Picture a really great small town pharmacy.* The people behind this pharmacy have a strong sense of ethics, are deeply involved in the community, and go to great lengths to be that special kind of business that matters to people’s lives. Their email newsletter, on the other hand, looks like a grocery store ad, packed with…
We’re all using the same marketing theme this year: Shift Your Shopping. When we work together to spread the word, we’ll multiply how many customers we reach. This week, the focus is on the local businesses that help you do business. Think about all the other businesses you rely on. Who sells you supplies? Who…
I just had a recent experience that reinforced the importance of customer service. A recent trip to our basement found water on the floor by the water heater (How many of you can relate?). The plumber was called. They came out. Upon a brief inspection, they informed my wife that it wasn’t the water heater,…
Many entrepreneurs see working at home as a great way to combine their work and personal life. Not only can they save money because they’re not paying rent for an office or manufacturing space, but the idea of flexible schedules and blending their work and personal life is appealing. Home-based businesses remain today an important…
You don’t have to settle for a normal business. Rural businesses are exploring new shapes, new locations and new ways of doing business. Here are six innovative ways people are building businesses in small towns today. 1. Pop-ups These are temporary business that may last from just one day to several months. You’ve seen short-term…
When asked about marketing, many small-business owners think of a one-word definition: selling. Selling is one part of marketing, and it is a crucial part because it brings in revenues to keep the doors open. But it is only one part. Paraphrasing from Jay Levinson’s classic book, “The Guerilla Marketer,” marketing is defined as “everything you do.” Simply put,…
Running your own business from home can achieve two dreams at the same time: You are in charge, and you get to do it without leaving your living quarters. Many small-business owners have found a niche for their product or service. That niche allows them to work from home, thus minimizing overhead, ending long commutes,…
Coworking is like shared office space, except it’s more than that. Coworking works best when it’s a community, too. If you’re trying to build more entrepreneurship in your town, coworking is a smart place to focus. A new study from Emergent Research and partners showed that coworking spaces are human spaces. “The key finding…
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