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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • customer service | entrepreneurship | Small Biz 100

    It’s hard to ask for help, isn’t it?

    ByBecky McCray March 18, 2013August 27, 2014

    It’s hard to ask for help, isn’t it? We hate to admit we need help. It hurts our pride. We hate to let go of our independence and control. All of that is scary. If it’s hard for you to ask for help, imagine how hard it is for your customers. That makes it your…

    Read More It’s hard to ask for help, isn’t it?Continue

  • Buzz
    marketing | tourism

    Finding photos to use online

    ByBecky McCray March 12, 2013January 25, 2018

    Photos are key for tourism promotion, so you can never have too many great photos to use online. However, most photos you find online are NOT public domain, so you do not have the right to use them. There are some enthusiastic photographers who are posting photos that they’d love to have you use. Here’s…

    Read More Finding photos to use onlineContinue

  • customer service | entrepreneurship | planning

    2 Key Questions to Change Your Thinking

    ByBecky McCray March 11, 2013August 27, 2014

    If you’re trying to make something better, I have two questions for you to ask everyone who is involved. My winter view of Port Dover, Norfolk County, Ontario. Why are we doing this?  Why are we doing it this way?  These great questions are from Norfolk County, Ontario, Mayor Dennis Travale. Dennis is serious about…

    Read More 2 Key Questions to Change Your ThinkingContinue

  • entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Why You Should Stop Giving It Away

    ByBecky McCray March 7, 2013November 2, 2015

    [Stephanie Ward is a fellow Oklahoman, who happens to now reside in The Netherlands. She’s been a good friend and coach, and I’m proud to offer this guest post from her. – Becky] Recently at a networking event I was talking with two friends and the subject of doing work for free versus paid came…

    Read More Why You Should Stop Giving It AwayContinue

  • community | economic development | rural

    How to start a Main Street stroll or Art Walk

    ByBecky McCray March 6, 2013August 27, 2014

    Any advice on how to conduct a Main Street stroll?The idea is to get our locals to actually come into our stores.  We have many retirees with money living in our community but they seem to have no use for Main St.  They often drive several hours to the nearest city to shop.  We are…

    Read More How to start a Main Street stroll or Art WalkContinue

  • entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Find a niche, fill the niche and kill the niche

    ByBecky McCray March 4, 2013September 27, 2016

    The sharpest marketing advice I’ve heard came not from some marketing guru but from a small town photographer, one who built a global business from a home base in a small town. Mike Klemme found a niche, filled it,and killed it. And that is how hebuilt a global business. Mike Klemme is a professional photographer…

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  • marketing | social media

    9 Reasons to blog even if no one subscribes

    ByBecky McCray February 28, 2013May 29, 2017

    Some small town business people tell me no one would subscribe to their blog. Some bloggers tell me no one subscribes anymore; RSS readers are dead. To me, that’s all the more reason to blog now. Here are nine reasons to blog even if no one ever subscribes. You’ll improve your writing. You’ll look for…

    Read More 9 Reasons to blog even if no one subscribesContinue

  • rural | tourism

    Your driving tour directions are killing your visitors

    ByBecky McCray February 26, 2013August 27, 2014

    In Scotland, while staying in Stirling, we picked up a driving tour brochure. It listed a monument to the McRae Clan in the nearby Sheriffmuir area. Being good McCrays, we had to go try to find it. The problem is that the instructions were nearly indecipherable to us. They were crammed into one long block…

    Read More Your driving tour directions are killing your visitorsContinue

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