Our daily blend of the latest news, trends and tips for the small business community.

What’s going ‘on’:

Unemployment claims inch higher: The number of unemployment applications increased by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. The less-volatile four-week average, however, fell to its lowest level since March.

Square unveils flat-rate service: The increasingly popular mobile payment company has introduced a flat-rate option for small business owners, offering a monthly fee of $275 instead of 2.75 percent per swipe, adding yet another credit card-processing option for retailers.

Romney leverages small business resentment: The Romney camp is circulating a letter from 16 small business owners criticizing Obama’s handling of the economy. The campaign paid to publish the letter in Iowa on Wednesday, where the president has been campaigning this week.

Keep an eye ‘on’:

East Coast business travelers turning to trains: Amtrak’s share of commercial travel between New York and Washington has increased from roughly a third to three quarters in just over a decade. The pattern steps from increased airport security and flight delays coupled with faster trains and online Amtrak ticketing.

Helpful advice ‘on’:

How to make Yelp work for your business (OSB)

How to improve your business meetings (Entrepreneur)

How to search for loan alternatives (Fox Business)

How to approach your private equity options (NYT)

How to shop for a small business bank (WSJ)

Every other week, On Small Business reaches out to a panel of young entrepreneurs for answers to some of the most pressing social media questions facing small business owners. The following responses are provided by members of the Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of young entrepreneurs.

Q: Should every entrepreneur learn how to code? Which business owners will find those skills most useful?

Hire a programmer or learn the skills yourself? Our panel comes down on both sides of the argument. (Jeffrey MacMillan - JEFFREY MACMILLAN)

Amanda Congdon, co-founder and director of operations of Vegan Mario’s in Oak View, Calif.:

Knowing how to code means that you’re better equipped to take charge of your destiny, because you can give a digital presence to any idea in your head. It’s a skill that lets you work with more freedom and independence. If you are an entrepreneur, code will get you to where you want to go faster, and in a way completely authentic to your vision.

Confession: I don’t know how to code! Honestly, it’s been a hindrance. So far, my solution has been to collaborate with a coder via Elance, but that’s an imperfect system; even a coder who is great at her job cannot exactly replicate what it is that’s in your head. And when you need to make arrangements with another person, you can’t take advantage of the momentum that comes at a moment of inspiration.

Artists, innovators and entrepreneurs are three groups who I think could most benefit from knowing how to code. Time to take a trip over to Codecademy. For the less creatively inclined, a website like Weebly might do if you just need a nice looking blog.

Every other week, On Small Business reaches out to a panel of young entrepreneurs for answers to some of the most pressing social media questions facing small business owners. The following responses are provided by members of the Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of entrepreneurs.

Q: Should business owners continue sending out traditional press releases, and if so, how can they make them more effective?

Drafting the perfect press release — is it worth the time and energy? (Jeffrey MacMillan - JEFFREY MACMILLAN)

Amanda Congdon, co-founder and director of operations of Vegan Mario’s in Oak View, Calif.:

Press releases have been overused in recent years, clogging journalists’ inboxes everywhere. I get a multitude of these emails every day of the week, and they almost always wind up unread.

How to combat press release oversaturation in the marketplace? Build relationships. Read blogs, write comments, connect over social networks, and meet people in real life at conferences. Become a genuine part of your industry’s community.

Then, when you have something to announce, you can ping the bloggers and journalists you think would be genuinely interested in your news. Cut and paste your press release below the personal note you write just for them. Be as specific in your correspondence as possible, and try to reference past work by the blogger or journalist.

‘Hey Jen, loved the post you did on windmill energy last week for your blog. Wanted to let you know my company just came out with some windmill technology that is going to blow all the others away. See the press release below and please get in touch with any questions.’

And always remember the golden rule of press releases — only send one out if you have something truly newsworthy to share.

Our daily blend of the latest news, trends and tips for the small business community.

What’s going on:

Small business optimism falls: Small business owners’ confidence dropped for the second consecutive month in July, albeit a much less staggering decline (down 0.2 percentage points) than the 3-point drop in June, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

Retail sales surpass expectations: U.S. retailers sold more goods than expected last month on the heels of higher consumer spending at department stores, car dealers and electronics outlets. The latest Commerce Department report shows sales increased by 0.8 percent.

Bloomberg calls for immigration debate: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has urged the presidential candidates to submit to one debate focused solely on immigration issues, which, handled wisely, he believes could swiftly revitalize the yet sluggish economy.

Keep an eye on:

Ryan’s reception on Main Street: The Republican vice presidential candidate is well known for his latest budget proposal, which is lined with clues as to how he would approach some of the Washington issues that directly concern small business owners and entrepreneurs. Check out our small business primer on Ryan’s policies regarding taxes, spending, lending, technology and health care.

Helpful advice on:

How to know when to start a firm (Entrepreneur)

How to gather more online followers (Upstart)

How to find your perfect business idea (SBD)

How to improve your online advertising (Forbes)

How to grow your business through analytics (SBT)

Our daily blend of the latest news, trends and tips for the small business community.

What’s going ‘on’:

Drought could hit both farmers and taxpayers: The persistent drought has farmers staring down the barrel of $18 billion in losses this year, but they won’t be the only ones paying the price. Federal insurance programs could pass up to $10 billion of that on to American taxpayers.

DC tops East Coast start-up city rankings: Courtesy of VentureBeat, the latest rankings of entrepreneur-friendly cities poses few surprises at the top (San Francisco and Los Angeles lead the way). But for once, Washington bested Boston and New York for the East Coast crown.

Small business owners dismissing the idea of retirement: More than four of 10 small business owners (revenues between $100,000 and $10 million) expect never to retire, and on average, even those who do plan to hang it up around age 67, according to a recent Barlow survey.

Keep an eye ‘on’:

Ryan selection sets new stage for political sparring: The election’s battle lines are much more clearly defined now that Mitt Romney has tapped Paul Ryan as his running mate. Previously among a litany of disputes between the two parties, Medicare plans and budget proposals have emerged as the most critical issues and will likely remain front and center all the way through to November.

Helpful advice ‘on’:

How to take your small business international (OSB)

How to take advantage of mobile benefits (Huff Post)

How to make use of your customer data (Entrepreneur)

How to get started with Google Offers (Open Forum)