Many people dream of owning their own business. Yet because they live in a small community, they perceive that developing a successful business just can’t be achieved. Such a viewpoint is one of the small-business myths that exist among the public. Certainly, we don’t want to imply that success is easy in small communities, but…
Cash Mobs are a good tool for small towns. It’s all about getting your people out to support one business in order to get the message across: local businesses matter and you matter to local businesses. But if that’s all there is to it, you miss the chance to build on their success. Laura Meadows,…
1. You are getting reviewed online, right now. Whether you know it or not, people are reviewing your business online. Yes, even your small town business. Especially if you cater to tourists. They might be on Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Local, Urban Spoon, other review sites, their own blogs, Twitter, or a bunch of other…
The idea that providing good customer service is important to your business should come as no surprise. But can that be translated into dollars and cents? The value of customer service is hard to quantify because it is part of a store’s brand and reputation. There are, though, some indications of what it can mean…
Like many small town business people, I have more than one business: liquor store, cattle ranch, speaking and writing about small town business, and Tourism Currents. So how do I do it all? It‘s one of the most common questions that I get asked, so I’m sharing answers this week. Cory Miller of Entrepreneurship Lab…
Awareness of the world around you has been the start of many businesses. The business world is filled with examples of people who started a busines based on watching, reading and listening to things around them. Being aware may lead in many directions. Sometimes the product is already around, but it just takes the right…
When promoting your small town tourism, one essential element is getting your local businesses online where your visitors can find them. But most of your small town businesses either have no website, or a website they don’t maintain, or a website that isn’t mobile-friendly. Rather than fight with all the local businesses about getting and…
“What you say before the event is an explanation, after it’s an excuse.” Guest post by Jurek Leon, Perth, Australia Brisbane dentist Paddi Lund makes this point in his fascinating book Training customers to treasure your business. He has a ‘Welcome Book’ which is given to all new patients before their first appointment. This explains…
Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.
We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.
Meet our authors on the About page.
Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.
Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.
We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.
Copyright © 2006–2026 Becky McCray • Site by Webdancers