HeatherStone commented on the following stories on BizSugar
What’s a paid link and How Google decides whether a link is paid or not
"Hi Zubin, I think the time worn phrase "avoiding the appearance of inpropriety" comes into play here. And remember, there are other factors to consider besides Google penalizing your website. They include things like legal guidelines enforced by government agencies (including the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S.) and most importantly perhaps, the trust of your readers. Are you betraying that trust by creating referrals for reasons other than merit or than your honest opinion about the quality of a link, website or service? Thinking about some of these questions is probably a better idea than waiting for a set of absolute guidelines from Google. "Should you get a custom URL for your Google+ Page?
"Hi Martina, Like you, I guess I’m struggling to see the downside here. Is there one? Google is offering another way for you to differentiate your online reputation. And given Google search remains one of the greatest arbiters of that reputation, this offer should be considered accordingly."Industries That Spend The Most Time on Customer Service
"Hi Al, Larger companies aren't the only ones who have to worry about customer service. Small businesses are probably even more vulnerable to the negative impact of poor customer service. In many cases they have fewer customers, so the impact of that one bad experience could be bigger if a major customer or client decides to leave. Also, they may have less overall brand recognition in the industry, so the impact of a tarnish on that brand can certainly be more severe. "Empowerment Requires Encouragement
"Hi John, I think few business owners would call micromanagement a good thing, if you put it in those terms. The trouble is finding the balance between delegation that keeps your business strong and creates a product you can continue to be proud of and realizing that all of this does require some amount of letting go. I've left this comment here in the BizSugar community as well where Christi Brendlinger was good enough to share this post. Wonder if you or she or both could share some guidelines with our community about exactly how you go about striking this difficult balance. "The Three Best Ways to Manage your Stress
"Hi Chris, I don't think many people realize the ways that stress affects them. That's a shame too, particularly for entrepreneurs. Because knowing how to manage that stress adequately can be the difference between success and failure. This is especially true in instance number three where we can begin to sabotage ourselves physically in an attempt to cope. "How to Use Video For Your Marketing
"Chris, You always share such great and useful content. In addition to all the things you've just mentioned, there are also new video channels now like Vine and Instagram to consider. While the videos may be quite short in duration, both these channels offer built in social distribution channels and the ability to spread content quickly through your network (the same way you would through Twitter or Facebook.) Not for everyone or every marketer, but definitely things to think about. "Preventing Micromanagement in the Workplace
"Hi Herby, This isn't really a comment on your post, above, but I just want to thank you for entering our awesome contest! I'm glad to see a long time member like you showing your BizSugar spirit!(Plus, maybe you'll win, who knows?) Good luck! Heather Stone Admin/Chief Moderator"Why Small Businesses Struggle To Capture Leads For Email Marketing
"Hi Adeyemi, Regarding email marketing, you've definitely put your finger on an important issue here. But perhaps more important is the question of whether people have a good reason to sign up for email marketing. (What do you offer them if they do sign up?) And how easy have you made it or them to do so? (Is it obvious to visitors from the moment they reach your page how to subscribe?) "Subscribe
Getting work done: Why 80% complete is worse than 0% done
"Devan, Thanks for sharing this post. I can say from the title I thought I would hate it. No one wants to be reminded of projects left undone. But the truth is the solution Brad suggests is a great way to get out of a situation no one wants to be in anyway. I'm hoping the whole BizSugar community will take a look and take stock."