trades – master of none,’” says Jan Pagano.  “You’ll be spending a lot of time doing things that have nothing to do with your area of expertise, like bookkeeping, marketing, and IT support!  Some of this you will be able to delegate but much of this you will have to learn as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey.”

6. Develop a Solid Marketing Plan –  “Like the business plan, the marketing plan is an essential part of your business planning. It’s not enough to know your product and services,” Pagano says. “It’s critical that you research your competition, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the risks, opportunities and threats posed by both internal and external factors. By doing so, you can easily identify your niche, the best way to enter the market, and how to turn your marketing efforts into revenue.”

7. Start Within Your Means – There will never be a perfect time to begin a business; assess what you have to work with and think about how you can get started with those resources. Bootstrap if you have to, but get started!

8. Set an Affordable Loss – Decide how much you can afford to lose on the business before you begin. Measure the losses closely and be aware of your loss goal. Read and Sarasvath recommend evaluating opportunities based on whether the downside is acceptable, rather than on the attractiveness of the hope-for upside.

9. Remain Flexible – “If you cannot afford a big office, get a small one,” advises Otis White, Faculty Chair, Business & Management; Public Administration at  Rio Salado College, in Tempe, AZ. “If you cannot afford another staff member, then figure out a way to do without. Be creative and frugal with your resources and avoid debt used for ‘wants’…only use debt for critical ‘needs.’”

10. Tap into Your Community’s Resources, Including Those at Your Local Community College – Hundreds of community colleges across the nation, including NACCE’s 300 member schools, have invaluable resources for would-be business owners and entrepreneurs. These include degree programs in Entrepreneurship, workshops, entrepreneurship centers that provide mentorship and other services, and on-campus and virtual incubators.

“Research the Small Business Development Center in your community and/or SCORE and work with them,” says Mechele Hesbrook, Dean of the School of Arts + Design at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, NM. “Research the entrepreneurship programs offered at your local colleges or community college. Enroll in classes. And research online virtual incubators or on-ground incubators in your community and join up.”

About NACCE: The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, is an organization of educators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished business development professionals providing quality programs and services in entrepreneurship education and serving as advocates community-based entrepreneurship. For more information, visit http://www.nacce.com. Follow NACCE on Twitter at @NACCE and like the NACCE – National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship page on Facebook.

Do you think your small business has all the customers you need? I thought not. But did you ever stop to think you might be driving customers away without even realizing it?

To see how you could be turning customers off without meaning to, it’s crucial  to look at your business from a new point of view. Recently I had an eye-opening experience that thrust me into someone else’s point of view. Some family members and I went out to dinner with a group that included several seniors. The restaurant was one I’ve always considered family-friendly, but being with older people showed me that it wasn’t as “friendly” as we had thought.

The first clue was the entrance, which was dimly lit with black floors, walls and reflective surfaces everywhere. I saw older members of the group squinting to see and navigating carefully so they wouldn’t slip. Next, we had to wait more than an hour to be seated in the crowded, noisy entryway. Conversation was tough for a couple in our group who are hard of hearing. Finally, after waiting all that time, we were shown to a giant, circular booth—which would have been great except that it was a struggle for the seniors in the group to slide into the booth.

The evening got me thinking about the many ways a business can be turning off potential customers without realizing it. Are you unconsciously making choices that tell certain people they’re not welcome at your business?

Think about different age groups (kids, college students, middle-aged people, seniors) or different types of people (tech-savvy, handicapped, overweight, men, women, singles, couples). Here are some things you might want to consider:

• Noise level. Can people hold a conversation in your eatery or bar? Is the music in your store so loud it drives anyone over 18 away?
• Seating. Do you have different seating options to accommodate a wide range of ages and sizes? If you own a retail store, are there a few spots for shoppers’ friends to sit and wait for them?
• Location. Is your store or office accessible, both in terms of parking and getting into the store or office?
• Décor. Is it rugged, kid-friendly, frilly? Will it thrill one type of customer but turn off others?
• Restrooms. If you have them, are they accessible to all and feature extras like baby changing tables?
• Navigation. Is there space for strollers or walkers? Or is your store, office or restaurant so crowded people can barely get through?
• Image. Is your business subconsciously conveying the message “Women only” or “No Kids Allowed”?

Of course, no small business can attract everyone under the sun. And you don’t want to make your store, shop or office so bland and generic that in your effort to please everyone, you please no one. But in today’s economy, you do need to think about a wider range of customers than you might be used to. To put it bluntly, these days, a small business can’t afford to turn anyone off.

Suppose you’re a male small business owner wondering why your restaurant doesn’t attract many female customers. Try looking at it through a woman’s eyes. Is your parking lot dimly lit or run down? Women may not feel safe coming there. Are your restrooms clean and well-stocked? Women do care about that. Do you accommodate kids with children’s menus or high chairs? Moms might love to meet up at your place for lunch if you make it easy for them.

Try looking at your business through others’ eyes, and you just might find a whole new market you never thought about before.

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