Two new shop local ideas hit me this week. 1. Can you get your city utility on board? The City of Alva added this shop local message to their utility bills: Support your local merchants – Shop Alva for the Holidays Some cities and towns mail out larger bills in envelopes. They might even let…
At the recent Small Business 101 workshop in Alva, Oklahoma, two people with lending experience presented some secrets to getting a small business loan. Maybe these are not really secrets, but they are keys you’ll need to understand to get a small business loan. Laura Girty, REI Laura Girty works with REI, Rural Enterprises of…
Every week, I open a Brag Basket, so you can introduce yourself or share some good news. Speak up and add yourself or another deserving soul in the comments. We all cheer, and everyone feels great. It lets you meet each other a bit. Reading each others’ stories brings us a bit closer to being…
In most social networks, you have the chance to add a picture. But what if you are tweeting for your small business? Should you use a photo, or should it be your logo instead? Here is one reason why I think you should use your own photo, and make sure it’s a good likeness. allcore_tech:…
Barry Moltz came to my attention with Bounce!, his book on failure. His latest book is BAM! Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World, with co-author Mary Jane Grinstead. (Barry and I are already working on his next book, and my first, on rural entrepreneurs.) Barry gave me a copy of BAM!, and it is…
A group of local wineries cooperated to create a wine trail, drawing visitors from the nearby metro area. They created a brochure with a map to explain the trail. They hand the brochures out at each participating winery. They intended to post the brochure on all their websites. I love this idea. When two of the…
Letting customers set your price sounds crazy. But Radiohead made a $10 million success out of letting customers name their own price to download their album, In Rainbows. Others have experimented with this business model, too. Here is one of the most interesting twists I’ve read: let your loyal customers help you determine the right…
Every week, I open a Brag Basket, so you can introduce yourself or share some good news. This week, with Thanksgiving in the US, feel free to share something or someone you are thankful for. So speak up and add yourself or another deserving soul in the comments. We all cheer, and everyone feels great….
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