Did you participate in Small Business Saturday the day after Black Friday? Did your community focus on getting the message of the importance of shopping small out to everyone? If you did, you want to keep that energy going. Small Business Saturday should be the beginning. It’s easy to keep Read more…
Are you struggling for a way to stand out from your competition? Maybe you’re lacking a loyal following for your brand. If so, you should look into providing experiences for your ideal customer. 78% of millennials (people born between 1981 – 2000) prefer to spend money on experiences or events Read more…
If you have a local currency program, you need to market your merchants. Who is involved is part of what will make your program successful. No merchants, no local currency purchases. So how do you do that? Here are 8 ways to bring more exposure to your local currency merchants Read more…
People do business with who they know, like, and trust. But they can’t do the latter two without first being aware of you. Awareness comes from marketing and advertising but those can be cost-prohibitive for small businesses. Don’t worry. We have several ways to get your name out there that Read more…
People who have been in marketing a long time (15+ years) often struggle with the fact that they no longer own their business’ brand. The audience does. What people say about your business is more widely believed than the carefully crafted message you’re sending out. And that hurts to admit. Read more…
The crux of content marketing is that you become a resource for your ideal audience. You provide them with things that are helpful to them in their buyer’s journey, in enjoying your product or service, or in life. Michelin Tires created the Michelin Guide that provided drivers advice on finding Read more…
If you’re a small business that uses Facebook there are a few new features you should know about. If you’re not using Facebook, put down your coffee and go build a business page. Facebook Changes Affecting Small Business Have you noticed some extra features available on your Facebook business page? If Read more…
Onboarding programs help ensure that every new member (or client or employee, for that matter) receives the same experience. Now that’s not to say that you want to give them a cookie-cutter welcome. It simply means that by establishing a process you’ll be less likely to have things, like educational Read more…
No matter the industry, you need marketing. But marketing these days is more subtle and requires much more of a focus on the long-game. When we refer to long-game, we’re not talking about business goals for your next decade. We mean taking the time to establish relationships with your customers Read more…
If you are part of an economic development group, a chamber of commerce, a Main Street program, or just someone who wants to see others buy more local products, it’s time you start making it worth their while. Here’s how you can convince others to buy more local products. Read more…
