With tax season upon us, one can easily become a little overwhelmed by all the tax rules, new changes, credits and deductions. Things are doubly confusing if you’re a small business owner, as you have many more items to keep track of. So, what are the top small business tax deductions you should be takingon your 2009 tax return? Read below to learn more.

According to Jay Conrad Levinson, the man who coined the term, “guerilla marketing” is a system of promotions that relies on “time, energy and imagination,” rather than a giant marketing budget.  In other words, it’s a system that’s organically linked to small businesses.  Here are some of the best (read: low-budget) guerilla marketing techniques for small businesses and start-ups. 

As Jen pointed out last week, sometimes being a boss is tough. You have to make hard decisions all the while managing your company and your employees. And, if you throw in the addition of interns, you may have another layer of complications to manage. However, having interns can be great for your small business. Not only are interns are cost-effective for your business, but they also make great brand ambassadors, who can spread the word about your business on school campuses and on the streets.

You may have noticed that there are a ton of really creative business cards being handed out by prospective employees, freelancers, artists and small businesses alike.  But, does creative = effective?  Here are a few of the business card designs we find to be the most effective, and a few that we feel are a wee too inaccessible. 

Every four years the Olympics airs we swell with national pride, cheer on the underdogs and are overwhelmed by touching stories. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games have been no exception. We have already witnessed some amazing athletic feats along with heartbreaking losses—sorry, Julia Mancuso. At the end of it all, though, we have learned some interesting lessons from the Winter Games that can be applied to everyday business strategies.

Steve Strauss’ Ask an Expert column in today’s USAToday gives an interesting, but debatable, piece of advice to small business owners: sometimes you just “gotta be a jerk.”  I whole-heartedly disagree with the concept.  Read on to find out why “the tough guy” makes a terrible leader.

The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business reported earlier this month that the number of small businesses adopting social media doubled last year from 12% to 24%, and nearly one out of five small business owners are actively using social media for their business. Also, 61% of the respondents said that they use social media to attract new customers to their businesses. So how can you use social media networking, like Twitter and Facebook, to drive your business?

Going “green” might sound expensive, but it actually can help save your business time and money in the long run.  Plus, being eco-friendly is easy and could be a fun activity for you and your employees.  Here are a few easy things you can do to help save the planet while also reducing your overhead.

Did you know that North Americans open less emails than Europeans do? According to report conducted by email marketing solution GetResponse, only 10.76% of Americans who received targeted emails actually opened them, compared to 13+% of Europeans. Americans are now becoming more email-weary, and it can be a daunting task to get your email newsletter opened by your subscribers. Read below for tips on how to improve your chances.

Subject Lines are Your Friends

Last year, I explained Why Your Small Business Needs a Web Site and responded to people who think that a website isn’t necessary for your business.  In conjunction with the launch of our newest How-To guide (How to Build a Website), I’m going to reiterate a few points about all the great things a website can do for your small business.