New York SBDC Research Network

From Verizon : For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton’s Third Law of Motion As a college student, I majored in physics where the Laws of Motion and the Laws of Thermodynamics provided a reliable framework for explaining how things work. With a basic understanding of these laws, one can make reasonable predictions about the behavior of things in the everyday world. Who knew, though, that these laws could also be relevant in explaining behavior in the world of a customer experience professional? The behavior of most interest to businesses in today’s digital economy is customer loyalty. They talk about it in employee webcasts. They track it on social media. They report on it in scorecards with metrics like churn, repeat purchases, and average revenue per user (ARPU). And in doing so, they completely miss the point. To put it in Newton’s parlance, loyalty is not an action, but a reaction.

This  report  provides national estimates of total annual sales, e-commerce sales, end-of-year inventories, purchases, total operating expenses, inventories held outside the United States, gross margins, and end-of-year accounts receivable for retail businesses and annual sales, total operating expenses, and e-commerce sales for accommodation and food service firms located in the United States. The  Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)  sample covers employer businesses classified in retail trade sector and accommodation & food services sector located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The ARTS excludes data for businesses located in the U.S. territories. The data are published on a  North American Industry Classification System   basis and the estimates are used to benchmark the monthly retail sales and inventories estimates each spring.

Starting April 3, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. This suspension may last up to 6 months. While H-1B premium processing is suspended, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker which requests the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. USCIS will notify the public before resuming premium processing for H-1B petitions. Who Is Affected The temporary suspension applies to all H-1B petitions filed on or after April 3, 2017. Since FY18 cap-subject H-1B petitions cannot be filed before April 3, 2017, this suspension will apply to all petitions filed for the FY18 H-1B regular cap and master’s advanced degree cap exemption (the “master’s cap”). The suspension also applies to petitions that may be cap-exempt. While premium processing is suspended, USCIS will reject any Form I-907 filed with an H-1B peti

From eMarketer : Influencers are taking an increasingly large chunk of the digital ad market, and many individuals with hefty, engaged social media followings are charging top dollar to work with brands to spread the word about their products and services. Guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) require sponsored posts on social media to be tagged as ads. However, influencers and content marketers have very different levels of awareness about these guidelines, according to a survey conducted by Lightspeed GMI and Research Now for Izea. The study found that six out of 10 US influencers polled in September 2016 said they’re aware of or understand the guidelines, and another 23% said they’re aware of or at least somewhat familiar with them. Only 11% of marketers reported being aware of or having an understanding of these guidelines, while 23% said they’re “somewhat familiar.”

From Verizon : Every year, the Verizon RISK (Research, Investigations, Knowledge, Solutions) Team investigates hundreds of cybercrimes and helps organizations recover fast. In the Data Breach Digest, we share some of our most interesting cases—anonymized of course—so you can learn from the lessons of others. Our 16 cybercrime case studies cover the most lethal and prevalent threats you face—from partner misuse to sophisticated malware. We set out the measures you can take to better defend your organization and respond quickly if you are a victim of an attack. A cyber attack isn’t just a problem for IT. The fallout can affect every part of your organization—from Legal Counsel to Human Resources and Corporate Communications. To reflect that, each of the cybercrime case studies is written from the viewpoint of a different stakeholder. That will help you understand the critical pivot points in an investigation and the kind of decisions you might be faced with if you’re a data breach

From Bplans : For many, the hardest part of starting a business isn’t coming up with the idea or choosing the right name. Deciding when the time is right to start a business is often the biggest challenge. How do you know when to take the plunge? Should you go all in, all at once—or take it more slowly? This can be an extremely difficult question to answer, and doing so involves a careful assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses, your position in life, and (of course) your financial situation. Generally speaking, it comes down to a decision between “jump right in,” and “slow and steady.” That is to say, some feel it’s better to quit your job and start your business right away, while others will advocate for a more measured approach, involving building up your new business on the side before transitioning into the role of full-time entrepreneurship.

From MarketingProfs : You're at your first trade show. The booths are dazzling, industry bigwigs are here in the flesh, and potential partners are prime for the picking. Tradeshows can feel overwhelming, especially if you're there representing a startup or you're otherwise new to shows. Unless, of course, you have a few tips and tricks up your sleeve. Luckily, you know exactly what you need to do to make a fantastic impression thanks to an article you read about nailing your first tradeshow... 1. Promote the event like you're the host

From the American Institute for Economic Research In an article published in AIER’s January 1996 Research Report, Thomas Lehman wrote, “The present immigration policy of the United States amounts to nothing less than a tariff or barrier to entry on the commodity of labor, and harms American consumers in the same manner as tariffs and trade barriers on other capital or consumer goods.” In over 20 years, the picture has not improved. Immigration laws restrict such voluntary cooperation by preventing some of those best qualified from fulfilling their most useful economic roles. Calls for immigration restrictions have long been a part of American politics. In 2006, 54 Republican and 26 Democratic senators, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, voted for the Secure Fence Act, which authorized 700 miles of physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Still, it is clear from rhetoric and recent executive orders that President Donald Trump intends to restrict immigration more than

From the Small Business Administration It’s awards season! Here at SBA, we believe that small businesses should also set aside some time annually to honor their "shining stars." Just like the Oscars, you can create categories that will award the various aspects that exist within your small business. From the "behind the scenes" nominees in Human Resources to the "frontline" nominees in Sales, the opportunities to celebrate your team are endless. Below are a few categories to help you get started: Best Picture – Think over the last year and ask yourself the following: What was your company’s biggest accomplishment and who was responsible for it? Was it an internal or external initiative? Did you connect with your target audience as you hoped? Once you decide what it is, be sure to award this individual or team with the "big picture" award for a job well done! Best Director – When it comes to gaining sound advice or feedback, whom do your

From MarketingProfs For employees, the most important job benefit is health, dental, and vision insurance, according to recent research from Fractl. The report was based on data from a survey of 2,000 adults. Respondents were given a list of 17 benefits and asked how heavily they would weigh each when deciding between a high-paying job and a lower-paying job with more benefits. After health insurance, the most valued benefits are flexible hours, vacation time, work-from-home options, and student loan/tuition assistance.

From MarketingProfs Legendary Baseball Hall of Famer and Yankees catcher Yogi Berra once said, "You can observe a lot by watching." The humor aside, there's a lot of truth in that statement. As marketing professionals, we should always be observing our customers: Their habits, behavior, and feedback serve as a yardstick for measuring the strength of your company's relationship with its customers. And if you're not watching your customers, someone else—probably your competition—is. One way to understand customer metrics is to compare it to driving your car. When you're behind the wheel, there's a lot happening: You're constantly monitoring the vehicle's metrics, such as speed, engine temperature, and fuel levels, along with observing traffic and road conditions. There's no justification for not bringing the same level of monitoring to your customers. So how can marketing professionals turn Mr. Berra's quip into an actionable plan?

From The Balance Feeling like you’re treading water with your small business and not making progress towards your goals? Or are you having trouble choosing business goals to work towards this year in the first place? We all want to be successful owners of profitable small businesses, but how do you get there from where you are? If you want your small business to be more profitable than ever before, here are some suggestions for how to make it happen. And remember; building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint!

Food Companies May Say Goodbye To "Sell-By" And "Expiration" Labels : The Salt : NPR Years ago, the UK had similar rules regarding sell-by and use-by dates. They also had a habit of wrapping fresh produce, so a bunch of bananas would be wrapped in a thin plastic bag or 2 zucchini would be on a styrofoam plate wrapped in plastic - with a sell-by date. (So much packaging of produce was a contentious issue then too.) I remember a bomb had gone off in Ealing in West London and had blown out all the windows of a supermarket. On the news we watched as fresh, yellow bananas filled the backs of garbage trucks. Piles of fruit was discarded because, by law, the grocer had to throw away any food that was past its sell-by date. It caused an uproar but I don't think anything changed at that point. It seemed a simple enough solution to take the produce out of the bag. But laws are laws and instead it was piled into garbage trucks and hauled off. Expiration dates are often

From eMarketing : Despite Americans’ broad embrace of smartphones, mobile coupon usage has not become as widely and commonly used as might be expected. According to eMarketer’s most recent estimates, only about half of all mobile device users in the US have redeemed a mobile coupon even once in the past year. While the number of US mobile coupon users is expected to increase 10.2% to total 123.0 million this year, modest growth is projected in the coming years. Meanwhile, paper coupons are still far more commonly used.

The U.S. Senate confirmed on Tuesday, February 14 the nomination of Linda E. McMahon as the 25th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration . "Small businesses are the engine of our national economy," McMahon said upon her confirmation. "I will work to revitalize a spirit of entrepreneurship in America. Small businesses want to feel they can take a risk on an expansion or a new hire without fearing onerous new regulations or unexpected taxes, fees and fines that will make such growth unaffordable. We want to renew optimism in our economy.

From eMarketing There are lots reasons consumers don’t like shopping at physical stores, including challenges with comparison shopping and long checkout lines. But if there’s one thing people do prefer to do in a brick-and-mortar setting, it’s to make impulse purchases. However, recent trends in e-commerce suggest this could change in the near future. A January 2017 survey by CreditCards.com found that 68% of US consumers said their primary location for making impulse buys was “in person in a store.” Digital methods were much less preferred.

From here : Don't miss Microsoft's National Entrepreneurship Week , February 20-24th, 2017. Don't miss their free webinars and you can follow on Twitter at #WININBIZ. 2/22 at 9am PT: The Power of Referral Marketing: How to get your customers talking Tapping into your existing customer base could be the key to new business growth.  On the next episode of Office Small Business Academy, learn about the power of referral marketing, and how to design a program that works for your business. Register Now  2/22 at 10am PT: Staying Ahead of the Curve: Technologies that Adapt with your  business .  It used to be that as your business grew, you'd have to increase your technology budget to meet your growth needs. Not anymore. Join the Microsoft's presentation the Staying Ahead of the Curve: Technologies That Adapt with. Register Now  2/23 at 10am PT: Small Business Webinar: 3 Tips for remaking your online professional presence Learn how Yelp and Office 365 can help you con

Because of a Republican-held Congress, and the new Trump administration, there has been talk on a new tax reform. In fact, according to Steven Mnuchin , Trump's [now confirmed] pick to head the Treasury department[now confirmed],that there will be   two comprehensive tax reform plans under this administration. But how will all this affect small business?  President Trump has repeatedly said that he will cut corporate taxes down to 15%. But most small businesses are in the form of S-corps- partnerships and limited liability corporations (LLC). In response to this, the two plans propose three tax brackets- 12%,25%,and 33%. And to repeal the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)- which, according to the IRS , "   applies at a rate of 3.8% to certain net investment income of individuals, estates and trusts that have income above the statutory threshold amounts." With the Trump plan,businesses will be able to elect a max rate for business income at 15%. "The Blueprint&quo

From eMarketer : When it comes to shopping online, consumers have a variety of different payment methods they can choose from. Most prefer PayPal—or something equivalent to it, like Stripe, Google Wallet or Amazon Payments. October 2016 research from postal industry service provider International Post Corporation surveyed cross-border digital buyers across 26 countries. More than four in 10 respondents—who purchased goods online in the past three months and made a cross-border purchase online in the past year—said they prefer to pay for their online purchases via PayPal, or an equivalent service.

Recently, a client asked Judy Wolf, the NY SBDC's Government Contracting Coordinator , if there was a source the compiled information on all matchmaker events taking place in NY, CT, MA, NH, and VT.  Unfortunately, she wasn't aware of such a resource. Fortunately (for the rest of us), she pulled together some really useful information for those states. From Judy: In NYS, matchmaker events tend to be coordinated on an agency-by-agency basis. For NY, I'd recommend getting on the mailing lists for the agencies that most frequently organize them, such as the regional PTACs and the SBA. I do know of the following: •    March 28 North Country PTAC Matchmaker in Watertown: http://www.wbenc.org/calendar-all/2017/3/28/2017-north-county-ptac-matchmaker-ny •    The SBA Albany Matchmaker this year is June 20: https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/ny/syracuse/resources/albany-matchmaker-expo •    The SBA Buffalo Matchmaker looks like it's going to be May 10 this year •