One of the keys to success for every small business is a really smart marketing program that keeps existing customers in the fold and continually incites prospects to join. The program should include the most cost-effective ways to raise brand-awareness, leverage your expertise and share deals.
Although many are still hesitant to move away from snail-mail or the telephone, others are rapidly discovering that email marketing is one of the most effective means of generating sales. Research conducted in 2009 by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) found that email outperforms all other forms of direct marketing.
If you’re new to email marketing, or want to crank it up a notch, here are three tips to help you build and grow your email marketing list without having to look for additional budget.…
Continue reading
In these tough times, the biggest impact of the economic downturn is being felt by the small business sector. This is largely because of the fact that there are fewer resources available to counter the effects of an uncertain economy. The best way for a small business to thrive nowadays is by cutting costs. Practicing frugality in your business does not mean that you are sacrificing the quality and service level of your company. Cost cutting on certain aspects of your business could just be the economic stimulus needed to let you bounce back from an economic spiral.
As small business owners, we wear many different hats. Among which, hiring the right people, and helping them achieve their highest potential, are two of your most important responsibilities. But which one is MORE important?
Many business owners are now relying heavily on social media to help market their products and services. You may already have a business account with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You may also see that with these sites, your sales went up higher than you expected. But you should not stop there. People regularly think of ways to let them connect with others who share the same interests and you have to be updated so that your business can thrive.
Technology companies are, unfortunately, almost as well known for having poor customer service as they are for their actual products. Why is that?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) should be commended for their help in sustaining the small business sector with their microloans. However, a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that the funds which should be distributed to businesses that need it, actually go to ineligible ones. The HUBZone certification which businesses need to qualify for a loan is a program which spans 13 years and is meant to help small business owners build companies in economically distressed areas. When investigators submitted applications which should be denied or disapproved because of obvious reasons; those applications got the federal contracts instead.…
Bank of America (BOA), one of the world’s largest financial institutions, has announced it will provide $10 million in grants to nonprofit lenders, such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), to leverage funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for lending to small and rural businesses.
When it comes to online marketing, small businesses are staring at a dilemma. Free online marketing tools like social networks have great potential for reaching new customers, but their actual impact on the bottom line is hard to measure. Meanwhile, established tools like email marketing provide valuable metrics on subscribers, and are more suited for retaining and engaging existing customers than acquiring new ones.
One of the most important aspects of small business management is the manpower. This is where the business operation and the business success relies. If the manpower is weak, 
Small businesses tend to overlook the importance of hiring a management consultant; they don’t realize that big businesses are into this kind of stuff because they know that this can greatly affect the return of investment.
