In an amazing twist of karmic justice, Randi Zuckerberg (Mark Zuckerberg’s sister and a former Facebook executive) recently fell victim to Facebook’s confounding privacy settings. Randi had posted a candid family photo for her Facebook friends, only to see it go viral on Twitter.

Several factors influence a business transaction, but the most pressing one is the human element. While savvy business owners understand the importance of connecting with their patrons, many tend to overlook the significance of an unassuming “thank you.” Yet in our highly competitive, consumer-driven economy, customers no longer hope for such gratitude from vendors—they expect it.

We're sure you've heard it said that in a tight economy, marketing budgets are the last thing to cut. But, why? Here are a few words from B2B leaders backing that stance, and the facts indicating that digital marketing remains the best place to allocate your budget in 2013.

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