The Small Business Blog

Survey shows many women business owners align with micro business traits

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:21:21 GMT

Optimism is a fickle thing and yet for some reason it's become a central metric when measuring the ups and downs of small business attitudes. It seems as though there has been no end to the amount of survey data coming out taking small business owner's temperature about all things borrowing, healthcare, hiring and revenue. It's talked about in terms of "optimism" and I've written before about what a slippery slope that really is. (hint: most small business owners are optimistic by default, meaning it's a flawed measurement tactic)

Stats don't lie: social media continues to vex small biz owners

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:38:34 GMT

So how do we come to any concrete conclusions about small business social media use? The answer is simple: we cant. Much like social media itself, within the small business community its an ever changing ecosystem that has ebbs and flows no one can predict. Anyone banking on social becoming a benchmark of small business marketing in the next year plus like traditional advertising, email marketing, direct mail, etc. is going to be sorely disappointed.

Why "mommy blogging" qualifies as a small business venture

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:48:19 GMT

Think about your group of friends for a minute. Are any of them moms? Do any of them have a blog where they talk about the pitfalls, products, services and challenges that go along with being a mom or parent? Chances are you do, because right now there are an estimated 3.9 million people that identify themselves as "mommy bloggers" in the United States alone, according to research released last year by Scarborough Research.

Interactive Infographic shows MA high on small biz hospitality, start-up capital

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:50:35 GMT

Today I stumbled across one of the most interesting infographics I have seen in a long time. Not only is it chock full of interesting small business data (which we'll get to in a second) but it's the first "interactive" infographic I have seen. Essentially, you can click on different parts of it to find different pieces of information. It's not "static" like most infographics. Designed so that you spend more time consuming the data, it accomplished it's mission with me. You can click here to navigate to the interactive graphic and scroll through the data yourself. It was produced by Good Infographics, in conjunction with UPS as part of a "Small Business Collaborative." and it includes some eye popping stats in relation to Massachusetts small businesses. Some interested tidbits included:

Regulation overhaul continues for small businesses in MA

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:30:30 GMT

It's no secret that Massachusetts is a regulation heavy state. It's been a long held maxim that if you want to get anything done in this state, you have to know the ins and outs of the system and it never hurts to "know someone."

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:26:22 GMT

Mobile Personal Assistants are the New Digital Wingman - An infographic by the team at Nuance's Survey Around Mobile Personal Assistants Embed Mobile Personal Assistants are the New Digital Wingman on Your Site: Copy and Paste the Code Below...

Three Bold Small Business Predictions for 2013

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:03:18 GMT

It's the start of a new year, which means hope abounds for everyone. January is the time for new ventures, new resolutions and renewed faith in all the things that you want to accomplish this year that you didn't get to last year. In fact, "starting my own business" is always one of the most popular New Year's resolutions every single year. For the most part, 2012 was a good year for small businesses. As a group it didn't grow as much as the government would have liked, but that's understandable given the economic challenges. Overall though, optimism was high and the numbers were good.

Small businesses texting: effective marketing method?

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:09:49 GMT

If one was so inclined, with all the notifications that come with smartphones, someone could set it up to "ding" every few minutes with something. Phone messages, texts, Facebook updates, Twitter updates, AP News feeds, software upgrades, gaming activity - the list goes on and on. For me personally, I make it a point to turn off all of these distractions so that the only time my phone makes noise is when I get a text message, or someone is calling. That ensures that I check it, assuming that it's coming from someone relatively important with a message that I want to see. But last week, when I got a text message from my local dentist, telling me that I am due for a bi annual cleaning, I was a little taken aback. The first thought that went through my head was, "oh jeez I need to schedule that, I AM due for a cleaning." My second thought was, "hey wait a minute, I don't remember opting into text message marketing from my dentist."

The numbers don't add up for Small Biz Saturday, but does it matter?

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:18:25 GMT

Depending on who you believe, Small Business Saturday was a booming success or fell flat of expectations. As I mentioned last week regardless of how much money was spent, how many mentions were made in social media or how many politicians decided to trumpet the day as some kind of American holiday, awareness for small businesses as a group is never a bad thing. It is important to keep in mind however, that this was first and foremost and without question a marketing campaign for American Express. Friend Gene Marks makes a very compelling and well thought out case for this in his Huffington Post story this week. Knowing that however, can we realistically look at the numbers provided and suggest that it actually drove money (ultimately the most important thing) into small business owners' pockets?

"Small Business Saturday" a boon for Amex and small biz owners

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:53:17 GMT

However, the transformation of the Saturday following Black Friday has been nearly as remarkable as Black Friday itself. In just a few short years Small Business Saturday has taken hold on November 24. It's the day that American Express, along with a slew of influential partners including the Small Business Administration, multiple professional sports organizations and some of the countries biggest corporations (including Facebook) want you to "shop small."

With the election over, what's certain for small businesses?

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 13:24:33 GMT

After months and months of campaigning, the election has finally come to an end. With president Obama winning a second term in office, the question now becomes what does this mean for small business owners? The truth is no one really knows what it will mean for small business owners because so much is still left in doubt. While one question has been answered, many more remain. Much like the rest of the country, most small businesses were split over whether or not the president being reelected was a good thing. Now the common topic has been the fiscal cliff that the country may or may not fall off of, depending on the actions of Congress between now and the end of the year. So what has become clear in certain for small business owners?

Small business and social media: always a surprise

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:30:57 GMT

A new survey from Vertical Response, an online marketing provider, recently took a look at small businesses and their use of social media. While the basic findings like Facebook still being the No. 1 platform, and time being an issue were not surprising, some things did stand out to me. As I've mentioned in the past, social is something small business owners should embark on carefully, and consider the time investment before jumping in.

Tickets for Charity merges ticket buying with charitable giving

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:05:58 GMT

Ticket sales, as an industry, have never been more controversial. Because the secondary ticket market is where the majority of tickets are purchased - through ticket brokers like StubHub, TicketMaster and other online sites - fans are often left with one of two options in seeing their favorite band or act: pay far above face value for the tickets, or stay home. As an example, tickets to the upcoming Rolling Stones 50th anniversary tour were being listed as high as $10,000. The result has been a number of start-ups launched to try and capitalize on the appetite for sold out shows, but also the secondary market for tickets. One has even managed to combine buying tickets online with giving to charity, a unique combination that has grown into a successful business in just five short years.

Must have small business smartphone apps

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:25:32 GMT

While small business owners are sometimes slow to adopt new things, one trend that they have embraced fully is using mobile technology to enhance how they do business. With the advent of smartphones and corresponding applications that make life easier for everyone, small businesses have truly adopted mobile, according to studies. One recently done by Paychex cited that nearly 85% of small businesses are using smartphones to enhance their operations.

How much are Facebook fans worth to small businesses?

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 13:33:59 GMT

One of the questions that I often get from small business owners is, "how much is a Facebook fan actually worth to my business." My answer is almost always the same. "Zero, unless..." Depending on what methodology you believe, a Facebook fan could be worth upwards of $100 or as little as $1.00. Some have speculated that fans are worth $10, based on brands advertising on Facebook and the number of impressions they get with actions taken.

thredUP reinvents second hand clothing

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:52:43 GMT

One such unique business is thredUP, a start up born in Boston and now based in San Francisco. The idea was that with kids quickly outgrowing their clothes and massive amounts being stored in bins, bags and suitcases across the country, parents would be eager for a simple solution to not only get those clothes oh out of the house but make some money in the process. Outside of donating them or simply throwing them out, there weren't many options for parents. From that, thredUP was born.

Small businesses love to flirt with social media

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:30:10 GMT

If I had a dime for every survey that measured the activity level of small business owners in social media, I'd be a millionaire. Or at the very least, close. The frustrating part about the survey process is that most come to different conclusions, focus on different small business demographics or have questions that aren't getting at the heart of the issue. Just because a small business is "using" social media doesn't mean they are succeeding with it, it doesn't mean they are making money with it, and it doesn't mean that they are going to elevate it to the primary marketing tactic in the next year plus.

Local celebrity endorsements, good or bad for small biz?

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:46:22 GMT

Celebrities, and specifically professional athletes, can sometimes get into trouble. And by trouble I mean their professional image takes a serious hit, to the point where the public outcry damages their reputation permanently. Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick and most recently Lance Armstrong have all been under public scrutiny, which meant that big corporate sponsors were forced to make a decision: stand by the men they had signed to endorse their products, or sever the relationship for fear of a consumer backlash that could result in lost profits and negative brand perception. Small businesses often use local celebrities in advertisements to endorse their products or services, including athletes and personalities. But is that the right approach? Could these types of endorsements do more harm than good to the businesses brand when it's associated with an athlete that is somehow been disgraced in the eyes of the public? Even if the athlete remains in good standing with the local public, is the price worth tag worth it?

Curing small business writer's block

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:24:26 GMT

One thing that small businesses always seem to struggle with is writing. In my conversations with them, it's always a topic that comes up. Owners aren't sure what to put on their website, emails, blogs, even social media updates. Sometimes even flyers and postcard mailings can become difficult to write for. It's understandable, writing isn't easy and there are many forms that small businesses have to know if they are going to succeed. Considering all the marketing materials that have to be produced and social media now working into the mix, being nimble enough to write in many different ways is important.

Job well done? Get more than money in return

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:27:19 GMT

Most small businesses will go above and beyond to do a great job for their clients. You won't have too look far for a small business owner who's going the extra mile - be it ensuring that the meal you had was up to par, the work that was done on the house was done to specifications, or that your taxes were done correctly and you got the refund you deserve. The truth is, they oftentimes have to. In order to "rise above" the bigger competition, small businesses have long had to rely on personal service and a more catered approach with clients in order to keep them happy, and paying over a longer period of time. They should be applauded for that, but sometimes small business owners aren't selfish enough when asking for customers to also go above and beyond in recognizing good work. It's probably rare to see someone pay more than the bill, even if the work was exceptional, but that doesn't mean a customer can't take steps after the work is done to show appreciation.

Even the smallest of small businesses have a website, and other data

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:17:24 GMT

Marketing comes in many different forms, but the shift has dramatically swung to online channels in the past five years. Offline advertising and marketing that used to be staples of any small businesses success - including being listed in the yellow pages and local print ads in newspapers - are now all but extinct. Small business owners have had to adapt, taking to channels like Craigslist, Google AdWords and social media. And of course there's the still popular word of mouth referrals.

It seems obvious that at this point, any small business that doesn't currently have some form of a website, is way behind the times. A recent survey of micro businesses (small businesses with between 1-10 employees) done by Vistaprint showed that nearly 70% currently have a website for their small business. Of those micro business owners who have a website, 75% are generating revenue either directly or indirectly through a website. In addition, just over 50% have a dedicated Facebook page for their small business as well.

Small biz contests: waste of time or worth it?

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:30:49 GMT

Have you ever met someone that's actually won a small business contest? Believe it or not, they do exist. With a flood of contests aimed at small businesses launching in the past few years, you've likely heard of at least a few of them. Many of you have thought about taking part. Contests can ask small businesses to do all kinds of things in order to win: enter a full business plan, create a video talking about a business or getting the most votes in social media. Some require a lot of work, others are relatively simple and the prizes can vary in both size and impact.

Congress picks party first, small businesses second

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:30:00 GMT

In case you missed the grand theater this week, small businesses (as a group) were caught in the political crossfire. Everyone in government, from President Obama on down, claims that they want to do everything they can to help small business growth and employment. We've heard everything from their taxes should be cut, their burdens lessened, access to credit increased and incentives for hiring passed immediately to spur action. The problem is that members of both the House and Senate don't seem to have any interest in really helping small businesses, just talking about how they want to help small businesses. In this case, non-action is speaking a lot louder than words.

Small businesses need to educate themselves on healthcare

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:07:53 GMT

Understandably, there has been much coverage of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act, which had in it several provisions for small businesses. Most notably, it doesn't affect those that employ less than 50 people. That's a huge number of small businesses in the United States. Despite all the uproar, the decision (even if the law was struck down) didn't really matter to the small business community. Why? Because the majority of business owners have no idea what's in the bill, what it means for them and what they need to do to act on it. In this case a lack of education is hurting small businesses, regardless of the legislation. The question is, who is at fault?

Lessons in customer feedback, from the Salt Lick

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:13:08 GMT

Any successful business owner will tell you that customer feedback is vital to success, but it's especially true for small businesses. Knowing what customers want and what they don't is important, especially when one is just starting out. That means actively listening to customers but also going the extra mile to find out what they think about a business and how it could better serve them in the future. I ran across a great example of gathering customer feedback this week, when I was contacted by the Salt Lick BBQ restaurant in Texas.