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Create customer experiences online like Open the Shop With Me videos, and in person, like Silent Book Club

By Becky McCray

A screenshot of the Common Ground Coffee and Market Instagram feed, showing four images, a group of people with valentine hearts, a group of staff members, one person facing the camera for an explainer video, and one video with text that says "open the shop with me"

When Kathleen Minogue of Crowdfund Better mentioned Common Ground Coffee and Market to me, I found their Instagram feed was full of stealable ideas for small business social media marketing. We first talked about how they let customers know about changes to their hours. They’re in Boise, Idaho, which I realize is not a small […]

March 23, 2025 Filed Under: community, customer service, entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, trends Tagged With: branding, building a business, effective marketing, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, small business, small business success

Surviving the Peaks and Valleys of Seasonal Small Business in a Rural Ski Town

By Small Biz Survival

A group of skiers in colorful outfits on snowy slopes. Banners in Japanese script are in the foreground.

Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Guest post by Mike Humphrey, Japan Skiing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why my parents decided skiing would be our family sport. They were not avid skiers, and we didn’t live in a ski […]

November 17, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, global, management, POV, rural, tourism, workforce Tagged With: building a business, entrepreneurship, GEW, Global Entrepreneurship Week, good management practices, guest post, hospitality business, management, rural, seasonal business, small business success

The Allure of Authenticity: Rural stories can give your product a leg up

By Small Biz Survival

An open retail space with colorful and appealing displays of handcrafted goods

Why Rural Craftsmanship Resonates in Online Sales Guest post by Tance Hughes In today’s digital age, the online marketplace is bustling with options at every click. Amidst the buzz of big brands and flashy advertisements, there lies an understated yet profound power: the allure of authenticity. For rural entrepreneurs, this authenticity is rooted in their craft, […]

September 13, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, social media Tagged With: effective marketing, guest post, small business success

How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores

By Becky McCray

A shopkeeper and a customer share a laugh in a small store packed full of interesting home wares.

  If you have a retail store in a small town, you know how difficult it can be to attract customers in the door. With so much online competition and limited resources, it is hard to get people in the store and buying your products. In this article, we’ll share some of our best ways […]

February 19, 2023 Filed Under: Best of, marketing, rural, shop local Tagged With: effective marketing, entrepreneurship, experience economy, retail, shop indie local, shop local, shop small, small business, small business success, store

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