Doing Business Online

• IM for Business: Outdated or Outdoing E-mail?

  Teens may prefer instant messaging, but more adults still rely on e-mail. So what does this mean for office messaging platforms at small and mid-sized businesses?
  Marc Saltzman

• Essential Tools for the Solo Entrepreneur

  One of the most important steps for solo entrepreneurs -- or solopreneurs -- to take is to build credibility on the Web. The following tools can help you do just that.
  Brent Leary

• Are Real Profits to Be Made in Virtual Worlds?

  Businesses that have bought into such cyber sensations such as Second Life get help marketing and branding products, but can money be made using virtual currencies?
  Marc Saltzman

• Seven Reasons to Host Business E-mail

  Businesses are moving away from simply adding more e-mail servers as they grow and opting to host e-mail with a managed service provider. Some reasons include reliability, accessibility, and an outsourced IT staff.
  Alice Osborn

• E-mail Archiving: A Solution to System Overload

  Cluttered e-mail boxes can mean lost productivity, while misplaced e-mail can result in regulatory woes. There are options for e-mail archiving that can help clear the clutter.
  Peter Suciu

• Three Words that Spell Disaster in Business

  No small or mid-size business wants to hear that their e-mail is down. Here's how to improve e-mail uptime.
  Linda Wilson

• Safeguard Your Brand Reputation Online

  Question: When you do a search on the Web for your business name or brand, does negative information show up in the results? If your answer is yes, you may need to take steps to better manage your reputation online.
  Caroline Waxler

• Putting the Kibosh on Internal Spam

  The latest source of unwanted e-mail in the workplace is coming from an unlikely corner – inside the business. Here's how to deal with so-called 'internal spam.'
  Mary O. Foley

• Are Web Analytics Worth It?

  Software tools and on-demand services can now help small and mid-size businesses determine whether websites are helping fulfill business objectives. Here's how to make Web analytics work for your business.
  Renee Oricchio

• How to Turn Social Networking Contacts into Customers

  Now that business people have migrated onto such social networking sites and amassed a dizzying array of contacts -- and contacts' contacts -- how do you convert some into clients?
  Minda Zetlin

• Helping Customers Help Each Other Online

  A growing number of companies are creating online community forums, or other ways for customers to interact. This not only improves customer satisfaction, but also saves time and resources for your business.
  Minda Zetlin

• It's Not Too Late to Try eCommerce

  If you take an historical look at the Internet age, it's still relatively early in the dawning of this new era for businesses. Opportunities still abound online.
  Andrea Peiro