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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • community | rural

    Interview with Pat Matthews, CEO of Webmail.us

    ByBecky McCray October 27, 2006July 8, 2017

    Podcast:Becky interviews Pat Matthews, CEO of Webmail.us, Inc., based in Blacksburg, Virginia. Pat blogs at Small Town, Big Ideas. Pat talks about advantages of being in a small town, working with the community, and encouraging more small town entrepreneurs. Watch for a second interview with Pat on the Great Big Small Business Show. small biz…

    Read More Interview with Pat Matthews, CEO of Webmail.usContinue

  • customer service | ideas | rural

    Podcast: Your customers

    ByBecky McCray October 19, 2006July 8, 2017

    What do your customers want? Let’s ask them! For more ideas, read Basic Methods to Get Feedback from Customers by Carter McNamara. Music by Frenz, from Pod Safe Audio. small biz rural entrepreneurship customer service podcast audio New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.

    Read More Podcast: Your customersContinue

  • customer service | rural

    Great customer service in three tips and a story

    ByBecky McCray October 11, 2006July 8, 2017

    Is your business synonymous with great service? Some actions you can focus on today are: greet everyone who contacts your business pay attention to every customer who contacts you provide the little extras that are now mostly gone small biz rural entrepreneurship customer service podcast audio New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what…

    Read More Great customer service in three tips and a storyContinue

  • marketing

    Podcast: 100 Nos

    ByBecky McCray September 30, 2006July 8, 2017

    Want to increase your business? Go get 100 “no”s. Print the word NO 100 times on a sheet of paper.Pick out the most important marketing/sales you need to do right now.Plan a reward for reaching 100.Start making calls. Each time you get a no, cross off one NO. You’ll get 100 nos, but imagine how…

    Read More Podcast: 100 NosContinue

  • rural

    How your business looks affects your success

    ByBecky McCray September 25, 2006July 8, 2017

    If customers come to your location (retail, service, home office), you know it matters – first impressions last! If no customers visit, you still have to work there. The environment does affect your productivity! Do a walk through with a stranger. Write down everything they notice, without arguing, explaining, or rationalizing. Ask employees or anyone…

    Read More How your business looks affects your successContinue

  • economic development | rural

    Guest podcast: Lasting Development Isn’t Casinos or CAFO’s

    ByBecky McCray August 14, 2006July 8, 2017

    Guest podcaster Zane Safrit discusses what makes lasting rural economic development, and it isn’t casinos or CAFOs. Read more of Zane’s thoughts on rural economic development, small business and health care at his Conference Calls Unlimited CEO blog. Listen for a new podcast on small business, the Great Big Small Business Show! small biz rural…

    Read More Guest podcast: Lasting Development Isn’t Casinos or CAFO’sContinue

  • rural

    Podcast: Focus

    ByBecky McCray August 8, 2006July 8, 2017

    Podcast: Here are four steps you can use to improve your focus. Set a clear vision. Know what results you want from your business. How do you want it to look in 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years? (See Simplified Business Plans for the Real World for some ideas.) Decide which tasks are important…

    Read More Podcast: FocusContinue

  • failure | POV | success

    POV: Learning from Failure

    ByBecky McCray August 6, 2006July 8, 2017

    There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.Colin Powell You know that I like to talk about what we learn from failure. So does Zane Safrit. He is talking about why failure is important. Fridays are all about failure here. It’s the end of the week….

    Read More POV: Learning from FailureContinue

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