Four quick things every citizen should know from Governor Rick Snyder's new Dollars & Sense: How State and Local Governments in Michigan Spend Your Money guide to the public's checkbook. State Treasurer Andy Dillon says Lansing is about to experience "shock therapy."

Free tax preparation is available for qualified Michigan residents at sites around the state. You can call 2-1-1 (1-800-552-1183 if 2-1-1 is unavailable in your area) for help locating the free tax site nearest you.

Are you looking for some environmentally friendly ideas for your business? Join Eco-Coach Lori Sullivan and Bill Clemens of DTE Energy for some great solutions. Vendors will also be present for even more green tips and products. This Strategies of Success (SOS) seminar takes place on Thursday, February 3^rd from 7:30-9:30AM in the Summit on the Park Banquet Center. Space is limited so please reserve your spot by calling the Canton Chamber of Commerce at (734) 453-4040.

Beginners… Join us for an introduction to all avenues of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter etc.). Learn how to develop a social media strategy to grow and show off your business.
January 26 at Noon in the Internet Lab. Register online.

What are you doing for lunch? Why not spend that time with us enhancing and growing your business with a series of targeted presentations. Attorney Ken Bloom, of Bloom Asset Management, will share his expertise on Wednesday, January 19 at Noon with Legal and Tax Aspects When Starting a Small Business.

Canton Public Library's popular Business School is back in session for local business people at Noon in the Internet Lab. The following sessions are available:

• Wednesday, January 19 — Legal and Tax Aspects of Starting a Small Business: with attorney Ken Bloom of Bloom Asset Management
• Wednesday, January 26 — Social Media I: an introduction to all avenues of social media strategy for beginners
• Thursday, February 10 — Social Media II: the nuts and bolts of social media for your business — how to open an account, post pictures and use varied apps
• Wednesday, February 16 — Business School Part II: the professionals from SCORE will help you start or grow your business

Registration begins two weeks prior to each session. Spend your lunch hour with us and grow your business.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are more than just social networking sites. They're also a great way for businesses to market their products, connect with customers and create a dialog regarding their services. Get started by checking out the following books.

Get connected: the social networking toolkit for business by Starr Hall, Chadd Rosenberg

Facebook marketing: an hour a day by Chris Treadaway, Mari Smith

The Dec/2010 issue of U.S. News contains 50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2011. Articles concerning your health, money, career, mind and the world are included. Please note this will be the last issue of U.S. News & World Report. This magazine will no longer be published as a print or digital replica magazine. The U.S. Media group will continue to publish the usnews.com website.

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - why would you want to use these sites for your business? Join Brenda Meller, Marketing Manager for Walsh College and Amy Lee, Business Librarian at the Canton Public Library, for a look at social networking sites as important and free business tools. The Strategies of Success (SOS) series for 2010-2011 kicks off on Wednesday, October 13th from 7:30-9:30AM in the Summit on the Park Banquet Center. Space is limited so please reserve your spot by calling the Canton Chamber of Commerce at (734) 453-4040.

Shareholders of United Airlines and Continental Airlines approved the stock-swap merger that will create the world's largest airline. For background on airlines and mergers, check out these materials:

Airlines

From worst to first [electronic resource] : behind the scenes of Continental's remarkable comeback by Gordon Bethune with Scott Huler

The Airline industry by edited by William M. Leary

This program has been discontinued

The Canton Public Library and Canton Economic Development have teamed up to help our community "check out" Canton businesses. It works like the very popular Museum Adventure Pass program. Local businesses supply special offers that you can check out from the library with your library card. Use the passes to save on goods and services throughout Canton.

If your business is interested in participating in this program, please contact Canton Economic Development at (734) 394-5182.

Join us on Thursday, August 19th from Noon to 1:00PM for DemographicsNow and Reference USA, the final session in our Summer School for Small Business series. Learn how to use DemographicsNow and Reference USA to get accurate, up-to-date information to market your business, research competitors, get customer leads and more. No registration required.

Learn to use DemographicsNow and ReferenceUSA databases to find out more about your local community, your customers, and your competitors! The up-to-date business intelligence will help you better market your business, get customer leads, and more. This one hour session is part of the Summer School for Business series.
Date: August 19, 2010
Time: Noon to 1:00PM
Location: Internet Lab

You hear it all the time, "Internet identity theft on the rise." If you have been searching for a resource on identity theft protection and more, look no further. OnGuard Online is a website from the Federal Government in collaboration with businesses in the technology industry, which provides tips to help you be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. OnGuard Online's Net Cetera provides information on how to keep children safe and secure online. These websites provide information and tutorials on spyware, online shopping, and much more. A Spanish version of this site is also available.

As we'll discuss at the Google Business Center program tomorrow, local listings and reviews are a great way to increase website traffic and foster healthy customer relationships.

When you list (or claim, or check in) your business on these sites, you have some control over what information appears. Having a listing is the first step toward engaging people and in turn having them engage their social circles.

Here are some examples of a familiar local venue's listings on various sites:

• YellowPages
• Google Maps (Places)
• Yahoo! Local
• Yelp (Local review site)
• Insiderpages
• Judy's Book
• Bing Local
• Foursquare
• Citysearch

Canton, considered to be a Hidden Gem of Economic Development, will be featured on the Fox Business Channel on the economic news show Inside Business with Fred Thompson on Sunday, July 25th at 4:00PM. The segment will feature township Supervisor, Phil LaJoy, and Canton Economic Development Manager Debra Bilbrey-Honsowetz. It's a great time to be part of Canton!

The library's Summer School for Small Business series is going strong! Our next class will be Google Business Center on Wednesday, July 28th from Noon-1:00PM. Find out how to advertise online, maximize your revenue, reach new customers, enhance your website and increase your productivity. No registration required.

Our Summer School for Small Business series continues with Twitter For Business on Thursday, July 22nd from Noon-1:00PM. Learn how to use Twitter to connect with customers, build relationships and engage potential customers. No registration is required but you must have an existing email account.

Join us on Tuesday, July 13th from Noon-1:00PM to learn about Facebook. The second session in our Summer School for Small Business series, Facebook for Business will teach you how to post events, photos and include Facebook in your business marketing plan. Prerequisite: existing email account or personal Facebook account. No registration necessary.

If you work for a manager or are one yourself, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, is a great read.

The author, Liz, Wiseman contends that leaders fall into two distinct categories: Multipliers and Diminishers. Multipliers, those who liberate their employees to do their very best, invest in human capital and inspire excellence, are the exact opposite of Diminishers. Diminishers, in turn, are toxic, self-centered, and often know-it-alls, whose lack of managerial skills tend to tear down their employees. While many people land in the middle of this continuum, Wiseman creates an excellent framework for her theory. Anyone who reads this book will recognize the Multipliers and Diminishers in their lives.