More than 40 percent of small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) remain optimistic or very optimistic about their businesses heading into the New Year, despite 61 percent facing economic hardships and 50 percent failing to meet business goals in 2011. These statistics are revealed in the newly released survey conducted by Zoomerang Online Surveys and Polls, a leader in the online survey space, and GrowBiz Media, a media company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.

The data suggests that although SMBs do not plan to expand their 2012 business models, they do plan to devote resources to currently existing departments. A large number of SMBs do not plan to expand or diversify their company's focus in 2012. Rather, only 19 percent of respondents revealed plans to expand their businesses in 2012, focusing instead on internal growth. According to the survey results, 60 percent of SMBs plan to focus investments and staffing in the business development sector to offset challenges experienced in customer growth.

"Many small businesses are optimistic about 2012, despite the economic challenges they faced in 2011," said Alex Terry, general manager at Zoomerang Online Surveys and Polls. "According to the Small Business Association (SBA), SMBs employ about half of all private sector employees.  It's gratifying to see SMB owners' resilience and their willingness to invest in the future of their businesses."

The recent survey findings reveal that SMBs plan to fill existing positions or promote employees within business development and social media departments – focusing on internal processes instead of altering business plans. Interestingly, a third of respondents plan to use advertising, marketing and social media as the primary methods of attracting new customers, despite 25 percent stating that they do not personally feel comfortable with social media tools.

"While SMBs see the value of social media for their companies, they still do not understand how to use these tools effectively for their businesses. In order for small businesses to remain competitive, it's vital for them to be present on the channels that their customers access most often," says Rieva Lesonsky, CEO and founder of GrowBiz Media.