The world we live in is not a static place. This is true in every aspect of life, including small business. For small-business owners, things are changing, and those changes are happening at an ever-increasing pace. Doing business tomorrow will be different than doing business today. And doing business next week might be something we…
Knowing what your customer wants is the base to building a successful business. Of course, you still must meet that need, let customers know you have what they want, and price it at a level that customers feel is acceptable. But the process begin with knowing the problem they are trying to solve. Market research is…
Is 2015 the year you want to start your small business? If so, have you sat down to develop your business plan yet? Check out most how-to business guides and you will find a section on writing a business plan. Yet ask business owners and you often hear that they did a plan only because…
When marketing your small business, you need to include all possible options in your tool kit. One such option is called public relations. Many business owners think of it as free advertising. This is a myth because it isn’t free and it isn’t advertising. Parts of public relations, or PR, such as announcements of new…
When asked if they have any advantages as a small business, many owners respond negatively. The fact is, small-business owners, especially those in rural areas and small towns, have many advantages they can use to enhance the success of their store. Knowing the audience is a huge advantage. Yet they often do not make full…
Do you own a small business and find you have no free time? Have you recently found yourself too busy to have lunch with a friend? Does your family start dinner without you? While these are not perfect predictors (life happens), being “too busy” may be a symptom that your business time management needs some…
I recently did a post for another blog, Power of Business. In it I discussed the fact that marketing is much more than making a sale. Marketing should happen early, be often and continuous. You must understand who your potential customer is, what motivates them, and be prepared to use all of the marketing tools available. …
I recently received the Ice Bucket Challenge (which I accepted). If you haven’t heard about this challenge, the idea is to either have a bucket of ice water over your head or donate money to the ALS Association. This challenge has went viral. You probably have even heard about it or participated in it. Today over…
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