You have heard that a competitor is coming to your community. Now what do you do? This is the typical response of most business owners. And, of course, the bigger the competitor, the greater the fear of the new competition. When such rumors start circulating, and after the initial shock, business owners start to wonder…
Lots of small town business have turned to Facebook for a big part of their online presence. It’s easy to create a page, easy to post photos and updates, and easy to attract locals as fans. The problem is that Facebook is changing the rules so that almost no one sees what you share,…
Small towns are by definition a limited market. If you are depending on just your locals for all of your customers, you are limiting the growth of your business. You may need to reach beyond the geographic limits to find enough customers to be sustainable. So think of ways you can get beyond the borders….
When I read the introduction to 9 Clouds’ new book, I immediately asked Scott Meyer for permission to reprint it here. Scott obliged, did a bit of customization, and threw in the infographic (because everything needs an infographic). Yes, I am mentioned in the book, but trust me, this is an excellent guide for small…
The “shop local, shop independent” message is starting to get through. More shoppers say they prefer small local stores over big boxes, according to the Deluxe Annual Holiday Shopping Survey. What can a small town do to keep the momentum alive through the last of the holiday shopping season? Join with other small towns and…
One thing small town businesses often need help with is getting clear on who they are and what they do. I see retail businesses that can’t tell you why they are any better than an online store, professionals and consultants who can’t tell you exactly what they do, and service providers who target “everyone!” My…
For the first time, Shop Small Saturday is promoting local small businesses in the UK on December 7, 2013. The dedicated UK Small Business Saturday website offers an easy and quick download of digital marketing tools, like posters, logos, and suggested social media posts. There’s also a kit of printed posters, stands and badges you…
The 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops And what we’re all going to do about them. As we head into the busy holiday shopping season, we are seeing lots of Shop Local messages working to get customers to think about shifting their shopping more to local stores. I want to add another layer, and…
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