The SBA has proposed a new rule designed to increase women's share of federal contracting dollars, the Los Angeles Times reports .

The proposal allows federal contracting officials to set aside contracts for women-owned small businesses. The rule, seven years in the making, is intended to help federal agencies reach a goal of awarding 5 percent of federal contracts to female owners. The proposed rule was published December 27 in the Federal Register, and remains open to public comment until February 25. Read the proposed rules.

The proposed rule would limit the contract set-asides to four industry areas in which the SBA says women-owned small firms don't get their fair share of federal contract dollars. Those areas are national security and international affairs; coating, engraving, heat treating and allied activities; household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing; and motor vehicle dealers.

The LA Times reported that women's groups and congressional leaders are raising a storm of protest against the plan because of its limited focus.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who heads the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, characterized the proposed rule as "a slap in the face to women business owners."

According to the LA Times, the SBA has acknowledged the limited scope of the rule. However, it also defended its findings. "Supreme Court decisions require legislative findings to justify a gender-based preferences program," the agency said in a statement. "In general, set-asides and other preference programs are subject to a high degree of constitutional scrutiny and require careful study and thorough justification."--Eve Gumpel

First impressions can make or break a business deal, which is a rather scary thought when you consider that many first impressions are now made in cyberspace. This article in The New York Times explores how the concept of "impression management" has progressed through the years. Nowadays, people have to consider how to portray their virtual selves to the cyberworld. But that version of themselves must appeal to multiple audiences, including family, employees and prospective clients. An assistant professor at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania says the main problem with social networking sites is the notion of impressing "everyone out there." For online impression management to be effective, Keith N. Hampton said networking sites should be redesigned to let users reveal different aspects of who they are to different users. "We have real reasons for wanting to segment our social network," said Hampton.

In the meantime, some social networking members are choosing to play it safe. "Some people seem to pick an audience. Other people pick and choose the best parts of themselves. As a professor, my Facebook page is just watered down. I can’t have pictures of me playing beer pong, " said Mark R. Leary, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke.

A new kind of marketing is taking to the slopes. Mobile-marketing software firm RocketBux is helping Mt. Bachelor ski resort in Bend, Oregon, reach resort guests via mobile messages. Through a deal with RocketBux, Mt. Bachelor will be able to send skiers scannable mobile coupons. By embedding a link in each promotional text message, RocketBux will make it possible for guests with web-enabled mobile phones to click on the link and open the coupon page. The resort is currently using the opt-in service to drive traffic to one of its restaurants. The communications manager for Mt. Bachelor said the resort signed on for the service to cut operating costs and to better deliver information to guests.

Overall, mobile marketing in the U.S. has grown slowly, mostly due to pricing and general adoption issues. But the president and founder of RocketBux said the popularity of devices like the BlackBerry and iPhone have been "the best things for our business." Currently, RocketBux is getting ready to launch another mobile marketing promotion with Wyoming's Jackson Hole ski resort.