Category: Advice
Back-to-School Shopping: Should Your Small Business Get Involved?
The back-to-school season is a big one: according to the National Retail Federation, it will reach around $68 billion this year. Even if you don’t sell pencils, it’s tempting to want to grab a piece of the pie. But is it worth your small business marketing dollars to try to win some of these back-to-school…
Protect Your Business Against Identity Theft
Identity theft is a hot topic and a big concern for many people these days. It seems like we regularly hear about personal data being stolen from one company or another. Have you ever considered the likelihood that your business might be vulnerable to the same type of identity theft? A business’ credit profile is…
Have Negative Yelp Reviews? Here’s How to Deal with Them.
Getting great online reviews can boost your business-owner confidence and, perhaps, bring new customers to your door. But what do you do when a negative Yelp review pops up? Start out by not worrying too much–this is fixable!–and then follow these guidelines to handle the unfavorable review. Don’t Panic One bad review (or even a…
6 Outstanding Online Invoicing Tools for Your Business
Invoicing is an essential part of business operations. Whether you run a one-person shop, a brick-and-mortar operation, or a growing business with multiple locations, you need to be able to quickly and easily create, send, and track invoices. A good online invoicing tool can provide both accessibility and security, and make it easier to keep…
The Business Books That Small Bookstore Owners Want You To Read This Summer
If you’re looking for some good business-building books to read this summer, who better to ask than bookstore owners? Successful independent bookstore owners are simultaneously devoted readers and the proprietors of small businesses. Here, they share the titles that helped propel their stores to the top of the heap. So put down the murder mystery…
4 Things You Can Learn from Online Lenders… Even if You Don’t Need a Loan
Online lenders are expanding access to capital for small business owners across the country. In fact, in a world dominated by traditional lenders, these new players are changing the way small business owners look for a business loan. How they’re doing it might even help your business. Here are four things you can learn from…
Top Small Business Marketing Ideas for a Small Business Budget
A small marketing budget doesn’t mean you shouldn’t market at all, or that you need to settle for mediocre efforts and disappointing results. Some marketing techniques—think television ads or promotions at a major national event—come with a high price tag. Other, more affordable marketing techniques also work: they might reach a smaller audience, but they…
5 Questions with Olive My Pickle’s Charlotte Tzabari
We’re thrilled to start sharing a new series called “5 Questions With…,” which takes a behind-the-scenes look into the daily lives of our small business customers. Name: Charlotte and Shai Tzabari Company: Olive My Pickle Location: Jacksonville, Fl. Products/Services: Lacto-fermented pickles, hummus, and olives Years in Business: 5 Years Facebook: olivemypickles Twitter: @olivemypickle Instagram: olivemypickle…
Content Marketing Essentials for Small Business Owners
Content marketing isn’t a new idea; businesses of all sizes have long used the power of education and entertainment to increase brand loyalty and create familiarity among buyers. What’s new is consumers’ constant use of online media and the infiltration of digital apps and devices into all areas of life. Content marketing, in other words,…
5 Success Stories that Prove Economic Crises Aren’t Always Bad for Business
With the ongoing turmoil in Greece, we’re reminded, yet again, that boom times don’t last forever. But In fact, economic recessions are not all bad news for businesses. Here’s why: Downtrodden economies can lead to great innovation. Existing companies must find new ways to survive and thrive, launching products that might not have fit in…
What is Operations? And Why Does My Business Need It?
So you want to extend your product line? Open a branch in an up-and-coming neighborhood? Resolve a purchasing inefficiency? Improve customer loyalty? If you answered yes to any of these, or have any specific goal in mind for your business, you should look to your company’s operations – the internal engine that powers your business.…
5 Effective Ways to Manage Your Summer Interns
The blessing and the burden of the summer intern: finally, you have someone to help with all those odds and ends, those administrative details, the daily never-ending tasks and projects sitting unfinished since last summer. But you also need to figure out exactly what this bonus set of hands should be prioritizing, without getting bogged…
4 Ideas to Tackle a Slow Summer Slump
Summer sales slump? No problem. This slow time can be valuable for your small businesses. Now’s your chance to do what you normally don’t have time to do: instead of working in your business, you can work on your business. These projects could benefit any small business; pick one or two and make the most…
7 Useful Ways to Train Small Business Employees
Even if they come with years of experience, every new employee you hire needs training. But all too often, small business owners are so overwhelmed with running the business to come up with anything better than a “follow me around for two weeks and learn the ropes” system. Unfortunately, that’s both inefficient and frustrating: owners…
How to Get a Top-Notch Marketing Strategy on a #SmallBiz Budget
A marketing strategy takes time, expertise, and research. Every business and market is unique, and so every strategy must be as well. Most small business owners have a lot on their plates, and little time to dedicate to creating a comprehensive marketing plan. As such, getting help is the key. It will help ensure that…