Social media is the new word-of-mouth and active participation is key for engaging customers and clients on the web. With so many opportunities to connect, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and stuck hiding behind the scenes or in analysis mode.

While you get focused and begin to refine your strategy, here are a few simple things you can do today to help you ramp up your social media presence:

With 74% of people using mobile at work and cell phones outnumbering landlines 5 to 1, the idea of using only your cell phone for business doesn’t seem as crazy as it once did. Phones are better, service coverage is better and the lack of a pbx system can help cut down on business costs.

While the numbers certainly indicate a large number of people use their cell phones for work, we wanted to know how many of you were actually using them. Here’s what you had to say:

Ever wish you had more time in your day? I know we do! As small business owners, we all find ourselves dreaming of having just one or two more hours in the day. Imagine how great it would be to actually check things off your to do list or start AND finish multiple projects in one day?

Turn your fantasy world into a reality with a customer of ours, Intern Profits.  Intern Profits teaches business owners and entrepreneurs how to find, hire, and manage interns to help grow and expand their business while creating educational opportunities for young adults.  An idea I think we can all get behind!

This week’s employee spotlight is on Domenic Tambascia.  Dom is the manager of systems operations here at Grasshopper.   He manages the team that ensures our systems achieve the highest uptime possible and he’s also responsible for leading the charge on all of our virtualization efforts.  Basically, as he says he, “hears phones ringing in his sleep.”

Added values can mean the difference between a prospect and a sale. Bonuses, special offers and freebies convince buyers they’re getting more for their money. Today’s consumers are savvy deal-seekers, and they’ll gladly shop around for the best bargain even if it is from a competing company.  Gasp!

The good news is, these same bonuses that make your offers more attractive don’t have to cost thousands of dollars, or even a penny.