Know what's being said about your company by joining the online conversations.

1. Find what you're good at.
2. Volunteer or work for an individual who is at the top of the industry you're interested in. This way you can learn from the best and build relationships from your mentor's.

Using social media sites is essential to communicating with customers. Emphasis should be placed on social media channels that are most relevant to your company, but presence should be maintained in all top social media websites.

Social media is best used to establish and maintain an ongoing relationship, rather than an individual campaign.

Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. has committed $1 million in aggregate business credit products and services to struggling small businesses by way of the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI.) CGI America is a worldwide effort, started by Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, to improve the living standards of people globally by empowering their most influential community leaders. CGI America is the organization's annual conference that specifically focuses on the U.S. and ways to improve the overall economic health of the country. As part of this event, the organization asks for commitments from companies nationwide. Because we strongly believe in both the collective impact small businesses have on our country as well as the need for economic improvement, Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. is proud to support small businesses in need.

Judy Hackett, Chief Marketing Officer, speaks on the great impact we believe this commitment will have.

Jeff Stibel, CEO of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., speaks about common entrepreneurial mistakes. Not raising enough money at the right time is a common difficulty, but so is raising too much money, and not knowing your company's investment needs. Click here to watch the full-length panel discussion.

Friends and family are the most reliable sources of funding for small businesses. Credit cards come in as a close second. Professor John Paglia of the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University shares results from the 2011 State of Small Business Report.

Click here to watch the full-length panel discussion.

Business owners should research and understand different types of lenders that are suited for their stage of business, the size of their captial needs and their industry. Professor John Paglia of Pepperdine University and Bryan Moeller of Wells Fargo Bank discuss the confusion often faced by small businesses as they pursue the lending process.

Click here to watch the full-length panel discussion.

Establishing a strong relationship and communication with your bank may be the most important part of banking, says Bryan Moeller of Wells Fargo bank. Jeff Stibel, CEO of Dun & Bradstreet Creditbility Corp., explains why it's so important to start building these relationships as early as possible.

Click here to watch the full-length panel discussion.

Small business owners should be knowledgeable about their own small business operations before seeking loans from a bank. Bank lending is about quality, explains Jeff Moore, Vice President and Relationship Manager of First California Bank.

Click here to watch the full-length panel discussion.