Skip to content
  • Survey of Rural Challenges
  • Small Town Speaker Becky McCray
  • SaveYour.Town
Small Biz Survival

Small Biz Survival

Practical ideas for small town business and community builders

Small town main street
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS
Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • Changing travel motivations favor small towns
    rural | tourism

    Changing travel motivations favor small towns

    ByBecky McCray October 22, 2013August 27, 2014

    Is your small town ready for the explorers? Travel expert Wendy Perrin presented these changing travel motivations from the Condé Nast Traveler Research Center at an event in Australia. I had to share them with you. THEN: Planned “cultural experiences” NOW: Local immersion In small towns, visitors can dive into local events and experiences. Help them with…

    Read More Changing travel motivations favor small townsContinue

  • 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops, and what we're all going to do about them.
    customer service | mistakes | shop local

    Weakness 2. Poor Customer Service

    ByBecky McCray October 21, 2013August 27, 2014

    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’ll see 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 get…

    Read More Weakness 2. Poor Customer ServiceContinue

  • Stand on the shoulders of giants in the Brag Basket
    brag basket

    Stand on the shoulders of giants in the Brag Basket

    BySmall Biz Survival October 18, 2013December 15, 2014

    Welcome to the Brag Basket, our tradition of sharing. The basket is always free and open all weekend, this one October 18-20, 2013. What good news will you add to the brag basket? Don’t hold back because of that word, “brag.” When you hold back, you hide your good news and accomplishments that might inspire others….

    Read More Stand on the shoulders of giants in the Brag BasketContinue

  • Signs recognize local business donors at the county fair. Photo by Becky McCray.
    community | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | Small Biz 100

    Focus Your Community Support Efforts

    ByGlenn Muske October 17, 2013August 27, 2014

    The fact that small businesses are at the core of our economic system probably does not come as a surprise. Estimates on the number of small businesses suggest that they make up 90 percent or more of the total number of businesses in the U.S. In small communities, the number and importance of small businesses…

    Read More Focus Your Community Support EffortsContinue

  • 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops, and what we're all going to do about them.
    Best of | entrepreneurship | mistakes | rural

    Weakness 1. Limited Business Hours

    ByBecky McCray October 14, 2013November 4, 2016

    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’ll see 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 get…

    Read More Weakness 1. Limited Business HoursContinue

  • Small Town banks know lots that big banks don’t
    SmallTownRules

    Small Town banks know lots that big banks don’t

    BySmall Town Rules October 11, 2013August 11, 2022

    The Small Town Rules secret is out: small town banks know a lot of things big banks don’t. Bloomberg Businessweek author Brendan Greely picked up on it in a story, “Rural banks know something big banks don’t.” “It turns out small, rural banks make smarter loans,” Greely said. It’s the soft knowledge, the un-quantifiable personal…

    Read More Small Town banks know lots that big banks don’tContinue

  • Consumers prefer small businesses for real human reasons
    SmallTownRules

    Consumers prefer small businesses for real human reasons

    BySmall Town Rules October 11, 2013August 11, 2022

    Click for the complete infographic Why do consumers choose small businesses today? It’s personal. A web.com sponsored survey found 85% of consumers said they chose small businesses because they are: personal, intimate, human, face-to-face easy to to business with customer focused There’s never been a better time to be Small in business (Rule 6). Consumers…

    Read More Consumers prefer small businesses for real human reasonsContinue

  • SmallTownRules

    AlwaysOn Ranks Becky McCray As A 2013 Power Player In Technology Business Media

    BySmall Town Rules October 11, 2013August 11, 2022

    AlwaysOn announced their Power Players in Technology Business Media list, honoring the the editors, writers, and bloggers in the technology world who are keeping the Global Silicon Valley connected and informed. Becky McCray was included for her work at her award-winning blog Small Biz Survival. “This year’s Power Players in Technology Business Media list spans a wide…

    Read More AlwaysOn Ranks Becky McCray As A 2013 Power Player In Technology Business MediaContinue

Page navigation

Previous PagePrevious 1 … 134 135 136 137 138 … 398 Next PageNext

Howdy!

Since 2006, this site has been helping people like you in small towns move forward without waiting on outside experts, big budgets, or perfect plans. You don’t need any of that to get started.

If you care about your business, your downtown, or your community, you’ll find ideas here you can actually use. Take one. Try it out. Let me know how it goes for you.

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.

The Best of Small Biz Survival

TREND 2025: Retail’s Big Split: what small town retailers can do now

99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission

Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank

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

Read more of the Best of Small Biz Survival

Partners

We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.

Logo with "Shop Indie Local"
Graphic of US currency with the text Move Your Money, bank local, invest local
Multicolor logo with text that says "Global Entrepreneurship Week"
Save Your Town logotype

Copyright © 2006–2026 Becky McCray • Site by Webdancers

  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS
  • Survey of Rural Challenges
  • Small Town Speaker Becky McCray
  • SaveYour.Town