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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • customer service | economic development | entrepreneurship | management | marketing | rural | shop local | trends

    Open Up – It’s the Customers

    ByChris Brogan May 19, 2020

    As different places begin to allow local businesses to open up, you’re not alone if you’re breathing a sigh of relief mixed with a gasp of worry. We all need the money. We all want to get back to being useful for the people we serve. And some or most of us are worried about…

    Read More Open Up – It’s the CustomersContinue

  • Small Town Business Lights
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | social media | tech | tools

    Show and Tell – How Video and Maybe Even LIVE Video Are Important for Small Town Business

    ByChris Brogan April 20, 2020April 12, 2020

    By Chris Brogan They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes, it might be worth a thousand dollars, too. Over the last ten years, restaurants and bars who post their best dishes or drinks as photos on sites like Instagram have learned that people love seeing examples of what they’ll get if…

    Read More Show and Tell – How Video and Maybe Even LIVE Video Are Important for Small Town BusinessContinue

  • Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right now
    entrepreneurship | global | management | planning | rural | survivors

    Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right now

    ByChris Brogan April 17, 2020April 12, 2020

    Survival skills for small town businesses in the Coronavirus era By Chris Brogan As the world starts to ask what’s going to happen when this pandemic is finally over and we can look at what it will take to jumpstart the economy again, one venture capitalist says we have to save Main Street and not…

    Read More Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right nowContinue

  • Social distancing sign for shoppers in a store
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural | survivors

    The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirus

    ByBecky McCray March 27, 2020March 27, 2020

      Monica Bailey of Rock Port, Missouri, sent in this question that I think you can relate to: Thank you ladies, as always, for supporting small towns! My question is super generic but it is giving me sleepless nights. I am our counties economic/community development director and I’ve been scrambling to support our small businesses…

    Read More The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirusContinue

  • How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces
    Best of | customer service | economic development | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces

    ByBecky McCray March 7, 2020March 25, 2023

    There’s not enough parking downtown! Doesn’t every city have that problem? You’re about to learn a new way to get more parking for your Main Street without having to pave, stripe or get a permit. It doesn’t work in every town, but it very well might work in yours. Finding hidden parking There is only…

    Read More How to get more parking downtown without adding any spacesContinue

  • Getting local businesses to cooperate with you: Shop Hopping Around Brownsville
    Best of | economic development | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local | trends

    Getting local businesses to cooperate with you: Shop Hopping Around Brownsville

    ByBecky McCray December 16, 2019March 25, 2023

      Getting local businesses to cooperate can be a challenge in any small town. Everyone is busy in their own business, and few have time to dedicate to working with other businesses. Whether it’s a formal project put on by a group like the Chamber of Commerce or an informal get-together, there are big benefits…

    Read More Getting local businesses to cooperate with you: Shop Hopping Around BrownsvilleContinue

  • Better entrepreneur training for small towns
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural

    Better entrepreneur training for small towns

    ByBecky McCray November 4, 2019November 1, 2019

      Because I’ve been an entrepreneur since junior high school, I’ve been asked to help with all kinds of entrepreneur support over the decades. I’ve taught entrepreneur classes, I’ve been part of day-long entrepreneur events, I’ve taught workshops and I’ve been a mentor in formal and informal ways. And I’ve been thinking lately about what…

    Read More Better entrepreneur training for small townsContinue

  • For easier social media marketing, fill in the blank
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | social media | tourism

    For easier social media marketing, fill in the blank

    ByBecky McCray August 5, 2019August 4, 2019

    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…

    Read More For easier social media marketing, fill in the blankContinue

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