SmallBusinessNewz

Value Emphasis a Key to Marketing Heading into 2009

Fitch Ratings is calling for the weakest holiday season in the past twenty years for retailers. This is not surprising given the current state of the economy. The firm notes that retail sales have turned negative in the "back to school" period for the first time since 2001, and are expected to remain negative for the balance of 2008.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Continues

It's Wednesday, November 19th, which means we're halfway through Global Entrepreneurship Week.  Perhaps you haven't heard about it by now - it's not exactly headline news - but this "celebration of enterprising behaviour" is being noted in some big ways.

Holiday Greeting Cards A Good Way To Advertise

People really value greeting cards.  To prove this, you can look at them lined up on mantels, or just consider how card companies sells folded pieces of paper for $5 apiece.  So as the holidays approach, think about whether you should send greeting cards to some of your customers.

Offer What Others Don't

There is a small town (that shall remain nameless) that is near where I grew up. It's small, but it has a school system, and plenty of residential areas. In other words, there are enough people there to suggest the need for a grocery store. Yet that is exactly what is lacking from the town.

Black Friday Boom Forecast

The average Black Friday corresponds to around-the-store lines before the sun rises.  Now, of course, we seem to be in a recession, but that may make November 28th an even more profitable time for every business that has something to sell.

SBA Makes Change To Improve Loan Situation

Interest rates have been known to go up, down, and all around in recent months, making for both confusing and potentially unprofitable situations.  A new Small Business Administration move doesn't exactly simplify the matter, but should help small businesses get the best deal.

LinkedIn May Be Right for Your Business

LinkedIn is the preferred social network of many business professionals. It's not the only one by any means, and some people will tell you it's not the best, but studies show that it is the favorite among business owners. Mike Sachoff recently reported on a study that also found a direct correlation between LinkedIn use and personal wealth. He wrote:

Educational Content to Drive Sales

Since email marketing is such a popular method of advertising for small businesses, this study from MarketingSherpa is worth taking a look at. They look at the marketing strategy of some pet supply specialists, who run some A/B testing on a couple of campaigns.  They took the following steps:

Report: Obama's Election May Boost Sales

You've probably already learned through the mainstream media that gun shops are having a very merry holiday season thanks to Barack Obama's win.  Now, a new report has indicated that many other types of businesses may see some upticks in sales, as well.

Small Business Optimism Index Stumbles

The good news - and this shouldn't be brushed off - is that we're not in "storm of the century" mode.  The bad news is that a new report from the National Federation of Independent Business indicates small business owners' optimism has reached the third-lowest point in 35 years.