The Phoenicians invented modern marketing for Small Business!
Modern marketing for small business in today’s competitive small business environment is essential. The first step in modern marketing for small business is the same as it has been since the Phoenicians, who first develop a working marketing plan!
A marketing plan lays out your strategy and direction in the world of modern marketing for small business. The first step is to secure a solid corporate identity, with a common look, color and design throughout all aspects of anything from your company that is seen by the public or another business. A complete corporate identity should include:
5) Newsletters with the look and feel of your corporate identity from front to back
BizCentralUSA can help with modern marketing for small business
A company like BizCentralUSA can assist you in this type of design, inexpensively, and can get you on the road to modern marketing for small business. However you create this “Corporate Identity” it must be of prime concern. Today, a business identity is your life’s blood, the key to modern marketing for small business.
The second step is to develop an integrated digital identity. In today’s business world, the internet is not only reality, but is indispensible to a modern marketing for small business plan! You have, at this point, created a consistent corporate identity, logo, overall design and color scheme.
You must now carry this “Corporate Identity” into a “Digital Identity”, and do it correctly in order to survive modern marketing for small business:
1) Create a website consistent with logo, overall design and colors to match your already developed corporate identity
2) Create a blog with consistent branding
The internet must be part of modern marketing for small business
4) Customize your Facebook with consistent branding and create a fan page with a look consistent with your web home page
5) Customize your LinkedIn account; create a grope membership list consistent with your business type.
There are so many aspects to modern marketing for small business and each facet has books written concerning all the things you can do to maximize your exposure. What I hope you take away from this writing, is that everything your small business does must be with a consistent look. Today, due to the internet culture, you can have the look and feel of a much larger corporation, if you plan and execute your corporate identity correctly.
Having a great Marketing Plan is essential in modern marketing for small business
BizCentralUSA has been helping small Business plan and execute corporate identity, and all aspects of small business operations for many years. BizCentralUSA has helped over 12,000 small businesses just like yours and we can help you with your modern marketing for small business today!
Join us for a free webinar which will cover “Key Marketing Ideas” this coming Thursday, February 9, 2012. As always, this is not an infomercial, but a true free full hour of pure information. Want to know more about modern marketing for small business, we will see you there!
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service a Small Business please contact BizCentralUSA by visiting BizCentralUSA or by calling, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Face Book to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series!
This week we take a little different approach, we give you many lists to improve your business throughMarketing Mix for Small Business. Maximizing Marketing Plans for small business can do wonders for your bottom line! Using Social Media, it’s a snap, and mostly costs only time,
marketing for small business can be used for brand marketing
brain power and having a Marketing Stragity!
Why do businesses fail??
1) Not enough people know they exist, lack of Brand Marketing
2) They did not do enough to get the word out, Marketing strategy
3) Did not work hard enough for brand recognition
4) Did not remind the customer daily why their business matters
A successful marketing mix for small business campaign must have a daily promotion habit, do at least ONE of the following each day for branding:
1) Write or post a new blog
a blog post can help brand marketing and marketing strategy
2) Tweet a timely question
3) Do a radio interview
4) Do a webcast
5) Write a letter to the editor
6) Link and share pictures on Facebook page
**Do at least one thing that will publicize your product each day through network marketing!
Other things to do to get free publicity brand marketing and having marketing mix for small business; on a regular basis you should:
Marketing mix for small business should include Traditional and digital marketing
1) Contact 5 people a day that could help you publicize your product
2) Give the media a hook to use to grab their audience, their audience is who gives you free publicity for small business (in the end you and your product does not matter to that media outlet, to the organization giving you the publicity and adding to your marketing mix for small business, it’s how you can add interest to their show or blog, remember this, what is their brand marketing!)
3) Research what they can put in their heading or intro; coming up XXXXX Find something that will encourage their audience to stay tuned in or check back, what about you or your product would cause this reaction, and relate it to you brand.
4) Again, you need to come up with hooks, what makes this blogger or interviewer’s audience tune in to his show or blog. If it pushes you or your product or brand at the same time, that makes it a win win! Why should they give you free publicity, ad to your marketing mix for small business in this case, what about discussing you or your product brand benefits the blogger or the interviewer’s audience?
5) Example of a Hook that could interest an audience = “Could you go to jail for linking the wrong website?”, “Could this organization save your life?”, “Could our next guest make you money?”
5 Ways to Create a Hook
First: create interest in your brand
1) How to do; “How do you Tweet a Question?”
2) Counter a Myth; “Parents want a quick fix to poor study habits-could drugs be the wrong answer?”
Marketing strategy includes marketing mix for small business
3) Make a prediction; “Why the US will soon experience dramatic food shortages” –or—“Why food prices will continue to rise”; can you see how this could draw free publicity and add to your marketing mix for small business.
4) Ask a Question, can you give the media a question they can use? “What are cats thinking?”
5) Give them a timely hook, a reason they need to have information about your brand now; Tax advice at tax time, new business start up advice in January, new kind of tomato plant in the spring, this is prime free publicity for small business!
Create an effective marketing plan
1) Who is your core audience
2) What does that core audience read or watch
3) When will your topic be timely; time of year, anniversary, create a holiday around your product, look in the book ‘Chase’s Calendar of Events’ for listing of 10,000+ holidays
4) Is there a predictable news event that can be spun to your brand, release of a movie, elections, release of monthly employment figures or
Target blogs with your marketing mix for small business
farm reports, this is the nature of marketing mix for small business
Next time we will go more in depth into how to find the right blog sites that fit your brand and will help your marketing mix for small business. You can do this, and feel free to ask questions, I may even send you part 2 in advance if you ask! You comments are not only welcomed, but strongly incouraged. Send questions direct if you wish to tom@ BizCentralUSA.com, we are here to help you help others!
We at BizCentralUSA have been in the business of helping small businesses like yours for almost a decade, over 12,000 small businesses have come to us for advice over the years, and we are always here for you! Call today for a free needs assessment and consultation we want to hear from you! Also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for daily tips and tricks, as well as advanced notification on our free webinar series. The key to a goodmarketing mix for
Marketing mix for small business is one of our specialty's
small business is within you, you can do this!
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service Small Businesses please contact BizCentralUSA by visiting BizCentralUSA.com or call, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series!
Twitter for Small Business Tools for Social Marketing
Using Twitter for Small Business to Generate Calls and Loads of
FREE Advertising
By Chris Romero and Thomas R. Reich
Ever Wonder what Small Business Tools are contained within Twitter for small business? How can you mine FREE Advertising out of a Social Media Network and create real tangible Results to add to your Twitter for small business and your Small Business Tools?
Wow have we got an answer for you! What if I told you that a small group of Twitter Followers could get you hundreds of thousands of
Announcing Twitter for Small Business
Advertising impressions every day? It is possible for Twitter for small business to extract new exposure from you existing customer’s followers, while re-enforcing those existing customers loyalty?
Interested, read on and discover how this Twitter for small business Tool, will become your favorite Social
Twitter for small business will be your favorite small business tool!
Media Tool for Business Advertising. I will outline the general program. We will then follow with two examples of companies that have successfully implemented the outline of this tool and adjusted it to their unique business model.
Twitter Fact: If you ask a question or answer a question in Twitter, all your followers see that message. If you receive a question or a response form a follower, all their followers see that message. The presents of a tweet in a follow stream is called an impression, just like a magazine calls the average number of readers that see a copy of an issue its Advertising Impressions, this is Twitter for small business at its finest.
The first example of how this Small Business Tool on Twitter works is a Hair Styling Shop in Orlando Florida;
For years Sun Clips Salon and Spa has used a complicated phone system and a live receptionist to set
Twitter for Small Business can replace constant phone use with lead producing advertising
appointments. This task is static; the customer calls for an appointment, and usually gets through, is put on hold and then given an appointment time. There is no interaction outside of 1 customer and the receptionist.
Now we put Twitter for small business in the mix, Sun Clips asked all of its customers to follow them on Twitter and receive special, Twitter only, Deals. Once the majority of their customers followed them, Sun Clips asked that appointment requests be Tweeted in for a 5% discount.
Twitter fro small business tools can make it easier for customers to connect
When a Tweet was received, Sun Clips Tweets the conformation of the appointment time or the answer to the question back to the client. Sounds like a simple system, and it is, it has streamlined their appointment system, but there is more. Can you think how this Twitter for small business Tool has created FREE Advertising impressions as well?
Each time a customer “Tweets” for an appointment, their entire network knows they get their hair cut at Sun Clips, what a great natural endorsement! When a conformation is sent back, Sun Clip customers know it is busy and time to make an appointment, maybe that a friend is going in Thursday at 11 AM, and they try for a similar time to say hi.
With the 1000+ customers that chose to participate and receive the special Twitter only offers, and in turn their customers average followers at around 300, that is 300,000 Advertising Impressions per month if each customer tweets an average of just once per month!
Example 2: A Specialty Butcher Shop in Trendy Winter Park Florida
Prime Cutz had a problem, the cost of advertising to compete with grocery store chains was prohibitive, and alternatives were not targeted to
Twitter for Small Business Tools can Help a Butcher Shop Connect with its Customers
their clientele. A specialty Butcher shop with one location can’t afford advertising in the cities major newspapers like a Publix or Winn-Dixie could, but they needed constant re-enforcement to keep growing their client base.
Prime Cutz began to ask customers to follow them on Twitter, they offered what every business should offer, an automatic follow back. With Twitter for small business follow backs are important, it makes your customer part of your family, and they appreciate it, your customers want to know you care, always follow back!
Once the followers list began to grow, Prime Cutz began an amazing offer, Tweet us what you want to see in the store and receive a tweeted back 10% off next order discount! They also openly asked their customers to re-tweet this offer to their network of friends.
Prime Cutz additionally uses Twitter for small business by sending Tweets their to followers with special offers each week. As an example: Pork Chops regular $4.00 per pound, while they last $2.50 per pound, tweet your order for conformation guarantee.
1) First of all it gets specials to their growing list of customers with no advertising cost.
Twitter for Small Business Helps Business Succeed
2) It makes the “Twitter Club” a VIP Group with perceived VIP pricing.
3) Every time a customer responds by Tweet, their entire network is notified with the butcher shops name and the fact that a special deal is going on.
4) The free add impressions grow with every sale, sale prices they would have been offering and advertising in the traditional way at very high advertising rates, are now re-tweeted directly to friends and it is all FREE Advertising!
5) As their customers Tweet their meat orders, and their followers receive those Tweets, Prime Cutz is exposed to tens of thousands of potential new followers and customers each time a new sale offer is Tweeted!
Twitter for Small Business Will Flood Your Business with Positive Social Media Marketing
With an average Twitter following for a local retailer of around 9,000 and those Followers having an average Twitter Following of 300 Followers, That is a potential of 2.7 million Advertising impressions possible for each tweeted sale offer! The best part is these potential Advertising Impressions come at no hard costs to Prime Cutz, other than sales and discounts the Butcher Shop would have offered in Traditional Paid Advertising Outlets. This is one of the many was Twitter fro small business can serve you!
How can you add this Twitter fro small business tool to your arsenal? A Restaurant could offer 10% discount if an order is placed by Twitter, Patrick Schwerdtfeger gives a now famous example of a pizza restaurant using this Twitter for small business tool in his best-selling book Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed. An Auto Repair Shop can offer 10% discount on an Oil Change if appointment is placed using Twitter. A Dentist can offer FREE Tooth Brush for Tweets, the ideas never end!
Please send us ideas you may have to implement Twitter for small business tools, let’s keep this discussion going. This is a fun way to create a major buzz in your market with minimal cost! Now is the time, you have the power, let’s grow your market together!
At BizCentralUSA we work with you every step of the way. We offer FREE Tips, Tricks and Advice, have frequent FREE Webinars on a vast array oftopics and are, to coin a phrase, Good Guys. When you find you could use a friend in the business, remember BizCentralUSA has helped over 12,000 businesses like your business, across the United States since 2003. Call one of our Business Consultants for a FREE Business Evaluation. We can save you time and money, 12,000 satisfied customers can attest, BizCentralUSA is your friend in the business!
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service Small Businesses please contact BizCentralUSA by visiting www.BizCentralUSA.com or by calling, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Face Book to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series and extra tips on Twitter for small business!
A record 480,000 new entrepreneurs chose 2011 to set up a small business. Those who made the move to start a company in 2011 along with the rest of the small businesses in the United States accounted for more that ½ of the private sector GDP and 70% of new jobs created in 2011.
With 2012 shaping up to be a much better economy, ask yourself, “is it safe to set up a small business?” Or, “Might it be safer to start a company than to hold an average job in today’s economy?” The answer may surprise you. Statically speaking, if a small start up business lasts 3 years that Startup Company is far more likely to be in business next year than the average American is to be employed in the same job for 3 years.
Don’t get the wrong idea, to set up a small business is not an easy proposition. 35% of those who attempt to set up a small business fail out of the box or within the first 3 years. Let’s look at why; here are the top 5 reasons those who set up a company may fail before they even have a chance to prove their unique business model works:
1) Lack of a Professional Business Plan
2) Poor planning and over spending on their attempt to set up a small business
Top 5 reasons efforts to Set up Small Business may fail
3) Lack of a Marketing Plan
4) Poor or nonexistent Bookkeeping system in place
5) Lack of Graphic, Logo and Web Identity
The pitfalls that kill a startup company can be avoided completely by simply using a professional small
business services company. There are many out there, but BizCentralUSA has helped over 12,000 set up a small business successfully since 2003.
At BizCentralUSA, we believe in delivering tried and true solutions and applying those solutions to well qualified entrepreneurs who wish to set up a small business correctly. Our success rate is far higher than the national average success rate of those wishing to start a company without assistance.
At BizCentralUSA we know how to quickly and efficiently work with you to set up a small business starting with a working business plan. We will have one of our Business Consultants work with the Startup Company to develop proper
Navigate rough waters to Set up a Small Business
bookkeeping system, Marketing Plan and adjust budgeting and Human Resource needs. BizCentralUSA can even offer Web, SEO and Social Media Services, along with the beginning of unique branding, brand management and brand awareness.
Don’t go it alone, it is rough waters out there when you want to start a company. But with a friend in the Business like BizCentralUSA, a friend that has helped over 12,000 clients set up a small business, many just like yours, the playing field is leveled!
Here’s the best part. We are up to 40% less expensive than our prime competition, LLC.com and LeagleZoom.com, because we can be. With BizCentralUSA there is an additional benefit
Set up a Small Business is smooth sailing with BizCentralUSA
BizCentralUSA is proud to help Set up a Small Business with live phone service!
beyond just the lower price, you deal with a live business consultant, and a live staff! We, at BizCentralUSA are available by phone at 877-857-9002, In a world that is ruled by the internet and automated operators, we have trained consultants standing by ready to help you. This is business help with a human touch.
Statistics are on your side, it’s time to set up a small business now! Start a company with a friend in the business like BizCentralUSA, and its smooth sailing in 2012!
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to Set up a Small Business, please contact BizCentralUSA by visiting www.BizCentrallUSA.com or by calling, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Webinar series on the right way to Start a Company!
Search Engine Optimization SEO for Small Business Part 2
We discussed the different advantages of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Small Business in Part 1. Now let’s learn a few tricks that can make this whole process a little more enjoyable. When you know some of the processes involved, the whole concept of how the internet works and SEO for Small Business can become clearer.
Here comes one of those tricks I promised! Go to Google while visiting the Internet through Internet Explorer. Search for your key competitors within the industry you operate (Local, National and International). Go to the home page of one of the web sites of a respected and top rated competitor. On the right side or “Ribbon” of that Web Site Home Page, Right Click your mouse, a menu will appear, highlight and then Left Click on “VIEW SOURCE” about half way down on the pop up menu. You will bring up a new page, you are looking at the actual HTML code of you competitors Web Site, don’t worry it is OK!
After the initial shock of this confusing page, which looks like a page of Algebra or complete gibberish, you will be able to mine data right out of their site, easily! Look for the term <Title> with words In-between followed by the term <Title> those words inside are the actual Keyword optimized title of the Web Site. Next you will see the term; (“Meta Name Description” Content =). What follows that is the Keywords and Keyword Phrases which that Web Site is using to get the ranking it has. Additionally, those words describe to the Search engines what that Web Site is about. These words must relate to that site, or the site will receive “Empty Hits” but we will discuss that later in part 3.
Finally, and most importantly, (<Meta Name = “Keywords” Content =), the words that follow are the Keywords used to get Search Engine Optimization by your direct competitor! Open your word document, the one where you recorded your Keywords and Keyword Phrases, make a section heading of your Competitors Name and copy paste your competitors Keyword list. Repeat this process with at least the top 10 of your competitors Web Sites.
At this point you have a long list of potential Keywords and Keyword Phrases. Which seem to be universal among your competitors? Do you see any that surprise you or spark your interest, which you had not included in your Keyword list?
Now begin making a final list of the “Best” Keywords and Keyword Phrases. What are the right Keywords to use and which are the wrong ones? The Keywords that are used by all your competitors are SEO “Keys” to the industry nitch as a whole, but combining those with Keywords unique to your business or service, may be your key to the top of the Search Engine list for a particular search. It is the Unique groupings of Keywords and Keyword Phrases and using those “Keys” throughout the content and updates of that Web Site, which will give a Web Site its “Rank” Each search made on a search engine has Unique characteristics, you need to optimize for as many of those searches as you can.
Can Search Rank be bought, Yes, is paying for rank the only way to be found, NO! Keyword Strategy and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the first step towards getting found in the modern jungle known as the internet!
Still confused, why re-invent the wheel? There are many fine companies which will help to optimize your company’s Web Site. Perhaps none have the expertise combined with the extremely competitive pricing of BizCentralUSA. Since 2003, BizCentralUSA has helped over 10,000 small businesses and has been on the cutting edge of Web Site optimization and competitive marketing. As part of a complete Marketing Package, BizCentralUSA can not only optimize your keywords and author your Web Site for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), but make your Web Site look and feel like an industry leading Authority at the same time! A Web Site that represents an industry leader like your business with style and class!
It is the Unique groupings of Keywords and Keyword Phrases and using those “Keys” throughout the content and updates of that Web Site, which will give a Web Site its “Rank” Each search made on a search engine has Unique characteristics, you need to optimize for as many of those searches as you can. Can Search Rank be bought, Yes, is paying for rank the only way to be found, NO! Keyword Strategy and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the first step towards getting found in the modern jungle known as the internet! Still confused, why re-event the wheel?
There are many fine companies which will help to optimize your company’s Web Site. Perhaps none have the expertise combined with the extremely competitive pricing of BizCentralUSA. Since 2003, BizCentral USA has helped over 10,000 small businesses and has been on the cutting edge of Web Site optimization and competitive marketing. As part of a complete Marketing Package, BizCentralUSA.com can not only optimize your keywords and author your Web Site for SEO Search Engine Optimization, but make your Web Site look and feel like an industry leading Web Site at the same time! A Web Site that represents an industry leader like your business with style and class! Look for Part 2 of this series, we will finalize your Keyword list and delve into the world of SEO for Small Business Search Engine Optimization and Keyword Placement throughout your Web Site!To learn more about BizCentralUSA and the full range of services we provide small to mid-sized business, visit www.BizCentralUSA.com or call 1.877.857.9002
You may want to start a home based business and you need to decide whether or not you should operate your business from a home office or if your small business will require a more traditional office setting. Below you will see 5 reasons to operate your business from home if your specific business allows for home-based operations.
Start-Up Costs:
When evaluating your home based business or small business’ start-up expenses you will find that starting a small business and operating your business from home will usually have fewer start-up expenses. When starting a traditional office-based business you may have start-up expenses associated with 1st and last month rent, security deposits, establishing utilities, furnishing the office with desks, computers, ECT. By operating your small business from home you may be able to significantly reduce these costs or eliminate them altogether.
Hours of Operation:
While many traditional offices hours are restricted to 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, home-based businesses can be open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. With an online business designed to process payment and outsource orders to a warehouse or distributer, people from around the world can purchase your products or services on your small business website while you are working, when you’re not working, while you are sleeping, even when you are sick or on vacation.
Customer Base:
Many brick and mortar business’ customers are restricted to locals or people willing to travel to the business’s location. When you operate a home-based business, especially an online business, it allows you to have a customer base worldwide.
Start Slow:
One great benefit of starting a small business from home is the fact that you don’t have to jump in with both feet right away. You can start slow by operating your business in your spare time, while remaining employed with your current employer. You should be sure that operating your small business does not violate any noncompeting clauses that you may have signed with your current employer. You can speak to your employer or legal council before starting a business to determine if starting your new home-based business will violate a noncompeting clause that you have signed.
Resources:
It today’s environment of information at the click of a button, there is vast amount of home-based small business resources easily accessible to business owners. Much of this information is available for free or at minimal cost online. You can find tutorials, forums, blogs, courses, eBooks, and other forms of information to help your small home-based business start and grow to become successful. One great place to start is BizCentralUSA.com, with its vast business resources and frequent free webinars.
With all of the benefits of starting a small business and operating it from home, unless your small business industry is unsuitable for home based business operations, you should definitely take operating from home into consideration when deciding to start a small business. As your business grows and you accounting and marketing complications mount, you can hire a staff, with a web/IT specialist, marketing specialist, book keeper, HR manager and graphics/advertising dept, or look into much less expensive solutions like those at BizCentralUSA, which enable you to stay home and do what you do best as inexpensively as possible. Even if you decide to operate your small business from a traditional office I would still recommend that you check out the services of a company like BizCentralUSA. Additionally they can help you build and develop a small home based business website and web presence where you can take orders and process payments so that your small business is not restricted to local customers and your hours of operation.
Its Tax season approaching and all eyes turn to your corporate bottom line! You need a way to save some of those excessive Corporate Taxes, and do some good for the community at the same time.
We have the answer; Start a Corporate Foundation! All of the fortune 500 companies have one and now Corporations big and small can have this long coveted institution within their own corporate structure.
Thanks to BizCentralUSA, and the incredibly affordable pricing plans we offer, there is now a place where all the filings for 501c3, the structure of the corporate foundation, even the business plan can be developed for you by experts that cut costs to the bone, and maximize your savings and brand enhancement with minimal hassle and cost to you!
Company founder, Efrain Rodriguez, who was originally with Procter and Gamble himself, related a story of P&G success with a Company Foundation:
“P&G wanted to give back to the community and get a marketing edge at the same time; they had funds but wanted to think outside the box on advertising and marketing in the conventional sense. They formed and funded a Company Foundation called (Loads of Hope). The money funded to the foundation was tax deductable, yet the foundation was to be used for community relations. The Foundation purchased trucks outfitted with washers and driers, complete self contained generators for remote operation. They tagged the trucks with “Loads of Hope” and fully covered the rigs with their brand “Tide” gives back to the community. The trucks were sent out to disaster areas, starting with Hurricane Andrew. The expenses were covered by the Foundation, but the public relations generated were far in excess of the costs which were fully tax deductable. In addition, since the “Loads of Hope” was given 501 C 3 statuses, another specialty of BizCentralUSA, P&G were able to take donations from interested donors impressed with the philanthropy of P&G adding to the good they could do in storm ravaged communities and, of course, their brand exposure and good will,”
Beginning to see possible advantages for almost any corporate entity, with a community spirit and an honest desire to save on tax bills? BizCentralUSA saw a need in the market for this unique product, there is the need, the solutions are competitively priced, the tax savings are significant, and the advantages to both the community and brand identity, far outweigh the time involved in setting up a Company Foundation. Furthermore, BizCentralUSA has made it all as simple as a phone call to find out how easy it will be to say, “Yes we have a Corporate Foundation.”
To learn more about BizCentral USA and the full range of services we provide small to mid size businesses, visit www.BizCentralUSA.com or call 1.877.857.9002.
Join us for a free Small Business Webinar, where we will discuss how No Business is too Small to Become a Good Corporate Citizen!
Yesterday’s practice of companies simply giving money away to good causes has been superseded by today’s strategic corporate philanthropy, which ties donations of time, money, and in-kind gifts to defined business goals and desired benefits.
Companies that have created corporate foundations have discovered that partnerships between private enterprise and public interest can produce profitable outcomes for all. The numbers indicate clearly: companies large and small do well by doing good.
We invite you to spend some invaluable time with BizCentral USA and learn how to create a foundation for your small business!
Topics of Interest:
• Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Foundation Case Studies
• Services Available through CSR
Join us for a free Small Business Webinar on Aug. 24th, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST) & learn how to Establish your own corporate social responsibility and give back to the community.
A Free Small Business Webinar on Starting your Business off on the Right Foot with Email Marketing!
The Pew Internet and American Life Project, says e-mail remains the number-one online activity of Americans and can deliver a higher return on investment than methods such as direct mail and advertising. So as a small business, it’s important to capitalize on this trend! By adopting the right strategies and practices now, you can maximize the inbox to capitalize on acquiring new customers and retaining current ones.
We invite you to spend some valuable time with BizCentral USA and learn step-by-step effective strategies for implementing successful email marketing campaigns.
Topics of Interest:
• Email Marketing Fundamentals
• Design and Layout Best Practices
• What you Don’t see That can Make or Break your Campaign
• Building your Email Lists
• Complying with Regulations & Getting your Emails Delivered
Join us August 17th, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST) and Learn how to maximize the inbox and start reaching thousands with one click!
Everyone has seen the various headlines: “Millions in free government money for your business.” You’ve seen the late-night infomercials and Internet advertisements promise grants to start a business or even to expand your current business. Most individuals even ask themselves, “Is it too good to be true?” It is.
While so many people automatically lose hope when looking for a small business grant the truth is that there are tons of financial assistance programs available to entrepreneurs and business owners in the United States. Eligibility varies, but there are enough opportunities for everyone to pursue. The key to finding these opportunities is to be persistent, creative, consistent in your search, and of course resilient.
Some business grants are available through state and local programs, non-profit organizations and other groups. The federal government does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business. Grants from the federal government are only available to non-commercial organizations. Non-commercial organizations include non-profits and educational institutions. Not only does the federal government provide grants for non-commercial organizations but it tends to focus on areas such as, medicine, education, scientific research and technology development. The federal government also provides grants to state and local governments to assist them with economic development.
If you are interested in a small business grant from the government keep in mind that some states provide grants for expanding child care centers; creating energy efficient technology; and developing marketing campaigns for tourism. These grants are not necessarily free money, and usually require the recipient to match funds or combine the grant with other forms of financing such as a loan. The amount of the grant money available varies with each business and each grantor.
If you are a small business owner that is in search of a business grant start your search by checking with your local government agencies.Many cities, counties, and states give away money to local businesses. Local government agencies award these grants because they want you to create jobs and more tax revenue. Many times these grants are not highly publicized, but it’s in the best interest of the small business owner to give them a call and/or search their web sites.
While many people will try to convince you that federal government agencies give grants to small businesses don’t believe everything you hear. Instead get the right information that will help your small business startup. The federal government doesn’t give business grants directly to businesses, but they do give money to foundations who in turn can give money to small businesses. The federal agency in charge of this is the Grants Program Management Office, and all of their opportunities are listed publicly on their website. www.grants.gov
Another resource that is often times over looked when searching for a small business grant is with large corporations. Nearly every major corporation in this country has a foundation that gives away grants to enhance communities, and many of these are grants to start or expand a business. Start with the companies that are headquartered in your home state, and find out if they offer financial assistance for local businesses. If not, venture out and inquire about companies that are not in your state. Many times, they don’t mind where your business is located or where you live.
If you are unable to find a grant while searching with the major corporations in your state consider broadening your search and take it to the internet. Use Google and Yahoo to conduct a search using the term “business grants“. You can even throw in the name of your city, county, state, etc. Once you have searched, carefully review the results, and look for web sites that other web sites are linked to. By checking for web sites that are linked to other web sites, it will help you to find opportunities that may be casually listed on a blog or directory. You may even come across a recent news article about a new opportunity.
The next question in your search for a small business grant may shock you. Do you have a library card? Contrary to popular belief, libraries are still an excellent resource and store a lot of information that is not accessible in other places. Find your misplaced library card, go to your library as soon possible, and look for grant books and directories. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions to your librarian, they are a great resource and always willing to assist library patrons as best they can. You’ll be surprised what you can find.
The Internet is full of many misleading opportunities. Be cautious, and make sure that the organization or company has a professionally developed web site. Also, make sure they have a phone number, email address, physical address – and are not requiring you to pay to apply. Some legitimate web sites, however, do sell access to their directory of opportunities for a monthly fee. Other legitimate web sites may sell e-books that list grant opportunities. This is acceptable, as long as you are not paying to submit an actual grant application.
The next step in the grant search process is to be patient. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of rushing through the process of finding and applying for a business grant. The reality is that looking for and qualifying for the right opportunity can take some time. When applying for small business grants, make sure to dot your “I’s” and cross your “T’s”. In other words, be thorough and complete. Many opportunities will require lengthy applications that can seem endless. Stay the course, and remember that being inaccurate or skipping questions may disqualify you.
Many small business owners allow the process of applying for grants to intimidate them and scare them away. Yes, it can be time consuming and tedious – but in the end it is very well worth it. Remember, grants do not have to be repaid. This is free money. Don’t give up, and stay positive. You’ll be glad you did!
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