How Your Small Business Can Profit from Your Unhappy Customers

June 25, 2012 by 9 Comments
Dealing with upset customers

As small business owners it is easy to find ourselves obsessing about customer satisfaction and positive brand awareness. After all, the opinions that customers form about our products and services can significantly impact sales. We hear from experts (and tell ourselves) that these good vibes are all the more crucial now that businesses from all walks of life are increasingly being tied to and reliant upon the Internet 2.0 to drive consumer interest, traffic, and conversions.   For this reason, when we are faced with unhappy customers, it can be even harder not to give in to a knee-jerk, internal wince and either rush to make things better or defend our stance… and our name. But in both scenarios, we … read more…

Filed Under: Branding, How-to-guides, Marketing basics, Shopper experience

Frugal Business Travel Tips and Resources for The Thrifty Road Warrior

June 20, 2012 by 7 Comments
How to get cheap airfare on businesstrips

These days, business travel is big business, and it’s why many hotels and airlines seem to be bending over backwards to provide their big corporate clientele with the best service. But frugal entrepreneurs and small business owners need to be proactive if they want to get the greatest savings and value for their money. While many small business experts are quick to point out the virtues of collaboration tools and web conferencing as cheap business trip alternatives, the truth is that sometimes business travel cannot be avoided. Where this is the case, frugal entrepreneurs and small business owners can find themselves in a pickle: The cost of business travel continues to rise, and this is happening while the items on the … read more…

Filed Under: Frugality, How-to-guides, Money management, Travel

5 Ways Your Small Business Can Get Free PR Out of a Chamber of Commerce Membership

June 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Benefits of Chamber of Commerce Membership

There are many benefits to being a part of your local Chamber of Commerce, but did you know that it is also a source of free publicity? Effectively promoting your business can be tricky and expensive- especially if you are just starting out. But, if you know how to leverage your Chamber membership, you can take advantage of lots of excellent publicity for your business. Here are just five ways you can turn your involvement with your local Chamber of Commerce into free, high quality PR.   1. Let the Chamber of Commerce sponsor your grand opening or reopening. Chambers of Commerce love to show up for grand openings. It is great publicity for the Chamber and for the new business. … read more…

Filed Under: Branding, How-to-guides, Marketing basics, Social media

5 Ways to Get Your Business Out of a Rut

June 5, 2012 by 9 Comments
1088030_speed_hump

There comes a time in the lifecycle of every business when the growth slows and work becomes less energizing. Maybe it happens after a year, maybe it happens after 20 years, but it’s bound to happen. And when it does, you can be ready with these 5 tips. They’ll help you take charge and make your entrepreneurial adventure more exciting again. 1. Stop Working (and see what happens) Seriously, take a break. It won’t kill you to take some time off every now and then. Aside from giving you a fresh perspective and recharging your batteries, stepping away from your business is helpful in the bigger picture. You’ll find out one of two things: Either the business goes on without … read more…

Filed Under: Business management, How-to-guides