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Why does nothing ever get done in this town!

By Paula Jensen

A diverse group receiving awards from a city council

  By Paula Jensen Having a passion for rural community development and leadership is what drives my personal and professional life. My personal vision statement reads, “I will be a clear voice for rural people and places by mobilizing and empowering rural changemakers to build vibrant communities.” It has taken me a number of years, a […]

October 12, 2019 Filed Under: community, rural Tagged With: #Iamrural, city council, government, leadership, local government, mayor, officials, Paula Jensen, rural

Using events to promote service and industry businesses

By Deb Brown

Events that showcase your non-retail small business  You want people to learn about your business. Events sometimes help with that. You’re just not sure how to create an event for non-retail businesses that people will come to. Who goes to the insurance agency if they don’t need insurance? Who goes to the packing plant unless […]

September 11, 2019 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural Tagged With: chamber of commerce, events, experience, experience economy, industry, manufacturing, marketing, non-retail, promotions, service businesses, tours

Culture is the intersection of people and place

By Becky McCray

A downtown sidewalk with people shopping at a table full of baked goods

  Lots of small towns have a good handle on the importance of the arts. Some have arts councils and arts festivals, and most are starting to better value rural artists. What about the larger concept of culture? Culture is usually only mentioned around urban areas. Rural is almost thought of as the opposite of […]

August 19, 2019 Filed Under: community, rural Tagged With: arts, culture, rural cultural elements

For easier social media marketing, fill in the blank

By Becky McCray

Sheila Scarborough and Leslie McLellan of Tourism Currents laid out a simple starting point for all your social media efforts. Good news: it’s as easy as filling in the blank. Fill in the Blank (Our company) is where (our customers) find (the thing we offer) with (this benefit) So all you have to do is […]

August 5, 2019 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, social media, tourism Tagged With: branding, calendaring, destination marketing, effective marketing, entrepreneurship, Leslie McLellan, marketing small business, online marketing, planning, retail, service businesses, Sheila Scarborough, social media marketing, Tourism Currents

Wishing vs. Hoping your town will improve

By Paula Jensen

Paula Jensen

Is there a distinction between wishing and hoping? Wishing is feeling or expressing a strong desire for something that is not easily attainable. It’s like wishing to win the lottery but you don’t buy a ticket. Hoping is to look forward with desire and reasonable confidence that something can happen. You can hope that you win the […]

July 27, 2019 Filed Under: community, rural Tagged With: #Iamrural, future, hope, Paula Jensen, positivity, quiz, rural

You deserve to brag about it

By Small Biz Survival

"Brag Basket - add your good news" over a photo of a basket in a field of flowers

The Brag Basket is open! This one is for July 26-28, 2019. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying […]

July 26, 2019 Filed Under: brag basket

Need a downtown business idea? Try a Cookie Crawl

By Becky McCray

A tray of cookies on a craftsman-style table

  Our friend Maury Forman of Washington state, sent us this idea from Madras, Oregon: On February 16 the Madras Downtown Association and Petite Sweets hosted the first-ever Cookie Crawl. Participants paid $5 and received a box and map that listed all the locations where the beautifully decorated cookies were available. Petite Sweets decorated cookies […]

July 22, 2019 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural Tagged With: activities, downtown, effective marketing, entrepreneurship, events, guest post, Maury Foreman, promotions, retail, rural, service businesses, small business

Join the community in the Brag Basket

By Small Biz Survival

"Brag Basket - add your good news" over a photo of a basket in a field of flowers

The Brag Basket is open! This one is for July 19-21, 2019. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying […]

July 19, 2019 Filed Under: brag basket

Need funding for the next step in your business?

By Becky McCray

Kettle corn being sold from a stand in a yard, from a mobile trailer and from a coffee shop

  If you need outside funding to get to the next step in your rural small business, your next step is too big. Before you bet big on your business idea, test it with small steps. Make some sales from your front yard, then try a booth, then a trailer, then think about moving up […]

July 17, 2019 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, finance, management, rural Tagged With: alternative finance, business finance, entrepreneurship, idea friendly, rural business, Small Town Rules, take small steps

Any good news this week?

By Small Biz Survival

"Brag Basket - add your good news" over a photo of a basket in a field of flowers

The Brag Basket is open! This one is for July 12-14, 2019. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying […]

July 12, 2019 Filed Under: brag basket

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