Marketing
How Small Businesses Can Get New Customers and Sell More
3 Affordable Market Research Strategies for Small Businesses
There’s no limit to how much you could spend to study your small business’s market. But with a little ingenuity and savvy, you can learn what you need to know …
Building ‘Buyer Personas’ Can Improve Your Marketing Strategies
If you’re involved in business-to-business marketing, you’re probably familiar with the term “buyer persona.” Not sure what that is? Then read on, because most small businesses, of any variety, can …
SBA SizeUp Kick-Starts Market Research
The Small Business Administration has taken a big step toward leveling the playing field on which small businesses compete with large ones. It’s now providing a new online information service …
3 Pillars of Effective Marketing
Marketing can be a complex endeavor, but it’s essential to small-business success. You can cut to the bone with a meat-ax if you focus on just three pillars of effective …
In the Trenches: Looking for New Opportunities
Right after we make a big change, my brain shifts from execution to innovation mode. Things were pretty hectic last week as we worked to pull everything together for the …
Online Dating Site Uses Offline Tricks to Stand Out
Lori Cheek, an architect by trade, aims to turn online dating upside down. Her bootstrapped venture Cheek’d sells decks of “calling cards” to its members, designed to be used as …
How to Grow Your Email Subscriber List
More likely than not, your customers are deluged with emails, many of which are messages they haven’t asked for and perhaps don’t want to receive. So it can be a …
4 Mobile Apps to Make Your Photos Look Better
Whether you’re sharing candid pics from your studio’s Pilates classes on Twitter or uploading product shots for your business’s online catalog, your photographs may not be web-ready without a little …
In the Trenches: Expanding Our Hours
I’ve written about Cranky Concierge’s struggle with business hours before. One reader asked the obvious question that emerged from the discussion: “So, Brett, how far down the line do you …
How to Get Noticed on Facebook Without Paying for Sponsored Links
Did anybody think social media companies would make their user base available free of charge forever? Facebook now has more than 1 billion monthly users, some 618 million daily users, …
Running a Free Workshop Can Build Your Business
Small businesses that cater to local customers can often benefit from hosting a free educational workshop or seminar in their community. Although these events take time and effort to develop …
Bookstore Owner Turns a Page by Asking Customers to Spend More
Arlene Lynes, owner of Read Between the Lynes in Woodstock, Ill., knew her independent bookstore was in trouble and needed to start a new chapter. It was the summer of 2011, …
In the Trenches: Creating Value With Price Increases
Back in January, I wrote about our challenge in dealing with last-minute sign-ups for flight monitoring, especially when they came in right before a major weather event. Readers who commented …
Are Online Fulfillment Services Worth Using for E-Commerce?
E-commerce is a rapidly growing industry. U.S. consumer spending online reached $186.2 billion last year, an increase of 15 percent over 2011 — the strongest annual growth rate since before …
Can Mobile Advertising Help Drive Your Small Business’s Sales?
Once the province of well-funded behemoth brands, mobile advertising is no longer an exclusive club for elite companies. In fact, as mobile ads grow more accessible and affordable, they may be …
