When I call on businesses offering my web design and hosting services, the first question I ask, naturally, is “Does your business have a web site?” If not, then I ask for the person in charge of these things (for my niche, usually the owner) and give my pitch.
It's 2006, so you would think that [...]
The core premise of authentic self promotion is that showing up, serving, and thriving are interrelated. Promotion, or putting yourself forward, is part of showing up and is essential to having a successful business. Having a successful business is essential to being and sustaining an offer of service. In other words, you cannot serve if [...]
If you own your own independent business, there are two organizations that hopefully your are already aware of. They are doing great work promoting small, locally owned independents by promoting community and government involvement. It takes all of us, working together, to improve our communities and the local business environment.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses [...]
Your target market is the group of people or companies to which your organization aims to sell its products or services. Well, you say, I want to sell to everyone. Why should I pick just one group?
There's an old marketing saying that goes like this "Target everyone and you target no one". Nothing [...]
Everyday, customers and business owners are bombarded with billboards, logos, print and electronic ads from huge corporations. With annual ad budgets that are more than our businesses' SALES in an entire year, our small independent businesses are getting squeezed out of consumers minds (and wallets) more and more each year. But the good news is, [...]
Small business is a term that is used day-to-day. That is because in the past decade the rise of small business has been larger than in any other decade prior. This is largely due to the increasing number of services that are available to small business owners, to enable them to keep their business running.
There [...]