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Discover the Top 10 Small Business Resources of 2011

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Who doesn’t like a tool that helps business owners be more efficient? The Globe and Mail has compiled a top ten list of tools & resources for entrepreneurs from 2011 and they are worth sharing! I gave the list a quick spin – & some I know about and use, however there are a few new ones that will soon be added to the tool box. Tech is always evolving and as a business owner it is important to see what new resources are available to help organize & develop your business.
LinkedIn group lists top small business resources
A round-up of this year’s must-have resources for entrepreneurs, as curated by members of our Globe and Mail Small Business LinkedIn community.

1. Basecamp from 37Signals: One of the biggest challenges you are facing as a start-up is a need to manage hundreds of tasks: discuss and test ideas with customers, develop product, draft designs, create content, reach out to media, etc. So you want to have a simple but at the same time powerful tool to help with project management. It’s very easy and fast to use! It offers all the key tools to plan and manage tasks between team members and easily integrate suppliers / partners. Since our InsurEye team is located in Canada, US, and Europe, the ease with which Basecamp helps us coordinate our work makes it our favorite tool to use! (Submitted by Alex Saltykov, co-Founder and executive director at Insureye Inc.)
2. Open Site Explorer: the new Search Engine for Links from SEOmoz. Perform competitive website research. Explore backlinks, anchor text and more for free.}
3. GoToMeeting: web conferencing and online meetings. Work with anyone, anywhere.
4. Google Analytics: lets you measure your advertising ROI as well as track your Flash, video, and social networking sites and applications.

5. Mail Chimp: Design, send, and track HTML email campaigns with simple tools.
6. Skype: video calls, file transfers and screen sharing.
7. Google Keyword Tool: Enter one keyword or phrase per line to see what related word searches your ad will show on.
8. Canada Small Business Financing Program: The program helps you with your financing needs. Under the program, the Government of Canada makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders. (Submitted by Kendra Morley, Information and Publication Officer at Policy and Outreach, Small Business & Tourism Branch, Industry Canada)
9. Integration TV: A must see for SMB/SME owners who worry about the volumes of data that come in and go out of their organizations. We launched Integration TV as an educational tool. Will be a podcast very soon. (Submitted by Robin H. Smith, host of Integration TV)

10. MyLawBid: The tool allows small businesses to send out a request for proposals for legal services and reach out to a number of lawyers at one time, and is free for them to use. Our goal is to provide small businesses with a better understanding of the legal market so that they can then choose the lawyer that best meets their legal and financial needs. (Submitted by Jeff Fung, founder and CEO of MyLawBid)
Globe & Mail – Dec 29, 2011

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