-- Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of small businesses feel more comfortable using digital social media as compared to a year ago. -- Just over a third (38 percent) of small businesses are spending less time on traditional marketing in order to make greater use of emerging social media tools. -- The survey also shows that the lines between professional and social networking online are blurring. Research shows that small businesses are using the same sites for both business and personal use, with the exception of LinkedIn, which is used more for business purposes."Small businesses are recognizing the importance of integrating social networking into their overall business and marketing strategy," added King. "That's why we created SageSpark.com, an online resource destination helping entrepreneurs succeed in business as well as stay connected with peers and the latest technology." SageSpark.com delivers the elements entrepreneurs need to get started inexpensively, via free and low-cost services; and get motivated, via a strong community of experts and peers, sharing best practices and providing encouragement for entry-level businesses. About Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc. AMI-Partners specializes in IT, Internet, telecommunications and business services strategy, venture capital, and actionable market intelligence -- with a strong focus on global small and medium businesses (SMBs), and extending into large enterprises and home-based businesses. The AMI-Partners mission is to empower clients for success with the highest quality data, business strategy perspectives and "go-to-market" solutions. Led by Andy Bose, the firm has built a world-class management team with deep experience cutting across IT, telecommunications and business services sectors in established and emerging markets. About Sage North America Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. At Sage, we live and breathe business every day. We are passionate about helping our customers achieve their ambitions. Our range of business software and services is continually evolving as we innovate to answer our customers' needs. Our solutions support accounting, operations, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking, merchant services and the specialized needs of the construction, distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. Sage North America employs approximately 4,100 people and supports 2.9 million small and medium-size business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs more than 14,500 people and supports more than 5.8 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the web site at www.sagenorthamerica.com or call 866-308-2378. © 2009 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, the Sage logos and the Sage product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. or its affiliated entities. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact Information: Contacts: Monisha Khanna 604-207-8676 monisha.khanna@sage.com Eric Tang (Canada) 416-422-7200 eric.tang@porternovelli.com Emily Lotz (US) 404-995-4531 emily.lotz@porternovelli.com