1. Have meetings where everyone stands. Meetings that go too long can zap your productivity. Holding a stand-up meeting where everyone literally stands up and quickly goes over what they've accomplished and what's standing in their way is an effective use of time.  (From "9 Ways To Eliminate The Meetings From Hell," by Erika Napoletano)

2. Hire a content creator for your blog. Branded content is a great way to get your business's mission out there, while improving your search. Business owners can hire someone cheaply through Elance and other online tools. (From "8 Effective Marketing Strategies On A $500 Budget," by Barry Moltz)

3. Engage with your social media accounts for 10 minutes. What people want online is genuine interaction. Devoting even the smallest amount of time to checking and answering customer questions can go a long way (From "Social Media Marketing For Small Businesses: How To Hang Onto Every Fan And Follower," by Lisa Wirthman)

4. Offer mental health programs for your employees. Wellness goes beyond gym memberships and health insurance; ensuring your staff is happy and mentally well-balanced can help improve productivity. (From "Why You Should Include Mental Health In Your Wellness Program," by Ritika Puri)

5. Personalize your sales proposal. Keep your pitch from sounding too generic by using your customer's name. (From "6 Simple Tricks To A Winning Sales Proposal," by Mike Michalowicz)

6. Offer products that are harder to find online. Fight "showrooming"—customers checking out items in brick-and-mortar stores and buying them online—by selling unique gifts that wouldn't necessarily be cheaper online. (From "The Enemy's Playbook: How To Fight Back Against Big Retailer Tactics," by Kelly Spors)

7. "Touch it once." This time-management strategy dictates that you act on an item the moment you touch it. Often people go back to a task again and again and again before they actually complete it. (From "How 3 Super-Busy Small Business Owners Make It Work," by Mark Henricks)

8. Don't use irrelevant subject lines.  "As our inboxes get fuller, we rely more and more on subject lines to search for relevant messages," writes CEO Mike Michalowicz. "Make it easy for people to find what they’re looking for." (From "The 15 Most Irritating Email Faux Pas," by Mike Michalowicz)

9. Show off your team. Humanize your brand by letting customers see the amazing people behind your company. They can share the story of your brand in an engaging and relatable way. (From "5 Ways To Give Your Brand Personality," by Angela Stringfellow)

10. Always issue a 1099 for freelancers. "Many small-business owners make a mistake when they try to classify all their working relationships as freelancers so they don't have to include payroll taxes," expert Barry Moltz writes. But it's against the law. (From "Busted! 7 Biggest Legal Mistakes You Can Make," by Barry Moltz)

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