Boring tools are boring. Old-fashioned ideas lack the excitement of shiny new tools. But if your business has a problem with following processes, I have a really boring old tool that can help. You probably don’t need to learn anything new. You probably know the processes in your business really well. You probably can list…
Since 2010, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been designated “Small Business Saturday.” It is a day to recognize small businesses and what they bring to a local community. You probably know the direct impact of the small businesses in your community. They provide needed goods and services. Everyone needs to be reminded of their contributions…
Small Business Saturday and its Shop Small slogan get a lot of attention, but they aren’t the only holiday shopping project small town businesses can join for more buzz this season. Shift Your Shopping Shift Your Shopping is a theme you can adopt for any local shopping campaign. The emphasis is on shifting more of…
Co-preneurs, or couples in business together, get very little attention in the study of business ownership. This lack of attention largely comes from the myth that they are small in number and the businesses they run are small in size. The reality, though, finds that co-preneurs are a substantial part of the business community. Research…
The Small Business Saturday® celebration and Shop Small slogan are great for small business and most closely identified with founding partner American Express. This brings much-appreciated attention to local merchants and independent small businesses. In the US, it falls right after Black Friday (when customers rush big box stores for well-publicized deals) and before Cyber Monday (when…
The Brag Basket is open! This one is for all of November, 2014. Bring your good news to share with everyone. What can you do in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying love for rural places How do you…
Whether you have been in business for years or are just starting out, whether you are a product or service business or whether you are home-based or on Main Street, you all have one thing in common: Your family and small business are closely linked. Any action you take in one easily can affect the other….
Want to promote your local businesses? Use a social list-making site to collect the websites and social profiles of businesses in your area. I first heard this idea from Dave Shideler, back when delicio.us was the social bookmarking tool of choice. Today’s social list-making tools offer some key advantages. Why use social list-making tools? 1….
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