Plenty of ingredients go into a successful business.
In the early stages, one of the most important is having the energy and the will and the desire to stick with something even when it appears to be not working. And even when the world is telling you it’s just no good.
Having a great idea and being [...]
A few days back, a friend asked me why I spend so much time working with small businesses on their local internet marketing. His argument was that there is much more money to be made working with larger companies that have more money to spend.
Maybe, maybe not.
But to really answer the question, I need [...]
Yesterday, I posted about two nasty experiences I had with employees and closing times (see A Simple Way to Happier Customers)…
…it’s time for the flip-side.
Three weeks ago I pulled an all-nighter. Around 5am, craving caffeine, I decided it was time for a Starbucks break. I hopped in the car and drove down the street, pulled [...]
Here’s a story from the Washington Post about local businesses cashing in on the Texas Holdem poker craze.
Before you get there, three points…
First, the bar profiled “gets it.” They understand that they are NOT in the “liquor and bar” business. They aren’t even in the entertainment business, though that is a better description. The [...]
This news from Internet Retailer about customers (like me) who prefer to research retail products online and buy them offline:
The practice of researching purchases online, then buying at a bricks-and-mortar store continues to gain momentum, according to a study commissioned by shopLocal.com, a provider of local search options for retailers. Among shoppers who hit the [...]
Local small business owners can capitalize on national trends and buzz.
In a mid-sized midwestern city, a client of mine is rolling out a marketing campaign designed to leverage the “extreme makeover” trend happening on TV. In a must-be-vague nutshell, we’ve identified affluent neighborhoods and set up home makeover contests, complete with awards ceremonies, [...]
Do you advertise in your local newspaper? If you run a local small business, chances are you have at least thought about it. Despite popular reports, creative use of space advertising and free standing inserts (FSIs) can indeed produce great results.
That said, the space is changing.
I stopped receiving printed newspapers years ago, and will never [...]