What issues concern entrepreneurs most? The Entrepreneurs' Organization surveyed business owners across the country to find out if the media has it right. According to their results, their U.S.-based members prioritize the presidential election and healthcare costs as their top issues for 2008. Unlike what the media has been reporting, the survey found that energy costs and environmental concerns aren't necessarily priorities for most business owners. When it comes to their social network of choice, the survey showed LinkedIn as the clear winner, with about 30 percent of respondents planning to use the site next year for marketing and recruiting purposes. For more interesting findings about your peers, check out the rest of this report.

Whether they're describing the fit of a shoe or the results of a new workout machine, online reviews are making a difference in purchasing decisions. According to this release from the Center for Media Research , a recent survey by Deloitte's Consumer Products group says that 62 percent of consumers read consumer-written product reviews online. Of those consumers, eight in 10 say they were directly influenced by the reviews. And it doesn't stop there--seven in 10 go on to spread the information to friends and family. "In the past, clever marketers and advertisers shaped brands, but now consumers are increasingly empowered, everyone has a voice, and information and opinions are instantly dispersed …," said Pat Conroy, vice chairman and U.S. consumer products group leader at Deloitte & Touche USA. "Consumer product companies need to determine how best to capitalize on this new landscape."

But word-of-mouth and reputation aren't the only factors involved in consumers' decision-making processes. The survey also found that "better for you" ingredients or components, eco-friendly usage and sourcing are all significant factors consumers take into account.

When we recently spoke with Zappos.com CEO and director Tony Hsieh, he said he wants the brand to become synonymous with the best customer service. Well, according to this blog post, it appears his plan is working. A blog post titled, "I Heart Zappos" describes the amazing customer service a Zappos customer recently received. The blogger describes how she purchased several pairs of shoes from Zappos for her mother. Though only two of the seven pairs fit, she was not able to return the five pairs within the 15-day time limit since her mother was hospitalized and had lost the shipping label provided by Zappos. When the blogger returned home from caring for her mother, who had since passed, she received an e-mail from Zappos asking about the shoes since they hadn't received them. After the blogger replied about the situation, Zappos arranged for UPS to pick up the shoes and even sent an arrangement of flowers to the blogger.

The 146 glowing comments following the blog post are only more proof of the power of customer service.