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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • A cat wearing a plaid bandana shown over a background of Shop Indie Local graphics
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    Shop Indie Local Week and Holiday Season, it’s way more than Shop Small Saturday

    BySmall Biz Survival November 20, 2023

    Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA Thank you for your commitment to building the local economy movement! Wishing you an inspiring Shop Indie Local Week with the entire community. My cat Shamu (above) can’t wait for Plaid Friday! One practical step: #ShopIndieLocal It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Any local business or group can start by sharing social…

    Read More Shop Indie Local Week and Holiday Season, it’s way more than Shop Small SaturdayContinue

  • October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie local
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie local

    BySmall Biz Survival October 5, 2023

    Heads up, rural retailers: holiday shopping has already started! Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA Why promote Shop Indie Local early this holiday season? Because more of us are shopping early for holiday gifts. From National Retail Federation: Over the last decade, consumers have been kicking off their holiday shopping early in order to spread…

    Read More October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie localContinue

  • A woman with dark hair and beige skin tone wearing a businesslike jacket is speaking to a packed audience. She's holding a mic and raising one hand in the air. A slide shown on the screen behind her includes a diverse crowd at a golden shovel business event.
    economic development | rural | shop local

    Support small business to pull your community together (video)

    ByBecky McCray July 19, 2023July 6, 2023

    A standing-room-only crowd participated with rural speaker Becky McCray sharing ways to tap the popularity of small businesses to Pull Your Town Together: Overcoming Divisiveness at the Main Street Now National Conference by Main Street America in Boston in 2023.     Small businesses are trusted – tap that trust For rural communities with struggling…

    Read More Support small business to pull your community together (video)Continue

  • Graphic of US currency with the text Move Your Money, bank local, invest local
    economic development | finance | rural | shop local | survivors

    Move Your Money and Bank Local

    ByBecky McCray March 22, 2023March 23, 2023

    April is traditionally Move Your Money Month in the shop local community. Bank Local and Invest Local are the financial parts of the shop local movement. In 2023, the timing couldn’t be more noticeable. High profile bank failures, lots of talk about other banks in trouble, and a serious debate about the financial system (AGAIN!)…

    Read More Move Your Money and Bank LocalContinue

  • A shopkeeper and a customer share a laugh in a small store packed full of interesting home wares.
    Best of | marketing | rural | shop local

    How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores

    ByBecky McCray February 19, 2023March 12, 2025

      If you have a retail store in a small town, you know how difficult it can be to attract customers in the door. With so much online competition and limited resources, it is hard to get people in the store and buying your products. In this article, we’ll share some of our best ways…

    Read More How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail storesContinue

  • There's still time to Shop Indie Local, the Santa Cat says
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    Holiday 2022 marketing: Tell your founding story

    ByBecky McCray December 1, 2022November 16, 2022

    We’re all using the same marketing theme this year: Shop Indie Local. When we work together to spread the word, we’ll multiply how many customers we reach. Learn more from AMIBA, the Shop Indie Local lead sponsor. Let’s do a throwback. Tell your founding story.  How did your business come into being? How were you founded? Who was…

    Read More Holiday 2022 marketing: Tell your founding storyContinue

  • Tis the season to Shop Indie Local
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    Holiday 2022 Marketing: Tell your customers’ stories

    ByBecky McCray November 30, 2022November 25, 2022

    We’re all using the same marketing theme this year: Shop Indie Local. When we work together to spread the word, we’ll multiply how many customers we reach. Learn more from AMIBA, the Shop Indie Local lead sponsor. Your customers matter a lot to you. And they have great stories. Now, the story doesn’t even have to be related…

    Read More Holiday 2022 Marketing: Tell your customers’ storiesContinue

  • There's still time to Shop Indie Local, the Santa Cat says
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    Holiday 2022 Marketing: Introduce your people

    ByBecky McCray November 29, 2022November 25, 2022

    We’re all using the same marketing theme this year: Shop Indie Local. When we work together to spread the word, we’ll multiply how many customers we reach. Learn more from AMIBA, the Shop Indie Local lead sponsor. This week, introduce one of your people, the people who work for you or work with your customers. If you’re the…

    Read More Holiday 2022 Marketing: Introduce your peopleContinue

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